A new game in the Super Mario franchise is rumored to be in development at Nintendo, which is likely true given the latest brand-new mainline entry was Super Mario Odyssey released back in 2017. While fans can only speculate what type of adventure the iconic plumber will take on this time, a successor to Super Mario Odyssey has a lot from the series it could draw upon. With the recent addition of Game Boy Advance games to the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack service, the spin-off title Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga could serve as an unexpected inspiration for a new mainline entry.
There are a lot of games recently added to the Nintendo Switch Online library that a new mainline Mario game could draw from, including the Game Boy title Super Mario Land 2 and the Game Boy Advance entry Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3. However, if Nintendo wants to break from the typical design for Mario games, looking towards the spin-off titles could provide great inspiration. While the company typically stays away from mixing its Mario RPG spin-offs with its mainline Mario titles, doing so could give the next adventure the distinguishing characteristics it needs to stand out.
The Next Mario Game Should Include the Beanbean Kingdom
It's not often that Mario games reference the Mushroom Kingdom's neighbors, but Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga introduces players to the Beanbean Kingdom as the setting for the game. The kingdom shares its northeastern boarder with the Mushroom Kingdom and is ruled by its own monarch, Queen Bean. In this spin-off game, Mario and Luigi must adventure across the Beanbean Kingdom in order to recover Princess Peach's voice, which was stolen by the evil Cackletta and Fawful. Although the kingdom has yet to reappear in a subsequent game, the time is finally right for Mario to return to the Mushroom Kingdom's neighbor.
With Super Mario Odyssey establishing the globe-trotting theme for Mario and his companion, Cappy, it makes sense that a sequel could follow a similar formula only with different kingdoms. As such, the Beanbean Kingdom would make the perfect candidate for a level in a potential Super Mario Odyssey 2 given its proximity to the Mushroom Kingdom and the nostalgia it carries for fans of the Mario & Luigi series. With the original developer of the series, AlphaDream, now defunct, it could also be a great way to renew interest for a potential Mario & Luigi comeback under a new developer.
The Beanbean Kingdom isn't the only spin-off location a Super Mario Odyssey 2 could include. It would be a welcome treat for longtime franchise fans if a new game included worlds from a variety of Mario spin-offs as well, such as Rogueport from Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door or Pi'illo Island from Mario & Luigi: Dream Team. Not only would this finally give these games the representation in a mainline Mario game they deserve, but could also serve to incorporate unique mechanics based on the specific location. Mario might become paper while in Rogueport, or gain the ability to travel in and out of the Dream World while on Pi'illo Island.
In addition to including innovative new mechanics, these levels would also serve as a great way to look back on the popular spin-off titles in the franchise. Hopefully with games like Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga back in the spotlight thanks to Nintendo Switch Online, Nintendo will capitalize on this opportunity to give these titles some more love in their next mainline Mario game. If rumors are true, the next entry in the Super Mario franchise could be revealed soon, meaning it's never been a better time to revisit the Beanbean Kingdom.
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga is available now via Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack.
