Yesterday, Nintendo announced a new Super Mario-themed Switch bundle. The bundle is being released in tandem with a new expansion to Super Mario 3D World, “Bowser’s Fury,” coming February 12th. It will cost $299.
This new Switch will be pretty unique. The bundle’s controllers are both red and the Joy Con’s inserts are blue with a red safety strap. The Joy Con holder is also blue, making a nice Mario-themed contrast. The bundle’s portable carrying case and the Switch’s dock is also a lovely red, to match Mario’s famous plumber’s outfit. More interestingly, the Switch console itself is red. It’s really sleek-looking and, as always, it’s hard to accuse Nintendo of having a bad aesthetic.
The bundle itself will not actually include a copy of Super Mario 3D World– that has to be bought separately. The announcement of the red and blue Switch bundle comes in a line of several releases in celebration of Mario’s 35th anniversary. Alongside Super Mario 3D All-Stars and Super Mario Bros. 35, Nintendo has been pumping out a ton of (somewhat) new Super Mario titles.
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury and the red and blue Super Mario Switch bundle will both be dropping on February 12th, though the Switch bundle is only available “at select retailers.”
What Bowser’s Fury Adds to Super Mario 3D World
Bowser’s Fury will be an expansion to Super Mario 3D World, which was initially released in 2013 for the Wii U. It is an unusual choice from Nintendo, but Nintendo tends to do unusual things. It’s the first time the game will be ported to the Switch.
Based on the release trailer that just dropped, it seems Bowser’s Fury will add a fair amount of new content to the nearly 8-year-old game. The trailer offers some gameplay footage, showing some new levels that appear to be pretty open, akin more to 3D titles such as Super Mario Odyssey and the like. The trailer shows off new features, such as a new co-op mode where players can team up with Bowser Jr. to take down a formidable-looking giant black Bowser.
Toward the end of the gameplay trailer, Mario transforms into a giant yellow cat with spiky golden hair. Super Saiyan Mario? Super Sonic Mario? Speculation could run wild. Either way, it looks to be like a pretty fun update to a title many players never got to experience. Much like Pikmin 3, many people missed out on Wii U exclusives due to the console’s underwhelming release and lifespan.
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Several of the aforementioned Mario titles will become unavailable on March 21st of this year, but Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury will be a full release with no limitations.
With so many games ending on March 21st, some players have begun speculating about what actually happens once that date has passed. The release of a new Switch bundle just before the day fans speculate a “Switch Pro” announcement might come seems counterintuitive, but not impossible. No matter what happens, the Switch is still home to plenty of entertaining games and content.
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