Cancelled or Never Released Mario Games: What Do We Know?

741 mots | Temps de lecture : 3 minute(s)

With hundreds of titles under its belt, the Super Mario franchise seems unstoppable. Yet, over the decades, several Mario games have been canceled , redesigned, or never released. Whether they're secret prototypes or projects abandoned at the concept stage, these ghost titles pique the curiosity of fans and fuel fantasies surrounding the Nintendo universe. Here's a selection of the ghost Mario games ... and what we know about them.

1. Super Mario's Wacky Worlds (Philips CD-i)

Conceived in 1993 as a spiritual sequel to Super Mario World on the Philips CD-i , the result of a commercial agreement between Nintendo and Philips.

• Developed by NovaLogic
• Mario was supposed to visit historical places like Egypt or ancient Greece
• A playable prototype was leaked, but the project was quickly abandoned.

Due to Nintendo's lack of direct involvement and the commercial failure of the CD-i, this game has become a classic example of a license poorly exploited outside its ecosystem.

2. Super Mario RPG 2 (Nintendo 64)

A direct sequel to Super Mario RPG (1996), this project was originally intended for the Nintendo 64 with the help of Square . A dispute – notably Square's choice of the PlayStation – ended the collaboration.

The concept was completely reinvented and became Paper Mario (2000), with a new graphic style. A successful transformation... but very different from the original ambition.

3. Super Mario 128 (GameCube)

Shown at Space World 2000 , the demo showed 128 Marios interacting on a circular platform with real-time physics.

• Inspired by Pikmin (group management)
• Laid the foundation for gravity in Super Mario Galaxy

Never finalized under this name, but a key project in Nintendo's R&D .

4. Mario Takes America (Philips CD-i)

An educational project combining live-action and mini-games where Mario crossed the United States to Hollywood.

The technical limitations of the CD-i and the high budget of the filmed sequences led to its cancellation . Only a few storyboards remain.

5. Mario Motors (Nintendo DS)

Conceived by Yoot Saito (creator of Seaman), the game was intended to allow you to design engines piece by piece before testing them in races.

Shigeru Miyamoto was enthusiastic, but the concept, deemed too niche, remained at the prototype stage.

6. Super Mario Spikers (Wii)

From Next Level Games (makers of Mario Strikers ): a mix of volleyball and wrestling , with WWE-style finishing moves.

Nintendo canceled the project, finding the aesthetic too aggressive for Mario's family-friendly image.

7. Donkey Kong Racing (GameCube)

Presented at E3 2001: animal racing (Rambi, Enguarde) in destructible tropical environments.

Microsoft's acquisition of Rare in 2002 ended development. Some ideas would filter through to Donkey Kong: Barrel Blast .

8. Mario Artist: Game Maker (64DD)

Mario Artist software extension for the 64DD: create your own mini-games with scripts, sounds and visuals.

The failure of the 64DD doomed the project, but it would lay the foundations for WarioWare DIY and especially Super Mario Maker .

Why were these projects abandoned?

• Technical constraints and production costs
• Partnership issues (Square, Philips, Rare)
• Inadequacy with brand image (violence, complexity)
• Commercial failures of media (CD-i, 64DD)

Nintendo, however, recycles ideas and mechanics: nothing is lost, everything is transformed .

Conclusion

These canceled games are a reminder that an icon like Mario follows a path strewn with trials, prototypes, and strategic choices. Some prototypes will never see the light of day, but the ideas they sowed continue to flourish in the Mushroom Kingdom .