Nintendo's Mario franchise has won the developer worldwide fame and popularity, and in September, it will be 40 glorious years of pipes, piranha plants, and evil turtles. You would be hard-pressed to find someone on Earth who hasn't at least seen Mario in passing, or heard a rogue 'yahoo!' in their time.
That's why Nintendo is sure to be celebrating hard this year, and the rumors are flying already. Claims of a New Super Mario Bros. 40th Anniversary collection are circulating. They were reported first by a leaker, who goes by the name John Skinny, and who has previously made some reliable claims about the Switch 2 prior to the console's release.
The collection is rumored to be made up of three classic Super Mario Bros. installments: New Super Mario Bros. (DS), New Super Mario Bros. Wii, and New Super Mario Bros. 2 (3DS). We assume that the three games will be coming to the Switch 2, and also hope sincerely that Nintendo will consider releasing the games on the original Switch console, although this is unclear.
According to the source, the release date of the collection wouldn't be happening until March 2026, but since we have no direct confirmation from Nintendo that any of this is going ahead, it's safe to assume that the March release date is up in the air. We do know that Mario's anniversary celebrations typically last up until March of the following year, though, so this is in the realm of possibility.
Even if Nintendo decides not to confirm the release of the collection, it's safe to say that the Mario anniversary celebrations will be exciting for us all, given that the previous large anniversary in 2020 saw the announcement of new games for the Switch, remasters of old games, and crucially, the limited edition Game & Watch handheld console.
Stay tuned so we can update you if and/or when this rumor becomes a reality, but in the meantime, check out our list of best Mario games, our guide to the next Nintendo Direct, or even an update on Mario's relationship status. For other Nintendo reading, check out our guides to the best Switch games and all upcoming Switch games you need to know about.