Suda 51's Idea For A Mario Game Is Just As Bonkers As You'd Think

mario in Super Mario Odyssey Nintendo Switch
(Image credit: Nintendo)

The crazy Japanese auteur, Suda51, is known for developing some of the most outlandish things in games. From No More Heroes to Killer 7 to Shadows of the Damned, Suda51 has really pushed the limits on storytelling and character narratives. And his ideas for a Super Mario game are just as bonkers as you'd think.

IGN managed to get in word with Goichi "Suda51" Suda. In light of his upcoming project for the Nintendo Switch, Suda51 was asked about what he would do if he were making a Super Mario title. The creative director stated...

So this really bad guy's captured Luigi, so Mario and Koopa become friends and they go together. It's like a road movie in a car. So they go from the south to the north and just go through it, like through America. I think it'd be great to make a Mario game like that.

That sounds crazy, like some kind of buddy-up action game. Maybe some kind of Mario-rendition of Another 48 Hours.

The thing is, Suda51's crazy idea isn't too far fetched when you consider that similar content creators have taken Mario in a similar direction with various YouTube video series. One in particular turned Mario and Luigi into Call of Duty: Modern Warfare-style operators, all while keeping the themes and world centered around the classic Super Mario universe. It was a gritty, violent, hardcore take on the plumber duo.

I doubt Nintendo would ever sign off on a game where Suda51 got complete control of the Mario franchise. He does joke with IGN that if he did make a Super Mario game he would tone down the blood and gore, a staple feature for which the creative director is very well known for.

Suda51 is already busy working on a new No More Heroes title for the Nintendo Switch. He didn't roll out any details on what the new game will be like, other than that we can expect Travis Touchdown to make an appearance in some capacity.

Meanwhile, Nintendo is hard at work on their own version of Super Mario Odyssey. It's no where near as outlandish as Suda51's description of what he would do, but the game is still outlandish enough. For the first time in the series, Mario finds his way to a more realistic looking city mirrored after New York City. Players will be able to scale buildings, hop off cars, interact with pedestrians and unlock new worlds to explore.

According to Nintendo, they wanted to bring back the sandbox appeal that was present in Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine. Gamers won't be getting their hands on Super Mario Odyssey anytime soon, though. The game won't be due for release until later this fall, meaning you'll have almost a whole year to contemplate playing the newest Mario game.

Maybe if No More Heroes on the Nintendo Switch manages to be a blockbuster seller (assuming the console is a blockbuster seller) then Suda-san might be able to go to Nintendo and broker a deal to work on that Super Mario game where Mario and Bowser team up to go save Luigi from some super evil bad dudes.

Will Usher

Staff Writer at CinemaBlend.