5 Super Mario Bros Games We Almost Got (And Why They Were Never Made)

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As a gamer, I think it’s safe to say the Super Mario Bros. series is HUGE – there are over 200 different Mario games out there, from the classic platformers to spin-offs like the sports titles and even totally new takes on the formula. But it’s kinda crazy to think that not every Mario game that developers started actually ended up getting released. Some just never made it to the finish line, apparently!

Cancelled games happen for many reasons. Sometimes it’s because of technical issues with the gaming systems themselves, or changes with new consoles. Other times, Nintendo just didn’t feel the idea was right, or a developer moved on to a different project. Interestingly, ideas from these cancelled games sometimes found their way into other titles. Here are five Mario games that were never released, and probably won’t be.

Super Mario’s Wacky Worlds

The game Super Mario’s Wacky Worlds demonstrates how Nintendo’s internal hardware testing influenced the Super Mario series. It was originally planned as a special release for the Phillips CD-i, a console that Nintendo allowed to use some of its popular characters. While most games made for the CD-i weren’t very well-received, Super Mario’s Wacky World had the potential to be different.

This game was designed as a sequel to Super Mario World, aiming to boost sales of the Philips CD-i console. Nintendo initially liked a demonstration of the game, but it was ultimately cancelled when the CD-i faced financial difficulties. Surprisingly, a few demo copies still exist, and one was even sold at auction.

Mario Artist: Sound Studio

Following the success of Mario Paint on the Super Nintendo, Nintendo of Japan created the Mario Artist series for the Nintendo 64. Mario Artist: Polygon Studio was designed to be a key game for the 64DD, a disk drive add-on for the N64 that was only released in Japan. Nintendo hoped it would compete with similar add-ons like the Sega CD and PlayStation (which quickly became very popular), but the 64DD didn’t sell well, preventing Nintendo from releasing it worldwide.

The first game, Mario Artist Polygon Studio, was released, but its sequel never made it to stores. Sound Studio, the planned second installment, was one of several similar creative games proposed for the 64DD that were canceled when the add-on was discontinued. Though these games aren’t well-known, the series and their quick mini-games heavily influenced the creation of the WarioWare series.

Super Mario 64 2

Following the huge popularity of Super Mario 64, it’s not surprising that plans for a sequel existed. Reports at the time indicated the game was intended for the 64DD add-on, and Miyamoto even discussed his enthusiasm for the project. Unfortunately, the 64DD wasn’t successful, so development was halted early on. It’s believed that some ideas and components from the cancelled sequel were later incorporated into other Super Mario games, such as Super Mario Sunshine and Super Mario Galaxy.

The developers also planned to include characters like Luigi in the sequel and even thought about making it a multiplayer game. Ideas for how to add other playable characters were considered and could have been a key feature in Super Mario 64 DS. The gameplay footage originally thought to be from Super Mario 64 2—often referred to as Super Mario 128—was actually a demonstration of the GameCube’s capabilities. However, it did influence the creation of Pikmin later on.

A Bunch Of Donkey Kong Games

The Donkey Kong series saw a revival during the Nintendo 64’s popularity. The developer Rare created both Donkey Kong 64 and Diddy Kong Racing, which quickly became beloved games for the console. But when Microsoft bought Rare in 2002, their partnership with Nintendo ended. Unfortunately, this cancellation impacted several games Rare was already working on, including a sequel to Diddy Kong Racing that would have focused entirely on aerial combat, called Diddy Kong Pilot.

When the announcement came, several other Donkey Kong games were already being worked on, which led to the cancellation of Donkey Kong Racing and Donkey Kong Coconut Crackers. Donkey Kong Racing, planned as a GameCube spin-off of Diddy Kong Racing, was dropped as Rare prioritized finishing their last Nintendo game, Star Fox Adventures. A trailer for the game was actually shown at E3 2001, though. As for the other cancelled title—a puzzle game for the GBA—it was reworked and eventually released as It’s Mr. Pants in 2001.

Super Mario Spikers

Next Level Games created a concept for Super Mario Spikers as a sequel to Super Mario Strikers. Planned for the Wii, it was designed to be a volleyball game in the Mario Sports style, but with wrestling-like features, including a large arena and physical player interactions. Concept art for the game has surfaced online, and the project was formally presented to Nintendo.

Nintendo turned down the game because of its wrestling moves, finding the violence too realistic for the generally lighthearted world of the Mushroom Kingdom. Next Level Games then started working on Punch-Out!! for the Wii, and it seems they used some of the ideas from the wrestling game, but adapted them for a boxing theme instead.

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2025-12-15 23:45