It’s hard to believe we’re still getting new Yoshi games in 2026, especially considering how different the series is compared to Super Mario, but it is what it is, and I’m not necessarily upset about it. The Yoshi games offer something unique that Super Mario doesn’t, and I personally believe that should continue, even if it’s largely meant to appeal to younger audiences. However, it’s nonetheless downright bonkers that the Switch 2 has already received a new Yoshi game while 3D Mario is still nowhere to be found—and that is something I’m not quite sure how to feel about.
When I got the chance to do a hands-on preview of Yoshi and the Mysterious Book ahead of its Switch 2 launch earlier this year, I was instantly charmed and not even thinking about the fact that it would be arriving before we even got a glimpse at a new 3D Mario game. It had everything I wanted in a cozy new Nintendo title, and I was subconsciously convinced I wouldn’t need Mario as long as I had Yoshi. But that has changed, and it didn’t take long either, as I’m now reflecting on how long it has been since we got a proper new 3D Mario game and how that span of time compares to the even shorter drought between Yoshi games.
Somehow, Yoshi Returned Before 3D Mario
Between the Mario and Yoshi franchises, Mario is obviously the juggernaut, and yet everyone’s favorite green dinosaur was given preferential treatment over the iconic plumber that has defined Nintendo’s legacy. Again, getting a new Yoshi title in and of itself isn’t a bad thing, but it still makes the gap between 3D Mario games that much harder to ignore. Specifically, while we only had to wait a little over 7 years to get a new Yoshi game, the 3D Mario drought is now approaching the 9-year mark, and it’s likely going to be longer than that, as a new entry has yet to even be announced.
Guess the games from the emojis.
Guess the games from the emojis.
Easy (120s)Medium (90s)Hard (60s)
Before the most recent Yoshi game, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, arrived came Yoshi’s Crafted World, which launched on March 29, 2019 for the Nintendo Switch. Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, having launched on May 21, 2026, makes that gap just over 7 years, which is understandable, given Yoshi‘s status as a less important series for Nintendo. While the gap between previous Yoshi games has historically been shorter, it’s still worth acknowledging that most Nintendo fans are likely awaiting a new 3D Mario game before a new entry in the Yoshi series.
Comparing the Gaps Between 3D Mario and Yoshi Games
- Yoshi’s Crafted World (March 29, 2019) and Yoshi and the Mysterious Book (May 21, 2026) – 7 Years, 1 Month, and 22 Days
- Super Mario Odyssey (October 27, 2017) and Today – 8 Years, 8+ Months
3D Mario, on the other hand, hasn’t been around since Super Mario Odyssey launched on the Nintendo Switch in 2017. At the time of writing, that drought has officially broken a record for the series, with the previous record holder being the 5 years and almost 11 months between Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine. However, that also means the record was broken a long time ago, because we’ve now gone almost 9 years without a new 3D Mario game.
Furthermore, given the fact that a new 3D Mario game hasn’t even been announced yet for the Switch 2, it’s possible the current drought could eventually double the length of the previous record, if we somehow don’t get a new 3D Mario title until late August 2029. As bonkers as that sounds, I wouldn’t count it out, simply because if we’ve already waited this long, why not wait even longer? I realize I’m being facetious at this point, because Nintendo would be out of their mind to let the 3D Mario drought extend over 4 years into the Switch 2’s lifespan.
Between the Mario and Yoshi franchises, Mario is obviously the juggernaut, and yet everyone’s favorite green dinosaur was given preferential treatment over the iconic plumber that has defined Nintendo’s legacy.
At the same time, that’s actually why it’s worth comparing the gap between Yoshi games to the gap between 3D Mario games. Strictly between Yoshi and Mario, Mario has been the one to establish new Nintendo hardware, with Yoshi bringing up the rear. Sure, you could count Mario Kart World as a Mario game if you wanted to, but Mario Kart World is a racing game, not a traditional 3D Mario game. It makes sense that Nintendo would at least include Mario in a Switch 2 launch title, but to say players want a Mario racing game before a brand-new 3D Mario game isn’t reading the room very well.
To adequately seal up this argument and make sure every point is airtight, I’ll gladly bring up Bowser’s Fury, which many might argue technically counts as a new 3D Mario game for the Switch 2. However, it doesn’t count, no matter which way you look at it. Bowser’s Fury on the Switch 2 is simply an enhanced version of the spin-off that originally launched on the first Nintendo Switch console. Yes, it’s nice to be able to play a 3D Mario game that takes advantage of the Switch 2’s hardware, but it’s not a new entry in the series. That would be like saying Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom count as new Zelda games on the Switch 2, simply because they both received upgrades for the console.
It makes sense that Nintendo would at least include Mario in a Switch 2 launch title, but to say players want a Mario racing game before a brand-new 3D Mario game isn’t reading the room very well.
All things considered, none of this means Yoshi and the Mysterious Book shouldn’t exist, because I’m glad it does, and I genuinely hope Nintendo keeps finding room for Yoshi between its bigger releases. However, the fact that Yoshi has now gotten a brand-new Switch 2 game before 3D Mario has even been announced is the kind of Nintendo timeline that only gets weirder the longer you sit with it. If nothing else, it’s painfully clear that whenever Mario finally does show up on Switch 2 in proper fashion, he can’t just be good, because after a drought this long, he has to remind everyone why he arguably should have beaten Yoshi to the punch in the first place.
