The next Nintendo Direct is all about Super Mario Bros. Wonder
By Ash Parrish, a reporter who has covered the business, culture, and communities of video games for seven years. Previously, she worked at Kotaku.
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Nintendo’s offering a new in-depth look at Super Mario Bros. Wonder with a Direct showcase slated for this Thursday, August 31st, at 10AM ET. The presentation comes a few weeks after Nintendo announced that Charles Martinet, the iconic voice of Mario, is taking a step back from the role to become Nintendo’s “Mario Ambassador.”
Nintendo confirmed to Polygon that Martinet would not appear as Mario in Wonder, saying, “While Charles is not involved in the game, we’re excited to honor his legacy and contributions, including looking ahead to what he’ll be doing as a Mario Ambassador.”
Wonder, announced back in June, is the first new Mario platformer since the release of Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury back in 2021. Despite Wonder being the year’s only Mario game release, the Mario franchise has had a fantastic year with the financial success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which grossed over a billion dollars worldwide and might win a Grammy for Jack Black’s now-iconic performance of “Peaches.”
Nintendo has promised that a special message from Martinet and CEO Shigeru Miyamoto would be forthcoming. This Direct, it seems, will feature that message along with possibly revealing who’s taking over as the new voice of the most prolific plumber in video games.
Thursday’s Wonder presentation is set to last for about 15 minutes, and Super Mario Bros. Wonder releases on the Switch on October 20th.
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