Super Mario 3D World Isn’t Replacing Super Mario Galaxy

Apparently there's been some concern the upcoming Super Mario 3D World would spell the end of the Super Mario Galaxy series on Nintendo's consoles. Fortunately, we have Shigeru Miyamoto to set the record straight.

In Nintendo's latest Iwata Asks column, the subject of Super Mario Galaxy was brought up, and Miyamoto wanted to emphasize Super Mario 3D World wasn't a replacement for the space-focused series.

"Just so there is no misunderstanding, I should point out that this doesn't mean we'll never make another Super Mario Galaxy game," Miyamoto said. His feelings were emphasized by Yoshiaki Koizumi. "That's right. When we first started making Super Mario 3D World, Miyamoto-san asked me if this was going to be more like Super Mario Galaxy or more like Super Mario 3D Land," Koizumi stated. "When we made Super Mario 3D Land, we had our eyes on the form of this game, so we made it this way without any hesitation."

Miyamoto expanded, adding the same development team couldn't work on both games simultaneously, nor could a second team be created solely to craft a new Galaxy title. "Personally, I would like to take on a variety of new challenges with Super Mario Galaxy and design 2D Super Mario games in an easy-to-understand way within certain restraints," Miyamoto said.

Sadly, no news about another entry in the Super Mario Galaxy series was officially announced, leaving the future of the series up in the air. Given Miyamoto's love for the franchise, and the fanbase's desire for a third entry, it's probably not out of the realm of possibility for a Wii U entry to arrive in the future. Too bad that future is a long way away.