Nintendo’s Forgotten ‘90s Mario Spinoff Deserves a Switch 2 Reboot
Polygon argues that Mario Paint, a 1992 Super Nintendo creative application, merits a Nintendo Switch 2 reboot. The original title sold approximately 2.5 million copies worldwide, placing it among the SNES’s top 20 best-selling releases, ahead of Super Mario RPG and close to Chrono Trigger.
Unlike traditional games, Mario Paint functioned as an approachable digital art studio that bundled a music composer, pixel-art editor, and animation tools. This creative focus distinguished it from Nintendo’s typical game releases and offered players a unique way to engage with the Mushroom Kingdom franchise.
Despite strong commercial performance, Mario Paint has received significantly less development attention than other Mario spinoffs. Franchises like Mario Kart, Mario Party, Luigi’s Mansion, and WarioWare have received multiple iterations and franchise expansions across decades, while Mario Paint has largely remained dormant since its 1992 release. Polygon suggests that the title’s demonstrated commercial appeal, combined with modern interest in digital creative tools, positions it as a promising candidate for reimagining on Nintendo’s next-generation console.