Nintendo has officially drawn the curtain on Super Mario’s 40th anniversary celebrations, posting a thank-you message to fans on its Japanese website. The message, spotted on the Super Mario Bros. 40th anniversary webpage, signals that the year-long slate of events and releases has come to a close.
According to a rough translation of the message, Nintendo said: “Thank you for helping us celebrate Mario’s 40th anniversary throughout the year, with game software, exhibits at the Nintendo Museum, special games against 12 professional baseball teams, and the theatrical film ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’. We appreciate your continued support.”
A Year Full of Mario
The anniversary kicked off in earnest with a Super Mario 40th Anniversary Direct held last September. That broadcast packed in a wide range of announcements, giving fans a long list of content to look forward to across the following months.
Among the highlights from that Direct were the reveal of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, the announcement of Super Mario Galaxy 1 + 2 for Nintendo Switch, new amiibo figures, Mario Tennis Fever, and DLC for both Super Mario Bros. Wonder and Yoshi and the Mysterious Book.
More recently, Nintendo added Super Mario Sunshine to the Nintendo Classics GameCube library available through Nintendo Switch Online, rounding out one of the bigger software additions of the anniversary period.
What the Celebrations Covered
Over the course of the year, the Mario anniversary touched multiple areas beyond just video games. Nintendo hosted exhibit events at the Nintendo Museum and organized special baseball game tie-ins with 12 professional teams in Japan. The theatrical film was also a centerpiece of the celebrations, marking a major multimedia push for the franchise.
On the software side, fans received a substantial amount of new and returning content. Super Mario Galaxy 1 and 2 came to Switch, while Super Mario Bros. Wonder
The lineup also included Mario Tennis Fever and Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, along with a range of Mario-themed merchandise, accessories, and collectibles released throughout the year.
Zelda Takes the Spotlight Next
With Mario’s anniversary now wrapped up, Nintendo has already shifted focus to its next major franchise milestone. This week, Nintendo officially kicked off The Legend of Zelda’s 40th anniversary with a dedicated Direct broadcast of its own.
That Zelda Direct included updates on the upcoming live-action Zelda film, the announcement of Ocarina of Time coming to Switch 2, and the reveal of a Zelda-themed Switch 2 console and Pro Controller. Multiple additional product announcements were also made during the broadcast.
It remains to be seen how the Zelda anniversary slate will compare in scope to what Mario received over the past year, but the initial lineup of announcements suggests Nintendo is planning another full year of franchise-focused content.
Closing Out a Big Year for Mario
The Super Mario 40th anniversary gave fans a steady stream of software, merchandise, and events over the past twelve months. Whether you played through the Galaxy titles, caught the theatrical film, or picked up new amiibo, the celebration offered something across a range of interests. Nintendo’s thank-you note on its Japanese website puts an official end to the chapter, with the company now turning its attention to Hyrule.
Nintendo has not announced any additional Mario anniversary content following the closing message on its website.