Is Nintendo Developing A New ‘Mario’ Game? ‘Legend Of Zelda’ Delay Explained

By Emily Marks

Jun 21, 2016 07:00 AM EDT

After the "Legend of Zelda," Nintendo may be creating a new "Mario" game. Moreover, it could be unveiled at next year's E3.

PC Mag reported that Nintendo designer Shigeru Miyamoto has hinted at a new "Mario" game next year. This would definitely make sense as the adventure series is deemed as one of the company's biggest franchises.

"We're always challenging ourselves to create something new, so hopefully you'll see a new kind of Mario in about a year or two," Miyamoto told IGN in an interview at E3 2016. "Maybe next E3 we'll be able to share something."

Miyamoto also shared the challenges of tweaking the formula in "Mario" games. Apparently, because of Mario's popularity, Nintendo has to be careful and mindful of how it uses and updates the character.

"It's kind of difficult with Mario because some of the more important conventions of Mario are based on the approachability and accessibility of those games," Miyamoto added. He noted that new employees at Nintendo have given them a new perspective as well.

The last "Mario" title released was "Super Mario Maker." However, it focused on giving players the ability to create their own levels for others to play instead of the traditional full "Mario" adventure. Wii U's 2013 "Super Mario 3D World" was the last "Mario" title that featured the traditional gameplay.

Meanwhile, Nintendo has also explained the delay of the new "Legend of Zelda" game. In another report by IGN, Miyamoto, who acts as an executive producer of the game, and series producer Eiji Aonuma shared their thoughts on the highly-anticipated title being published on Wii U and Nintendo NX.

"When we thought about developing a 'Zelda' game for the NX, it would have to be way further down the life cycle of the system," Miyamoto said. "And this game, rather than really focusing on the unique features of the Wii U, it's really a game you sit down and get into. There was a change in direction, so we decided to develop for both consoles a while ago."