Nintendo Direct Lands on Eve of Super Mario Bros. 40th Anniversary

Nintendo has officially locked in a new Nintendo Direct for this Friday, September 12, and the timing couldn’t be more significant: it lands just one day before the 40th anniversary of Super Mario Bros.. The broadcast is scheduled to begin at 6 a.m.

PST / 9 a.m. ET / 2 p.m. BST and will run for a full hour – making it one of the longer Directs we’ve seen in recent years.

While Nintendo hasn’t confirmed its exact lineup, the fact that this showcase arrives on Mario’s milestone birthday almost guarantees plumber-related announcements. The company has a history of tying big anniversary dates to high-profile reveals. For example, the 35th anniversary brought us Super Mario 3D World: Bowser’s Fury, the limited-time Super Mario 3D All-Stars, Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit, and even a Mario-themed Game & Watch handheld. Fans are now buzzing over the possibility of a new 3D Mario game designed to kick off the Switch 2 generation, or perhaps long-awaited remasters like Super Mario Galaxy 2.

The excitement isn’t just about Mario, though. Many expect Nintendo to finally pin down a release date for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, a title teased for years. Shadow drops aren’t out of the question either – after all, Nintendo pulled that move with Metroid Prime Remastered. Speculation also swirls around whether Nintendo will provide fresh glimpses at Pokémon Legends Z/A (October 16), Kirby: Air Riders (November 20), and other Switch 2 games already on the calendar. Still, since those titles have had their own dedicated showcases, they may only get quick mentions this time.

Looking ahead to 2025, there are equally intriguing prospects. Professor Layton and The New World of Steam and Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment are both lined up, while FromSoftware’s mysterious The Duskbloods continues to stoke curiosity as a Switch 2 exclusive. On the fan wishlist? New Fire Emblem, a fresh Animal Crossing, ambitious crossovers, and even dream projects like F-Zero or Kid Icarus making returns.

There’s also chatter about Nintendo’s strategy for the upcoming year. With a recent Indie World and Partner Showcase already behind us, some wonder how Nintendo will balance first-party bombshells with smaller updates. For many players, brevity is key: show the trailer, highlight what’s new, and keep moving. Others are bracing for big anniversary surprises, maybe even another Mario collection or a themed hardware reveal.

Whether you’re hoping for a groundbreaking Mario Odyssey sequel, a remastered classic, or finally seeing Samus’ next adventure, this Direct promises to be a pivotal moment. And with the Switch 2 era dawning, Nintendo has every reason to deliver something worthy of Mario’s 40th birthday.