It seemed inevitable that Nintendo was going to port Super Mario 3D World to the Switch after an abundance of Wii U titles released on the console, but Bowser's Fury adds so much more content than anyone was expecting to see. On average, Nintendo has put little effort into making sure that the Wii U ports on the Switch have a plethora of extra things to do for those who played the original versions. Typically, they add easy modes for inexperienced players or a few extra characters or maps to use, but Bowsers Fury adds so much more content, one could only hope this becomes the norm for Nintendo ports and remakes.
Because of the poor sales of the Wii U, it's highly probable most people haven't experienced these games. As a result, Nintendo has developed a habit of creating Switch ports of Wii U titles to give them another opportunity to sell on a more successful platform. It might be a disappointing trope for dedicated Nintendo fanatics to see, but these ports keep selling more copies every year. A considerable portion of the Wii U's library has been ported over to Nintendo's latest console, and on average they've performed much better during their second winds.
Nintendo seems to be aware that many of its fans are less inclined to purchase a Wii U port if they already own it on their old dust-covered consoles. Most Wii U ports have added some extra content to motivate Wii U owners to double-dip into the second version of these titles. For example, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe added new characters, kart parts, battle tracks, and modes to the original. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze added Funky Kong as a playable character, and Pikmin 3 added some extra levels that flesh out the story of the game. These additions were definitely appreciated by many, but the extra content felt more like overpriced DLC packs rather than content worth such a $60 asking price. This might have something to do with the poor sales of Pikmin 3 Deluxe on the Switch.
Bowser's Fury Could Change Nintendo Rereleases Forever
What makes Super Mario 3D World so different from the rest of the Wii U ports is how different its extra content is from the original experience. The base game plays much like Super Mario 3D Land did on the 3DS. Players go from level to level across many worlds like a traditional linear Mario game. However, Bowser's Fury mixes the physics and mechanics of Super Mario 3D World with the open nature of Super Mario Odyssey to create something entirely new. Fury Bowser is a destructive force that can spawn at any point and wreak havoc during someone's adventure, and Bowser Jr. will make for a fresh ally with a lot of potential for new ideas.
It's safe to say the sales of Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury will prove to Nintendo that adding this style of content is a good idea for future ports, so how could this be implemented in the future? Fans are expecting those heavily-rumored Zelda ports which may or may not end up releasing for Zelda's 35th anniversary, and they would likely be incredibly happy to hear Nintendo was going to add lots of new content to those games.
Imagine a Skyward Sword remake with a lengthy post-game section that allows players to freely explore Hyrule and find new dungeons, enemies and weapons that haven't been seen in any Zelda game. A port of Metroid Prime Trilogy might come with an additional planet to explore, packed with original mechanics and power-ups, instead of simply adding more multiplayer maps and modes. Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury is looking to be one of the best Nintendo rereleases in a long time, but Nintendo should take note of why fans are suddenly so excited for this port of a seven-year-old game.