Premium Pricing, Zero Additions
Nintendo has confirmed that Super Mario Odyssey will debut on the Switch 2 with a retail price of $99.99, positioning the beloved platformer not just as a game but as a lifestyle purchase.
The new edition boasts no added levels, no enhanced graphics, and no special content beyond a slightly glossier box. According to Nintendo, this was intentional. “We want players to feel that Mario himself has matured into a premium product,” said Vice President of Pricing Strategy Kenta Morimoto. “Nothing says premium like charging more for the same thing.”
Industry analysts agree the strategy is bold but logical. “When you can sell cardboard for $70, you can sell Odyssey for $100,” one remarked, referencing the infamous Nintendo Labo experiment.
Gamers Respond with Predictable Enthusiasm
Reaction online has been swift. “This is outrageous,” wrote one fan on Reddit. “But of course I pre-ordered two copies.”
Some gamers defended the move, arguing that paying more makes the experience more authentic. “When I throw my hat at a frog this time,” said streamer PeachPlz, “I’ll know I’m not just playing Mario. I’m investing in Mario. That’s worth triple digits.”
Meanwhile, Nintendo’s marketing campaign leans heavily into exclusivity. Billboards now read: Super Mario Odyssey: If You Can Afford It, You Deserve It.
Nintendo Explains the Logic
Asked directly about the price, Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa offered a simple response: “People paid $60 for Mario Galaxy in 2007. They paid $60 again in 2020. It is only fair that they now pay $100 for Odyssey. That is what we call progress.”
Company documents obtained by analysts hint at even higher numbers down the line. One slide titled The Odyssey Never Ends outlines a pricing trajectory: $149.99 by 2030, $199.99 by 2040, and eventually “variable pricing based on player nostalgia levels.”
Conclusion
With its $99.99 Super Mario Odyssey re-release, Nintendo has once again redefined the art of selling old games at new prices. As one investor quipped during a recent call, “Mario doesn’t just jump on Goombas. He jumps directly into wallets.”
This article is obviously satire, albeit realistic. For more Satire, check out Lampoon Tribune.