Earlier today it was announced that Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition will be coming to the 3DS around the world, a crossover that undoubtedly has significant sales potential. The Puzzle & Dragons brand is sizeable, with tens of millions of downloads for the smartphone game worldwide.
The series has enjoyed the most success in Japan, which is also a country seeing an explosion in popularity for smart device games; it's also a vital territory for the 3DS, which helped make Puzzle & Dragons Z a notable success. The portable's version, which espoused the free-to-play mechanics of the smartphone original for an all-inclusive setup, had shipped over 1.5 million copies by mid-2014 following a late 2013 release in Japan. That never made it to the West, possibly due to the fact that GungHo's smart device version hasn't matched the huge Japanese download figures in other territories.
It's not surprising that the Super Mario Bros. Edition will be released globally, however, as it combines two powerful brands for what could be a significant hit. The financial markets reflected this, too - as reported by Bloomberg, both Nintendo and GungHo saw shares rise in Tokyo trading; Nintendo's share price increased 2.3%, while GungHo saw its shares climb 4.1%; both had seen bigger spikes during the day before they settled at closing. This is handy for Nintendo, in particular, as its share value had been slowly falling in the early days of 2015.
We anticipate that Nintendo will put a lot of marketing effort behind Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition, especially in Japan. Do you think it'll be a big hit?
[source bloomberg.com]
Comments 39
This actually looks pretty good (most pleasing looking Mario 3DS game since Dream Team). I would buy this if it's localized.
If this is all-inclusive instead of FTP (which it sounds like it is), I'll probably get it when/if it releases in America. Here's hoping Nintendo thinks the Mario brand is enough to interest us (because it totally is)!
Bet they thought it was for smartphones ;d
Anyways, where is my Monster Strike crossover??
Edit: Does anyone know if Nintendo has worked with Gung-Ho on games prior to this? I remember them saying that they're working with third parties they never worked with before, is Gung-Ho one of them? If so that's pretty rad, though I'm expecting(/hoping) more partnerships (if you can call them that?) with western third parties. I'm aware it's way too soon to talk about it
I love Puzzle and Dragon, too bad Z couldn't make it overseas but at least we will get this!
Less crossovers please.
I don't even know what Puzzle & Dragons is. I'm bound to assume that Nintendo is dialing up the crossovers and merchandize because their own brands aren't earning as much as they are during the "fat years".
@Pod
Doing crossovers is easier for Nintendo than trying to come up with new titles no one will buy anyway. Nintendo fans never cared much for Dynasty/Samurai Warriors, but glue Link to the cover, and it sells.
You can sell almost anything on a Nintendo system if you combine it with Mario, Zelda, or Pokemon. But that's pretty much the only way to sell anything on them these days.
I would simply prefer to have the regular Puzzle and Dragons Z game. I'm not interested in it just because Mario is shoehorned in.
Is it just me or is "Super Mario Bros Edition" just dull? The crossover is good, it's just the name sounds so boring. I would of called it "Puzzle & Bowser" (even though bowser isn't a dragon)
@BensonUii Mario and MJ?! Now THAT is a crossover I can get on board with! Lol I loved MoonWalker, wish it was on Virtual Console
I read somewhere that Puzzle and Dragons is very popular in Japan, in that case then, this could have been a great thing to get more interest for the Wii U in Japan. But it's also a good move that it's on the 3DS, given it's higher install base, might pick this up if it get's localized...
@MJKOP ♪You've just been stomp by, a smooth Mario!!!♪
Lol very good
This looks awesome. I would totally get this
@Pod It's a way Nintendo can throw third-parties a bone and convince them to release games on their systems without fully funding the endeavor yet still ensuring exclusivity. I'd love more traditional third-party releases; however, they've all but abandoned Nintendo platforms. This a clever salve to boost the available software while lessening the risk to both Nintendo and potential partners.
@Pod Puzzle and Dragons is one of the highest grossing games in Japan- comparable in popularity (and earnings clout) to, say, Candy Crush Saga in the West. I honestly could not tell you how it got as popular as it did, but if I had to hazard a guess - it's a combination of appealing character/monster design and match-3 puzzler gameplay. Appealing to Japanese gamers, anyway, which is part of why it's just not as popular in the West.
In those regards, the crossover route makes perfect sense - combining one of the most popular gaming "brands" of all time with the most popular phone game in Japan is a very smart business move, even though I find it a bit distasteful - it gives GungHo the perfect platform to introduce their game to non-Japanese audiences; while giving Nintendo another reason for Japanese gamers to ditch the phone version on top of 2013's Puzzle & Dragons Z.
Good to know Nintendo is still planting those money trees.
Since Puzzle & Dragons isn't well-known over here, I wonder if they'll call it something like Mario Puzzle Arena or something. I don't know. But I'm glad we get this.
I think crossing over with Pokemon was a missed opportunity.
@LordOfGamez Brand recognition is more effective if used in the products name.
Never heard of Puzzle and Dragons but I'm a sucker for almost any game with Mario in the title. It's like a seal of quality. Though I'd expect a cross over between Mario and something that's known more worldwide than this. I guess it's popular enough in Japan at least from the sounds of it.
@Emblem Which makes me think that Hyrule Warriors would have done better if it had "Zelda" in the title (it did in the Japanese title though).
While it's not my first choice in P&D, I was pretty hooked on the original for awhile and so this probably will garner my interest.
@Quorthon I'll be interested how it all plays out in the future. For instance, will the next Puzzle and Dragons proper release on 3DS to a bigger audience? Same with Hyrule Warriors.
I'm really enjoying Hyrule Warriors so it's hard for me to apply that cynicism to it in particular. Especially because it's the mixture of Zelda gameplay ideas that helps make it fun, not just the look of the characters and story. I also know that I'll be much more interested in the next real Warriors game where it took a lot to get me interested even in the one with Zelda plastered on it. I hope they try and target a Nintendo system again soon.
There is no way this game is going to sell well but it;s not like the shareholder's ever knew WTF they were talking about.
God dammit Gunho!!! I want this so bad! I'm still waiting for the 3ds release too!!!
For those of you that don't know Dragon & Puzzles is originally a puzzle app game on mobile smart devices. o3o If you haven't heard of it, that's probably why though its rather popular on the app store.
Isn't this just the same thing as Pokemon Trozei?
Looks pretty sweet, will definitely have to pick this up when it releases in North America.
It looks very fun. I had no idea this was a huge deal, though. Had never heard of it.
@DarkKirby ??? The franchise is absolutely huge. The last one on 3DS topped the charts for months on end, like on the level of Yokai Watch. This game is going to sell like crazy.
@BensonUii
Princess Peach is not my lover
She's just a girl who claims that I am the one
But that Toad is not my son. 😄
I don't know if Mario can fit in this crossover as I see that Kirby can easily fit in. And why not? There are Kirby games that take away the copy ability mechanic so yeah why not? I mean true even Mario games don't feel exactly like the Super Mario series but atleast they have mechanics that are used. How will Mario fit into this?
im all over this, looks really fun
My guess is that everyone thought it was going to be a mobile app.
I'd get this. I got Pokemon Link Battle/Battle Trozei and enjoyed it very much, it's the good kind of casual game.
@DerpSandwich
Hahaha, that would be funny, unless they realise that and the share value drops or something.
@Takerkaneanite6
(Applause)
Really interested in this simply because it is so big in Japan. As others have said, if it's a full game rather than "FTP" I hope it comes West. Seems like a good opportunity for Nintendo.
@Retro_on_theGo Nintendo doesn't want to step on Pokemon Trozei's toes that much probably, but I agree. With all the legendaries and the sheer amount of Pokemon available this would be a mega hit, especially with DLC (and to be honest I'd probably spend a lot on this potential game).
That said, Mario is the next best thing in terms of brand strength for sales. I'm hoping this is a complete (non-IAP) eShop release instead of a full-blown cartridge release (just because this kind of gameplay shouldn't cost $40) but that doesn't seem to be the case. Either way, I'll probably still get this just because I do really enjoy PAD.
@BigDaddysPizza - Trozei and P&D are not the same mechanics wise but they are indeed types of puzzle games.
With Trozei you can just pick up one puzzle piece and switch places with the one you want with no time limit to how long you hold the piece.
With P&D you have to plan out a route in order to match pieces on a time limit. Whatever you move the other pieces on the board moves as well.
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