Nintendo files trademark for new Mario & Luigi game

Mario & Luigi (Image credit: Nintendo)

What you need to know

Mario & Luigi games were very popular on Nintendo's DS and 3DS handheld systems.
AlphaDream, the company that made the original games, declared bankruptcy in October 2019.
Nintendo just filed a new trademark for Mario & Luigi in Argentina.
It's possible that this game could be coming to Nintendo Switch in the near future.
It's unclear if it will be a remake or a brand new Mario & Luigi game.
The release date is not known at this time.

On January 9, 2020, Nintendo of America Inc. filed a trademark in Argentina with the name "Mario & Luigi." The filing description gives us more information on what this trademark is for:

Nintendo Mario & Luigi trademark description: Computer game cartridges; game memory cards; computer game software; video game memory cards; interactive entertainment software to play video games; covers for mobile phones.

With the mention of game cartridges, computer game software, and so forth, it seems likely that this game is intended for the Nintendo Switch. If you're unfamiliar with the Mario & Luigi series, they were RPGs starring the famous plumber brothers. These handheld games, created by the dev team, AlphaDream, were very popular in their time and had a home on Nintendo's DS and 3DS gaming systems.

Oddly enough, AlphaDream filed for bankruptcy on October 1, 2019, which means that this filing comes three months after the original developers closed down for good. Whether this filing is for a remake of one of the original classics or a brand new Mario & Luigi title is unclear. However, considering that a new developer team must be assigned to it, it's likely that this could be a brand new entry in the series.

trademark Mario & Luigi RPG (Image credit: Nintendo)

Being this early in a game's development means that there is no known launch date for the title. However, considering that this trademark was just filed, it could take a couple of years before this game is ready to make its way to stores. Our guess is that it will release sometime in 2021 or 2022 at the earliest.

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Gaming aficionado Rebecca Spear is iMore's dedicated gaming editor with a focus on Nintendo Switch and iOS gaming. You’ll never catch her without her Switch or her iPad Air handy. If you’ve got a question about Pokémon, The Legend of Zelda, or just about any other Nintendo series check out her guides to help you out. Rebecca has written thousands of articles in the last six years including hundreds of extensive gaming guides, previews, and reviews for both Switch and Apple Arcade. She also loves checking out new gaming accessories like iPhone controllers and has her ear to the ground when it comes to covering the next big trend.