Skip to main content

Fan modders turn Sonic Generations into a 3D Mario game

(RELEASE)Sonic Generations Mod: Super Mario Generations
Dedicated modders in the Sonic the Hedgehog community have released a comprehensive mod for the PC version of 2011’s Sonic Generations, replacing the game’s cast with characters from Nintendo’s Mario series and universe.

The mod fully replaces Sonic with Mario during all action sequences, swapping the game’s formerly hedgehog-centric animations with character models and rigging inspired by 3D entries in the Super Mario series.

Super Mario Generations additionally replaces characters in Sonic Generations‘ hub world, filling out the cast with familiar faces like Donkey Kong, Toad, Wario, and Waluigi.

While players control Mario by default, the mod also features Luigi as a playable character. Although Yoshi was originally slated for the mod’s playable lineup, the current version sidelines Mario’s dinosaur pal to the hub world.

The team behind Super Mario Generations also overhauled the original game’s presentation to more closely align it with Mario series standards. The HUD has been redesigned, graphical effects were redone, and sound effects and music files have been exchanged with more thematically appropriate replacements. Players can also expect to see new bosses during the game’s campaign.

Released for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PCs in 2011, Sonic Generations bridges the gap between Sonic’s classic and modern adventures, offering a mixture of 2D and 3D gameplay segments. The Mario series evolved along a similar path, making the mod an ideal fit for Nintendo’s mascot character.

Sega followed up on Sonic Generations with Sonic Lost World, a Wii U series entry that took inspiration from the planetoid-hopping gameplay featured in Nintendo’s Super Mario Galaxy. A PC version of Lost World launched this week, opening the door for similar mods featuring Mario and his friends.

Super Mario Generations is available as a free download, and requires the full PC version of Sonic Generations in order to function.

Editors' Recommendations

Danny Cowan
Danny’s passion for video games was ignited upon his first encounter with Nintendo’s Duck Hunt, and years later, he still…
Mario Kart 9 shouldn’t turn the series into ‘Nintendo Kart’
Mario, Link, Isabelle, and a Squid Kid race down the track in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe for the Nintendo Switch.

Following a report that Mario Kart 9 is in the works, fans have been sharing their hypothetical visions of what the game could be. While the game is still a rumor, it's assumed that there will eventually be a sequel to the sales juggernaut that is Mario Kart 8, which released nearly a decade ago in 2014. Based on the continued sales this game still rakes in on Nintendo Switch, Nintendo is obviously in no rush to get a sequel made and out the door, but that hasn't stopped fans from making some ambitious predictions.

Almost any time a conversation about a potential Mario Kart 9 comes up, there's one common request: Crossover characters. A vocal group of people out there want Mario Kart to be the new Super Smash Bros. with tons of guest characters filling in the roster. Some are content with it sticking to Nintendo properties, dubbing it Nintendo Kart, while others want characters from all gaming properties in the driver's seat.

Read more
The best Mario Party games, ranked from best to worst
The full cast of characters in Mario Party Superstars stand together.

Mario has always been a lovable, carefree character who never holds a grudge against even his greatest adversaries. He's always willing to go for a round of golf, play some tennis, race around the track, and party with friends and foes alike. The Mario Party series is what kicked off this trend of the cast of Mario getting together to compete in a board game-style competition. While it seemed like a strange departure when the first game came out for a series so focused on running and jumping to spin off into a turn-based game with dice rolling, it turned out to be one of the most successful diversions the Italian plumber ever made.

Dating back to the debut on the N64, Mario Party games have appeared on just about every Nintendo console released since. Some sequels are more similar to the original formula of traversing a map via dice rolls, collecting coins and items, playing minigames, and purchasing stars to determine the winner, while others only vaguely resemble that well-loved structure. In the over two decades since we were first invited to this crazy party with Mario and friends, there have been nearly 20 different Mario Party games released. While some are held in extremely high regard, there are more than a few that are seen as downright atrocious. Here's how we broke down ranking all the best Mario Party games from best to worst.

Read more
Sealed Super Mario Bros. game auctioned for a whopping $660,000
Mario twirls his cap in front of New Donk City in Super Mario Odyssey.

A factory-sealed copy of Nintendo’s Super Mario Bros. game bought 35 years ago has fetched an incredible $660,000 at auction.

The sale was handled by Dallas-based Heritage Auctions and took place on Friday, April 3. The identities of the seller and buyer have not been revealed.

Read more