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.