Super Mario Saddles

Super Mario Saddles
Super Mario Saddles is a sports game that was developed by Nintendo and Now Production and published by Nintendo for the Switch in 2024 The game was created in the vein of other Mario sports games such as Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour and Mario Power Tennis. This game is now a Nintendo Selects title. As with most Mario Sports titles, it has traditional rules of the sport, but with special, Mario-themed quirks and mechanics to differentiate itself from the real sport.

Gameplay
Characters can compete in a number of events related to horse riding and equestrian. Each event plays out as its own separate mode. Most of the mode have its own tournament mode, a five-tier system that has eight participating players in total, catered to single and/or multi players. Four cups are available, with the first cup being the Mushroom Cup, the second being the Flower Cup, the third being the Star Cup and the fourth being the Special Cup. Completing the Special Cup unlocks the Champion Cup, and completing said cup unlocks "Royal versions of playable characters, who have increased stats. The player needs to unlock Royal characters for each sport individually. Super Mario Saddles  has its own lesson mode as well, where players can practice techniques or learn how to ride a horse.

Alongside the main sports modes, additional modes include "Champion's Road" "Free Ride" and "Giddy Up Round and Round".

Characters
There are a total of 18 playable characters as of version 2.0.0 more characters are planned to be added post-launch. Mii Characters are also playable, with variable statistics. As of version 2.0.0., if the player achieved a rank of A- or higher in Ranked Match, they would unlock three alternate colors for Yoshi: Red Yoshi, Blue Yoshi, and Yellow Yoshi.

Classical Dressage
Classical dressage evolved from cavalry movements and training for the battlefield, and has since developed into the competitive dressage seen today. Classical riding is the art of riding in harmony with, rather than against, the horse.

Modern Dressage
As an equestrian sport defined by the International Equestrian Federation, dressage is described as "the highest expression of horse training" where "horse and rider are expected to perform from memory a series of predetermined movements."

Eventing
Eventing is an equestrian event where a single horse and rider combine and compete against other competitors across the three disciplines of dressage, cross-country, and show jumping. This event has its roots in a comprehensive cavalry test that required mastery of several types of riding

Jumping
Show jumping, also known as "stadium jumping", is a part of a group of English riding equestrian events that also includes dressage, eventing, hunters, and equitation. Jumping classes are commonly seen at horse shows throughout the world.

Racing

 * 100 Meter Dash
 * 150 Meter Hurdles
 * 200 Meter Dash
 * 250 Meter Hurdles
 * 400 Meter Dash

Story
In some ruins within Toad and Toadette's Riding palace, Bowser Jr and his brothers and sisters, stumble upon the two riding horse's in a riding stable named "Mushroom Pony Club", Bowser Jr remembered the plan that his father instructed him too. Bowser wants to use the Riding Palace as his own castle to take over the world, and he thought of enlisting the help of horses to do so. Toad, Toadette and the other horses evacuate the place and gallop fast to Mario (or Luigi) to stop Bowser jr and his brothers and sisters from their plan.

Gameplay
In Champion's Road, the player plays as Mario or Luigi. Starting with a basic amount of experience, the player can earn experience points by participating in Lessons and Equestrian Events. Doing so grants the player skill points that can be used to upgrade their stats. such as power, stamina, speed, agility, discipline and behavior, while experience points upgrade their level and overall Lead Rank. In the overworld, the player can interact with several characters, such as Toad and Toadette who may provide the player with challenges. There will also be matches against the playable characters and boss fights. The player will also be able to collect coins. By winning tournaments, players will be able to obtain new outfits.

Lesson Mode
Lesson mode is where players can learn how to care for and ride a horse. Each lesson is numbered and colored depending on the difficulty of that lesson. Lessons 1-6 are bronze and are the easiest lessons, Lessons 7-12 are colored silver, and the lessons are an intermediate difficulty. Lessons 13-18 are colored Gold and are advanced lessons. Platinum lessons are expert lessons, and are from numbers 19-24.

Free Ride
Free Ride is where players can freely ride horse's either in Toad and Toadette's riding palace or in many of the riding areas and stables unlocked in Champion's Road. This includes the Mushroom Pony Club where you can ride with the Mushroom Brigade.

Giddy Up Round and Round
Giddy Up Round and Round is an online mode where players from around the world can compete in various equestrian tournaments.

Riding Arena's
Toad and Toadette Riding Palace is the starting riding arena, and other riding arena's are unlocked for Free Play by completing levels in Champion's Road.

Toad and Toadette go horse riding

 * Toadette: Come on Toad, you sure you dont wanna ride?
 * Toad: I'm coming sister, I just have to get my horse all saddled up
 * Toad: Okay, he is all saddled up. Come on boy, lets go for a ride.
 * Toadette: Woah boy, lets wait for my brother and we can ride together
 * Toadettes horse whinnies with patience.
 * Toad: Okay, right first into the stirrup, swing the other foot, and into the other stirrup. Alright boy, are you ready to go?
 * Toad's horse whinnies.
 * Toad: Giddy Up.
 * Toad's horse walks to toadette and her horse
 * Toadette: Come on boy, lets go.
 * Toad and Toadette ride the horses together
 * Meanwhile, Bowser and the other koopa kids come across the Mushroom Pony Club
 * Bowser: Are you kidding me? A Mushroom Pony Club?
 * Bowser Jr: Well boss, Princess Peach is really loving and caring to those mushrooms
 * Bowser: Quiet your mouthhole sonny boy,
 * Ludwig: So boss, what do you think we'll do?
 * Lemmy: Yeah boss, I;m ready to get in there and get rid of dem ol pizza toppings.
 * Morton: I would like my Mushroom pizza with Pepperoni please
 * Bowser: Oh we're gonna do something even worse. We got our own horses. We're gonna crash the only club, and kick toad and toadette out, and with that out of the way, we will take over the Mushroom Kingdom, and Peach will be my wife.

Ride Back to the Pony Club

 * Toadette: There are you Buttons, your hooves no longer have any rocks. Good boy
 * Toad: Drink up Musty, we have a long road to go.
 * Toadette: Bowser is such a meanie
 * Toad: I know right, he kicked us out of the Mushroom Pony Club.
 * Toadette: By the way Toad, how long will it take for us to get back to the Pony Club
 * Toad: Ummm it is.....120 miles away
 * Toadette: Oh dear, it will take forever to get there.
 * Toad: Well we have our horses, they can take us for a ride back to a club.
 * Toadette: Your right, as long as they're up for taking ua for a ride
 * Buttons and Musty neigh in happiness
 * Toad: Okay Musty, lets go for a ride.
 * Toadette: Come on Buttons, take me for a ride to the Pony Club
 * Toad and Toadette get on their horses. Button's and Musty walk back in the direct of the Pony Club
 * Toadette: You know I've never ridden Buttons outside the Pony Club before, this is exciting
 * Toad: Exactly, and as long as our horses keep us company and we ride them, we will not be lost
 * Toadette: Right. You're my good boy Buttons
 * Toad: You're my Good Boy Musty.
 * Toad and Toadette: Giddy Up
 * Buttons and Musty keep walking as Toad and Toadette ride them back to the mushroom Pony Club.
 * Bowser: Huh, it looks like the mushroom men...okay who got the idea to make mushrooms talk?
 * Bowser Jr: Boss remember where we are right now?
 * Bowser: Touché
 * Bowser: Now my Koopa Kids, this routine will be the summoning of my ultimate weapon against the Mushroom Kingdom
 * Morton: Boss. I'm not sure how this is gonna work
 * Ludwig: HEY do you want our boss to get angry
 * Wendy: Hey boys, you wanna know what the difference is between you and me? I make this croquet club look good.
 * Bowser: Now Koopa Kids, let's begin this summoning of my ultimate weapon.
 * Koopa Kids; Yes Boss!!
 * Bowser: Ooof, not so loud, you're on horses remember
 * Koopa Kids (quiter): Yes Boss.