Two of the biggest games from Nintendo's most profitable era have been brought together in an unusual way, as a modder has combined Super Mario Galaxy with Pokemon Diamond & Pearl.
The Nintendo DS and the Nintendo Wii are Nintendo's two most successful systems, with the DS being the second best-selling video game console of all time. The Switch might have seen incredible sales in 2020, but it's still nowhere near toppling either the DS or the Wii. Pokemon Diamond & Pearl were the fourth best-selling DS games and the best-selling Pokemon games on the system. Super Mario Galaxy didn't fare quite as well, as it was the ninth best-selling game on the Wii, and it only sold a third of what New Super Mario Bros. did during the same era.
The Sinnoh region has made its way to the universe of Super Mario Galaxy, thanks to a mod created by RiazorMC. This mod has turned almost the entire overworld of Pokemon Diamond & Pearl into a level in Super Mario Galaxy. A video of the mod in action can be seen on RiazorMC's YouTube channel.
The mod has some surprising moments, as well as some limitations. It's possible for Mario to interact with the water on the overworld, allowing him to swim and jump up waterfalls. Mario cannot enter buildings and there are no enemies on the world map at the moment, so don't expect to face off against some of the trash Pokemon from the Sinnoh Pokedex. Once Mario reaches the Pokemon League, he can catch a Staryu to complete the stage.
There are rumors circulating regarding a remake of Pokemon Diamond & Pearl, and there is evidence to suggest that they're in development. There are some notable Sinnoh Pokemon that are missing from the Pokedex in Pokemon Sword & Shield, suggesting that they are being saved for the Sinnoh remakes. It's impossible to say when those games will be released, but fans are already coming up with their own ways to return to Sinnoh, even if it means transplanting it into the Mushroom Kingdom.