Nintendo brings 3 retro classics to the Switch

Just in time for MAR10 Day on March 10th, Nintendo is expanding the Switch Online subscription. Users of the expansion pack can look forward to three historic Mario titles, including rare Virtual Boy classics and an acclaimed GBA adventure.

Three Mario classics for the Switch

On March 10th the video game world celebrates the so-called MAR10 Day. This year, the Japanese company is using the date to expand its digital retro library. Nintendo Switch owners get access to three historical titles that cover different eras of hardware history. The prerequisite for access is an active subscription to Nintendo Switch Online including the expansion pack (approx. 40 euros per year). The selection includes handheld fare from the Game Boy Advance as well as experimental games from the 1990s. Nintendo Classics: These Mario games will be available in March 2026

Switch 2 + Mario Kart World

With Mario vs. Donkey Kong, an acclaimed puzzle platformer returns, while the other two titles are a real rarity. They originally come from the Virtual Boy, a console that only had a very short lifespan due to its idiosyncratic technology and is currently being sold again as an accessory for the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2.

The following games are available on deadline day:

• Mario vs Donkey Kong (Game Boy Advance)
• Mario’s Tennis (Virtual Boy)
• Mario Clash (Virtual Boy)

As Nintendo confirmed during the announcement, the content will be available for download from next Tuesday (March 10th).

Return of rare hardware titles

The title Mario’s Tennis was a launch title for the Virtual Boy System at the time and offers matches in singles or doubles. It is considered a spiritual forerunner of today’s Mario Tennis series. Despite the limited technology, the game already offered a rudimentary 3D depth. Since the Virtual Boy could hardly be properly networked at the time, the multiplayer potential often remained unused. The Switch version now enables local duels without the need for a special link cable. Another new addition is Mario Clash. The gameplay is very much based on the original Mario Bros. from the arcades.

The player must defeat opponents on platforms by throwing tanks. The 3D effect of the original allowed characters to switch between foreground and background. The mechanics are retained in the emulation and challenge spatial imagination. The third title in the group is Mario vs. Donkey Kong for the Game Boy Advance. The game was originally released in 2004. It is considered the spiritual successor to the Game Boy version of Donkey Kong from 1994. The player controls Mario through complex levels to rescue small toy characters.