Nintendo Switch's online update adds 3 Old-School Mario games to its library

Nintendo Switch online Members now have three additional Mario games to play Mario's tennis and Mario Clash for a virtual boy and mario vs. Donkey Kong for Game Boy Advance are now available in the respective NSO apps. However, an active Nintendo Switch Online subscription with the Expansion Pack upgrade is required to play each of these retro titles.

As part of their recurring subscription, Nintendo Switch Online users can play a growing list of old games from Nintendo and third-party developers such as Sega and Capcom through a series of Nintendo Classics apps. Although the NES, SNES, and Game Boy catalogs are available to all NSO subscribers, users who upgrade to the Expansion Pack can also play titles originally released on platforms such as the Game Boy Advance, GameCube, and Virtual Boy. For example, Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack users can play Fire Emblem: Path of Shining in the GameCube app from January 2026.

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Nintendo is pulling back the curtain on several new features that will be available after the paid upgrade is released on March 26th.

Nintendo Switch Online subscribers can now play three more Mario games

A week after Nintendo announced that more games would arrive on Mario Day, Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscribers can now experience three retro games from Mario series. First up is mario vs. Donkey Kong for the Game Boy Advance application. Originally launched in May 2004, mario vs. Donkey Kong draws inspiration from the original Donkey Kong arcade game. Mario chases Donkey Kong through levels filled with puzzles and intricate platforming. mario vs. Donkey Kong is considered one of the best platform games of the GBA era. mario vs. Donkey Kong it later received a remake on the Nintendo Switch in February 2024, nearly 20 years after the original GBA release.

Games available on Game Boy Advance: Nintendo Classics

  • Mario vs Donkey Kong
  • Densetsu no Starfy 1
  • Densetsu no Starfy 2
  • Densetsu no Starfy 3
  • F-Zero Climax
  • Legend of F-Zero GP
  • Maximum speed F-zero
  • Fire sign
  • Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
  • Golden sun
  • Golden Sun: The Lost Age
  • Kirby and The Amazing Mirror
  • Klonoa Dreamland
  • Kuru Kuru Kururin
  • Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga
  • Mario Kart: Super Circuit
  • Metroid Fusion
  • Metroid: Zero Mission
  • Mr. Driller 2
  • Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team
  • Super Mario Advance
  • Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3
  • Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2
  • The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and Four Swords
  • The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
  • Wario Land 4
  • WarioWare, Inc: Mega Microgame$!
  • Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3

Plus, Virtual Boy enthusiasts can now play Mario's tennis and Mario Clash as part of their NSO subscription. As a sports title that precedes the other Mario Tennis series, Mario's tennis features both single and doubles game modes despite being a single-player game. for comparison, Mario Clash is a 2D platformer that harkens back to the original Mario Bros. arcade game.

Who is that character?

Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.




Who is that character?

Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.

Easy (7.5s) Medium (5.0s) Hard (2.5s) Permadeath (2.5s)

Although the Virtual Boy app requires the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack upgrade and the subscriber-only Virtual Boy attachment, the platform's game catalog will continue to grow throughout 2026. The Virtual Boy app currently has nine games for Nintendo Switch Online subscribers to review, with an additional seven games such as the previously unreleased D-Hopper and Zero Racers coming later.

Games available on Virtual Boy: Nintendo Classics

  • Mario's tennis
  • Mario Clash
  • 3D Tetris
  • Galactic pinball
  • Golf
  • Mansion of Innsmouth
  • Red alert
  • Teleroboxer
  • Virtual Boy Wario Land

However, Nintendo Switch Online subscribers aren't getting any new games to play this month. During the Pokemon Day 2026 celebration, The Pokemon Company confirmed this Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness will launch on the GameCube app on Switch 2 sometime in March. As a sequel Pokemon Colosseum, Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness is a turn-based RPG that uses game mechanics from Pokemonthird generation. However, Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness is a single player experience and is not compatible with other Pokemon titles on Switch and Switch 2. Exact release date for Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness has not been confirmed by Nintendo at the time of writing.

The Mario Day celebration isn't over yet

Although Mario Day itself has already passed, Nintendo isn't done celebrating yet. Fans can purchase some until Sunday, March 15th Mario games on the Nintendo eShop at a discount, as they like the titles Super Mario RPG they are available for as little as $29.99. in addition Super Mario Bros. Wonder – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Meeting at Bellabel Park will begin airing on March 26. WITH Super Mario Galaxy Movie A worldwide theatrical release is also set for Wednesday, April 1. The next few weeks are a great time to be Mario fan.


mario vs. Donkey Kong Tag Page cover

Systems

8-bit grayscale logo


Released

May 24, 2004

ESRB

E

Developers

Nintendo ST

Publishers

Nintendo

Engine

unity


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