Some Switch 1 games don't like Super Mario Bros. Wonder: Nintendo Switch 2 Edition

Some Switch 1 owners aren't happy with Nintendo's release plan Switch 2 edition Super Mario Bros. Wonder with content exclusive to the platform. The rejection underscores fans' broader concerns about the company's Switch 2 re-release.

Switch version 2 Super Mario Bros. Wonder was officially announced during the September 2025 Nintendo Direct. It is scheduled to launch on March 26 under the new name: Super Mario Bros. Wonder – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Meeting at Bellabel Park. The moniker reflects the new world of Bellabel Park included in the Enhanced Edition, offering a choice of 23 levels designed for co-op and competitive multiplayer. The pack will also include several new playable characters along with an assist mode that will allow players to overcome challenges more easily. No additional content will be available on Switch 1 in any capacity.

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Fans are arguing that some SMBW Switch 2 Edition content should be available on Switch 1

The exclusivity of the content has drawn criticism from some fans, and their complaints seem to grow louder with the release of the Switch 2 Edition. Super Mario Bros. Wonder is nearing its release at the end of March. In a recent testament to this trend, Reddit user The_Weeb282 made the front page of the r/Mario subreddit by calling the Switch 2 exclusives a slap in the face to owners of the original game. Their post drew hundreds of comments echoing the complaint, speculating that Nintendo was effectively putting the DLC behind a hardware paywall.

Arrange the covers in the correct US release order.

Easy (5) Medium (7) Hard (10)

While several of Bellabel Park's minigames use the Switch 2's mouse controls, much of the new content could theoretically also run on the Switch 1. Some fans have also criticized the fact that the assist mode is locked to the Switch 2 upgrade, arguing that there is no reason to deny players accessibility options. Several Switch 1 owners who joined the discussion argued that Nintendo should have at least allowed them to purchase new content through DLC, similar to how they can buy it for $20 on the Switch 2.

The current spate of complaints reflects some of the broader issues fans are having with the Switch Edition of 2 Nintendo Switch games. Chief among them is the fact that these upgraded versions of last-gen titles have so far been fairly inconsistent in terms of feature sets and pricing. In some cases, Nintendo chose to offer free Switch 2 upgrades for Switch 1 titles. In others, it locked them behind paywalls, usually because they were bundled with content additions, however minor. A few particularly popular Switch 1 games –The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom– received paid Switch 2 editions that offer no new content aside from performance improvements.

Some fans also took issue with the fact that the Switch 2 editions, upgrades aside, are priced as full re-releases, retailing as high as $79.99. Critics say that the basic offering for newcomers seems out of place, especially considering that plenty of third-party publishers have been offering deep discounts on their Switch 2 titles, even when they're brand new ports rather than just upgraded versions of existing Switch 1 games. For example, the newly launched Switch 2 Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade retails for just $39.99.

Nintendo is scheduled to report earnings in mid-May for the quarter and fiscal year ending March 31. The results could provide the first clue as to the commercial performance of the Switch 2 release Super Mario Bros. Wonderwhich is due to hit the market just five days before the end of the reporting period. A more detailed sales breakdown may not be available until August 2026.