Super Mario Turns 35: Here's How You Can Play the Classic Video Games Now
Nintendo Super Mario Bros.
Super Mario Bros. is 35, and Nintendo is celebrating!
Ahead of the classic video games' 35th anniversary on Sunday, the Japanese company announced in a video presentation that it will be releasing several games, products and events from now through March 2021 — and they're sure to excite fans of any generation.
"We look forward to everyone joining us on a Mario journey 35 years in the making," Nintendo of America President Doug Bowser said in a statement. "We are marking this significant milestone with a wide variety of games and experiences that all generations of Mario fans, from here to the Mushroom Kingdom, can enjoy together."
According to Bowser, the company — which introduced the Mario franchise and many of its beloved characters, including Mario, Luigi, Peach and Yoshi — will be marking the occasion by releasing new games on its Nintendo Switch devices and Nintendo Switch Online, all of which can be played for $100 or less.
Nintendo Switch Online currently costs $3.99 a month and gives players access to dozens of old-school NES and SNES games, without having to blow inside the cartridges to get them to work properly.
The SNES game-pack download is also chock full of games from the Super Mario Bros. franchise, like Super Mario World, Super Mario All Stars, Super Mario Kart and Yoshi's Island, which are all currently available to play on the online gaming platform.
Nintendo Characters from "Super Mario 3D World"
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On Sept. 18, the company will release a special, three-game package of the classic Super Mario 3D All-Stars games — Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine and Super Mario Galaxy — with "higher resolutions than their original versions," and a new, 35-player game called Super Mario Bros. 35, on Nintendo Switch Online available on Oct. 1, according to the press release.
Later that month, Nintendo is slated to launch Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit, a live version of the classic go-karting game that allows players to operate a physical cart, on the Nintendo Switch or Nintendo Switch Lite for $99.99.
More excitement will come in the final months of 2020 and early 2021 when Nintendo releases a mini gaming device called Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros. ahead of the holidays on Nov. 13.
The device will play the original Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels and Ball games, for $49.99, while an "enhanced version" of the Super Mario 3D World game, which was initially released on Wii U, will also be available on Nintendo Switch beginning Feb. 12.
Along with new games and devices, Nintendo is offering a rewards system for Super Mario-related missions through MyNintendo and selling anniversary merchandise through November.
The company is also preparing for an online tournament later this year and several upcoming virtual events for their other titles, including Splatoon 2 and Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
"For the past 35 years, Mario has been running, jumping, and saving the Mushroom Kingdom from bad guys, and he couldn't have done it without you," the Super Mario 35th anniversary website reads. "Thank you for always being there to help Mario on his incredible adventures."
