It’s a big year for fans of gaming’s most iconic franchise. Super Mario Bros. turns 35 this year, and Nintendo is pulling no punches when it comes to celebrations for its signature series.
We’re getting remastered classic games in the form of Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury, as well as Super Mario 3D All-Stars, which collects Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, and Super Mario Galaxy on the Switch.
Then there have been some non-video game releases, like Mario themed versions of classic Hasbro board games such as Jenga and Monopoly. It was also announced that Nintendo is partnering up with Illumination Studios, who created Despicable Me and the Minions movies to bring an animated Super Mario to the big screen in 2022.
But lest we forget the addition of Super Mario 35, a Tetris 99-esque competitive challenge game, which was kind of overlooked in favor of Super Mario 3D All-Stars when it was announced.
That game has officially released on the Switch. What’s more, it’s 100% free, as long as you have a Nintendo Switch Online membership.
Nintendo describes the game as “Super Mario Bros. with a 35-player twist.” In this new title, players race against one another through classic Mario levels, attacking one another with turtle shells and other powerups that appeared in the original 1985 release.
The game will also see daily challenges that will help players earn game coins. These coins can then be traded in to earn power-ups. There will also be special battles with bonus conditions.
Super Mario Bros. speed runs have become very popular on YouTube in recent years. This game essentially gives you the opportunity to blend elements of a Super Mario Bros. speed run with a Mario Party or Mario Kart-like atmosphere of competition.
It should be noted that Super Mario 35 and Super Mario 3D All-Stars are available for a limited time. Both games will only be available through March 31, 2021, which was a strange decision by Nintendo, to say the least.
However, that has not deterred the Nintendo fanbase one bit. The Switch has become hard to find lately, selling out in stores everywhere over the summer. Nintendo reported that the Switch officially broke the August sales record for game consoles in the United States. Just recently, the Switch officially surpassed both the Super Nintendo and the original Nintendo Entertainment System in terms of sales. That makes it Nintendo’s second highest selling non-handheld console after the Wii. It’s also the fifth highest selling Nintendo handheld console.
Super Mario 3D All-Stars is currently available, and Super Mario 35 is downloadable for free in the Nintendo Switch eShop.