Bloody Hell, Nintendo! The March NSO Classics Update Is Here, And It's Got More Surprises Than a Wizard's Mismatched Socks.
AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer ·
Nintendo's latest Switch Online + Expansion Pack update for March is a peculiar mix, bringing long-lost Virtual Boy Mario titles back from the digital abyss alongside a surprisingly rapid re-release of the original GBA *Mario vs. Donkey Kong*, leaving us to ponder Nintendo's delightful, chaotic retro strategy.
Right then, gather 'round, mates. I've been tinkering with the latest signal flares from the Mushroom Kingdom, and fair dinkum, Nintendo's March update for the Switch Online + Expansion Pack is a curious brew indeed. It's like they rummaged through an old spell book, pulled out some forgotten incantations, and then, just for shits and giggles, added a remix of a tune they just played last week.
Apparently, Nintendo's been on a bit of a spree since the year kicked off, dropping updates and news faster than a rogue fireball through a goblin camp. And now, we've got the lowdown on what's landing in the hallowed digital halls of the NSO Classics library this March. Landing precisely on March 10th – or MAR10 day, if you’re into clever branding that feels like it’s been brewed in a cauldron of marketing genius – we're getting a trio of Mario titles. But it's not just *any* Mario titles, oh no. This selection is a proper head-scratcher, in the best possible way.
First up, let's talk about the absolute digital anomaly that is the Virtual Boy. Yeah, you heard me. The Virtual Boy. For those of you who might've accidentally blown a hole through reality and landed in a dimension where that hardware actually took off (or for those who simply enjoy a good laugh and a migraine), two titles are emerging from that particular red-hued void: *Mario's Tennis* and *Mario Clash*.
Now, *Mario's Tennis* on the Virtual Boy – honestly, what a relic. It’s definitely not the fast-and-furious court action we've come to expect from the likes of *Mario Tennis Aces*. This was Nintendo's early dabble in putting their mascot in athletic gear for their infamously ill-fated 3D console. It’s slow, it’s red, and it probably gave its original players more eye strain than enjoyment. But hey, for sheer archival quirkiness, it's a fascinating look back at a time when Nintendo was experimenting so wildly that they nearly singed their own eyebrows off. It’s a testament to their willingness to try anything, even if the results were… well, *memorable* for all the wrong reasons.
Then there's *Mario Clash*. This one's a bit more interesting, a 3D reimagining of the original 1983 *Mario Bros.* arcade game. Remember that one? The one where you’re knocking enemies off platforms? *Mario Clash* tried to translate that into the Virtual Boy's distinct, limited 3D space. It’s certainly got a historical curiosity factor, like finding a forgotten spell scroll written in an ancient, almost unreadable script. Are these games going to set the world on fire? Probably not. Are they going to be a fun, slightly dizzying trip down a very specific, very red memory lane for curious gamers? Absolutely. It’s like Nintendo is daring us to confront their past, even the bits they probably want to forget.
But the real surprise, the one that made me spill my digital coffee, is the new Game Boy Advance title: the original *Mario vs. Donkey Kong*. Now, if you've been living under a particularly large, gaming-related rock, you'll know that a spiffy new remake of *Mario vs. Donkey Kong* just dropped on the Switch only a couple of years ago. It was a well-received, charming puzzle-platformer that re-introduced a whole new generation to the delightful rivalry between Mario and the big ape, where Mario chases Donkey Kong to retrieve stolen Mini-Marios. So, to have the original GBA version surface on NSO so soon after its glow-up? That's just classic Nintendo, isn't it?
It’s a peculiar move, like a wizard showing off their new, enhanced magic wand, and then immediately pulling out the older, slightly more battered version from their cloak. Some might remember the GBA original from its previous re-releases on the 3DS eShop and Wii U Virtual Console, so it's not a complete stranger to 'modern' platforms. But still, the timing here feels… cheeky. It begs the question: why now? Is it a strategic move to show how far the remake has come? A nod to the purists who prefer the unvarnished original? Or perhaps, and this is my favourite theory, Nintendo just found the digital cartridge behind the couch and figured, 'Eh, why not?' It's either brilliant multi-layered marketing or glorious, joyful chaos. I'm leaning towards the latter, naturally.
From a player's perspective, this is a double-edged sword. For those who snapped up the Switch remake, it might feel a tad like their shiny new toy suddenly has an older, slightly less polished sibling crashing the party. Does it devalue the remake? I reckon not entirely. The remake brought gorgeous new visuals, quality-of-life improvements, and fresh levels. The original offers a different, more raw experience. It's like having the director's cut *and* the theatrical release – different flavours of the same brilliant concept.
On the one hand, it’s genuinely good to see Switch Online's selection steadily growing with some truly overlooked releases. It's a treasure trove of gaming history, albeit one that requires a paid subscription – the + Expansion Pack, specifically, which has its own ongoing debate about value. We diehards, myself included, are probably never going to be *fully* pleased with the selection, always pining for that one obscure title that lives rent-free in our heads. But when Nintendo pulls out something like a Virtual Boy game, or an original GBA title that just got a remake, it shakes things up a bit. It adds a layer of delightful unpredictability to their retro strategy.
This update, for all its oddities, highlights Nintendo's ongoing journey with digital preservation – a journey that's often idiosyncratic but rarely boring. They're delving deeper into their own storied past, unearthing games that range from 'ahead of their time' to 'what were they thinking?' And that, my friends, is why we keep watching. Because with Nintendo, you never quite know what magical, or occasionally bewildering, surprise they'll pull from the hat next. Maybe next month we'll get *Balloon Fight* on the Game & Watch. One can dream, eh?
*** *Original article by Fran Ruiz for Eurogamer
Tags: Nintendo Switch Online, Retro Gaming, Mario, Game Boy Advance, Virtual Boy
Original article: Eurogamer