Why, hello there. Happy Mario Day! Finally Mar10 has come around and we're here to share all the joy of the Mario celebrations this fine Monday. Nintendo has outdone itself this year with brilliant deals and even a sweepstake to win a holiday to Super Nintendo World in Florida!
With the special Switch 2 Nintendo Direct coming next month, it's likely we'll have to wait until then to find out any more about that big release (the Switch 2, of course), but that doesn't mean today can't be enjoyed.
We're here with all the details on cheap Switch game deals (don't worry the Switch 2 will be backwards compatible so you can stock up whilst the prices are this great), Switch online free membership, and deals on other Mario swag like Lego, beanies, gaming accessories and more.
We'll also be dropping in our favourite Mario content Creative Bloq has published over the years, from fan remakes to optical illusions and more. Enjoy!
Mario Day celebrations so far
Win a trip to Super Nintendo World in Universal Epic Universe by heading to My Nintendo and entering for the cost of 10 Platinum Points.
Nintendo is giving away a free 14-day trial of its Nintendo Switch Online membership (a Nintendo Account is needed to claim). The offer ends March 17th at 11pm PT.
There's a community challenge starting today (March 7th) for everyone who owns Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, where players can win 310 platinum Nintendo points for collectively completing a million laps in the game. Use code 1152-2501-4827 to get started.
It's-a-me, the live blog creator for this auspicious day – Mario Day!
I'm here today guiding you through all the fun of Nintendo's fair as it brings special discounts, deals, competitions and more for the celebratory day of Mar10 (MarIO – geddit?). We love Super Mario on CB, so we couldn't be happier to be here with you, making sure you don't miss anything that could save you money or bring you joy.
To start, how about a lovely Switch OLED bundle deal for Mario Bros. Wonder? It'll bring you added value to the tune of $67 – and it's a brand new bundle hot off the press. You get the OLED console, the game and a Nintendo Online membership (which has hundreds of games available to play for FREE.
So what else can we find today? Well, Nintendo is running a fun community challenge. If you own Mario Kart 8 Deluxe then you can win 310 platinum Nintendo points for helping to complete a million laps in the game. You can redeem those against select purchases in the Nintendo store. Hurrah! Use code 1152-2501-4827 to get started.
(Image credit: Nintendo)
Do you have an Alarmo? If you're not sure what I mean, it's Nintendo's alarm clock that wakes you up with a choice of five different game sounds. And today Nintendo has released FOUR new tracks to add to your device. You can hear a selection of those sounds as a sample here on Nintendo's Japanese website. We know two of them will be the Bowser Battle, and the Overworld theme. So fun.
The update will be being released later today – just connect your clock to the internet and make sure the software is up to date.
I Spent 1 YEAR Remaking Super Mario World In 3D! - YouTube
As well as looking to what Nintendo is offering us on Mario Day, it's a fun chance to look back at some of our Mario content. First up is this brilliant remake of Super Mario World in 3D – made in Unreal Engine 5. It took a full YEAR to make, and is fantastically crafted.
This is one of our most-read pieces of the year so far, and the enthusiasm for Bobby Ivar's project is widespread across our own article and his YouTube account. See the video of his project above, and head to his YouTube for more brilliant projects.
(Image credit: Nintendo)
So, Nintendo is offering a free Switch Online trial for three months (usually seven days) But what exactly does that membership get you?
You can play online, with friends or strangers! Added to that there is a library of over 170 Nes, SNES and GameBoy titles, which are all free and available to play with membership. There's also access to the Nintendo Music smart device app, game trials and member benefits like exclusive physical games or digital downloads only available for members!
All in all, it's a great service and this extended free trial let's you discover the benefits for yourself.
There have also been a couple of truly brilliant Mario optical illusions, and if you know us you'll know we're suckers for that combination.
There's this one which shows Mario running up... or is it down... some stairs. Taken from a Super Mario Bros Super Show episode, this has been causing head scratching for years now. Take a look below and decide which direction you think our plumber friend is heading in.
(Image credit: Saban Productions, DIC Enterprises, Nintendo of America, Sei Young Animation)
You can scroll to 13:33 on the episode itself to find out conclusively...
And then there's this one, which was made by a psychologist who has a host of optical illusion and computer science-related content on his YouTube. This one perfectly encapsulates relative motion by playing with the background and foreground to create different effects.
(Image credit: Nintendo)
And how about that trip to Florida? Nintendo is offering the chance for a family of four to head to Super Nintendo World for free! You can enter through My Nintendo at the cost of 10 Platinum points.
At Super Nintendo World, in Universal Epic Universe, Florida, you'll dive deep into Mario World through rides and attractions. Visit Donkey Kong Country and ride in a real Mario Kart. Find out more on the My Nintendo page.
(Image credit: Future / Nintendo)
We've summed up the best Switch titles on sale today – most of which have a very tempting $20 off for Mario Day. Put together by our resident Switch expert, Beth, these titles are personally recommended as she has played most of them.
On the list we have Mario vs Donkey Kong, Super Mario RPG, Super Mario Odyssey and more.
We covered how some plucky geography enthusiast spent a whopping 100 days mapping the whole of Super Mario's universe. Now, if you're expecting just a map for this project, you're about to be very pleased indeed as the beauty of this video goes beyond cartography. Charlie from YouTube channel CharlieandLuke lays out some epic lore as part of the process, explaining the assumptions he has made about where different parts of the universe are located, with gems including weather patterns, creature migration and more.
I really enjoyed watching this video, and I hope you do too!
I spent 100 days Mapping out Mario's ENTIRE Planet - YouTube
Did you know the original name for Mario was Jumpman? Because he, y'know, jumps. This opens up a mountain of questions like would he still have been a plumber? Italian? That changes everything.
Um. This is a Mario aeroplane. A real one. JetBlue and Nintendo have partnered for Mario Day to create an actual Mario themed aeroplane! See the plane below, and see the designs for the final product, which is right up our, erm, sky.
Now it wouldn't be a Nintendo blog without some Switch 2 deep diving, would it? With the console set for a big reveal (we hope) next month, we are excited about what's around the corner.
Luckily we know that the newest handheld will be backwards compatible so it's fine to stock up on games now, even if you're planning on investing in the Switch 2. And those games will look ace on what we assume is going to be a standout new screen.
Ooh back to the Alarmo, you can actually now buy it from both Walmart and Target for the first time. Costing $100 at Target but just $99 at Walmart, you can choose which to go for.
The alarm clock comes pre loaded with built in themes, from The Legend of Zelda to Super Mario Odyssey, and of course those 4 new tracks.
Let's talk about Lego. Mario and Lego are a match made in heaven, and there are some truly epic sets on the market. For example, you can buy models purely for building, like Bowser below, which is reduced from £229.99 to £169.99 at Amazon right now.
(Image credit: Lego)
Or you can buy some of the Interactive sets, which are a fun way to play with Mario Lego. Actually this one is on sale at Amazon right now, reduced 22% to £34.99.
(Image credit: Lego)
If you're in London, head down now to Westfield White City for some special Mario Day action. EE has teamed up with Nintendo to offer osme unique Mario experiences, including a meet and greet with Mario and Luigi, and the chance to play some Nintendo Switch games in the EE gaming zone. Fun!
(Image credit: EE)
If you're an oldish fan then you'll remember the Tiny Toons bootleg adventures. Well, there's a new one – and it's here to download now. If you'd like to play Super Mario Bros 6 then see our post.
(Image credit: Kensu WIlliams/Nintendo)
Mario and Luigi Tell It to Their Hearts! - YouTube
We can't get enough of this fan-made Mario animation. It's the perfect homage for Mario Day! NooB made it in Blender. From the choice of Taylor Dayne's Tell it To My Heart as the soundtrack to every expression and details in the background like Peach and Daisy in Olympic skating outfits and Bowser teaching Junior to skate, it's really quire heartwarming!
A musical Mario montage! 🎵 – Nintendo Music - YouTube
Speaking of music, Nintendo's added the Super Mario Bros. 3 soundtrack to Nintendo Music, its app featuring soundtracks from Nintendo games. The app can be downloaded from the Android Play Store and Apple App Store. You can even create playlists and share them with other users.
(Image credit: Lego)
Lego and Mario are a match made in heaven, and Nintendo's chosen Mario Day to announce the latest addition to the Lego Super Mario range for adults. The new set is a treat for Mario Kart fans: a 1,972-piece model of Mario in his iconic Standard Kart.
It's 22cm (8.5in) tall, and Mario has posable head and arms. There's a stand included to allow the car to be placed at dynamic-looking angles. If you want to get fast off the starting line, pre-orders are already open at LEGO.com ahead of shipping from 15 May. The set will cost you $169.99.
The in-store Mario Day event at Nintendo's New York store at 10 Rockefeller Plaza is kicking off with a live chat with Mario via a giant LED wall. Yes, really! From 4pm to pm ET, fans will also have the chance to take part in an in-person meet and greet with Mario and Luigi.
GameStop is also getting on the Mario Day action with Demo Days as select stores. It will be offering demos of various games on Nintendo Switch, including several Mario titles, and we're promised some giveaways. You can see which stores are taking part on the GameStop website.
Play Mario’s Picross and Donkey Kong with Nintendo Switch Online! - YouTube
Remember Mario's Picross? It was a 1995 puzzle game for Game Boy where you had to chisel away through a series of nonogram logic grids to form pictures. It wasn't exactly the most exciting Mario game, but it's the one that Nintendo has decided to add to its collection of Game Boy classics for Nintendo Switch Online subscribers to celebrate Mario Day.
(Image credit: Nintendo)
We'll be taking a break from the live updates, but Mario Day remains in full swing. There's still time to save 30% on popular Mario Nintendo Switch games, including the first ever such discount on Super Mario Bros. Wonder – reduced from $59.99 to $41.99.
