Nintendo showed Super Mario Bros. 3, the classic NES game, running on the Nintendo Switch, in a social media post that looked to promote the upcoming Nintendo Switch Online.
Nintendo Switch Online is the long-delayed subscription service for the Nintendo Switch that will essentially function like the PlayStation 4's PlayStation Plus and the Xbox One's Xbox Live Gold. Will Super Mario Bros. 3 be enough to entice Nintendo Switch owners to sign up for Nintendo Switch Online?
'Super Mario Bros. 3' On Nintendo Switch
Nintendo Switch Online is slated to be released near the end of September, finally ending the wait for a service that supposedly launched alongside the Nintendo Switch in March 2017.
Apparently, in a bid to drum up the hype for Nintendo Switch Online, Nintendo of America tweeted an image of classic NES game Super Mario Bros. 3 running on the Nintendo Switch.
Play Super Mario Bros. 3 online with #NintendoSwitchOnline when the service launches this September and relive the classic #NES game that brought renowned power-ups such as Raccoon Mario to the world of Super Mario Bros.! https://t.co/ZPh216goDt pic.twitter.com/4wuBC9DKFp — Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) August 13, 2018
A closer look at the image reveals a Player 1 icon at the upper-left corner, along with Mario about to stomp on a Goomba with his Raccoon power-up activated. It remains unclear, however, if Super Mario Bros. 3 within Nintendo Switch Online will include features such as an online two-player mode and leaderboards.
Many Nintendo fans will have fond memories of playing Super Mario Bros. 3. However, will access to such NES classics be enough to attract Nintendo Switch owners to Nintendo Switch Online?
Here's What We Know About Nintendo Switch Online
One of the benefits of signing up for a Nintendo Switch Online subscription is gaining access to a roster of classic NES games, as it will stand as the successor to Nintendo's Virtual Console. The collection will include 20 titles at first, including The Legend of Zelda, Donkey Kong, Ice Climber, Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros. 3, and will expand to include more over time.
Nintendo Switch Online, however, will offer much more, primarily online multiplayer for Nintendo Switch games. However, free-to-play Nintendo Switch games such as Fortnite apparently will not require players to have a subscription.
Subscribers will also be able to enjoy cloud saves, which will be useful for gamers who lose or break their Nintendo Switch units, or those who play on multiple devices.
Nintendo Switch Online will only cost $19.99 per year, $7.99 per three months, or $3.99 per month. There will also be an annual family membership option for $34.99 that will allow up to eight Nintendo account holders to enjoy the service.
Nintendo Switch Online is shaping up to be a necessity for Nintendo Switch owners as more details about the subscription service are being revealed. Playing Super Mario Bros. 3 on the hybrid console is just an added bonus.
