Published , by Donovan Erskine
Published , by Donovan Erskine
The Super Mario franchise is easily one of the most celebrated and cherished in all of gaming. With so many beloved entries, it was a big deal when the Mario series celebrated its 35th-anniversary last year. Now, there’s a lot of talk and confusion about Nintendo removing several Super Mario games from digital stores on March 31. Here’s why.
In celebration of Mario’s 35th anniversary back in 2020, Nintendo released Super Mario All-Stars, a 3-game bundle that includes Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, and Super Mario Galaxy all for the Switch. They also released Super Mario Bros. 35, a brand new 35-player battle royale done in the same vein as Tetris 99. However, these games do not have a permanent shelf life.
As limited-edition releases, Nintendo made clear its plans to remove these titles from the eShop on March 31, 2021. Unfortunately, that day has finally come. After March 31, both the Super Mario 3D All-Stars bundle and Super Mario Bros. 35 will be gone from the eShop. This has led many to dub March 31 as “the day Mario dies.”
Though Mario’s 35th anniversary was in 2020, Nintendo kept the games up throughout the early months of 2021 in order to give fans ample time to pick them up, should they choose to do so. Although the games may no longer be available in the eShop, fans may still be able to find physical copies of Super Mario 3D All-Stars at retailers. As for Super Mario Bros. 35, there will be no other way to play the game, as it only received a digital release.
So there you have it. That is why several Super Mario games are going away on March 31. It’s a move that raised a lot of questions among fans, but one that The Big N is sticking with. For more on Nintendo and the Super Mario franchise, stay right here on Shacknews.