Yesterday was Mario Day (March 10, or MAR10) and Nintendo announced, among other things, that three Mario games would be added to Nintendo Switch Online…not on that day, but two days later on March 12. They seem to have moved it up a day because they’re live now.
Many, many years ago I was about to go on my first plane trip and was staring at the rack of Game Boy titles, trying to choose which would make sitting in a cramped chair for hours more suitable. I narrowed the choice down to Mario Golf or Pokemon Trading Card Game, despite having no experience with playing card games or golfing. I picked Mario Golf.
The thing about Mario Golf was that it was rather different from what a golf game traditionally was built from. It was more than just a simulation of smacking a white dimpled ball, it was a full-on RPG where you traversed an overworld, leveled up your character’s skills and challenged a series of rivals. Its pseudo-sequel the following year, Mario Tennis, was the same thing only with a different sport. Point is, Mario Golf managed to give me plenty to do on both the plane ride there and back, so I can testify it’s solid. As for Pokemon Trading Card Game, it’s already on NSO and I still haven’t played it.
These two Game Boy classics are joined by an even more classic Game Boy staple, Dr. Mario. If you didn’t have Dr. Mario for NES then you had this version, assuming you were alive. You can check out all three today with a basic-level Nintendo Switch Online subscription.
