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GameCube Classic Super Mario Sunshine Joins Nintendo Switch Online Catalog Next Month
Super Mario Sunshine will join Nintendo Switch Online on 13 August, giving subscribers a new way to play the GameCube platformer on modern hardware. The release matters because the game has otherwise been difficult to access legitimately since its limited-time inclusion in 2020’s Super Mario 3D All-Stars collection.
Access requires a Nintendo Switch 2 and a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription, as the game is part of the GameCube catalogue. August will also bring the previously unreleased Virtual Boy titles D-Hopper and Zero Racers on 4 August; Sunshine itself is notable for introducing Bowser Jr., Petey Piranha and several recurring Mario characters.
In short
- Super Mario Sunshine arrives on Switch Online on 13 August.
- It requires Switch 2 and the Expansion Pack.
- Two unreleased Virtual Boy games follow on 4 August.
Explained simply
Super Mario Sunshine is a platformer game released on GameCube, Nintendo's console from the early 2000s. The game was significant in the Mario franchise because it introduced characters such as Bowser Jr. and Petey Piranha, who have appeared in many subsequent Mario titles.
Super Mario Sunshine has been difficult to obtain legitimately in recent years. In 2020, Nintendo included it in a limited-time collection called Super Mario 3D All-Stars, but discontinued that collection, making the game harder to find.
Nintendo Switch Online is a membership service that gives players access to a library of classic Nintendo games on the Switch console. The service has different subscription levels, with the higher tier providing access to games from older systems including the GameCube.