The Nintendo Switch 2’s Biggest Missing Piece Is Hidden in Mario’s Past

Mario is a man of many talents. A big part of the Italian plumber’s appeal and longevity is his versatility. From kart racing to puzzle games, gaming’s most recognizable protagonist slots into almost any genre, and if his track record is anything to go by, he typically excels in said genre.

No era was this more exemplary than during the 2000s. While Mario’s main adventure of the generation was a divisive one, there’s no denying that nearly all of his other appearances on the cubic console were something special. The latest addition to the Switch 2’s GameCube Classics Library indicates that Nintendo knows this as well. Super Mario Strikers is the first post-launch drop on the company’s subscription service, and it’s a smart one. The five-on-five soccer game is a much lower-profile game than Wind Waker or Soul Calibur 2. But it’s a perfect complement to the Switch 2’s relatively small library a month into launch.

While it understandably doesn’t have the hype of a hard-to-find GameCube Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance, I argue that games like Strikers are exactly the sort of throwbacks Nintendo should make a habit of releasing. In fact, most of Mario’s weirder one-offs from twenty years ago would be a perfect fit for the handheld.

From the excellent Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour and Mario Power Tennis games from Camelot, to Mario Superstar Baseball and Super Mario Strikers, there are so many great Mario spinoffs on Nintendo’s last traditional console. These games are timeless. As those lucky enough to still have their GameCube can attest, these titles can still get a party going as quickly as they did two decades ago. Mario’s foray into America’s pastime is one of the best baseball games of that generation. And while Toadstool Tour doesn’t reach the highs of its Game Boy Color predecessor, it’s just as fun to play with friends. Each of these games are examples of how Nintendo’s attention to excellent design separates their games from the competition.

If Nintendo wanted to take things a step further, they easily could. Remember Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix? Why not bring back Mario’s debut dance game alongside a dance mat accessory? Nintendo’s already made a habit of releasing strange controllers in limited quantities, so there’s little hurdle to cross there.

Hell, considering how similar in power the GameCube was to the Wii, they could easily bring some of the Wii’s classics into the fold. Any of the motion-controlled sequels could work decently on the Switch 2 if Nintendo wanted to take its classic catalog up a notch. His trips to the Olympics with Sonic would be great to revisit. And while it was nowhere near as popular as the games I’ve mentioned already, the Wii’s Mario Sports Mix would perfectly round out the sports offerings on its subscription service.

While many of these sports-themed party games have sequels on modern consoles, there’s one reason why I’d opt to play older ones — Nintendo games rarely drop in price. Paying $60 for the seven-year-old Mario Tennis Aces is asking a lot. Even on sale, these games rarely dip below $45. It’s not a matter of wanting to avoid the newer games, as most of them as still exquisitely designed. But when I have friends over and we want to jump into a quick game of Super Mario Strikers like old times, it’s nice that I won’t need to fork over full price for the privilege of playing just a few games.

I’d happily pay a yearly subscription if it includes regular access to classics like Mario Power Tennis. While older entries from the N64 and SNES days are already available on the service, the GameCube titles were the first to get rid of much of the ’90s jank we associate with those games. Sure, they’re missing the mechanical bells and whistles and better graphics I’d get from more recent entries. But these games were never about the cutting edge. They were about having a good time on the couch.

At a time when sports games are as boring as they’ve ever been (Rematch is the only game keeping that old arcade flame alive), Nintendo’s creative touch on virtual athletics is sorely missed. And while the publisher does release the occasional sequel to these classics, giving players a more accessible way to access Mario’s weirder exploits on the GameCube is an enticing prospect for Nintendo’s new handheld and the subscription service tied to it. I hope Super Mario Strikers is a sign of things to come. I could be more excited to relive those old memories.