Nintendo's Mario Day Festivities Feature Virtual Boy Throwbacks
MAR10 Day has arrived, bringing with it a trio of classic games now available on Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack. This annual celebration of all things Mario sees Nintendo highlighting its iconic mascot with these retro titles, though they may not be the most glamorous way to honor the world's most famous plumber.
While Mario Day has grown in prominence over the years, Nintendo typically avoids major new announcements for the occasion. This year, the focus is on a sale for Super Mario games and a new trailer for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, but the core of the celebrations centers on these three additions to the more expensive Expansion Pack tier of Nintendo Switch Online.
Given Nintendo's unpredictable nature, there's always a chance for surprise announcements later in the day. However, it's likely that Mario's Tennis, Mario Clash, and the original Game Boy Advance version of Mario Vs. Donkey Kong will serve as the primary tributes to the beloved character this year.
Mario has starred in countless superior games, but the Virtual Boy and its unique stereoscopic 3D effect offer a fascinating glimpse into one of Nintendo's most notable failures. Remarkably, the company shows no embarrassment over this chapter, continuing to monetize it three decades later.
Mario's Tennis: A Historic but Limited Experience
Developer: Nintendo R&D1 and Tose
While the latest Mario Tennis entry debuted just last month, many fans trace the series' origins to the N64. However, Mario's Tennis predates that by five years, though it wasn't developed by the usual team at Camelot. It's unclear if Nintendo even recalled this title by the time the N64 launched, but technically, this marks the first instance of Mario and his Mushroom Kingdom companions playing tennis—though Mario did serve as an umpire in the 1984 NES game Tennis.
The Virtual Boy may never have had a definitive killer app, with Wario Land often cited despite not being a launch title. Interestingly, Mario Clash also missed the launch window, making Mario's Tennis the obvious choice for early adopters in Japan and North America during summer 1995 (the console never released in Europe).
This game eschews the power-ups and gimmicks of later entries, offering a straightforward tennis simulation featuring Mario and friends. The gameplay is solid, and the 3D effect remains impressive, albeit rendered entirely in blood red.
A significant drawback, reflective of the Virtual Boy's inherent flaws, is the absence of multiplayer. Players are limited to competing against AI opponents, and with only seven characters available, the experience feels brief, even in tournament mode. While the 3D novelty is enjoyable, it wears thin quickly.
Score: 3/5
Mario Clash: A Simplistic and Frustrating Throwback
Developer: Nintendo R&D1
Nintendo often highlights the anniversaries of Super Mario Bros., which celebrated its 40th last year, but that wasn't Mario's debut. He first appeared in the 1981 Donkey Kong arcade game and featured in numerous titles before Super Mario Bros. launched. The most notable of these was the original Mario Bros., which introduced Luigi, turtle enemies, and a fascination with pipes.
That arcade game was a single-screen affair where players knocked over turtles and other foes by bumping platforms from below and kicking them away. Modern titles sometimes reference or include it as a minigame, but its simplicity limits long-term appeal.
Mario Clash struggles with this same issue, serving as a quasi-remake in stereoscopic 3D. Arguably, it's even more basic, with less platforming as players move between foreground and background via pipes, jumping on Koopas and throwing their shells at armored enemies. Later levels add vertical layers, but the gameplay often feels dry and frustrating rather than exciting, staying true to the original's spirit.
Using the same retro scoring system from original Virtual Boy reviews, Mario Clash falls short regardless of metrics.
Score: 2/5
Mario Vs. Donkey Kong: A Puzzle Gem with Visual Quirks
Developer: Nintendo Software Technology
The outlier in this Mario Day trio is the original Game Boy Advance version of Mario Vs. Donkey Kong, also exclusive to the Expansion Pack tier—meaning standard Nintendo Switch Online subscribers get nothing new today. Originally released in 2004, it was remade for the Switch in 2024, rendering this version somewhat redundant.
Nintendo's rationale for the remake remains unclear, as such updates are rare for other titles, and no sequel has followed since. Nonetheless, it's a quality game, acting as a spiritual successor to the Game Boy Donkey Kong, which reimagined the arcade classic as a puzzle title.
Mario Vs. Donkey Kong expands on this concept with intricately designed levels where players guide wind-up Marios to exits. It's an excellent puzzle experience, but the re-release suffers from pre-rendered character graphics, possibly intended as a homage to the Donkey Kong Country series. These appear blurry and pixelated at first glance, though they fare better on the Switch's handheld screen than on a large TV. The remake is undoubtedly the superior way to enjoy the game today, despite identical gameplay.
Score: 4/5
