Super Mario Strikers Joins Nintendo Switch Online

Super Mario Strikers, known as Mario Smash Football in Europe, will be added to the Nintendo Switch Online GameCube library on Nintendo Switch 2 next week. It is the first title added to the service since the Switch 2's launch earlier this month.

Nintendo Switch Online is the subscription service for the Nintendo Switch platform. Memberships provide online multiplayer for competing or cooperating with friends, plus access to a vast library of classic Nintendo games from the NES, SNES, Game Boy, Nintendo 64, and now the new GameCube collection. A free seven-day trial is available.

The current GameCube library features The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, F-Zero GX, and Soulcalibur II. Other anticipated additions include Super Mario Sunshine, Luigi's Mansion, Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness, and more.

"Players can experience this intense soccer game, originally released for the Nintendo GameCube in 2005, where Mario and friends compete at high speed, using items like shells and mushrooms to gain an edge," Nintendo promoted. "The key to victory is the Super Strike—a powerful shot that scores two points. With easy-to-learn controls, players can master their skills and hit the field with Mario. It's available exclusively to Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack members on Nintendo Switch 2."

IGN rated Super Mario Strikers as "Good" back in 2008—nearly two decades ago—noting in our original review, "Nintendo's venture into sports continues with Super Mario Strikers, a unique soccer game unlike any other on the field."

For a nostalgic experience, an officially licensed GameCube controller replica is also sold separately.

The Nintendo Switch 2 has sold a strong 3.5 million units at launch, though an analysis of launch-week sales reveals a complex picture for non-Nintendo game performance on the new console.

"The Nintendo Switch 2 is a crucial upgrade for anyone still using the original Switch," we stated in IGN's Switch 2 review, scoring it 7/10. "However, with many improvements simply catching up to modern standards and a significant price increase, this sequel feels more like a long-overdue hardware refresh than a revolutionary step forward."