Nintendo’s one-year-long Super Mario birthday celebration is almost over. On March 31, Nintendo officially shuts down the festivities in an unorthodox way. It’s removing select games from the Switch eShop entirely. That decision has frustrated players all year, and now they’ve turned it into a meme. Fans have now declared March 31 the day Mario “dies.”
Mario will not actually perish at the end of the month, but the joke does provide an important PSA for Nintendo fans. Those looking to pick up certain games will need to act fast before the month is up. Here’s what games are leaving Switch, as well as information on when you need to redeem digital codes by.
What Mario games leave Switch on March 31?
Two Mario games leave the Switch eShop on March 31: Super Mario 3D All-Stars and Super Mario 35.
Super Mario 3D All-Stars isn’t just leaving the eShop that day — Nintendo will stop producing physical copies of the game as well. While retailers might have extra stock to burn through after March 31, it’ll eventually be impossible to buy the game from a traditional retailer.
The situation is worse for Super Mario 35. The digital-only Nintendo Online freebie will simply disappear forever. With the multiplayer game’s servers shutting down, fans won’t even be able to emulate it in the future. Those who want to try it will need to do so before the end of the month or live with the FOMO.
The special-edition Nintendo Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros. console will also cease production at the end of the month. Like 3D All-Stars, retailers will likely have a few units floating around this spring until stock fully sells out.
While not Mario-related, it’s worth noting that Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light will also cease to exist after March 31. Nintendo will remove the game from the eShop and stop producing the game’s limited physical edition.
Can I still redeem Super Mario 3D All-Stars after March 31?
Those who have bought the game but have yet to redeem it will still be able to do so after March 31. In an interview with Video Games Chronicle, Nintendo confirmed that retail codes will still be valid even after the deadline.
The game can be redownloaded once bought, so players don’t have to worry about losing it forever if they delete it. Buying a physical or digital copy will ensure players have access to it after the deadline, for now.
When will these games be available again?
Those who are hoping that this is short term might want to prepare for the worst. At the moment, there’s no plan to reprint these games once they’re gone. Super Mario 35 will likely never be playable again, which is a troubling thought for games preservationists.
Fans speculate that the three games featured in Super Mario 3D All-Stars will be sold individually on the eShop down the line. Nintendo has not confirmed that rumor, so operate under the assumption that these games won’t be onthe Switch again. Those who want to get their hands on these games need to pull the trigger in the next few days.
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