Super Mario Strikers, also known as Mario Smash Football in Europe, will be added to the Nintendo Switch Online GameCube library for the Nintendo Switch 2 next week. This is the first title to join the service since the Switch 2 launched earlier this month.
Nintendo Switch Online is a subscription service that provides online gaming features for the Nintendo Switch, enabling players to connect and play with friends. The service also grants access to a growing collection of classic Nintendo games from systems like the NES, SNES, Game Boy, Nintendo 64, and now includes the new GameCube library. A free seven-day trial is available for new users.
Currently, the GameCube library features The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, F-Zero GX, and Soulcalibur 2. Other anticipated additions to the service include Super Mario Sunshine, Luigi's Mansion, Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness, and others.
"Mario and his friends take to the field in this high-energy soccer game, originally released for the Nintendo GameCube in 2005," Nintendo announced. "Experience fast-paced matches filled with intense action and power-ups like shells and mushrooms to gain an advantage. The key to victory is the Super Strike, a special shot that scores two points at once! Easy-to-learn controls let you dive right in, refine your skills, and compete with Mario and the crew. Play it exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2 with a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership."
Back in 2008, IGN rated Super Mario Strikers as "Good" — nearly two decades ago — noting in the review: "Nintendo continues its venture into sports with Super Mario Strikers, a soccer experience unlike any other."
For the ultimate throwback, an officially licensed GameCube controller replica is also available.
The Nintendo Switch 2 has had a solid launch, selling 3.5 million units, though an analysis of its first-week sales reveals varying performance for non-Nintendo published games.
"The Nintendo Switch 2 is a necessary upgrade for anyone still using the original Switch after eight years," we stated in IGN's Nintendo Switch 2 review, giving it a 7/10. "Yet, with updates that largely caught up to current standards and a higher price, the system feels more like a long-awaited phone refresh than a groundbreaking new console."
