Nintendo launches Mario Day 2026 with rare Switch 2 promotion

09:20

By: Dakir Madiha

Nintendo launches Mario Day 2026 with rare Switch 2 promotion

Nintendo has unveiled a series of promotions and events for Mario Day 2026, including a rare discount on a Switch 2 title, a special console bundle and a new preview for an upcoming animated film, as the company celebrates the 40th anniversary of Super Mario Bros.

The annual MAR10 Day celebration, tied to the March 10 date that visually resembles the name “Mario,” brings a wave of discounts on Nintendo games across retail stores and the Nintendo eShop.

Physical game deals available in some United States stores, including official Nintendo outlets, run from March 8 through March 14. Among the offers, Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door and Mario & Luigi: Brothership are priced at $30 each, roughly half of their usual retail price. Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury and Super Mario Odyssey are also discounted to $39.99.

The Nintendo eShop is running a broader digital promotion lasting until March 15. The sale includes Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope with a discount of up to 90 percent, while titles such as Super Mario Maker 2 and Luigi’s Mansion 3 are offered at about 33 percent off.

One of the most notable offers is Super Mario Party Jamboree Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV, priced at $61.98 during the promotion. Nintendo confirmed the game is the first Switch 2 title to receive an official price reduction.

Nintendo has also introduced a special Mario Day console bundle in Australia and New Zealand. The package includes the existing Switch 2 + Mario Kart World bundle along with a 12 month subscription to Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack, valued at roughly $50. The promotion is available in those regions from March 10 to April 14. Nintendo of America has not yet announced whether a similar offer will be released in the United States.

Ahead of Mario Day, Nintendo scheduled a Nintendo Direct presentation on March 9 at 2 p.m. Pacific Time dedicated entirely to The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. The animated film is a follow up to The Super Mario Bros. Movie released in 2023, which earned more than $1 billion at the global box office.

The broadcast will feature the third and final trailer before the movie’s theatrical debut on April 1 in the United States.

Mario Day events are part of Nintendo’s broader celebration marking 40 years since the debut of Super Mario Bros. The anniversary campaign has already included re releases of Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2 for the Switch platform, the release of Mario Tennis Fever and public appearances tied to major events such as the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and the Kyoto Marathon.

Nintendo also confirmed that additional classic titles will join the Nintendo Switch Online library on March 10. These include Mario’s Tennis, Mario Clash and Mario vs. Donkey Kong.