Happy MAR10 Day — Nintendo Celebrates With New Virtual Boy and GBA Additions to Switch Online
Nintendo marks Mario Day 2026 by expanding the Switch Online + Expansion Pack library with three retro titles, available on both Switch and Switch 2.
It's-a March 10th
Every year, March 10 transforms into a celebration of gaming's most famous plumber — because MAR10 looks like MARIO if you squint hard enough. And every year, Nintendo finds a way to make the day feel special. For 2026, the celebration centers on expanding the Switch Online + Expansion Pack library with three new retro titles spanning the Virtual Boy and Game Boy Advance catalogs.
The additions arrive at an interesting moment for Nintendo. The Switch 2 launched recently to strong sales, and ensuring that the Switch Online subscription service feels valuable across both generations of hardware is clearly a priority. All three new titles are playable on both the original Switch and the Switch 2, reinforcing that the subscription library carries forward.
The Virtual Boy Gets More Love
Two of the three new additions come from the Virtual Boy — Nintendo's famously short-lived 1995 stereoscopic 3D console that sold fewer than 800,000 units during its brief retail life. The Virtual Boy library on Switch Online has been a surprise hit with subscribers, offering most players their first-ever chance to experience games that were practically impossible to play for decades due to the hardware's rarity and eye-strain-inducing design.
The Switch Online emulator renders Virtual Boy games in a comfortable anaglyph 3D mode that works on standard displays, making these obscure titles genuinely accessible for the first time. For retro gaming enthusiasts and Nintendo historians, the continued expansion of the Virtual Boy catalog is a gift.
Why MAR10 Day Still Matters
Mario Day has evolved from a fan-created social media event into an official Nintendo marketing moment, and 2026 continues that tradition. Beyond the Switch Online additions, Nintendo typically runs eShop sales on Mario titles and shares community celebrations across social media.
The timing also coincides with strong momentum for Nintendo overall. The Switch 2 eShop charts are dominated by first-party titles, with Pokemon Pokopia holding the top spot. The original Switch continues to receive support, and the dual-platform approach to Switch Online content ensures that the massive installed base of original Switch owners isn't left behind.
For Mario fans, March 10 remains the one day a year where the entire gaming community collectively tips their cap to the mustachioed hero who defined an industry.
Sources: Nintendo Life (March 10, 2026), Nintendo Everything (March 10, 2026)