The Nintendo Classics library continues to get more and more packed. One of the most appealing parts of the Nintendo Switch Online service, the newly rebranded Nintendo Classics library allows players to experience classic titles from a variety of older Nintendo platforms. That library only looks to get even more packed with the arrival of Nintendo GameCube titles available to subscribers on the Nintendo Switch 2.
Nintendo has also shown a propensity to announce Nintendo Classics out of the clear blue, with surprise releases to go along with them. The publisher has taken to doing so again with the re-release of an SNES title that was far ahead of its time on the service. It’s an exciting addition and a natural fit for the Switch 2, one that should hopefully lead to even bigger things in the future.
Nintendo Switch Online GameCube Games Wish List
Nintendo Switch Online's GameCube library is just getting started, and there's no shortage of games fans want to see on the subscription service.
Nintendo Classics Continues To Grow
Mario Paint Returns To Nintendo Classics After 33 Years
Arriving as part of the Nintendo Classics library in a massive surprise, Mario Paint returns to a modern Nintendo platform 33 years after its initial release. Back in 1992, Mario Paint allowed players to create their own Mario animations using a raster graphics editor, an animation tool, and a music composition program. Along with a unique fly-swatting minigame, the game served as a showcase of the SNES Mouse peripheral.
While it sold upwards of two million copies during its initial release on the Super NES, Mario Paint hadn’t been re-released in any capacity before this recent announcement. Thus, its arrival in the Nintendo Classics library as part of Nintendo Switch Online opens it up to a brand-new generation of players 33 years later. Nintendo also celebrated this re-release with an overview trailer of the game, complete with jokes and puns galore.
Mario Paint 2 Could Be A Fantastic Switch 2 Showcase
It’s fantastic to see Mario Paint make a comeback on the Nintendo Switch lineup of consoles, but this should only be the tip of the iceberg for this hidden gem. Nintendo should use this re-release as a basis for a Mario Paint sequel on Switch 2. With the numerous new Mario entries players have received since 1992, a sequel could allow players to create even more complex and interesting art with new graphical styles and soundboards to work with.
Naturally, a sequel to Mario Paint would also be a fantastic showcase of the Switch 2’s mouse capabilities, something early Switch 2 titles haven’t shown off to the same extent. Titles like the Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour and the upcoming Drag X Drive, though nice enough on their own, are rather bare-bones showcases of the system’s new features. A Mario Paint sequel could pack in far more content and serve as one of the best showcases of the Joy-Con 2 mouse’s enhancements over the SNES mouse.
Naturally, a sequel to Mario Paint would also be a fantastic showcase of the Switch 2’s mouse capabilities, something early Switch 2 titles haven’t shown off to the same extent.
Mario Paint 2 Would Still Stand Out Against Super Mario Maker
Mario Paint’s focus on art and animation could also help it carve out a niche against another similar Mario-themed game, Super Mario Maker. Though Super Mario Maker is a much larger game that allows fans to make proper Mario levels, it initially started life as a Mario Paint sequel on the Wii U.
The game’s use of Mario Paint Easter eggs in both of its entries indicates that Nintendo is still thinking about the SNES entry, and could create a sequel to serve as a smaller-scale counterpart to Super Mario Maker.
Mario Paint’s return in the Nintendo Switch Online library is a fantastic return for a SNES game far ahead of its time, but it should only be the beginning. Though this re-release will serve as a great showing of the Joy-Con 2’s mouse controls, a sequel could offer up even deeper creation tools than its predecessor. Nintendo has shown no fear of reviving long-dormant titles over the last few years, and Mario Paint would certainly stand out among the pack.
- Released
- August 1, 1992
- ESRB
- e
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo R&D1, Intelligent Systems
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
- Engine
- Miyamoto
- Franchise
- Super Mario
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Educational
- Platform(s)
- SNES
- How Long To Beat
- 11 Hours
