Get ready to tackle and unleash powerful Super Strikes! Nintendo is expanding the classic game library available to Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack members on the new Nintendo Switch 2 console. The next GameCube title joining the lineup is the fan-favorite arcade soccer game, Super Mario Strikers.
Originally released for the GameCube in 2005 and also known as Mario Smash Football, this intense five-on-five sports title developed by Next Level Games is set to arrive on the Nintendo Switch 2’s ‘Nintendo Classics’ library next week, on July 3rd, 2025. Players in Japan will also receive the game on the same date.
What is Super Mario Strikers?
Super Mario Strikers isn’t your typical simulation soccer game. It’s an “extreme soccer game” where Mario and his pals clash on the pitch with speed, intensity, and chaos. The gameplay incorporates familiar items like shells and mushrooms to gain an edge, and strategic tackles are key to disrupting opponents. The defining feature is the “Super Strike,” a powerful, cinematic shot that, if successful, nets your team two points instead of one. Despite the frantic action, the game is designed with simple controls, making it easy to jump right into a match. It was a successful title that later spawned sequels like Mario Strikers Charged on Wii and Mario Strikers: Battle League on the original Switch.
Expanding the GameCube Library on Switch 2
The addition of Super Mario Strikers is notable as it marks the first GameCube game to be added to the library after the initial launch lineup on the Nintendo Switch 2.
When the Nintendo Switch 2 console launched on June 5th, the GameCube ‘Nintendo Classics’ library kicked off with three highly anticipated titles:
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
SOULCALIBUR II
F-ZERO GX
With Super Mario Strikers arriving on July 3rd, the playable GameCube library on Switch 2 will grow to four titles. But Nintendo isn’t stopping there. Several other GameCube classics have already been confirmed as planned for future release on the service, including:
Super Mario Sunshine
Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance
Pokémon Colosseum
Other titles like Luigi’s Mansion, Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness, and Chibi-Robo have also been shown or indicated as potentially joining the service at a later date.
Accessing the GameCube Classics
It’s crucial to note that accessing the GameCube ‘Nintendo Classics’ library is an exclusive benefit for Nintendo Switch 2 owners who subscribe to the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership tier. These titles are not available on the original Nintendo Switch console, even with an Expansion Pack membership.
The Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership costs $50 annually ($80 for a family plan covering up to eight accounts). A standard Nintendo Switch Online membership is $20 per year.
Beyond GameCube: Other Switch 2 NSO Perks
The GameCube library is just one of the benefits specifically for Switch 2 owners with the Expansion Pack. Other perks on the new console include:
Enhanced Nintendo 64 Library: The N64 app on Switch 2 receives new features like a CRT filter, per-game button remapping, and a Rewind feature.
Included Upgrade Packs: Access to special upgrade packs for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (for owners of the original Switch versions) at no extra cost.
GameChat Trial: A new feature allowing easy chat and screen sharing with friends, currently available as a free open-access trial until March 31, 2026, after which an NSO membership will be required.
Additionally, players seeking an authentic experience for GameCube titles on the Switch 2 can purchase a new wireless GameCube-style controller or use original GameCube controllers via the Wii U adapter. The Switch Online mobile app (renamed “Nintendo Switch App”) is also receiving updates for Switch 2, including access to recent captures and a new “ZELDA NOTES” service.
The expansion of the GameCube library with titles like Super Mario Strikers signals Nintendo’s commitment to bringing more classic experiences to the Switch 2 via the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack service.
Will you be jumping into the chaotic soccer action of Super Mario Strikers* when it arrives next week? Let us know in the comments below!
