Mario Paint has been surprise-released for all Switch and Switch 2 users via the Nintendo Switch Online library.
Mario Paint was originally released back in 1992 for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System and was designed to take full advantage of the console’s new mouse peripheral. It went on to sell more than 2.3million copies and remains one of the best selling SNES games of all time.
From today (July 29) Mario Paint is available to all Nintendo Switch Online subscribers via the SNES library. “Draw, paint, animate, and compose music! What will you create?”
“Welcome to the world of Mario Paint. This is a game all about creation and fun,” explains a tongue-in-cheek launch video. “With the Nintendo Switch 2 system, you can use either a left or right Joy Con 2 controller as a mouse to cultivate your creative creations” while original Switch users can plug in a compatible USB mouse.
Draw, paint, animate, and compose music! What will you create in Mario Paint?
Mario Paint is available now as part of the #SNES library for #NintendoSwitchOnline members! pic.twitter.com/S2o1oUfU87
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) July 29, 2025
Users can utilise a number of different game modes to create still and moving artworks – ‘Colouring Book’, ‘Drawing Board’, ‘Stamp Designer’, ‘Animator’ and ‘Music Composition’ – as well as “blowing off some steam” in the ‘Gnat Attack’ minigame.
Mario Paint is the first new game to join the SNES library since March. NES, SNES, Game Boy and Game Boy Color games are available as part of the standard Switch Online subscription, which will set you back £17.99 for a 12-month individual membership. The library of Game Boy Advance, Mega Drive, Nintendo 64 and GameCube titles is available as part of the Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription, which costs £34.99 for 12 months.
To celebrate the surprise release, the soundtrack to Mario Paint is also available via Nintendo Music.
Music from the #SNES game Mario Paint is now available on the #NintendoMusic app!
Listen here: https://t.co/JFYzBGk0xI pic.twitter.com/aaUMSunKsE
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) July 29, 2025
Earlier this month, Nintendo fans became convinced they’d figured out what N64 games would be joining the Online Library in the new future based on some blurry artwork shown in a teaser trailer.
At the start of July, Mario Strikers joined the Switch Online Library after Gamecube titles were added as part of the Switch 2 launch. Currently Switch 2 subscribers can play four different GameCube titles, with Super Mario Sunshine, Fire Emblem: Path Of Radiance, Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness, Chibi-Robo, Luigi’s Mansion and Pokémon Colosseum all set to join the service in the future.
In other news, a TV adaptation of cult video game series Wolfenstein is coming to Amazon Prime Video. “The story of killing Nazis is evergreen”
