A huge limited-time discount for popular Nintendo games is scheduled for March 10 to mark Mario Day. However, retailers like Amazon have kicked off their deals early thereby allowing gamers to get ahead of the Friday company discount.
A handful of games in the Mario franchise will sell for as low as 40% off the original price. For example, the price of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has dropped to $40 from the previous $60. The slash in the price of Super Mario Odyssey brings the price to $40.
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Historically, discounts on first-party Nintendo games rarely happen. Therefore, this is arguably a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for lovers of Nintendo Switch to fill up their library. The discount started on March 5 on most platforms and will end on March 11.
Amazon is also offering huge discounts on other Mario-themed titles. For example, Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope which was only recently released got a 50% discount bringing the price to $30. Likewise, Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit has been discounted to $60, down from the previous $100.
The Mario Home Circuit bundle allows you to create custom racetracks in your home and race around with a camera-fitted kart and either Luigi or Mario behind the wheel. Mario Party Superstars has also been discounted to $40 from the previous $60.
At the time of posting, the only title in the mustachioed plumber franchise that was yet to receive a discount on Amazon was Super Mario Maker 2. However, there is still a huge chance that will happen on or a day before March 10 when the official Nintendo discount will kick off.
The 2023 Mario Day has fans excited for many reasons
March 10 of every year is set aside for the celebration of Mario Day. This year’s Mario Day comes with more reasons to make fans excited. The first was the colossal price slash off some of the popular Mario-themed titles.
Secondly, just a month afterward, fans will get to see their favorite Nintendo character on the big cinema screen. The Super Mario Bros. movie is scheduled for release on April 10. While there has been some skepticism about the success of the movie, fans remain optimistic that it would be a blast.
To celebrate Mario Day this year, Nintendo is unveiling a new Nintendo Switch bundle known as the “Choose One Bundle”. The bundle entitles you to download one of the three Mario games—Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and Super Mario Odyssey—from the Nintendo eShop.
The price of the bundle is set at $299.99. Gamers can purchase it through the My Nintendo Store website. However, the bundle will also be available at select retailers on March 10.
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Nintendo seems to be feeling a bit generous this time. A few games that are not directly linked to the company’s mascot are also up for sale at mouthwatering discounts. This includes Yoshi’s Crafter World and Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze.
Nintendo is more popular than Electronic Arts, Epic Games, or Activision Blizzard
Data from SportsLens.com has shown that the Japanese Nintendo is more popular and loved by gamers compared to gaming giants in the United States. A similar report by Statista Consumer Insights Gaming and eSports Special data showed that about three-quarters of gamers in the U.S. are familiar with Nintendo and as much as 47% like it.
While Electronic Arts appeared to be more popular with as much as 52% of surveyed gamers saying they know the company, only about one-third said they liked it, a sharp decline from Nintendo. Likewise, 53% of surveyed gamers said they were familiar with Epic Games but only about 27% of respondents liked it.
Rockstar Games was liked by 22% of respondents while Activision Blizzard completed the top 5 with a like rate of 20%. In the nutshell, while American gaming companies appear to be more popular among gamers, Nintendo is the one that imprints the most on gamers.
One thing that the Statista data was able to prove is that popularity doesn’t always translate to acceptance. For example, 50% of respondents knew Roblox but only 18% liked them—one of the steepest deviations on the list.
Some of the issues that put respondents off included content not suitable for children, financial exploitation by creators, and lack of content moderation.
The Statista data may not necessarily mean that Nintendo has better content than the U.S. companies it was compared to. However, most gamers start their gaming journey with Nintendo games in their childhood which leaves an imprint that lasts their lifetime.
Do you prefer Nintendo games to games from Electronic Arts and Epic Games? Share your thoughts in the comment box below.
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