Super Mario Sunshine Arrives on Switch 2 This August
Nintendo's 2002 GameCube classic joins the Switch Online library, completing the home console 3D Mario collection on the company's latest hardware.
Nintendo brings Super Mario Sunshine to Switch 2 on August 13, 2026, adding the beloved GameCube title to its Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack library. The move makes every home console 3D Mario game playable on Nintendo's latest hardware, excluding only the handheld-exclusive Super Mario 3D Land.
A Long-Awaited Return
Originally released in 2002 as the sequel to Super Mario 64, Sunshine introduced the FLUDD (Flash Liquidizer Ultra Dousing Device) mechanic, letting players spray water to clean up Isle Delfino and traverse the environment. The game developed a reputation as one of the more divisive entries in the 3D Mario series, with critics and fans debating its physics and camera system over the years.
Sunshine previously appeared on the original Switch as part of the Super Mario 3D All-Stars collection in 2020. That compilation was delisted, leaving fans without an official way to play the game on modern hardware until now.
What You Need to Play
Access to Super Mario Sunshine on Switch 2 requires a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership, priced at $49.99 per year for individual subscribers in the US. The game will be available through the GameCube Classics app, part of Nintendo's growing catalog of legacy titles offered through the subscription service.
Nintendo has not detailed specific emulation features for this release, though standard NSO offerings typically include quality-of-life improvements common to the platform's classic game library.
More Classics Coming
Sunshine isn't the only retro addition arriving this month. On August 4, 2026, Nintendo will add Zero Racers and D-Hopper to the Virtual Boy Classics app. Both titles were unreleased games from 1996, offering subscribers a chance to play previously inaccessible pieces of Nintendo history.
Why It Matters
The addition reinforces Nintendo's strategy of positioning Switch 2 as a hub for legacy content across multiple hardware generations. By making all home console 3D Mario titles available through the Expansion Pack, the company strengthens the value proposition of its subscription service while giving longtime fans easier access to catalog titles that have been difficult to play legally in recent years.
For players who missed Sunshine during its original GameCube run or its brief 2020 re-release, August 13 offers another chance to experience one of Mario's most distinctive adventures.