For those taken by Donkey Kong Bananza’s Artist mode, there’s good news: Mario Paint is now available on Nintendo Switch Online. Released in 1992 for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, it’s essentially a toolkit for drawing and painting.
There are also stamps, sprites (sourced from Super Mario World), animation tools and even a tool for creating music. You can also play minigames like Gnat Attack, which requires swatting dozens of flies and offers an increasing difficulty.
Despite its relatively niche nature, Mario Paint would sell over 2.3 million copies, and believe it or not, it would inspire several designers who worked on titles like Earthbound. Various references can also be spotted in other Nintendo games throughout history.
It launched alongside a dedicated mouse, which is required to play. In true Nintendo fashion, you’ll need a compatible USB mouse to play it on the Nintendo Switch. If you’re playing on the Nintendo Switch 2, the Joy-Con 2’s mouse controls are perfect.
