Nintendo Switch Online has evolved a lot over the last few years to be more than Nintendo's answer to PlayStation Plus and Xbox Game Pass. With the introduction of Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack, Nintendo began offering full-fledged DLC for free with the subscription. From Animal Crossing: New Horizons add-ons to the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass, these offerings have made the premium subscription tier worth purchasing for many fans. When coupled with Nintendo 64 and the recently added Game Boy Advance libraries, NSO has given fans a substantial range of things to enjoy.
One DLC opportunity that Nintendo has missed thus far, however, is any kind of expansion for Mario Party Superstars. The popular series got a blast from the past when some of its best boards and minigames were remastered for the 2021 title, bringing with it the potential for much more. Nintendo seems content to leave Mario Party Superstars as is, but fans of the series could get the perfect substitution in the form of a classic GBA title. If Nintendo wants to give Mario Party fans something new, it could add Mario Party Advance to the Switch Online GBA library.
How Mario Party Advance Brought a New Kind of Party to Handhelds
Before Mario Party Advance, the franchise only appeared on home consoles, where friends and family could duke it out to see who could collect the most stars. With the introduction of Mario Party Advance, Nintendo and developer Hudson Soft took the franchise in a different direction by focusing on a primarily single-player adventure. All the quick and entertaining minigames were still there, but Mario Party Advance replaced the multiplayer Party Mode with "Shroom City." This game mode has Bowser scatter all the title's minigames throughout Party World, and players are tasked with retrieving them.
When Mario Party Superstars released nearly two years ago, it had tremendous potential to expand into a complete celebration of the Mario Party franchise. It already included some of the best boards from the Mario Party games on the N64, as well as minigames from every Mario Party released on home consoles. Nintendo would be leaving money on the table if it didn't bring boards from the Mario Party games on the GameCube and Wii, but so far this seems to be what's happening. Even as older games like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe get a new stream of DLC, Mario Party Superstars has received no such support.
Mario Party fans could find some vindication in Nintendo's newly added Game Boy Advance library. The classic catalog has been a hit so far, including standouts like Metroid Fusion and The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap, but its offerings are still slim. Nintendo has to expand on the GBA library to really help it shine, and adding Mario Party Advance could kill two birds with one stone by adding another game while sending fans on a trip down memory lane. It may not be the Superstars DLC many wanted, but it could be a worthwhile alternative.
Mario Party Superstars has room for a considerable amount of DLC, whether it's new Mario Party characters or boards. It's a mystery why Nintendo hasn't capitalized on such an opportunity, especially considering how well the game was received by new and longtime fans. Many fans know to never say never when it comes to Nintendo, and if the company does have far-off plans to bring DLC to Mario Party Superstars, bringing Mario Party Advance to the Nintendo Switch Online GBA library could be a preamble for those who have been so patient for so long.