After weeks of friendly competition in Super Mario Bros. 35, an attentive fan has finally discovered an in-game secret. Up until now, players had simply assumed the game's unlockables were all accounted for, but it turns out that there's at least one additional playable character: Luigi.
Fans of the game will be quick to tell their friends it's available, free of charge, to all Nintendo Switch Online members. This alone has led to Super Mario Bros. 35 having a remarkably devoted following since release, but affordability aside, the game offers players a unique new twist on traditionally beloved Super Mario gameplay.
In short, players in Super Mario Bros. 35 participate in a hybrid time-trial/survival race against 34 other players, all of whom can be seen onscreen. As players defeat their own enemies, they watch the bad guys shoot off of their own screens and onto other competitors' stages, making it harder for others to reach their finish lines.
For the most part, achievements in Super Mario Bros. 35 are divvied up into two categories, new icons and new stages — or so players thought. As one sharp gamer has confirmed, Luigi is in fact a playable unlockable character in Super Mario Bros. 35. Mario's famously taller younger sibling is apparently playable once a player manages to reach "Star Level 1" in the game, otherwise known as Level 100. He is selected by simply holding the L button as a match starts.
This comes as especially exciting news to players who may have already earned most of their achievements/in-game icons, as it adds a new small degree of customization to the gameplay. As mentioned above, Luigi can only be used once a player reaches their first Star Level, each of which is attained after leveling up 100 times. There may be cheaters in Super Mario Bros. 35, but they hold no powers here - players hoping to use Luigi simply need to focus on playing the game and completing the prescribed challenges for additional experience points.
Although Star Levels 2 and 3 are certainly achievable, players only need to hit Level 100 a single time to earn their first Star Level and freely choose between Mario and Luigi. The declared reward for reaching Star Level 1 has been a Luigi icon since the game's release, so this discovery was bound to happen. If anything, it seems like Luigi can serve as a good motivational reward for players trying to rise through the ranks.
Given fans' concerns that Super Mario Bros. 35 may have similar problems to the original, any degree of added customization or novelty is surely welcome to the game. Also, fans should take note that the game is currently scheduled for vaulting in March 2021. Unless Nintendo adjusts their plans, players won't be able to log into Super Mario Bros. 35 come next April, which means there's only so much time to unlock Luigi and experience his side of Nintendo's new game.
Super Mario Bros. 35 is available now on Switch.