Nintendo Switch Online Adds a Fun Mario Classic and 2 Cancelled Games – NSO Roundup 8/2026
August was a great month for Nintendo Switch Online’s retro collections. In addition to a Mario classic, Nintendo also gave us a pair of cancelled games that were never released before. However, you needed a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription to enjoy the new games, and in the case of the Mario game, you needed a Nintendo Switch 2. Let’s take a look at this month’s additions.
Nintendo Switch Online August 2026 Game Additions
Super Mario Sunshine
Some people consider the GameCube classic Super Mario Sunshine to be the black sheep among Mario’s 3D platformers, but others love it. As for me, I love it. Is it as good as Super Mario Galaxy or Super Mario Odyssey? No, but it has a charm all its own. It is more difficult than your average Mario game, but that just makes it more satisfying when you finally clear that troubling level. With great music and a charming tropical atmosphere, this game feels alive in the best way. If you’re sad about summer being over, boot up this game for a boost in your mood.
Super Mario Sunshine is a classic, regardless of your personal feelings about it. If you don’t care for it, you might want to give it another look. In addition to Super Mario Sunshine, August brought in two more Virtual Boy games. What’s special about these games is that they were never actually released before. Both were cancelled before their release, meaning that this is the first time that people get to officially play them. So, was it right to cancel them? Let’s find out.
Zero Racers
There was originally going to be an F-Zero game released for the Virtual Boy. In this spin-off, you choose one of four racers and go zipping through wire-framed environments. However, in this game, you have to be mindful of your ship’s altitude. If you get too close to the ground, you’ll crash and lose energy. While this game’s 3-D effects are decent, I did an awful lot of crashing, to the point where the whole altitude gimmick just felt like an annoyance instead of a challenge. However, now Nintendo Switch Online has the entire catalog of mainstream F-Zero games plus a cancelled game, which is pretty cool.
Dragon Hopper
This unusual game was, again, planned for release on the Virtual Boy and cancelled, which is an absolute shame because this is a hidden gem. In this top-down action RPG, you play a dragon prince on a quest to rescue fairies. What makes this game special is the jumping mechanic. Each dungeon has multiple layers that your dragon can jump to, and the 3-D effect while jumping is amazing. If you can, play this game with one of the Nintendo Switch Online Virtual Boy headset accessories – it’s an immersive experience. The game also has great music and fun combat. If this game had been released, it would have easily been one of the greatest games in the Virtual Boy catalog.
Will Nintendo Switch Online Give Us More Cancelled Games in the Future?
Nintendo Switch Online has provided some rare games in the past, including several games that were previously exclusive to Japan. This gives US gamers a chance to get a broader look at gaming history. Since Nintendo added two cancelled games to the Virtual Boy library, could they possibly add some cancelled games to their other libraries? That could be amazing. After all, they released the previously-cancelled Star Fox 2 in the past. In any case, gamers can probably look forward to some more rare games in the future.
