Animal Crossing: New Horizons Mario Update Now Available

Animal Crossing: New Horizons version 1.8.0 is now available on Nintendo Switch! The latest major update for the game will incorporate items from the Super Mario Bros. franchise, including costumes, warp pipes, coins, and more. Unfortunately, players will still have to wait a few more days to purchase these items, as they will not be available in the store until March 1st. Fans that download the update will also receive a free item from Nintendo: a Mushroom Mural! Players can check to see if the software has been updated for the game from the system's Home Screen by highlighting the title and clicking the "Options" button.

Nintendo's Tweet announcing the update can be found embedded below.

[Announcement]
The #AnimalCrossing: New Horizons free update is available now, bringing Super Mario Bros. themed furniture and fashion items for purchase on 3/1, as well as new seasonal items! Download the update and receive a free mushroom mural! #ACNH #SuperMario35 pic.twitter.com/tPLTWDXK8e

— Isabelle (@animalcrossing) February 25, 2021

The game's Mario-themed items are perfect for players looking to redecorate their islands, but at least one of them has a practical application as well: warp pipes allow players to travel between different sections of their island much more quickly! Nintendo recently revealed new details on the addition, and it seems like one that players will find some interesting uses for!

The game's Mario update is one of several ways that Nintendo has been celebrating the 35th anniversary of the original Super Mario Bros. on NES. That anniversary was technically in 2020, but some content released just a little bit after the fact. This year actually marks the 35th anniversary of The Legend of Zelda, so it will be interesting to see if Nintendo decides to offer a Zelda-themed update for Animal Crossing: New Horizons, as well. Past games in the Animal Crossing franchise have featured elements from the Zelda series, and even residents based on the games! None of that content has appeared in New Horizons just yet, so the anniversary might provide the perfect excuse.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons is available exclusively on Nintendo Switch. You can check out all of our previous coverage of the game right here.

Are you a fan of Animal Crossing: New Horizons? Are you excited for the game's Mario update? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!