Nintendo unveils retro Super Mario freebie as new product wave launches

Nintendo has shown off a lovely collection of new freebies now available for Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 owners.

The new releases commemorate the successful launch of Splatoon: Raiders, which has received glowing reviews from across the board, and, of course, the face of Nintendo; Super Mario.

Starting with the Splatoon: Raiders, the Nintendo Store has added a new 5.5" x 5.5" memo pad to its growing collection of merch.

It’s decorated with the logo and key art from the game, and will set fans back by a crisp 550 Platinum Points.

Nintendo

Over on the Super Mario side of things, a Desktop Metal Display inspired by the Super Nintendo Entertainment System game Super Mario World is now available.

Like the game’s cover art, it sports a picture of Mario riding on the back of Yoshi, along with branding from the SNES as the outside trim. It’s designed to look like the original cartridge.

It’s said to come with “a protective film on both sides,” which can be peeled off should it get a bit dirty or grimy.

This Super Mario freebie costs a substantial 1,000 Platinum Points and is exclusive to those who pay for Nintendo Switch Online.

Nintendo

At the time of writing, both of these new additions are only available on the North American Nintendo Store, though they may pop up in other regions at a later date.

How to acquire Nintendo Platinum Points and what to spend them on

Acquiring Platinum Points is incredibly simple as you’ll earn them naturally by playing games on your Nintendo Switch or Nintendo Switch 2.

For instance some are acquired by playing online games whereas others will ask you to play a specific title from the Nintendo Switch Online retro game library.

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You don’t get many, but they quickly add up as the weeks go by, so it’s always good to check in once in a while and see how your current balance is looking.

As for what to spend them on; it’s ultimately up to you. Nintendo regularly distributes new waves of Nintendo Switch icons to decorate your profile with, and these usually cost about 10-20 Platinum Points a pop.

Alternatively you can spend them through the online Nintendo stores for merchandise, but be warned even though you’re getting the merch for free you’ll still have to pay postage fees. You’re usually better off spending your Platinum Points whilst you’re buying something else from the store, as you get free postage when your order is over a certain amount.

Platinum Points cannot be used to purchase games, upgrade packs or any DLC expansions. In the past you’d have needed Gold Points for that, but Nintendo discontinued its reward system long ago and hasn’t provided a replacement since.

Some of the latest merch releases from Nintendo have been adorable, so if you’ve got those Platinum Points you spend, you might as well peruse the online store and see what catches your eye.