Nintendo Switch Online (NSO) is an online gaming network and subscription service acting similar to Sony's PlayStation Network and PlayStation Plus and Microsoft's Xbox network and Xbox Game Pass that grants players online play for compatible Nintendo Switch games, which launched on September 18, 2018 in North America,[1] and on September 19, 2018 in Japan, Europe, and Oceania,[2][3][4] following a "free trial" period where Nintendo offered online services free of charge from the launch of the Nintendo Switch. It is the third online network service created by Nintendo, after Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection (which launched during the release of Mario Kart DS in 2005) and Nintendo Network (which launched on January 26, 2012). To use the service, players must pay a subscription fee for a plan lasting in increments of one month, three months, or 12 months. A week long trial period is available to use, after which payment will automatically begin renewing for the specified plan unless auto-renewal is turned off. The Nintendo Switch is also able to synchronize with smartphones via an application of the same name; this allows for online capability to invite friends to play online, set play appointments, voice chat with friends on online matches, and other game-specific features.[5] Subscribers can also find Nintendo Switch Online-specific news and information in an application of the same name on the Switch's home menu. Basic online features such as the Nintendo eShop and system updates do not require a Nintendo Switch Online subscription to access.
The Nintendo Switch Online service includes an application called Nintendo Entertainment System - Nintendo Switch Online, which gives subscribers access to a selection of NES/Famicom games that can be played cooperatively or competitively with other players online. The Nintendo Switch Online service also includes a cloud backup feature that allows the player to save their data online for easy access. When playing NES/Famicom games online, other players can display a cursor on-screen to point out hints and secrets.[6]Donkey Kong, Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros., Dr. Mario, Super Mario Bros. 3, and Yoshi were among the 20 NES titles made available at the service's launch,[7] with new titles added in the following months.[6]
The NES controller
The Famicom controllers
The SNES controller
As part of the service's exclusive offers, subscribers can also purchase a pair of Joy-Con controllers styled after NES controllers, which feature extra L and R shoulder buttons similar to the Joy-Con's and buttons and can be connected to the console itself to recharge in a similar fashion. While both NES controllers are identical, as with the original Famicom controllers, the Famicom Joy-Con exclusive to Japanese subscribers are slightly different from each other, with the left controller featuring the and buttons, and the right controller featuring the volume slider and microphone.[8]
In the September 2019 Nintendo Direct, Nintendo announced Super Nintendo Entertainment System - Nintendo Switch Online, a follow-up to the previous application featuring a selection of SNES / Super Famicom titles, which launched on September 5, 2019 in North America and on September 6, 2019 in Japan, Europe, and Oceania.[9][10]Super Mario Kart, Super Mario World, and Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island were among the 20 SNES titles made available at the service's launch, with additional titles being added thereafter. SNES / Super Famicom-styled Joy-Con controllers were also made available.[11][12]
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From March 2022, Nintendo Switch Online subscribers can access a "Missions & Rewards" section in the Switch's Nintendo Switch Online app where they can complete Nintendo Switch Online-specific tasks, such as opening the app, using the cloud backup feature, or playing online or a specific game on Nintendo Entertainment System - Nintendo Switch Online, to earn My Nintendo Platinum Points which can then be exchanged for "icon parts" (characters, backgrounds, and frames) for use in their Switch profile pictures. Icon parts can only be redeemed via a paid Nintendo Switch Online subscription, i.e. they are not redeemable for subscribers who only have an active free trial. The redeemable icon parts are categorized by game: a monthly "spotlight software" category that features a weekly selection of icon parts from a specific game, and an Animal Crossing: New Horizons category that features icon parts for residents who have birthdays in the current month. On occasions, another game can be added as a "special reward", such as Kirby and the Forgotten Land and Mario Strikers: Battle League.
Characters cost 10 Platinum Points each while backgrounds and frames cost five. After redeeming icon parts, the player can then assemble them in the icon collection sub-screen, after which they can then be applied to their profile picture. Some of the character icons are indicated with "Character with background", meaning that some icons of the character have the background baked in for them, and thus a different background cannot be selected for them. A background or frame cannot be redeemed without redeeming a character from the same game first.
The following is a list of Super Mario-related characters featured in the spotlight software category (any character marked with "Character with Background" is marked with an asterisk). While not exclusively related to Super Mario, the September 2022 rewards featured icons from Nintendo Entertainment System - Nintendo Switch Online, with Super Mario Bros. and Tennis being featured in wave 1, Dr. Mario in wave 2, and Donkey Kong, Super Mario Bros. 3, and Punch-Out!! in wave 3. In addition, Super Mario 64 was used as one of three games for spotlight software on Nintendo 64 Online games in November 2022 (the others being Majora's Mask and Kirby 64 of the Zelda and Kirby franchises, respectively). The spotlight software for Nintendo 64 Online games in December 2022 also included Yoshi's Story among the games for that month (alongside Ocarina of Time and F-Zero X of the Zelda and F-Zero series, respectively). The January 2023 lineup for Nintendo 64 Online icons utilized Paper Mario and Mario Kart 64 among the three games for that month (with the only other game given focus during the month being Star Fox 64 of the Star Fox series). The icons for Super Mario Odyssey, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and Mario Strikers: Battle League as well as the NES Online lineup were reissued on specific days between December 22 and January 6.
and 
buttons and can be connected to the console itself to recharge in a similar fashion. While both NES controllers are identical, as with the original Famicom controllers, the Famicom Joy-Con exclusive to Japanese subscribers are slightly different from each other, with the left controller featuring the 
and 
buttons, and the right controller featuring the volume slider and microphone.[8]
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