While kitsch sweaters and cinnamon cookies are back in use, Nintendo is getting into the holiday spirit with a welcome surprise: a series of free Super Mario icons totally in the Christmas theme. But be careful, these little graphic treasures will only be available for a limited time.
Starting December 5, Nintendo Switch Online subscribers can access a new selection of personalized holiday avatars, backgrounds and frames. Every week until December 25, a new series is put online, featuring the emblematic characters of the Mario universe in situations that are as festive as they are cute.
Mario, Luigi and the other Christmas stars on your Switch profile
Among the icons available this week, we find Mario setting off a firecracker, Luigi with a star balloon, Peach with a bouquet of flowers in her hand, while Yoshi and Toad wander happily in this snowy universe. These elements are not limited to avatars: you can also dress up your profile with backgrounds and frames in Christmas colors, for a 100% seasonal effect.
As confirmed by the official NSO account, “#NintendoSwitchOnline festive icons are available! They will change weekly until December 25.”
How to get free icons on your console
To access this content, you must go to the home screen of your Nintendo Switch or Switch 2 and open the Nintendo Switch Online application. In the “Missions and Rewards” section, festive icons are available in exchange for mission points, provided of course that you have an active subscription.
These points can be obtained easily by performing a few simple actions: launching an online game, visiting the eShop or simply opening the NSO application regularly. It’s quick, at no extra cost, and quite rewarding.
And as a bonus: exclusive icons for Metroid Prime 4
Alongside the Christmas campaign, Nintendo has also launched a special series of icons to celebrate the recent release of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. With a score of 80 on Metacritic for the Nintendo Switch 2 version, the game appears to have been well received by critics overall.
But some opinions remain nuanced. In a recent review, “it ultimately failed to live up to expectations”, adding that “it unfortunately misses the mark in several respects. As the biggest Metroid Prime game to date, it fell into the trap that many open-world games succumb to: a profound feeling of emptiness.”