These days, it feels like every day is a recognized holiday of some sort, whether it be National Donut Day, National Dress Day, or some other made-up holiday designed to celebrate... well, something. And while March 10th — aka Mario Day — may not be formally recognized by the US government, it’s one of the ones we at The Verge look forward to most. That’s because it’s one of the best opportunities of the year to save big on games starring Nintendo’s mustachioed mascot.
Technology
Some of the best Switch games are $20 off in the lead-up to Mario Day
A handful of Mario-centric titles are currently on sale ahead of Mario Day this weekend. You can also save on Ugreen’s 2-in-1 charging station and a terrific Apple Pencil alternative.
This year, Nintendo is taking off the wraps early, slashing prices on a variety of Nintendo Switch titles, all of which will be discounted through 11:59PM PT on March 17th. The list of eligible Mario-related games is fairly expansive, but the standout is clearly Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, which just received its final wave of DLC tracks in November and is down to just $39.99 ($20 off) at Amazon and other retailers. You can also snag the excellent Mario Party Superstars for $39.99 ($20 off), Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope for $19.79 (about $40 off), Luigi’s Mansion 3 for $39.99 ($20 off), and Yoshi’s Crafted World for $39.99 ($20 off).
One thing to note is that, in most instances, only the digital version is available at a discount; however, some retailers — including Nintendo and Best Buy — are extending the sale to select physical titles as well, just in case you prefer a good ol’ fashioned cartridge.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
$6033% off
$40
$6033% off
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a popular kart racing game packed with plenty of courses and characters, as well as 48 new tracks if you opt for the paid DLC.
$40 at Amazon$40 at Best Buy$40 at Nintendo
Mario Party Superstars
$6033% off
$40
$6033% off
Mario Party Superstars is a collection of classic Mario Party boards from the Nintendo 64, with mini-games from both the N64 and GameCube eras. Best of all, unlike Super Mario Party, it’s compatible with regular controllers and the Nintendo Switch Lite.
$40 at Amazon$40 at GameStop$40 at Nintendo
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope
$6067% off
$20
$6067% off
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope is an excellent turn-based strategy game that pairs classic Mario characters with the chaotic Rabbids for an encore performance.
$20 at Amazon$20 at Best Buy$20 at Nintendo
Luigi’s Mansion 3
$7043% off
$40
$7043% off
Luigi’s Mansion 3 is an adorable puzzle platformer with light co-op elements and a tinge of horror.
$40 at Amazon$40 at Best Buy$40 at Target
If you’re not ready to pony up for one of the many Qi2 chargers hitting shelves right now, Ugreen’s Magnetic Wireless Charging Station has fallen to an all-time low of $27.99 ($12 off) at Amazon. Unlike the newer Qi2 offerings that provide 15W charging speeds, Ugreen’s charger can only supply 7.5W of power to MagSafe-compatible devices, or 5W to a pair of wireless earbuds or any Qi-ready device if you’re using the integrated charging stand located on the bottom.
I’ve been using Ugreen’s basic magnetic charging station for several months, and while it’s not my go-to option for fast charging my iPhone 13, it works fantastic as a relatively cheap option for using the new Standby mode baked into iOS 17. It’s svelte and sturdy, with an adjustable ball joint that allows you to easily alter the viewing angle of your phone so you can check your calendar, the weather, and other important tidbits of information at a glance. My only qualm is that I’m not a huge fan of the status indicator light built into the base, but it’s a difficult feature to knock given most dual-purpose chargers feature the same thing at this point.
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The second-gen Apple Pencil is hands-down the best stylus you can buy — it’s also one of the most expensive. Fortunately, the Logitech Crayon is on sale at Amazon and Best Buy for around $54 ($16 off), matching its best price to date. The comfortable USB-C stylus lacks pressure sensitivity and some of the more premium features found on Apple’s proprietary models, but it’s still great for note-taking and pairs instantly with any iPad that launched after 2018.Speaking of tablets, the OnePlus Pad is once again available from Amazon and OnePlus for $399.99 ($80 off), an all-time low. The terrific Android slate features an 11.6-inch, 144Hz display, excellent build quality, and a quad-speaker system with support for Dolby Atmos, all of which render the snappy tablet a great iPad alternative if you’re someone who couldn’t care less about how it integrates with devices outside the OnePlus ecosystem. Read our review.The Meross Smart Garage Door Opener Remote (MSG100HK) — one of our favorite smart home devices — is down to $44.99 ($15 off) at Amazon when you clip the on-page coupon (or $39.57, if you’re a Prime member). The super-handy add-on is easy to set up and compatible with a wealth of platforms, including Apple Home and CarPlay, allowing you to transform virtually any garage door opener into one that works with your phone or Apple Watch.A couple of weeks ago, we flagged a deal on Microsoft’s official Xbox Wireless Controller, which recently dropped to around $44 ($15 off) in select colors at several other retailers. While that promo is ongoing, we’d be remiss if we didn’t point out that the new Dream Vapor variant is also on sale at Amazon and Walmart for $57.99 ($12 off). The new “Vapor†controllers are really just tie-dyed versions of the standard model, but hey, if that’s your thing...If you’ve been waiting to pick up a Sonos Era 300 at a discount, Sonos is now selling a refurbished model for $359 (or $90 off the MSRP). The hourglass-shaped smart speaker — which remains the best Sonos speaker for spatial audio — supports the same Bluetooth and line-in features as the Era 100, yet it’s built from the ground up for Dolby Atmos. The six-driver speaker is far more immersive than the Era 100, especially when playing a spatial audio track or used as a pair of rear channels for a soundbar. Read our review.