Nintendo Replaces Mario With Cat Mario On Switch Eshop Loading Screens

Nintendo

We’re starting to think that Nintendo might have been taken over by cats. After today’s Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury trailer, in which even the birds were cats, we can now see everyone’s favourite four-legged feline plumber, Cat Mario, on the eShop itself.

Normally, the loading icon is a wee Mario running, but as of today, the image has been swapped for that of Cat Mario, running on all fours. One Reddit user, Riomegon, documented the new loading screen on the Japanese eShop, and our own research indicates that the same is true on both the North American and European eShops, as well.

You may remember that the eShop was updated a while back with an N64-style Mario to celebrate the 35th anniversary (and Super Mario 3D All-Stars, too). Well, that Mario is dead now. Long live the Cat.