Nintendo games such as Mario and Donkey Kong will soon be played in schools across the UK as part of an updated computing curriculum.

The scheme, which runs alongside a national eSports competition, will be introduced through Digital Schoolhouse – a non-profit scheme backed by Nintendo and the UK government.

Digital Schoolhouse’s programme aims to teach computing skills alongside other life skills through playing video games.

One game currently on offer through the project is the popular Super Smash Bros Ultimate – a multiplayer with a heavy emphasis on competitive play. It unifies multiple franchises from Nintendo including Zelda, Mario, Donkey Kong and Pokémon.

According to a report by Sky News, Super Smash Bros Ultimate will be featured in the national eSports competition because Digital Schoolhouse believe it will help develop teamwork skills in children.

Digital Schoolhouse launched back in 2014 and is currently forecast to reach an impressive 32,000 pupils and 7,000 teachers across the next academic year.

Kalpesh Tailor, head of communications at Nintendo UK, has said he hoped the programme would “inspire the next generation of young minds across the UK”.

The announcement of a national eSports competition to be featured across schools in the UK comes not long after the first ever Fortnite World Cup which saw many young gamers emerge into the spotlight, including 16-year-old Kyle ‘Bugha’ Giersdorf who won the inaugural solo championship, netting himself a tidy $3 million in the process.

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