Nintendo Switch Online has had a bit of a mixed reception since its soft launch in 2017. When the Nintendo Switch first came out, its online service was free for everyone, which made the severe latency issues and bizarre communications system feel a little more acceptable. But after a year, Nintendo announced that Switch Online would cost $20 per year. This decision wasn't met with too much backlash, as fans had been warned about this well in advance, and the price tag was significantly lower than both Xbox and PlayStation's online services. But from the start, there's been one feature that's made Nintendo Switch Online a must-have subscription: its catalog of NES and SNES games.
Though the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack offers Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis games, those who are only subscribed to the cheaper, base tier of the service still get their money's worth, with a back catalog of over 60 NES titles, and over 50 SNES titles to choose from. While it doesn't quite match the range found in the Wii U's Virtual Console, Nintendo Switch Online's retro offerings are nothing to scoff at, and more and more titles are being added every few months, much like the three that landed just the other day.
Fighter's History
July 21 saw three SNES/NES titles head to Nintendo Switch Online, the first of which is Fighter's History, a 2D fighting game. Taking just one look at a Fighter's History screenshot tells the player everything they need to know about the game, with it looking eerily similar to Street Fighter 2. In fact, upon Fighter's History's release in 1993, Capcom sued the developer, claiming that the game had directly copied assets and core elements from its iconic fighting franchise. However, Fighter's History's developer, Data East, actually won the case, with the court deciding that those elements were necessary to depicting the fighting game genre.
Gameplay-wise, Fighter's History is essentially just Street Fighter 2, using a similar button configuration, and having very similar gameplay mechanics. Players will face off against a series of opponents in one-on-one fights, eventually claiming victory in a tournament. However, Fighter's History does have one unique mechanic that sets it apart from Street Fighter.
During a match, the player will be able to reveal a weak spot on their opponent. This is often indicated by a colored piece of clothing, like a headband or a vest. If the player strikes their opponent's weak spot multiple times in a row, then their opponent will be staggered for a few moments, allowing the player to get some free hits in. Striking this weak spot after their opponent's been staggered can lead to massive amounts of damage, and will often end the fight pretty quickly. Fighter's History isn't the most unique fighting game on its era, but its tight controls and unique weak point system makes it worth a quick download.
Kirby's Avalanche
Known in Europe as Kirby's Ghost Trap, Kirby's Avalanche is 1995 SNES game that's also just come to Switch via its online service. The background behind Kirby's Avalanche is actually fairly interesting, as the game is actually just a re-skinned version of the Japanese title Super Puyo Puyo, a puzzle game not dissimilar to Tetris. For the Western market, Nintendo decided to swap out Super Puyo Puyo's colorful blob characters for fan-favorite Kirby characters, and changed the original's forest setting to Kirby's Dream Land, where King Dedede has challenged Kirby and his friends to compete in the Avalanche Competition. Along the way, players will face off against franchise staples like Meta Knight, Kracko, and Whispy Woods.
The gameplay of Kirby's Avalanche will be very familiar to those who have played a Puyo Puyo game before, and fairly familiar to Tetris fans. The gameplay of Kirby's Avalanche sees connected, colored blobs drop into a box. Players need to navigate and connect blobs together based on their color. When players connect four blobs of the same color, they disappear, and the blobs above them take their place, just like in Tetris. At the same time, an opponent on the other side of the screen is also trying to rid their own box of blobs. If the player manages to pull-off a high enough combo, they'll send a barrage of rocks into their opponent's box, making it more likely for them to lose the match. Kirby's Avalanche may not be the most complex SNES game on Nintendo Switch Online, but it's a fun, colorful game to sink a few hours into.
DAIVA Story 6: Imperial of Nirsartia
Daiva Story 6: Imperial of Nirsartia is the last of the three games recently added to Nintendo Switch Online, and may just be the most unique of the lot. Released in 1986, Daiva Story 6 is an NES game. Interestingly, Daiva Story 6 is actually one of seven Daiva titles, all released simultaneously. Most releasing for PCs, the Daiva series shows the same events from seven different perspectives, and offers slightly differing gameplay mechanics. Daiva Story 6 is primarily a 2D side-scrolling action game, but it also features some of the first examples of turn-based strategy in the gaming landscape.
Daiva Story 6: Imperial of Nirsartia sees players try to conquer opposing planets, first by taking down any enemy fleets, and then manually capturing the planet with a mech suit. Space battles are controlled with turn-based mechanics, allowing the player to direct their flagship and fire in turns. Once the opposing ship has been destroyed, they're then thrust into a side-scrolling action game, where they need to pilot their mech to the end of the stage. It's obviously quite dated now, with some rough visuals and some unforgiving missions, but Daiva Story 6: Imperial of Nirsartia may just be one of the most unique NES games available on Nintendo Switch Online.