Nintendo dropped a bombshell announcement during the latest Nintendo Direct event, finally confirming that Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis games are coming to the Nintendo Switch Online service in the form of the more expensive Switch Online Expansion Pack. Nintendo has yet to reveal when exactly the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack is coming or how much it will cost, but it has revealed what games fans can look forward to when the upgraded service launches.
In total, there will be nine Nintendo 64 games and 14 Sega Genesis games available to Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack subscribers when the service launches in late October. Nintendo has also confirmed some of the games that are planned for future updates as well, though has stopped short of revealing exactly when those other titles will be added.
Here are all the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack games that have been announced so far.
Nintendo 64 Switch Online Games at Launch
- Dr. Mario 64
- Mario Kart 64
- Mario Tennis
- Sin & Punishment
- Star Fox 64
- Super Mario 64
- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
- WinBack: Covert Operations
- Yoshi's Story
When the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack launches in late October, subscribers can look forward to playing nine different Nintendo 64 games right out of the gate. These include some of the highest-rated Nintendo 64 games ever made, like Super Mario 64 and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, so Nintendo is certainly coming out swinging when it comes to the Switch Online Expansion Pack.
As we've seen with previous Switch Online retro games, these Nintendo 64 titles will have some quality of life features that should make them even better than their original cartridge counterparts. For example, the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack will have online multiplayer support, meaning fans will be able to play Mario Kart 64 online for the first time ever. The online multiplayer support is a potential game changer that makes future Nintendo Switch Online additions very exciting.
While there has been some criticism for Nintendo's drip-feed approach with Nintendo 64 games and Switch Online, the titles that will be available at launch should keep fans plenty busy. Super Mario 64 and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time by themselves are sizable adventures, plus the multiplayer modes in Mario Kart 64, Star Fox 64, adn Mario Tennis offer near-endless replayability.
Pricing information for the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack still isn't available at the time of this writing, and it's also not clear exactly when fans will be able to sign up for the service. However, the initial Switch Online Expansion Pack offerings are quite impressive, setting a strong tone for what's to come in future updates.
Nintendo 64 Games Coming to Switch Online Later
- Banjo-Kazooie
- F-Zero X
- Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards
- Mario Golf
- Paper Mario
- Pokemon Snap
- The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
Besides confirming the nine Nintendo 64 games coming to the Switch Online Expansion Pack at launch, Nintendo also highlighted some of the games that are coming to the service in the future. Nintendo did not provide any kind of release information for these games, and it's unclear if they will come in batches or if they will be added one at a time. It's also unclear if Nintendo plans to add even more Nintendo 64 games to the Switch Online Expansion Pack service beyond these titles, but fans will just have to wait and see on that front.
The other titles coming to Nintendo Switch Online are more of the Nintendo 64's most critically-acclaimed games, like the original Paper Mario and The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask. Pokemon Snap should also make for a fan favorite addition to the lineup, especially since the game's sequel is a Nintendo Switch exclusive.
One of the most interesting games coming to Nintendo Switch Online is the original Banjo-Kazooie, which is notable because the game is technically owned by Xbox. Xbox's acquisition of Rare saw the company gain control of the Banjo-Kazooie IP, porting it and its sequel to XBLA and then later featuring the games as part of the Rare Replay collection as well. Nintendo and Xbox have had a strong relationship over these past few years, though, and it seems that goodwill continue for the foreseeable future.
Sega Genesis Switch Online Games List
- Castlevania: Bloodlines
- Contra: Hard Corps
- Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine
- Ecco the Dolphin
- Golden Axe
- Gunstar Heroes
- Ristar
- Shining Force
- Sonic the Hedgehog 2
- Streets of Rage 2
- MUSHA
- Phantasy Star 4
- Shinobi 3
- Strider
While there will be nine Nintendo 64 games available for the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack at launch, there will be a whopping 14 Sega Genesis games available for the service out of the gate. Nintendo did not confirm if any additional Sega Genesis games are coming to the Switch Online Expansion Pack in future, but the initial offerings should keep fans plenty busy in the meantime.
The initial Genesis offerings for the Switch Online Expansion pack include some of the console's most famous titles, like Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Streets of Rage 2, and Golden Axe. Fans of old-school games should be kept plenty busy by these games while they wait for Nintendo to reveal if anymore Sega Genesis games are in the pipeline for the Switch Online Expansion Pack in future.