During todayâs Direct presentation Nintendo finally confirmed what a lot of observers already suspected: Nintendo 64 games are coming to the Nintendo Switch Online service this October. Sega Genesis games will also join the service at the same time in a new membership plan called the âExpansion Pack.â Whatâs more, some of the N64 games will support up to four-player online multiplayer.
Nintendo Switch Online (NSO) is the premium subscription service for Nintendo Switch owners. Cheaper than similar subscription services from Sony and Microsoft, NSO gives members a couple of benefits, including online multiplayer, voice chat, the ability to upload save data to Nintendoâs cloud, and the ability to play over 100 classic NES and SNES games, akin to the Virtual Console feature of several previous Nintendo consoles.
Todayâs news sees the premium serviceâs classic game library embrace the Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis, news that should make â90s kidsâ hearts soar.
Nintendo calls this addition to its NSO service an âExpansion Pack.â The company said itâll be part of a new subscription plan that existing subscribers can upgrade to when it launches next month. Details on an exact release date and pricing are unknown, but Nintendo said these bits will be disclosed at a later date.
In the meantime, Nintendo revealed the Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis games making their way to NSO. The list contains the usual suspects, including Contra Hard Corps, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Sonic 2, and Super Mario 64. Check below for a full list of N64 and Genesis games.
Nintendo also mentioned a few additional N64 games that will be coming to NSO in the future, including The Legend of Zelda: Majoraâs Mask, F-Zero X, Mario Golf, PokĂ©mon Snap, Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards, Paper Mario, and Banjo-Kazooie
Alongside the expansion to Nintendo Switch Online, the company confirmed that Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis wireless Bluetooth controllers will also be available for purchase by NSO members. Yes, that means the N64âs weird, three-pronged form factor is back to haunt us in the modern day. Both it and the 3-button Sega Genesis pad will retail for $50 USD, though an exact release date has not been announced as of yet.
Rumors began to circulate earlier this month that Nintendo would introduce âother retro platformsâ to Nintendo Switch Online. Around the same time, the company filed a âgame controllerâ application with the Federal Communications Commission, leading many to suspect a new gamepad was in the works. An N64 controller was the most prevalent theory.
Though N64 wasnât quite as popular as its predecessors, it did pretty decently, and a generation of â90s gamers have fond memories of playing hits like Mario Kart 64, Mario Party, and PokĂ©mon Snap on candy-colored, transparent controllers. Itâs also the birthplace of all-time classics like Super Mario 64 and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Now youâll be able to play a bunch of those on your Switch. Without hacking, even.
Beyond its embrace of cartridgesâwhich felt old-fashioned even thenâthe N64 was known for its extremely unusual-looking, three-pronged controller, which was the first of its era to feature an analog joystick. This was meant to suit its focus on 3D gameplay, allowing Mario and other characters to creep, walk, and run through polygonal worlds in an intuitive way. It was also good for opening beers
Read More:Â The Nintendo 64 Is Now 25 Years Old
Of course, this isnât the first time Nintendoâs gone back to the Nintendo 64. Way back in 2006 the original Wiiâs Virtual Console feature launched with Super Mario 64, which was soon followed by Mario Kart 64, Ocarina of Time, and Star Fox 64. But during its lifespan, the Wii only ended up getting 21 Virtual Console N64 releases, so Nintendo has plenty of room to do better with its new Nintendo Switch Online N64 offering. Between launch games and confirmed future ones, itâs up to 15 so far.
In any case, happy 25th anniversary, Nintendo 64. You were an odd one.
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