The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time’s title screen is absolutely iconic to longtime Nintendo fans and evokes nostalgic bliss in the hearts of many. It’s fitting, then, that during today’s Nintendo Direct presentation, it was used to introduce the latest addition to the Nintendo Switch Online service.
That’s right, the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack, launching in late October, not only includes Nintendo 64 games, but Sega Genesis titles too! The Nintendo 64 games can be played locally and online with up to four players.
Executive Officer Yoshiaki Koizumi, who presented the Nintendo Direct, explained that the new plan “will include all elements of the base Nintendo Switch Online membership” along with the new games. Current NSO members can choose to remain on the existing membership plan if they wish, or switch to the new one. “We’ll share more details about this new membership plan at a later time, including the exact release date and pricing information,” Koizumi says.
You can check the full list of launch and future games below, including 16 confirmed N64 classics (nine at launch, seven more to be added later) and 14 Genesis gems.
Nintendo 64
- Available at launch:
- Super Mario 64
- Mario Kart 64
- Star Fox 64
- Yoshi’s Story
- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
- WinBack: Covert Operations
- Dr. Mario 64
- Sin and Punishment
- Mario Tennis 64
- Available in the future:
- Banjo-Kazooie
- F-Zero X
- Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards
- The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask
- Mario Golf
- Paper Mario
- Pokémon Snap
Sega Genesis
- Castlevania: Bloodlines
- Contra: Hard Corps
- Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine
- Ecco the Dolphin
- Golden Axe
- Gunstar Heroes
- M.U.S.H.A
- Phantasy Star IV
- Ristar
- Shining Force
- Sonic the Hedgehog 2
- Streets of Rage 2
- Shinobi 3
- Strider
The excitement didn’t stop there for retro fanatics, however. Koizumi also revealed new wireless Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis controllers, both modeled based on the original hardware. Both controllers will be available to Nintendo Switch Online members at $49.99 each.
We have yet to see if the recent rumors of Game Boy titles arriving on Nintendo Switch Online will be accurate, but with Nintendo seemingly willing to continue supporting the platform, it wouldn’t be too surprising to see more retro platforms added down the road. Either way, considering Mario Kart 64 with online multiplayer will be arriving next month we certainly aren’t complaining in the meantime.
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Written by Reece Heather
A lifelong Nintendo fan and a longtime editor at Zelda Universe, Reece will forever be grateful that he somehow dodged the Naughty List of Christmas 1998, when Santa delivered the life-changing gift of a Nintendo 64 with Super Mario 64, Banjo-Kazooie, and Mario Kart 64. When he's not playing games, Reece is usually reading Punisher comics, delving helplessly into the weirdest depths of anime and manga, or spending time with his cocker spaniel Gracie -- the goodest girl ever!
