Nintendo Switch Online is ready to rival PS Plus and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate – sort of
Opinion: Nintendo Switch Online continues to defy expectations
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Nintendo has a poor track record when it comes to its online services, but withNintendo Switch Online– particularly the new Expansion Pack tier – I think the company might have cracked it. Or at least found a happy middle ground…
Not only was the addition ofMario Kart 8 Deluxe,Animal Crossing: New HorizonsandSplatoon 2’s DLCan extremely shrewd move, but the library ofN64and Sega Genesis games continues to grow at a surprisingly steady rate.
FromBanjo-KazooieandMario Golfto the recent additions of Sonic The Hedgehog Spinball and Dynamite Headdy, Nintendo is giving subscribers bona fide classics to play each and every month, many of which have been given a new lease of life thanks to online multiplayer support. (Seriously, if you haven’t playedMarioTennis against a friend yet, I implore you to do so. It’s tremendous fun.)
Nintendo has also addressed initial complaints about the state ofSwitch’s emulation, which came under fire early on.
3 classic SEGA Genesis games have just been made available for #NintendoSwitchOnline + Expansion Pack members!- Space Harrier II- Shining Force II- Sonic The Hedgehog Spinball pic.twitter.com/uhD21PEChkApril 22, 2022
The games are coming thick and fast
Crucially, though, Nintendo has also dodged the previous pitfall that hampered the Wii U’s Virtual Console. It’s no longer drip-feeding games onto the service at a glacial pace, and because they’re all included as part of aNintendo Switch Onlinesubscription, you don’t need to stump up the cash to playThe Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Maskfor the umpteenth time.
There’s obviously no guarantee that Nintendo will continue this encouraging start, but it’s pleasing to see nonetheless. The fact that there are now wellover 100 SNES and NES games available– something which even regular Nintendo Switch Online subscribers can access – also gives me hope that the Switch will at least come close, or at least provide a genuine alternative, to the Wii’s legendary Virtual Console.
The long-rumored additions of theGame Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advancewould certainly help, of course. If Nintendo can add three new platforms to its service, and include online multiplayer as you’d expect, then the value of theNintendo Switch Online Expansion Packbecomes even clearer. TheAnalogue Pockethas shown that there’s still a very real desire to play Game Boy andGBA games, and having them all on Switch would be far more convenient and cost-effective to boot. Collecting retro games isn’t cheap after all.
More than just a nostalgia grab
But it’s not just the appeal of playing storied games from Nintendo’s past that’s helping Switch Online establish itself. The Kyoto-based company has made a very clear commitment in the last few years to including online multiplayer in basically all of its marquee titles – something it was previously reluctant to do.
Nintendo Switch Sportsis a prime example and has all the ingredients to be a smash hit when it comes to competitive online play. Throw inMario Strikers: Battle League,Splatoon 3, andAdvance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp, and you’ve suddenly got an extremely strong case to play your Switch online that doesn’t just includeMario Kart 8 DeluxeandSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate.
Still Mushroom for improvement
That being said, there’s no denying that Nintendo’s online offering still pales in comparison to what we’re used to onPS5,Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Voice chat requires the frankly pointlessNintendo Switch Online App, you can’t send instant messages or share content directly with your friends, and you won’t find Nintendo games using blazing-fast dedicated services, either.
To make matters worse, even theWii Uhad a stronger online component than the Switch. You didn’t need Friend Codes for one, you could video chat and voice chat using the Wii U GamePad, and it was home to the best social network ever created: the wonderful and sorely missed Miiverse.
And when it comes to sheer value? Well, your mileage will vary depending on how much affinity you have to Nintendo’s back catalog of older titles.Xbox Game Pass Ultimateis unlikely to be dethroned as the current champ when it comes to value anytime soon, even bySony’snew PS Plus.
However, even though it’s taken a few years longer than I would have liked, it’s now becoming clear that Nintendo does have an online strategy for Switch. By including proper online support in its first-party titles, DLC for its most popular games, and an excellent library of retro games that also let you play with friends, the company is managing to chart its own path in the online space in a uniquely Nintendo way.
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Adam was formerly TRG’s Hardware Editor. A law graduate with an exceptional track record in content creation and online engagement, Adam has penned scintillating copy for various technology sites and also established his very own award-nominated video games website. He’s previously worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor and once played Halo 5: Guardians for over 51 hours for charity. He is now an editor at The Shortcut.
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