Skip to main content

Nintendo 64, Sega Genesis games are coming to Nintendo Switch Online

Nintendo is stepping up the features that users get with Nintendo Switch Online, as long as they’re willing to upgrade to a higher-tier service. Revealed during today’s Nintendo Direct, the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack, will give players access to everything currently available to Nintendo Switch Online subscribers, as well as a suite of Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis titles.

Nintendo Direct - 9.23.2021

A price for the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack hasn’t been announced, but users can subscribe to it toward the end of October. The service’s exact release date and pricing information will be available at a later time.

Recommended Videos

The new service includes a suite of hit Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis titles, including Super Mario 64Mario Kart 64The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of TimeEcco The DolphinSonic the Hedgehog 2Castlevania Bloodlines, and more. However, those are only some of the service’s launch titles. More games will be added for subscribers to play on their Switch as time goes on, essentially in the same fashion that the Nintendo Switch Online library updates now.

A Nintendo executive holds up the new Switch N64 and Sega Genesis controllers.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Nintendo is also launching two new controllers that should put players back into their ’90s mindsets. The controllers, modeled after the Nintendo 64 controller and Sega Genesis controller, mean players can play games the same way they were played when they launched. While using a Nintendo 64 controller wirelessly on the Switch is an exciting premise, it may also just remind users of how bad these old gamepads are. Both controllers, which will set players back $50 each, don’t have a set launch date just yet. They will only be available to purchase for Switch Online members.

Otto Kratky
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Otto Kratky is a freelance writer with many homes. You can find his work at Digital Trends, GameSpot, and Gamepur. If he's…
PSA: Don’t fall for Nintendo Switch 2 horror story hoaxes this weekend
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom runs on a Switch 2 screen.

The Nintendo Switch 2 is out today and that's a cause for celebration. Players who were able to score one will no doubt spend the day racing in Mario Kart World, testing out their Joy-con's new tricks in Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour, and testing out new features like GameChat. There's bound to be a lot of excitement, but also plenty of complaints. You're bound to see players sharing their issues with the system this weekend, which may leave you wondering if it's worth waiting to buy one until the bugs are ironed out.

That would be a totally healthy response, but be warned: The fakers are coming. Take everything you see and hear this weekend with some healthy skepticism until the dust clears.

Read more
Nintendo Switch 2 launch day buying guide: what you need and what you don’t
The Switch 2 next to a TV with Mario Kart.

All those years of anticipation have finally paid off. The Nintendo Switch 2 is out now, giving players a brand new console to play around with. If you're planning on getting one, know that it's not just a console you'll likely buy. The Switch 2 is launching with a whole mess of accessories, from controllers to Nintendo's own webcam. If you tried to buy everything, you'd quickly find yourself spending way more than $450.

We're here to help you cut through an overwhelming list of launch day products. We've put together a quick buying guide that's built to help you focus in on what accessories and games you'll need and which you can skip. I've broken this down into must buys, nice to haves, and luxuries. Remember: You don't need to buy everything at once. Pick and choose what you think you need so you can make your Switch 2 shopping experience a little less daunting.

Read more
Nintendo Switch 2: Watch the first unboxing videos here
The Switch 2 being unboxed.

The Nintendo Switch 2 launches globally on Thursday, June 5, and the first unboxing videos for the new device are starting to drop.

But first, just a quick reminder about what we’re looking at here. The Switch 2, in case the hype has somehow passed you by, is the highly anticipated successor to the original Switch, which came out in 2017.

Read more