Why the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack is now a no-brainer

Mario holding a mushroom and Luigi racing behind him
(Image credit: Nintendo)

After a more than controversial start, Nintendo just redeemed the Switch Online Expansion Pack in one fell swoop. Beginning March 18, subscribers will be able to access all of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe’s upcoming DLC at no additional cost, which will add 48 new tracks to the evergreen title until the end of 2023.

If you ever needed an incentive to subscribe, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe DLC is most definitely it. Not only does the Booster Course Pass ensure that Nintendo’s most popular Switch title will keep people racing for many more years to come, but when you consider that the upcoming DLC costs $24.99 / £22.49 on its own, then the $49.99 / £34.99 / AU$59.95 for a 12-month subscription to Nintendo’s premium service suddenly looks rather reasonable. 

It helps that Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is one of the best online multiplayer experiences on the platform, too. Many Switch owners (myself included) probably only subscribe to Nintendo’s online service in the first place so they can continue racing against other players across the globe. And if that’s the case, you might as well buy the Expansion Pack and get Mario Kart 8 Deluxe’s DLC as part of the deal – you’ll be paying $44.98 / £40.48 if you choose to buy the DLC separately and subscribe to Nintendo Switch Online anyway. In fact, that means UK Switch subscribers could actually end up paying £5 more than they might need to if they don’t pick up the Expansion Pack.

Show me your moves 

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Mario and Inkling Girl racing

(Image credit: Nintendo)

Of course, the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass isn’t the only perk of subscribing to the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack. To my surprise, Nintendo has steadily added more N64 and Sega Genesis titles to the service, instead of drip-feeding games at its usual glacial pace. Paper Mario and Banjo-Kazooie have already arrived, and The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask is coming to the N64 library this month. On Sega Genesis, we saw the additions of Altered Beast, ToeJam & Earl, Dynamite Headdy, Sword of Vermillion, and Thunder Force II. Not a bad start, and efforts from dataminers show that many more titles are likely on the way.

But that’s not all: the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack also includes free access to the Animal Crossing: New Horizons Happy Home Paradise DLC. That means DLC for the two best-selling Switch games now resides on Nintendo’s premium subscription service, and again, Happy Home Paradise costs $24.99 / £22.49, 50% the price of a 12-month subscription to the Expansion Pack.

That’s a huge audience that Nintendo can tap into, many of whom will no doubt find the prospect of racing on brand new tracks and playing a whole new Animal Crossing expansion incredibly appealing. The N64 and Genesis library of games should always have been the cherry on top of the Expansion Pack service, not the entire cake, and it appears that Nintendo has thankfully realized this.

Nintendo’s plan for the Switch Online Expansion Pack has suddenly become crystal clear, then. It can no longer be viewed as just a paywall that cordons off classic titles. Instead, it has the potential to be a service that houses DLC for all the best Nintendo Switch games, titles that many of us are still playing today.

It’s time to play online 

A man bowling in Nintendo Switch Sports

(Image credit: Nintendo)

However, if Nintendo’s recent Direct showcase taught us anything, it’s that the company is also taking online play extremely seriously (at long last). Yes, the Switch will fundamentally never be able to deliver the type of social experience that PS5 and Xbox Series X can with party chats, instant messaging, and sharing content. But we’re seeing a positive trend of Switch titles implementing online play in a notable way, rather than as an afterthought.

In 2022 alone, we’ll see Splatoon 3, Mario Strikers Battle League, Nintendo Switch Sports, Advance Wars 1 + 2 Re-boot Camp, No Man’s Sky, Disney Speedstorm, SD Gundam Battle Alliance, MLB: The Show 22, Portal 2, and many more all include online multiplayer, which is rather unprecedented to see on a Nintendo console. Especially as not even three years ago, we were lamenting the omission of online multiplayer in Super Mario Party, which at the time should have been a given.

It’s clear that Nintendo is not only focusing on making its Switch Online Expansion Pack service a tantalizing proposition but that it also wants to ensure more people are playing online in general.

Expand your possibilities 

Splatoon 3

(Image credit: Nintendo)

The Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack was initially criticized for being too expensive and for not offering enough content, a complaint that was absolutely fair at the time. The jump from $19.99 / £17.99 / AU$29.95 for a 12-month subscription to $49.99 / £34.99 / AU$59.95 just to access N64 and Sega Genesis game was ridiculous, honestly, but now it seems like a really good deal that only promises to get better.

If Nintendo continues to put delectable DLC onto the Expansion Pack, the value proposition will only grow more apparent. Perhaps it could, eventually, put the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate DLC on there, or whatever downloadable content comes to Splatoon 3? Either way, Nintendo’s using the power of its excellent IPs to drive subscribers to its online services instead of banking on people’s rose-tinted glasses and nostalgia. And that’s exactly how it should be.

Adam Vjestica

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.

Read more
Nintendo Switch Online NES and SNES game selection
Finally got a Nintendo Switch and want to get online? Here's my guide to the best Nintendo Switch Online membership deals
Nintendo Switch OLED
Just got a Nintendo Switch for Christmas? Here are the best 5 accessories to pick up now
Nintendo Switch Lite
I think now could be the best time to buy a Nintendo Switch instead of waiting for the Nintendo Switch 2, here’s why
Best Nintendo Switch accessories
Best Nintendo Switch accessories in 2025
Mario runs and jumps up with his hand outstretched. Luigi can be seen gliding in from the left, using his hat as a glider
The best Nintendo Switch games to play in 2025
Nintendo Switch 2
I've analyzed every frame of the new Nintendo Switch 2 Mario Kart game footage, here's everything I found
Latest in Nintendo Switch
Super Mario Odyssey played on a Nintendo Switch in portable mode
YouTuber seemingly reveals the first hands-on look at the Nintendo Switch 2 and its new magnetic Joy-Cons
Nintendo Switch Pro
To the surprise of absolutely no one, another new look at the Nintendo Switch 2 has seemingly leaked
Nintendo Switch 2
If the Switch 2 can't perform at the same level as the Z1 Extreme Asus ROG Ally even with Nvidia's DLSS, then Nintendo is in trouble
Nintendo Switch 2
New Nintendo Switch 2 leak may have revealed the first look at the new handheld
Nintendo Switch Pro
Nintendo Switch 2 accessories have reportedly appeared for sale online, but I've seen Bigfoot photos that are more believable
Nintendo Switch 2
Nintendo finally confirms that the Switch 2 will be backwards compatible
Latest in News
Google Pixel 8a in aloe green showing
Google Pixel 9a benchmark link teases the performance of the upcoming mid-ranger
Quordle on a smartphone held in a hand
Quordle hints and answers for Monday, March 17 (game #1148)
NYT Strands homescreen on a mobile phone screen, on a light blue background
NYT Strands hints and answers for Monday, March 17 (game #379)
NYT Connections homescreen on a phone, on a purple background
NYT Connections hints and answers for Monday, March 17 (game #645)
Apple iPhone 16 Pro HANDS ON
Leaked iPhone 17 dummy units may have given us our best look yet at all four models
A super close up image of the Google Gemini app in the Play Store
It's official: Google Assistant will be retired for phones this year, with Gemini taking over