There's a new subscription tier for Nintendo Switch Online that includes the ability to play classic N64 and Genesis games both online and in four-player local co-op, the company revealed during a surprise Nintendo Direct event Sept. 23.
Due out in late October, Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack will include a number of fan favorites from the 32-bit and 64-bit eras of gaming including Super Mario 64, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Streets of Rage, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Star Fox 64.
Nintendo says the plan will be available for both new subscribers and current subscribers of the online service, but has yet to announce a price point for the new service.
Finally, alongside the launch of the new subscription tier, Nintendo is creating two new wireless versions of the Nintendo 64 and SEGA Genesis controllers that will be available at launch for $49.99 (around £35, AU$70).
Analysis: Two announcements for the price of one
We heard rumblings of Nintendo 64 games coming to Nintendo Switch Online – but the new subscription tier is a big shocker.
Adding new games to the service certainly does make it more valuable, but without a price tag attached to it, fans might worry about how much extra they'll have to shell out to have access to the expanded library of titles.
Admittedly, the cost of Nintendo Switch Online currently isn't anywhere close to the cost of PlayStation Plus or Xbox Game Pass Ultimate / Xbox Live Gold, so this is a way for Nintendo to increase the price while offering a bit more content.
If there's a silver lining to the news, it's that Nintendo already has plans to add more titles to the service – including other gems from the N64 era like Banjo-Kazooie and F-Zero X – that should continue to justify the plan's monthly cost.
- Need something new to play? Check out our round-up of the best Nintendo Switch games
