Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack is Now Available - News
by William D'Angelo , posted on 26 October 2021 / 1,457 Views
Nintendo has officially released the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack. An individual membership is priced at $49.99 USD for 12 months, while the family membership, which can be used by up to eight Nintendo Account holders, is price at $79.99 USD for 12 months.
The Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack includes games from the Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis / Mega Drive, as well as the Animal Crossing: Happy Home Paradise DLC.
Here is the list of confirmed games coming to the Expansion tier:
Nintendo 64:
- Super Mario 64
- Mario Kart 64
- Star Fox 64
- Yoshi’s Story
- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
- Mario Tennis
- Dr Mario 64
- Sin & Punishment
- WinBack
Sega Genesis / Mega Drive:
- Castlevania Bloodlines
- Contra Hard Corps
- Dr Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine
- Ecco the Dolphin
- Golden Axe
- Gunstar Heroes
- Musha
- Phantasy Star IV
- Ristar
- Shining Force
- Shinobi III
- Sonic the Hedgehog 2
- Streets of Rage 2
- Strider
Here are games coming after launch:
- Banjo-Kazooie
- Pokémon Snap
- The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask
- Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards
- Mario Golf
- Paper Mario
- F-Zero X
A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel dedicated to gaming Let's Plays and tutorials. You can contact the author at wdangelo@vgchartz.com or on Twitter @TrunksWD.
More Articles
I didn't plan on getting this upgrade but with a family plan and 6 members that play Animal Crossing and want the new paid DLC this just made sense to me. Also I suggest to everyone to get a family plan with friends and split the cost.
I felt a great disturbance in the Chartz, as if hundreds of voices suddenly cried out in cheap terror about an extra $.08 a day for dozens of games and a free expansion, and were suddenly silenced.
It's not free if it's included in the subscription (and it's inclusion was considered in the pricing). So I believe saying the DLC is "free" is false.
IMO, the problem is less what's included, and more what we don't know about what will be included in the future. Will more N64 games be included over time? Will more Switch DLC be included over time? They DID suggest we should expect more Sega Genesis/MD games, but (unless I missed it) have yet to suggest whether consumers should also expect more N64 games and more Switch DLC.
By comparison, when Microsoft launched Game Pass they were clear about what their intensions were with regard to what they would include then, and what they would include in the future (all future first-party games Day 1, and a rotating selection of third-party games). So when you subscribed to Game Pass on day 1, you knew what you were getting then, and had a clear idea about their long-term intentions. Here, Nintendo hasn't said nearly as much about their long-term intentions. And that's a problem when you're (for example) trying to assess the relative value of buying those old ROMs and/or buying that DLC, vs. subscribing to rent those ROMs and rent that DLC.
I also think Nintendo shouldn't be focusing on adding new tiers to Switch Online, when Switch Online still lacks some of the most basic features when it comes to things like ubiquitous voice chat, messaging, parties, etc.
The games are literally listed in this article.
If you like it, get it. If you don't, then don't.
Simple as that. It's not that complicated.
It's much more than likely that Nintendo will add even more content later, in which case, you can wait and see if you like what they add. This is a completely optional expansion of the current service, there is no reason you have to get it if you don't like what's on it.
What I meant was, the long-term philosophy of the service, beyond the initially announced games (whether the games are available at launch, or coming post-launch). When you launch a subscription service, you should give some guidance as to what to expect long-term. Netflix doesn't tell you exactly what movies are coming, but they tell you they will continue releasing more and more movies. With Game Pass, Microsoft confirmed that all future first-party releases will be in the service day and date, and a rotating third-party collection will be there too.
Nintendo hasn't had anything to say about whether more N64 games will be added beyond the ones they've previously announced (though data mining suggests a bunch more are coming).
But most importantly/confusingly of all, Nintendo has had nothing to say about DLC for other Switch games being included. Will it be? Won't it be? It's subscribe and find out. That's not good for a subscription model, IMO. Will it be Game Pass in reverse (with Game Pass you get the core guy and buy the DLC if you want it), and it could be really cool if the Expansion Pack gives you first-party DLC if you buy the games. That could be a good model for Nintendo. But even though Nintendo wants you to subscribe and keep paying, there's confusion over exactly what you're paying for long-term.
Despite your protestations to the contrary, that is confusing. Why is the Animal Crossing DLC there? A one-off? A sign of things to come. That's not clear. So that's, by definition, confusing.
I don't think all of us are concerned by the price. Many are, but as usual, these are mostly people overreacting on the Internet because no one is there to tell these gen Zers (in their own tongue) how "cringe" they are being by whining so hard about optional commercial products for trivial amounts of money.
I'm older than most, though. about the equivalent of 5-8 USD (or maybe 10-15 in today's money) to play a single game for one week was a normal thing. So one year for all that content seems a rather good deal, especially if I'll be playing it for over 70 hours, and with further surprises down the road.
I don't think it's fair to attack all the critics as being gen-zed. I don't think it's fair to call them whiners, either. I think it's absolutely fair for people to comment on the value proposition. It's OK for you to say you think it's good value? But it's not OK for them to say they think it's bad value? That's a double standard.
I began playing on the first-generation of consoles, so I've seen it all. I remember people renting games on the Genesis via the Sega Channel. I'm a Game Pass subscriber. I'm a Humble Monthly subscriber. I'm absolutely not against renting games. I am against people saying their opinion is OK, but anyone with a contrary opinion is a whining young-'un.
Every frustration and disappointment make my happiness. I have a good number of OG games to sell at high price on EBAY and so far Nintendo has been well damaging this market.
