No need to spend more to get more : in November, Nintendo decided to please all of its Switch Online subscribers, whatever their plan. For once, players can enjoy unforgettable classics without going through the Additional Pack.
Since the arrival of the Nintendo Switch Online service, subscribers have learned to deal with varying privileges depending on the formula chosen. But this month, the Japanese firm is breaking the routine: everyone, including holders of the standard plan, can access four new iconic retro gamescoming from the NES and the Game Boy. Enough to dive back into the pixelated world of the golden age of video games at no additional cost.
Cult titles to rediscover for free
Nintendo is once again banking on nostalgia. But rather than reserving these nuggets for a minority, the company offers them to all of its subscribers. A selection as varied as it is symbolic, between wild fights, demanding platforms and revisited myths.
The first of these titles, Battletoadsis a beat’em up released on the NES, which has become legendary for its explosive graphics, its rhythmic soundtrack, but above all for its difficulty as brutal as cult. Developed by Rare, it is one of those games that left an impression as much as it tested the nerves.
Another notable return: Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos. Second opus of a license which recently made a comeback, it takes up the demanding bases of the first episode while adding more advanced mechanics. This ultra-nervous platform game is often cited as one of the most emblematic of the NES era for its technicality and its cinematic staging.
On Game Boy, place Bionic Commandoa portable adaptation of an arcade hit, in which a soldier equipped with a bionic arm evolves through trapped levels. Released in 1991, the game skillfully mixes platform and action while imposing a significant constraint: the hero cannot jump, and must rely on his mechanical arm to progress.
Finally, Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monstersalso dated 1991, completes this selection. Less ambitious than its big brother on NES, it nonetheless remains a flagship game of the time for its elements of exploration, its RPG mechanics and its endearing mythological universe.
All of these games are accessible now via the NES and Game Boy applications available on Nintendo Switch and Switch 2.
A discreet but symbolic update for Game Boy fans
To accompany the arrival of the two Game Boy titles, the official emulator has received an updatewhich is now in version 3.0.0. Nothing revolutionary in terms of functionality, but one detail struck a chord with nostalgic fans: the return of the original console jingle at startup.
This little audio and visual nod, reproducing the Game Boy logo and its famous welcome sound, can be activated by launching the application while holding the left stick down. A discreet attention, but one that reminds us to what extent Nintendo knows how to play on the emotional chord of its audience, especially when it comes to revisiting its own heritage.
This kind of gesture, even modest, helps to strengthen the bond between Nintendo and its players, especially those who grew up with the brand’s consoles in their hands.
Nintendo strengthens its offer at no extra cost
This gesture towards standard subscribers is not trivial. By diversifying its retro catalog without locking it behind the Additional Pack, Nintendo shows that it does not forget the most modest players, while continuing to enrich its offer.
With these additions, the firm is not just filling its library: it reactivates collective memory video games, and offers young people a gateway to titles that have shaped entire generations. It is also a way of reminding us that, even in 2025, 2D still has a lot to offer.