Nintendo considering an ‘extension’ of Switch Online software

This article was originally written for Zelda Universe.


At Nintendo’s recent shareholder meeting (translated by Japanese Nintendo), one of the shareholders asked about adding Nintendo 64 and GameCube games to the Switch’s library. We don’t know who they are, but we love ’em for it.

In response, Nintendo President Shintaro Furukawa seemed to hint that the current retro offering — tied to the Nintendo Switch Online subscription service — could be extended to other systems.

“We are thinking about providing an extension of the online service which is currently providing Famicom (NES) software, as well as other methods of providing them,” Furukawa said. “We also recognize that there are opinions wanting to play past titles.”

We don’t need to tell you that there’s no bonafide Virtual Console on Switch as it stands (though there are plenty of retro titles available for purchase on the eShop). The long-rumored addition of SNES games, for example, would be a good way to get people to resubscribe as the service reaches its one year anniversary. The initial launch of Switch Online did state that SNES titles were “under consideration,” after all.

The potential addition of N64 and GameCube titles to the service seems a stretch, but we’d happily pay for those titles outright if they cropped up on the eShop. The same goes for Game Boy games too. Perhaps we could potentially be playing Link’s Awakening on Switch in September? (Well, yes we will actually, but we’re talking about the original here).

What classic games do you want to be able to dive into on Switch?