Tag: Nintendo Switch Online

Nintendo is bringing F-Zero back as an online multiplayer game

Nintendo’s F-Zero racing game series idled its high-powered engines for the past 20 years, but it’s back now – as an online game

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Nintendo’s F-Zero racing game series idled its high-powered engines for the past 20 years, but it’s back now – as an online game. Nintendo announced F-Zero 99 during the September Direct, a blend of SNES F-Zero with a few new features and multiplayer play that supports matches with up to 99 people.

It’s essentially Pac-Man 99, but with F-Zero. You pick your favorite machine, manage classic F-Zero race courses at unbelievably high speeds, blow up a few times, and hope that you might actually finish. 

Machines have a boost meter and a meter that functions like car health. Your boost meter lets you, well, boost for a short time, though it’s a real risk-reward situation. You might speed your way ahead of the competition – or you could end up in last place.

Bumping into objects or crashing too often depletes your car health, until eventually, you erupt into flames – not an ideal outcome.  If you’re lucky, though, you can jump onto the Skyway, a narrow course above the main racetrack that helps push you ahead of your rivals.

F-Zero 99 comes with goals and objectives that reward you with medals, which you can use to customize your machine. These are just cosmetic changes and don’t influence how your machine performs.

Like Pac-Man 99 before it, F-Zero 99 is only available for active Nintendo Switch Online subscribers, though you don’t need the Expansion Pack to access it. Pac-Man 99 lasted two years and shuts down in October 2023. How long Nintendo plans to keep F-Zero 99 around remains uncertain.

Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF

New Switch Online additions include SNES games unreleased in America

Nintendo announced the latest round of Switch Online games is live now, including three that never saw release outside Japan

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Nintendo announced the latest round of Switch Online games is live now, including three SNES games that never saw release outside Japan. Since the new selection of games comes from the SNES library, you don’t need the extra Switch Online Expansion Pack to play them.

First up is Kirby’s Star Stacker, a blocky puzzler that originally launched on Nintendo’s Game Boy, before Nintendo Japan repackaged it for the Super Famicom, Japan’s version of the SNES. It shares more in common with Puyo-Puyo than Tetris, as you battle against Kirby’s enemies or the computer to see who can keep their puzzle field clear the longest. This is the Super Famicom version, and while that edition never released in the States, it’s basically the same as the Game Boy version. 

Quest for Camelot did release in the U.S. as a video game tie-in with Warner Bros. eponymous movie. Camelot is a top-down action-adventure with shades of Zelda games, as you travel around a fantasy kingdom, bonking monsters with your sword, helping folks in need, and doing some light puzzle solving.

Then there’s Joy Mech Fight, a robot fighting game where your feisty little mech saves the world by beating up a bunch of other robots. It’s a bit basic by modern standards, but it comes with multiplayer and a fairly decent roster of playable robots.

Finally is the impressively named Downtown Nekketsu March Super-Awesome Field Day! It’s a popular entry in the Japan-only Kurio Kun series that sees several players compete in a suite of mini-games and feats of athleticism. Think of it as a rudimentary Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games, only without the actual Olympics. Or… Mario and Sonic.

Speaking of SNES games, Nintendo is gearing up to launch a Super Mario RPG remake in November 2023, so don’t expect to see the original on Switch Online anytime soon.

Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF

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Pokemon Presents August 2023 recap: DLC, Detective P, and more

The August 2023 Pokemon Presents showcase has come and gone, with Scarlet and Violet DLC updates and quite a bit more

The August 2023 Pokemon Presents showcase has come and gone, with Scarlet and Violet DLC updates and quite a bit more. The 30-minute presentation announced a free Mew ahead of a climactic showdown against Mewtwo in an upcoming Tera Raid. There’s also a new Detective Pikachu 2 trailer, new Pokemon forms, and confirmation of The Pokemon Trading Card Game coming to Nintendo Switch Online. What there isn’t is a new Pokemon game announcement, so despite rumors of a new Legends in the works, it looks like Scarlet and Violet DLC is Game Freak’s priority for the foreseeable future.

 

Two of the best Zelda games are (almost) free on Switch now

Nintendo updated the Switch Online catalogue with two of the best Zelda games: Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages

Nintendo updated the Switch Online catalogue with two of the best Zelda games: Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages. Both games are available in the Game Boy section of Switch Online, which means you only need the basic subscription plan to access those, along with SNES games, and a selection of NES games as well – not the considerably more expensive Expansion Pack, where the Game Boy Advance library lives.

This marks the first time the Oracle games have been easily playable since Nintendo added them to the 3DS Virtual Console in 2023.

The Oracle games are unique in the Zelda series in that they technically tell connected stories, assuming you connect them. Completing one gives you a code that you can enter in the other to unlock new events and a secret ending that includes a boss fight against Ganon and his two most recognizable cronies.

Both games center on a magical item that controls their respective themes – seasons and ages. Link travels to Holodrum in Seasons, where an evil general with a metal hat kidnaps the Oracle of Seasons and throws nature out of order, and as you might expect, changing the seasons is key to solving puzzles and reaching new places. In Ages, a malicious sorceress kidnaps the Oracle of Ages and destabilizes time itself.

Ages is more like Ocarina of Time and places heavier emphasis on solving puzzles and traveling to the past, while Seasons is more action-oriented. Both are firmly rooted in classic Zelda design, with eight dungeons, an extensive trading mini-game, and an expansive suite of items and tools to solve puzzles with.

And since both are free if you have Switch Online, you can’t really go wrong with either.

Judging from the original trailer when Nintendo announced Game Boy games for Switch Online, we should be getting the Pokemon Trading Card Game whenever Nintendo next adds new titles.

Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF

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A pivotal Game Boy Advance game is coming to Switch Online

Nintendo is bringing the Game Boy Advance Fire Emblem to Switch Online’s expansion pack, 20 years after the RPG first launched

Nintendo is bringing the Game Boy Advance Fire Emblem to Switch Online’s expansion pack on June 23, 2023, roughly 20 years after the RPG first launched. Fire Emblem, officially called Fire Emblem The Blazing Blade in Japan, was the first entry in the series to release outside Japan and receive an official localization.

Fire Emblem‘s international success convinced Nintendo to continue investing in the series and publishing outside Japan, so Three Houses and Engage exist because of this little gem.

If you were hoping to see its sequel, The Binding Blade, starring Roy of Super Smash Bros. fame, you’re in for a letdown. The Binding Blade is coming to Switch Online – but only the Japanese version of the service and without an official localization.

Fire Emblem follows three protagonists. One is Lyn, who also appeared in Fire Emblem Warriors. Her story centers on her attempts to reclaim her stolen home and make peace with the grandfather who banished her family and acts as a tutorial prologue.

The main portion of the game follows Eliwood, father of Roy and heir to a small province in a league of allied nations. When his father disappears, Eliwood leads a band of warriors to track him down and uncovers a dark plot to throw the continent into war and chaos.

Once you finish Eliwood’s tale the first time, you unlock Hector’s story. Hector’s path is a slight retelling of Eliwood’s story with new missions, alternate routes for certain maps, and a deeper look at the rank, corrupt politics of Fire Emblem’s world.

This is old-school Fire Emblem, featuring the once-traditional weapon triangle, branching mission paths, mandatory permadeath, and often obscure methods of recruiting allies. It’s definitely worth following a guide for this one.

Nintendo has slowly been adding new Game Boy Advance games to the Switch Online service throughout 2023, and now, only Golden Sun remains from the games the Big N first teased.

Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF

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Nintendo surprise launches an SNES classic on Switch Online

Nintendo announced another wave of retro games coming to Switch Online soon, including an SNES classic and two Game Boy games

Nintendo announced another wave of retro games coming to Switch Online soon, including an SNES classic, and they’re out now. The iconic farm sim Harvest Moon leads the pack, accompanied by Mystery Tower for the NES, and two Game Boy games.

This is the original Harvest Moon, the one that started the cozy life sim, though that also means some of the quality-of-life features you might be used to with the likes of Stardew Valley are definitely not present. For one thing, you’re locked in as a male farmer, and there are fewer places to go and things to do. The classics that inspired pretty much every farm game afterward are still here, though.

Mystery Tower is a puzzle platformer where you play as an explorer trying to reach the top of – you guessed it – a mysterious tower. All manner of obstacles try to stop your grand endeavor, though you can outwit them by moving parts of the tower around.

First up on the Game Boy side is Kirby’s Tilt ‘n’ Tumble, a motion-based platformer that originally released on the Game Boy Color with an extra pack in the cartridge that sensed you moving the handheld. You guide Kirby over gaps and through hazards by moving the Switch console around and flipping it upward to make the lil’ airball jump.

Finally is Blaster Master: Enemy Below, a Game Boy sequel that combines side-scrolling action with top-down exploration and the series’ traditional fast-paced action.

Since none of the new additions are for Game Boy Advance or Nintendo 64, you don’t need the expansion pack to enjoy them.

Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF

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Classic Super Mario games are joining Switch Online’s GBA collection

The Nintendo Switch Online Game Boy Advance library is getting three more Super Mario games soon, upgrades of classic SNES and NES games

The Nintendo Switch Online Game Boy Advance library is getting three more Super Mario games soon. Nintendo made the surprise announcement on Twitter with a brief new trailer and said Super Mario Advance, Super Mario Advance 2, and Super Mario Advance 3 are all launching on the subscription service on May 26, 2023.

The naming convention is a bit convoluted. Super Mario Advance is technically Super Mario Bros. 2. Advance 2 is Super Mario World, and Advance 3 is Yoshi’s Island. The same games are technically available on the Switch Online’s NES and SNES libraries, but the Game Boy Advance versions feature a handful of differences and refinements, such as bug fixes, slight level alterations, and a few visual design changes.

The additions join a small number of existing GBA games on the platform, including Super Mario Advance 4, which is actually Super Mario Bros. 3, Metroid Fusion, The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap, and Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga.

Nintendo originally teased a few other games, including cult-classic RPG Golden Sun, as future releases for the subscription service. However, the Switch Online collections have never had regular release schedules, so it’s unclear when the next round of new games might release.

Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF

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A classic Pokemon game is coming to Nintendo Switch Online soon

Nintendo is bringing Pokemon Stadium to Nintendo Switch Online, expanding the platform’s Nintendo 64 library with the multiplayer game

Nintendo is bringing Pokemon Stadium to Nintendo Switch Online, expanding the platform’s Nintendo 64 library with the multiplayer game. Pokemon Stadium will release on April 12, 2023, for those with the Expansion Pack subscription plan.

Pokemon Stadium on Switch will feature support for online multiplayer, so you can face off against three other people in Free Battle mode. Stadium and Gym Leader Castle, the Pokemon game’s two single-player modes, also return, pitting you against the eight gym leaders of Kanto – the setting of Pokemon Blue, Red, and Yellow – and testing your mettle in four tournaments against Pokemon ranging from level one to 100.

If you’re tired of battling, you can tackle a small selection of Pokemon-themed mini-games.

The announcement trailer didn’t mention it, but Game Boy Tower, the mode that lets you play your Game Boy games on a large screen, likely won’t make an appearance for practical reasons. You also can’t transfer Pokemon to or from Stadium anymore.

After completing the single-player modes, you have a chance to face Mewtwo and unlock Round Two, which adds new Pokemon and challenges to Stadium mode.

Pokemon Stadium spawned a direct sequel for the Nintendo 64 and then two spinoff sequels on the GameCube – Pokemon Colesseum and Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness. Whether Pokemon Stadium 2 eventually makes its way to Switch Online remains to be seen, and despite persistent rumors about GameCube games eventually coming to the subscription service, Nintendo only added Game Boy and Game Boy Advance libraries earlier in 2023.

Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF

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Pikmin 4, Zelda, and all the February Nintendo Direct announcements

The February Nintendo Direct was packed with announcements, mostly of ports and remasters, but with a few new surprises as well

The February Nintendo Direct was packed with announcements for the Switch, mostly of ports and remasters, but with a few new surprises as well. From the first look at Pikmin 4 gameplay and a release date, to the long-rumored Metroid Prime remaster, Game Boy on Nintendo Switch Online, and some niche JRPGs Bandai pulled out of the past, there was, if not something for everyone, at least plenty to keep the Switch powered on as it enters its sixth year on the market – with no new hardware in sight for the rest of the year.

 

Game Boy and Game Boy Advance come to Nintendo Switch Online at last

Nintendo Switch Online is getting Game Boy and Game Boy Color games, while Game Boy Advance games are landing on the NSO expansion pack

Nintendo Switch Online is getting Game Boy and Game Boy Color games, while Game Boy Advance games are landing on the NSO expansion pack. Nintendo announced the additions to the subscription service during the February Nintendo Direct, and the collections are available now.

Each collection comes with a handful of games, and Nintendo promised more in the coming months.

The Game Boy and Game Boy Color collection includes:

  • Tetris
  • Super Mario Land 2 – 6 Golden Coins
  • The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening DX
  • GARGOYLE’S QUEST
  • Game & Watch Gallery 3
  • Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare
  • Metroid II – Return of Samus
  • Wario Land 3
  • Kirby’s Dream Land

Some of the games planned for future updates include The Pokemon Trading Card Game and the Zelda Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons set.

In the Game Boy Advance collection, you get:

  • Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3
  • WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$
  • Kuru Kuru Kururin
  • Mario Kart: Super Circuit
  • Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
  • The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap

Golden Sun and Fire Emblem are planned for later updates.

Both sets are live now for subscribers. If you don’t have the expansion pack already, it’ll set you back $49.99, though it’s a one-time cost for 12 months and includes access to the Switch’s library of Nintendo 64 games as well.

Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF

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