Nintendo Switch Online

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Nintendo Switch Online
Nintendo Switch Online logo.svg
Developer Nintendo
Type Online service
Launch date September 19, 2018; 6 years ago (2018-09-19)
Platform Nintendo Switch
Status Online
Members over 10 million (as of July 2019)
Website www.nintendo.com/switch/online-service/

Nintendo Switch Online is a suite of features on the Nintendo Switch video game console requiring purchase of a subscription. Nintendo Switch Online features include online multiplayer, cloud saving, voice chat, access to a library of Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) games, as well as other promotions and offers. Following a period where some of its features were available to all users at no charge, the subscription service officially launched on September 19, 2018.

The service is Nintendo's third generation online service after Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection and the Nintendo Network.

History

The Nintendo Switch was formally announced in January 2017, with its release on March 3, 2017. Nintendo stated in its pre-release announcements that the system would eventually require purchase of a paid "online service", but that they would be available to all users at no charge until the service launched. Features announced included a companion smartphone app, as well as access to a free Nintendo Entertainment System game per-month. The service was initially planned for late 2017.[1] By June 2017, Nintendo pushed back the service's release until 2018, but did establish the pricing plans for the service, with an average annual price of US$20, depending on region.[2] Then-Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aimé explained that the delays were to ensure that the service was "world-class", and had enough of its announced functionality available on-launch to justify its cost.[3] Nintendo aimed for a lower price point in comparison to PlayStation Plus and Xbox Live Gold, as the service does not include the same range of features as these subscription services provide.[4][5] Then-Nintendo president Tatsumi Kimishima stated that the price point was a subject of importance in designing the Switch's online services, and that regardless of what competitors were doing, "it's a matter of getting our content to the consumer at a price point that would make them happy, and then we're willing to look at what else we can do going forward."[6][6]

The Nintendo Switch Online service was launched on September 19, 2018.[7][8][9] A Nintendo Direct two days before the release detailed the full set of features that would be part of the Online service, including a larger and persistent library of NES games for subscribers (with 20 available on launch, and more to be added on an ongoing basis), as well as cloud save support.[10] The initial launch covered 43 markets, with more markets expected to follow later.[11][12][13][14]

In September 2018, Nintendo Switch consoles imported to China started experiencing connectivity issues there, due to the Nintendo Switch Online service using Google's servers, which are blocked in China.[15]

On March 28, 2019, Twitch announced that Twitch Prime members can claim up to a year of free Nintendo Switch Online membership between March 28, 2019 and January 20, 2020.[16]

The service officially launched in South Korea and Hong Kong,[17] on April 23, 2019.[18]

On September 4, 2019, Nintendo announced in a Nintendo Direct presentation that Super NES games would be added to the service the following day under a separate app.[19]

Usage

By December 31, 2018, approximately three months after its launch, the service had gained more than eight million subscribers.[20] Nintendo reported in late-April 2019 that the service had 9.8 million subscribers.[21] As of July 2019, President of Nintendo, Shuntaro Furukawa, confirmed that Nintendo Switch Online has over 10 million subscribers.[22]

Features

Multiplayer

Nintendo Switch Online is required to access online multiplayer on the majority of titles. Some free-to-play multiplayer games, such as Fortnite Battle Royale and Warframe, are exempt from this requirement, and can be played online freely without a subscription.[23][24]

Cloud saves

Cloud storage allows save data for many games to be synchronized online, so it can be recovered if the user must move their Nintendo Account to a different Switch console.[25] The feature is not available on games with certain forms of online functionality (particularly item trading and competitive rankings), citing concerns surrounding the possibility of abuse that could "unfairly affect" gameplay.[26]

Players lose access to their cloud saves should they cancel or allow their subscription to expire, though have a grace period of six months to renew their subscriptions or recover these cloud saves before these saves are purged.[27][28]

Communication

Users can voice chat through the Nintendo Switch Online mobile app on smartphones. Voice chat functionality is not available natively through the Switch console; Fils-Aimé justified the decision by explaining that "Nintendo's approach is to do things differently. We have a much different suite of experiences than our competitors offer, and we do that in a different way. This creates a sort of yin and yang for our consumers. They're excited about cloud saves and legacy content but wish we might deliver voice chat a different way, for example."[29]

NES games

Past Nintendo consoles with online functionality had offered games from Nintendo's older console libraries through the Virtual Console, but would not use this for the Switch. Instead, Switch Online subscribers can access a Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) app (Family Computer in Japan), which features a persistent and expanding library of classic titles from the system. The games are available as long as the user has an active subscription, and a user must connect online at least once a week to continue to access the titles while offline. Games with multiplayer modes support both local and online play; the online play function is the first for NES games.[30][31][32][33]

Certain games also have an alternative version labeled "SP" ("Extra" in some regions) which either starts the player near the end of the game or starts the game with the maximum amount of items and lives. Most of the games released in both the Americas and PAL territories are the original NTSC-U versions, including their North American naming and 60 Hz support. The Western NES variant of the software is available in South Korea, whilst the Japanese Family Computer variant is available in Hong Kong.[18]

During its first year, the Online service provided a new batch of NES games on a monthly basis. However, with the addition of SNES titles in September 2019, Nintendo has stated that new NES and SNES games will no longer be made available on a regular schedule though will continue to expand both libraries over time.[34]

List of NES games on Nintendo Switch Online
Release date Game Publisher NA/PAL/KR JP/HK
September 19, 2018[35] Balloon Fight Nintendo Yes Yes
Baseball Nintendo Yes Yes
Donkey Kong Nintendo Yes Yes
Double Dragon Arc System Works Yes Yes
Dr. Mario Nintendo Yes Yes
Excitebike Nintendo Yes Yes
Ghosts'n Goblins Capcom Yes Yes
Gradius Konami Yes Yes
Ice Climber Nintendo Yes Yes
Ice Hockey Nintendo Yes Yes
The Legend of Zelda Nintendo Yes Yes
Mario Bros. Nintendo Yes Yes
Pro Wrestling Nintendo Yes Yes
River City Ransom Arc System Works Yes Yes
Soccer Nintendo Yes Yes
Super Mario Bros. Nintendo Yes Yes
Super Mario Bros. 3 Nintendo Yes Yes
Tecmo Bowl Koei Tecmo Yes Yes
Tennis Nintendo Yes Yes
Yoshi Nintendo Yes Yes
October 10, 2018[36][37] The Legend of Zelda SP Nintendo Yes Yes
NES Open Tournament Golf Nintendo Yes Yes
Solomon's Key Koei Tecmo Yes Yes
Super Dodge Ball Arc System Works Yes Yes
November 14, 2018[38][39] Gradius SP (Stage 5) Konami Yes Yes
Metroid Nintendo Yes Yes
Mighty Bomb Jack Koei Tecmo Yes Yes
NES Open Tournament Golf SP Nintendo No Yes
TwinBee Konami Yes Yes
December 12, 2018[40][41] Adventures of Lolo HAL Laboratory Yes No
Adventures of Lolo 2 HAL Laboratory No Yes
Dr. Mario SP Nintendo Yes Yes
Metroid SP (Ridley battle) Nintendo Yes Yes
Ninja Gaiden Koei Tecmo Yes Yes
Wario's Woods Nintendo Yes Yes
January 16, 2019[42][43] Blaster Master Sunsoft Yes Yes
Ghosts'n Goblins SP Capcom Yes Yes
Joy Mech Fight Nintendo No Yes
Ninja Gaiden SP Koei Tecmo Yes Yes
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link Nintendo Yes Yes
February 13, 2019[44][45] Blaster Master SP Sunsoft Yes Yes
Kirby's Adventure Nintendo Yes Yes
Metroid SP (Mother Brain battle) Nintendo Yes Yes
Super Mario Bros. 2 [upper-alpha 1]:{{{3}}} Nintendo Yes Yes
Tsuppari Oozumou Koei Tecmo No Yes
March 13, 2019[46][47] Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light Nintendo No Yes
Kid Icarus Nintendo Yes Yes
Kirby's Adventure SP Nintendo Yes Yes
StarTropics Nintendo Yes No
Yie Ar Kung-Fu Konami No Yes
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link SP Nintendo Yes Yes
April 10, 2019[48][49] Kid Icarus SP Nintendo Yes Yes
Punch-Out!! Nintendo Yes Yes
Star Soldier Konami Yes Yes
Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels [upper-alpha 2]:{{{3}}} Nintendo Yes Yes
May 15, 2019[50] Clu Clu Land Nintendo Yes No
Clu Clu Land: Welcome to New Cluclu Land [upper-alpha 3]:{{{3}}} Nintendo No Yes
Donkey Kong Jr. Nintendo Yes Yes
Star Soldier SP Konami Yes Yes
Vs. Excitebike Nintendo Yes Yes
June 12, 2019 City Connection City Connection Yes Yes
Double Dragon II: The Revenge Arc System Works Yes Yes
TwinBee SP Konami Yes Yes
Volleyball Nintendo Yes Yes
July 17, 2019 Donkey Kong 3 Nintendo Yes Yes
Mighty Bomb Jack SP Koei Tecmo Yes Yes
Wrecking Crew Nintendo Yes Yes
August 21, 2019 Downtown Nekketsu Kōshinkyoku: Soreyuke Daiundōkai Arc System Works No Yes
Gradius SP (Second loop) Konami Yes Yes
Kung-Fu Heroes Culture Brain Excel Yes Yes
Vice: Project Doom Sega Yes No
December 12, 2019 Crystalis SNK Yes No
Famicom Wars Nintendo No Yes
Journey to Silius Sunsoft Yes No
Route-16 Turbo Sunsoft No Yes
  "SP" game

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SNES games

Announced in a Nintendo Direct on September 4, 2019, Super Nintendo Entertainment System games were added to the service worldwide with 20 games on September 5, 2019.[19] They are available in a separate app from NES games. Games available include:

List of Super NES games on Nintendo Switch Online
Release date Game Publisher NA/PAL/KR JP/HK
September 5, 2019 Brawl Brothers City Connection Yes Yes
Breath of Fire Capcom Yes Yes
Demon's Crest Capcom Yes Yes
F-Zero Nintendo Yes Yes
Joe & Mac 2: Lost in the Tropics G-Mode Yes Yes
Kirby's Dream Course Nintendo Yes Yes
Kirby's Dream Land 3 Nintendo Yes Yes
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past Nintendo Yes Yes
Pilotwings Nintendo Yes Yes
Star Fox Nintendo Yes Yes
Stunt Race FX Nintendo Yes Yes
Super E.D.F. Earth Defense Force City Connection Yes Yes
Super Family Tennis Bandai Namco No Yes
Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts Capcom Yes Yes
Super Mario Kart Nintendo Yes Yes
Super Mario World Nintendo Yes Yes
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island Nintendo Yes Yes
Super Metroid Nintendo Yes Yes
Super Puyo Puyo 2 Sega Yes Yes
Super Soccer Spike Chunsoft Yes Yes
Super Tennis Nintendo Yes No
December 12, 2019 Breath of Fire II Capcom Yes No
Kirby Super Star Nintendo Yes Yes
Star Fox 2 Nintendo Yes Yes
Super Punch-Out!! Nintendo Yes No

Offers and promotions

Switch Online subscribers are also granted access to special offers and promotions from Nintendo; on launch, those who purchased a 12-month subscription or family plan received special in-game items for Splatoon 2, and Nintendo opened exclusive pre-orders for special wireless controllers based on the NES controller,[54][55][56][57] specifically intended for use with the aforementioned NES app.[citation needed] Similarly, a special wireless SNES-based controller designed to work with the Switch was made available to purchase exclusively to Online subscribers shortly after the service added support for SNES titles.[58]

Coinciding with the anticipated release of Super Mario Maker 2, a price-reduction promotion was announced during the game's Nintendo Direct that was available exclusively to Nintendo Switch Online members. The promotion introduced "Nintendo Switch Game Vouchers", which allows purchasers to download two qualifying Nintendo Switch games for a set price of $99.99 MSRP, compared to a $120 sum of buying both games separately.[59]

Nintendo has also offered free original games for those with an Online subscription. Tetris 99 was released as a free to play title for subscribers in February 2019, though has subsequently offered paid downloadable content and retail versions of the game for non-subscribers.[60]

References

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