Nintendo adds new Switch Online tier with N64, Mega Drive games
New membership plan to launch in late October, includes current benefits of subscription
A new tier will be added to the Nintendo Switch Online subscription next month, giving users access to more retro titles.
The news was revealed during last night's Nintendo Direct, in which the platform holder announced the new membership plan would give subscribers a selection of Nintendo 64 and Sega Mega Drive games to play -- similar to the NES and SNES libraries already available on the standard plan.
The new tier, catchily titled Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack, will launch in late October, with an exact date and price to be announced in the coming weeks.
Subscribers to the Expansion Pack will also receive all the benefits under the current service, including those NES/SNES libraries, exclusive titles such as Tetris 99, as well as the ability to play online multiplayer games and use cloud saves.
N64 games available at launch will include Super Mario 64, Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Mario Kart 64, Star Fox 64, Sin and Punishment, Dr Mario 64, Mario Tennis 64, WinBack, and Yoshi's Story.
This collection will be expanded over time, with confirmed future releases including Banjo-Kazooie, Pokémon Snap, Zelda: Majora's Mask, Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards, Mario Golf, Paper Mario and F-Zero X.
The company's post-Direct press release confirms select titles, such as Mario Kart 64, will enable online multiplayer.
Mega Drive games will include Sonic The Hedgehog 2, Streets of Rage 2, Ecco the Dolphin, Castlevania: Bloodlines, Contra: Hard Corps, Dr Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine, Golden Axe, Gunstar Heroes, M.U.S.H.A, Phantasy Star IV, Ristar, Shining Force, Shinobi 3 and Strider.
Nintendo will also sell new Switch controllers that replicate the design of both the N64 and Mega Drive game pads. These will each cost $49.99.