Nintendo Switch Online gets N64 and Sega Genesis games this October - for a price

Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack
(Image credit: Nintendo)

Nintendo Switch Online will add digital collections of Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis games via a premium expansion pack coming this October.

Announced during today's Nintendo Direct, the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack will seemingly function like the digital libraries of other online services. The main difference here is that these games will be behind an additional paywall, meaning existing Nintendo Switch Online subscribers will have to upgrade their plan to access these retro games. 

Nintendo says it will confirm the price point and exact release date of the Expansion Pack in the weeks ahead. For now, have a gander at the games you'll get when the service arrives in October. 

Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack - Nintendo 64 games at launch 

  • Super Mario 64
  • Mario Kart 64
  • Starfox 64
  • Yoshi's Story
  • The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
  • WinBack
  • Mario Tennis
  • Dr Mario 64
  • Sin and Punishment 

Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack - Sega Genesis games at launch 

  • Castlevania Bloodlines
  • Contra Hard Corps
  • Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine
  • Ecco the Dolphin
  • Golden Axe
  • Gunstar Heroes
  • Musha
  • Phantasy Star 4
  • Ristar
  • Shining Force
  • Shinobi 3
  • Sonic the Hedgehog 2
  • Streets of Rage 2
  • Strider 

Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack

(Image credit: Nintendo)

Nintendo plans to add more Nintendo 64 games to the service in the future, including The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, F-Zero X, Mario Golf, Pokemon Snap, Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards, and Banjo-Kazooie.

To ensure that today's players get the authentic Nintendo 64 experience of wondering how you're supposed to hold the controller, Nintendo's cooked up some wireless, Switch-compatible Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis controllers which will be available to all Nintendo Switch Online members for $49.99. These are optional, and not required to play Nintendo 64 or Genesis games. This explains that mysterious Switch controller patent which raised eyebrows last week. 

These are the best Nintendo Switch accessories for today's games. 

Austin Wood

Austin freelanced for the likes of PC Gamer, Eurogamer, IGN, Sports Illustrated, and more while finishing his journalism degree, and he's been with GamesRadar+ since 2019. They've yet to realize that his position as a senior writer is just a cover up for his career-spanning Destiny column, and he's kept the ruse going with a focus on news and the occasional feature, all while playing as many roguelikes as possible.