Key Takeaways
- The Nintendo Switch Online subscription offers access to a variety of classic NES, SNES, and Game Boy games.
- The Expansion Pack adds access to N64, Sega Mega Drive, and Game Boy Advance games.
- You can launch and play the games directly from your Switch console.
Nintendo Switch Online is Nintendo’s equivalent to PlayStation Plus and Xbox Game Pass. It’s a paid subscription service that gives you access to online multiplayer play for many games, plus other benefits and features. You’ll need to be a Nintendo Switch Online member to play the vast majority of games online on your Nintendo Switch, (with the notable exception of Fortnite, and a few other titles which offer online multiplayer even if you don’t have a subscription).
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There are plenty of additional benefits that come with a Nintendo Switch Online subscription. One of the best perks is that you get free access to a back catalog of classic games from previous Nintendo consoles, from the N64 all the way back to the original Nintendo Entertainment System.
As long as you have your subscription, you can play any of the games in the catalog whenever you wish, although you’ll need the more expensive Expansion Pack subscription to access the N64, Game Boy Advance, and Sega Mega Drive games. Here’s how to play free games with Nintendo Switch Online.
Nintendo Switch Online
- Number of Accounts
- 1 individual or 8 for family account
- Price
- Varies for individual ($20/$50) and family ($35/$80) per year
- Free trial
- Yes, 7 days
How to access free games through Nintendo Switch Online
You can download the games straight from your Switch
If you want to play any of the games from the Nintendo Switch Online catalog, you’ll first need a subscription. For NES, SNES, and Game Boy games, a standard Nintendo Switch Online subscription will do. For N64, GBA, and Sega games, you’ll need to get the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription. Once your subscription is up and running, you can find all the available games on your Switch console.
- Open Nintendo Switch Online on your Switch console.
- Select NES, Super NES, Game Boy, Nintendo 64, & Game Boy Advance.
- Choose one of the console options such as NES or N64.
- Click Start Software.
- You’ll see an image of all of the available games. Select the one you want to play.
- Your game will load and you can start playing.
For some reason, Perfect Dark and Turok: Dinosaur Hunter are part of their own separate app called Nintendo Switch Online: MATURE. You’ll need to download this free app from the Nintendo eShop in order to play these two games.
Which free games do you get with the standard Nintendo Switch Online subscription?
There are some classic Nintendo games from consoles of yesteryear
There is a growing library of Nintendo Entertainment System games available to play at no extra cost. Classics on offer include Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 3, Donkey Kong, and The Legend of Zelda.
Switch Online members also get the chance to play a wide selection of SNES games, such as Super Mario World and Mario Kart, and Game Boy / Game Boy Color titles, like The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening DX and Tetris. There are more than 100 games available across the collection. It effectively turns your Nintendo Switch into an NES Classic Mini, a SNES Classic Mini, or a classic Game Boy.
NES games included in the Nintendo Switch Online subscription (as of June 6, 2024)
These are all the NES games currently available. Expand the list to see the full range of games.
SNES games included in the Nintendo Switch Online subscription (as of June 6, 2024)
These are all the SNES games currently available. Expand the list to see the full range of games.
Game Boy games included in the Nintendo Switch Online subscription (as of June 6, 2024)
These are all the Game Boy games currently available. Expand the list to see the full range of games.
Which free games do you get with the standard Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription?
N64, GBA, and Sega Mega Drive games are added to the mix
Those who pay extra for the Expansion Pack also gain access to classic N64, Sega Mega Drive, and Game Boy Advance games. This includes all-time classics such as Goldeneye 007, Banjo Kazooie, and Super Mario 64.
New games are added every few months, and in June 2024, Nintendo added one of the best games from the N64: Perfect Dark. This is a classic first-person shooter from Rare and is the spiritual successor to the game developer’s hugely popular GoldenEye 007, which is also available if you pay for the Expansion Pack subscription. It runs on an upgraded version of the same game engine as GoldenEye, and really pushed the N64 to its limits. If you’ve never played it, it’s definitely worth checking out.
N64 games included in the Expansion Pack
These are all the N64 games currently available. Expand the list to see the full range of games.
Sega Mega Drive / Genesis games included in the Expansion Pack
These are all the Sega Mega Drive and Genesis games currently available. Expand the list to see the full range of games.
Game Boy Advance games included in the Expansion Pack
These are all the Game Boy Advance games currently available. Expand the list to see the full range of games.
FAQ
Q: Can you get free Switch games with Nintendo Switch Online?
If you’re a Nintendo Switch Online subscriber, you get free access to two exclusive games: F-Zero 99, and Tetris 99. However, you don’t get access to any other Switch games. All other free games are from older consoles, with N64 games being the most recent.
Q: Do you get free GameCube, Wii, or Wii U games with Nintendo Switch Online?
Currently, no. Nintendo Switch Online only offers games for the NES, SNES, N64, Game Boy, Game Boy Advance, and Sega Mega Drive. However, the service originally launched in 2018 with just NES games. SNES games arrived a year later, with N64 games not appearing until 2021 with the new Expansion Pack. It’s still possible that games from newer consoles may make an appearance at some point.