The Nintendo Switch might soon be seeing games from the Super Nintendo, as Nintendo has filed an FCC application for what appears to be a wireless Super Nintendo controller.
Nintendo used to sell its retro games on a service called the Virtual Console, but the decision was made to not use it with the Nintendo Switch, which may have had something to do with the incredible success of Nintendo's retro consoles that were still on the market at the time. Nintendo now gives its retro games away to subscribers of the Nintendo Switch Online service, which is required to play games online. As of the time of writing, the only retro games that are available to Nintendo Switch Online subscribers are from the Nintendo Entertainment System. Fans have been eagerly awaiting the addition of games from other Nintendo systems to the service, but Nintendo has been coy about giving exact details regarding the future prospects of Nintendo Switch Online.
It seems that Super Nintendo games could be making their way to the Nintendo Switch soon, as an application has been filed with the FCC by Nintendo for a new controller. The image with the application only shows the controller from the back, but it clearly shares its shape with the Super Nintendo controller.
Nintendo has already released a similar wireless controller for the Nintendo Switch that is based on the one used by the Nintendo Entertainment System. The fact that Nintendo is filing a patent for a similar concept based on the Super Nintendo controller seems to all but confirm that Super Nintendo games are coming to the Nintendo Switch in the future. There was also a datamine of the Nintendo Switch Online app earlier this year that revealed over 20 Super Nintendo games are named within the program, suggesting they will be made available at some point in the future, but there has been no official word from Nintendo on the subject outside of vague comments concerning future support for the service.
The Nintendo Switch Online service launched in September 2018, which means all of the annual subscriptions that were purchased at launch will be up for renewal next month. It would make sense for Nintendo to start adding some classic Super Nintendo titles to the Nintendo Switch Online service next month in order to convince fans to resubscribe, as the addition of titles like Super Mario World, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Super Metroid, and the Donkey Kong Country games would make the service far more appealing than it is in its current state.
Source: FCC