Nintendo has revealed that the N64 games coming to the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack will be the NTSC versions, which means that they will run at 60Hz. This is even true for Europe, where the original PAL versions of the game ran at 50Hz and were slower as a result.

It was revealed during the September 2021 Nintendo Direct that N64 and Sega Genesis games will be coming to the Nintendo Switch Online, as part of a paid premium tier, called the Expansion Pack. The Expansion Pack is set to launch at the end of October, with a selection of games available at launch, with more games being added in the future. The N64 launch roster on Nintendo Switch Online is incredible, with games like Super Mario 64, Mario Kart 64, and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time available from day one.

Related: What N64 Games Should Come To Nintendo Switch First

Fans were concerned that the European versions of the N64 games would run at a slower pace. The NES and SNES games available on Nintendo Switch Online generally match the region of the eShop they are downloaded from. Luckily for the next generation of Super Mario 64 speedrunners, Nintendo has addressed the issue in a post on social media.

The Differences Between The NTSC And PAL Versions Of N64 Games

super mario 64 bowser fight

A post on the official Nintendo UK Twitter page has confirmed that the N64 games available in the Expansion Pack will run at 60Hz, which is the same speed as the NTSC version of the game. This will even be true in Europe, which originally received the PAL versions of the game. The PAL versions ran at 50Hz. This meant that the games ran around 20% slower than their NTSC counterparts. Most fans have avoided the PAL versions of games for years, due to this slower speed. This even had a knock-on effect for some video game achievements. Final Fantasy IX has a secret weapon, called the Excalibur II, which can only be acquired by reaching the last dungeon within twelve hours. This task is a lot more difficult to perform on the PAL version of the game, as the developers didn't factor in the altered speed.

There's still some pertinent information about the Expansion Pack that Nintendo hasn't revealed, including its exact release date and its price. At least Nintendo made sure to confirm that gamers in Europe won't be playing the slower versions of the N64 games on the Expansion Pack. This means they won't have to use a workaround, such as creating a North American account and downloading the games from the international eShop, in order to avoid the PAL versions.

Next: Zelda's N64 Games On Switch Kill Hopes For Anniversary Collection

Nintendo 64 games will be coming to Nintendo Switch Online in the Expansion Pack in late October.

Source: Nintendo UK/Twitter