Despite the recent announcement of Nintendo's new Expansion Pack for Nintendo Switch Online, Nintendo will continue to add more NES and SNES games to its virtual console library for all subscribers. The Nintendo Switch Online expansion pack will include the ability to play Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis games.
The pricing and release date of this new expansion pack is still unknown, but the games included in this soon-to-be-released expansion include classics such as Super Mario 64, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and even Dr. Mario 64 as an upcoming release. Others such as The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mas, F-Zero X and Banjo-Kazooie will also be released in the future. These games will only be available as part of the new membership plan for Nintendo Switch Online, but having more Nintendo classics to play on the Switch increases accessibility to older titles on newer systems.
But for those that don't want to upgrade their Nintendo Switch Online membership, Nintendo will reportedly still release NES and SNES games even if players don't upgrade. Axios gaming writer Stephen Totilo recently tweeted this information, claiming to have received the news directly from Nintendo. This is good for those that don't want to purchase the upgraded membership plan, as players will continue to be able to anticipate new games for both of these systems.
Nintendo has been slowly drip-feeding the release of classic games ever since the launch of Nintendo Switch Online. NES system games were the first to be released for the program, but over the years, other games from systems, such as the SNES, have also been unveiled. Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis games are being put on the Nintendo Switch Online virtual console library, with games from other systems - like the GameCube - still eagerly anticipated.
Another upside to the continued addition of NES and SNES games to the Nintendo Switch Online catalog is that there continues to be many classic games that are still yet to be added. These include highly requested titles such as Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars and Earthbound. Mother 3's localization also continues to be requested by many fans. It may still take some time before these classics make it to the library, but the continued release of NES and SNES titles - and the upcoming addition of Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis games - is a step closer towards getting Nintendo's first-party classics into the hands of modern gamers.
Source: Stephen Totilo/Twitter