Nintendo Switch Online is by far the cheapest online offering in the console space, even if we use the pricier Expansion Pack as a comparison point. There’s a lot of value here, if you know where to look. Here are some features you might have missed.
10
Nintendo Music
Nintendo Music is the latest addition to Nintendo Switch Online, yet it has very little to do with the Switch at all. Instead, this streaming service for tunes from across Nintendo’s history is exclusively available on iOS and Android.
I had my qualms with Nintendo Music at launch, but Nintendo’s regular injections of all-time great soundtracks—alongside a hearty helping of oddities—has made it a pretty substantial perk. It also includes features like looping, curated character playlists, and a spoiler-free mode, making it well-suited for game lovers.
9
Avatar Customization
The basic Switch profile avatars aren’t particularly interesting, which is where Nintendo Switch Online comes in. Using the service’s on-device portal (the red icon on the bottom left of the home screen), you can receive Platinum Points for completing quests and exchanging them for new avatar parts.
There are three layers to this—characters, backgrounds, and frames—which can be interchangeably used to create an avatar that’s uniquely yours. The only limitation is that you can’t cross-pollinate between franchises. Also, the selection of redeemable icon elements constantly shuffles so you may not be able to immediately obtain your favorite characters, though wait long enough and Nintendo is likely to circle back to the franchises you love.
8
NSO Mobile App Game Tie-Ins
The Nintendo Switch Online Mobile App for iPhone and Android (not to be confused with the Nintendo Music app) was dead on arrival since nobody wanted voice chat through their phone. You may not have bothered to download it because of this.
However, underwhelming voice chat is only half of what the app offers. Its real draw is the feature-rich hubs for a few popular games. These include using your phone to chat and emote in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, downloading player-made stages for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and getting exclusive outfits for Splatoon 3. Better yet, the Animal Crossing and Splatoon sections are modeled after the in-game phone interfaces! There’s a lot to sift through here, and it’s worth checking out if you play those games.
7
Nintendo 64 Mature 17+ App
Nintendo made the slightly confusing move of creating a separate Nintendo 64 emulator app for M-rated games, especially when it (currently) only houses four games: Perfect Dark, Shadow Man, and the first two Turok entries.
It’s not the best way to play some of these games, but it’s certainly one of the most convenient. Interestingly, Japan’s version of the app also includes GoldenEye 007, while in the US, that game’s T rating from the ESRB placed it in the standard Nintendo 64 emulator app. This is all to say it’s a bit arbitrary.
You’ll need the Expansion Pass tier of Nintendo Switch Online to access this app.
6
Japanese Versions of Emulator Apps
Japan’s emulator apps have exclusive and alternate versions of games not available in the West. For example, you may be surprised to find how the Japanese releases of the first two Zelda games deviate from their overseas releases, or that the cries for a Switch release of Mother 3 were heard… by Nintendo of Japan. Not to mention the extensive lineup of Fire Emblem games that never saw release overseas.
Any Nintendo Switch Online subscriber can make a Japanese eShop account, download the free emulators, and play these regional exclusives. They’ll be in another language, sure, but it’s not like Nintendo hasn’t released untranslated games in international apps. Plus, if you’re looking to learn Japanese, playing games you know in the language is a great way to improve.
5
“SP” Versions of Emulated Games
Old games can be tough, and while the NSO emulators have features like save states and rewinding to ease this burden, sometimes even that isn’t enough to quell frustrations. This is why Nintendo created “SP” versions of select games that provide a variety of benefits, from starting out with every ability unlocked to unlocking entire new difficulty modes.
Some SP versions are also great for veteran players since they unlock all the content from the outset, add sound tests, and can drop them into later levels immediately. It’s frankly a feature I wish Nintendo expanded upon further. As it stands, this can be an interesting new way to approach games you know by heart or a lower barrier of entry for newcomers.
4
SEGA Genesis Controllers
You’re probably aware that you can buy Switch-compatible Bluetooth replicas of the NES, SNES, and Nintendo 64 controllers. What may surprise you is that Nintendo also offers a SEGA Genesis Control Pad.
It’s a nostalgic novelty for Mega Drive mega fans at $49.99, helping give a surreal air of authenticity to playing the NSO emulator for a once-rival console. What’s more, Japanese players received the six-button variant instead. You can hunt down one of those if you prefer, though it’ll likely cost you.
3
Single Player DLC in 99 Games
Many Switch owners know about Tetris 99 and its spiritual successors, but what they may not know is that many of these games have single-player DLC available for purchase.
Tetris 99’s Big Block DLC adds CPU battles, a marathon mode, and multiple local multiplayer variants for $9.99. Pac-Man 99 had a similar offering, but sadly Nintendo has made the game unavailable and thus its DLC unattainable unless you bought it during its active service period. This fate may be reason enough to pick up the Tetris 99 DLC if you want to keep playing its unique battle royale twist on the classic game after Nintendo inevitably takes it offline.
It’s worth noting that F-Zero 99 doesn’t have paid offline DLC at this time but regularly releases significant free content updates. If you weren’t aware of that game or have yet to get in the cockpit with it, there’s never been a better time.
2
Exclusive My Nintendo Calendar
Okay, we’re getting a little obscure here, but on rare occasions, Nintendo Switch Online members have exclusive access to special My Nintendo Rewards. Most recently, this came in the form of an exclusive version of the company’s annual calendar released via that program.
Tastes will differ, but personally, I find its retro styling more aesthetically pleasing than the standard 2025 calendar that rehashes promotional art for recent games. Any rewards are also free using Platinum Points, though shipping costs $6.99 unless you check out with other items that cross the free shipping threshold. It’s possible Nintendo continues to offer rewards like this in the future, though you’ll need to keep a keen eye out as they’re barely promoted (if at all).
1
Nintendo Switch Game Vouchers
Your Nintendo Switch Online subscription allows you to buy Nintendo Switch Game Vouchers. These let you pick two games from a list spanning Nintendo’s first party output for a single charge of $100. That’s $20 off, which is already twice the value of the standard online subscription. The company even includes its newest games upon release, though there’s an important caveat to this.
Games for the Switch 2 won’t be eligible for the vouchers, which calls into question just how long Nintendo will support this perk. It’s still great value at present if you want to fill out your digital library with existing Switch games that rarely go on sale, but it’ll see diminishing value as Nintendo enters its new era. It’s possible Nintendo offers a replacement for this program, but we’ll have to wait and see.
If you’re interested in Nintendo Switch Online but consider yourself a single player, here’s why the subscription service is still a great deal.
