There are plenty of ways to indulge in retro gaming these days, but nothing beats playing them on Nintendo Switch. Thanks to Nintendo Switch Online, checking out hundreds of classic games that were available on NES, SNES, N64, Game Boy, and Sega Genesis has never been easier.
Experiencing retro gaming through Nintendo Switch Online provides a fun and easy way to revisit classic games. With a vast library of classic games that have been enhanced for the modern system, players can enjoy their favorite games from the past in a new way. The service offers benefits like online multiplayer and access to a variety of games without having to purchase older hardware. Here are the reasons why I ditched my smartphone and PC for the Switch as my favorite retro gaming console. Check out the reasons why you need a Raspberry Pi 5 for your retro gaming project.
The list of games available is impressive.
Part of what makes Nintendo Switch Online so appealing to me is its library of ready-to-play games. Nintendo has built an impressive roster of titles that spans all genres and multiple gaming platforms. From The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask on the N64 to Streets of Rage 2 on the Sega Genesis, there's no shortage of content to explore.
The catalog is always changing, but you can check out a sample of what's available on the company's official website. Nintendo.
I’m also a fan of the interface used to filter these titles. Instead of a simple list, Nintendo has opted for a giant wall filled with original box art for the games. It’s not the most practical solution, but it evokes memories of searching the shelves of your local game store as a kid. Once you find a game you love, the Switch makes it easy to move it to the top of the list for easy access.
Ease of portability is an advantage.
There’s no denying that you’ll get more functionality when running emulators on your PC (Turbo Mode is a standout feature), but more often than not, I find myself eager to play old games while out and about. While some smartphone emulators may offer more functionality than the Switch, its gorgeous display makes it a better option (this is especially true for the OLED model).
Tablets are a great alternative to mobile gaming, but all older games on the Switch are already optimized to run smoothly. Depending on the game you’re trying to play and the tablet you’re using, you may experience stuttering or an unoptimized experience. Add to that the convenience of not having to fiddle with keybinds, the ease of playing with connected Joy-Con, and the portability of the Switch is hard to beat. Check out Playing Nintendo Switch Games on PC: The Best Emulators Available.
You can choose your favorite retro controller.
Speaking of controllers, the Switch makes it easy to enjoy all my favorite classic games with a variety of gamepads. I usually use the standard Joy-Con while traveling, but having access to Nintendo’s updated NES controllers and a large selection of retro gamepads from 8BitDo helps replicate the old-school experience.
Switch Pro Controller Also great for N64 games that require more complex inputs.
Nintendo Switch Online doesn’t have a built-in way to remap buttons, though you can remap the buttons for the entire controller again in the settings menu. It’s an impractical workaround, but it gets the job done.
The option to play with a wide variety of controllers while in handheld, tabletop, or docked mode gives me more flexibility than emulators on PC or mobile.
Legal and ready to play games
If you’re worried about the legality of downloading emulators and playing ROMs, you can get rid of all your worries with Nintendo Switch Online. For just $50 a year, you’ll get legal access to over a thousand games from NES, SNES, Game Boy, N64, GBA, and Sega Genesis. Once you download the apps for each from the Switch eShop, you can use them whenever you want.
You'll need to reconnect to the internet once a week to check that your membership is still active, but after that, you can turn off your games and play as you please.
Nintendo Switch Online isn’t perfect, but (at least in my case) the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks. I’m hopeful that more functionality like Turbo Mode or button mapping will be added in the future, but for now, I’m happy to have a convenient way to check out all my favorite classic games. Now that you know what you can stream on Nintendo Switch, here are the compatible streaming services.
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