Access to Nintendo’s massive catalog of retro games is one of Nintendo Switch Online’s biggest selling points. The subscription includes over 100 retro titles from the NES, Super NES, and Game Boy consoles for $19.99 per year for the individual plan or $34.99 for the family plan. If you upgrade to the Expansion Pack, you get access to all of that, plus classic titles from Nintendo 64, SEGA Genesis, and Game Boy Advance for $49.99 per year for the individual plan and $79.99 for the family plan. Compare that to the cost of building a retro setup on your own, including buying retro consoles and gear to play these games, and Nintendo Switch Online’s value becomes even clearer.
Besides retro gaming, there’s no getting around the fact that if you want to play your favorite titles online, you’ll need to subscribe to the service. After subscribing to Nintendo Switch Online, you’ll also be able to save game data to the cloud. Cloud saves are especially useful if you play across different Switch consoles or buy a new Switch, making it easy to start games from where you left off without losing any progress. The Switch Online App also comes with the service, allowing you to keep track of your friends online, see the games they’re playing, use voice chat, and access exclusive offers.