Nintendo Switch Online membership, price, free games and more

The Nintendo Switch has its own, paid subscription service which is required for online play.

However, not only does Nintendo Switch Online enable Switch owners to play many games online, membership offers a growing selection of free classic games to download, including some of the best classic games originally released for NES and SNES.

So here's everything you need to know about Nintendo Switch Online, including the price, family plans and what it has to offer.

• Best Nintendo Switch games every gamer must own
• Best upcoming Nintendo Switch games to look forward to

What is Nintendo Switch online and what does it do?

Switch Online is Nintendo's equivalent to PlayStation Plus and Xbox Live Gold. It is a paid subscription service that gives you access to online multiplayer play for many games, plus other benefits and features.

You will need to be a Nintendo Switch Online member to play the vast majority of games online. You will still be able to play games such as Splatoon 2 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe in single-player or local multiplayer, but won't be able to compete against your friends over the internet if you don't have an active Nintendo Switch Online subscription.

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What free games do you get with Switch Online?

Classic NES and SNES games list

A large library of Nintendo Entertainment System games are available to play at no extra cost. Classics like Super Mario Bros, Super Mario Bros 3, Donkey Kong and The Legend of Zelda all on offer.

Switch Online members also get the chance to play a selection of SNES games. Like the NES library, an increasing selection of Super Nintendo titles, such as Super Mario World 2 and Mario Kart, are available through a free to download app.

This effectively turns your Nintendo Switch into a NES Classic Mini or SNES Classic Mini.

Nintendo Switch Online free classic games list for UK, EU and US (as of 15 May 2020):

NES

• Adventures of Lolo
• Balloon Fight
• Baseball
• Blaster Master (+ SP version)
• City Connection
• Clu Clu Land
• Crystalis
• Donkey Kong
• Donkey Kong 3
• Donkey Kong Jr.
• Double Dragon
• Double Dragon II: The Revenge
• Dr. Mario (+ SP version)
• Eliminator Boat Duel
• Excitebike
• Ghosts'n Goblins (+ SP version)
• Gradius (+ SP version)
• Ice Climber
• Ice Hockey
• Journey to Silius
• Kid Icarus (+ SP version)
• Kirby's Adventure (+ SP version)
• Kung-Fu Heroes
• The Legend of Zelda (+ SP version)
• Mario Bros.
• Metroid (+ SP version)
• Mighty Bomb Jack (+ SP version)
• NES Open Tournament Golf
• Ninja Gaiden (+ SP version)
• Pro Wrestling
• Punch-Out!!
• River City Ransom
• Rygar (available from 20 May)
• Shadow of the Ninja
• Soccer
• Solomon's Key
• Star Soldier (+ SP version)
• Star Tropics
• Super Dodge Ball
• Super Mario Bros.
• Super Mario Bros. 2
• Super Mario Bros. 3
• Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels
• Tecmo Bowl
• Tennis
• TwinBee (+ SP version)
• Vice: Project Doom
• Volleyball
• Vs. Excitebike
• Wario's Woods
• Wrecking Crew
• Yoshi
• Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (+ SP version)

SNES

• Brawl Brothers
• Breath of Fire
• Breath of Fire II
• Demon's Crest
• F-Zero
• Joe & Mac 2: Lost in the Tropics
• Kirby Super Star
• Kirby's Dream Course
• Kirby's Dream Land 3
• The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
• Operation Logic Bomb (available from 20 May)
• Panel de Pon (available from 20 May)
• Pilotwings
• Pop'n Twinbee
• Smash Tennis
• Star Fox
• Star Fox 2
• Stunt Race FX
• Super E.D.F. Earth Defense Force
• Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts
• Super Mario Kart
• Super Mario World
• Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
• Super Metroid
• Super Punch-Out!!
• Super Puyo Puyo 2
• Super Soccer
• Super Tennis
• Wild Guns (available from 20 May)

Other Switch Online member benefits

Cloud saves

Switch Online allows you to store your save games in the cloud, in order to back up your progress. That way, if you do have to wipe your Switch for whatever reason or run out of storage, you will still have a back-up you can download at a later date.

There is a catch though; not all games will save to the cloud. Nintendo blocks some to "ensure fair play", whatever that means.

Nintendo Switch Online app

A Nintendo Switch Online app is available for iOS and Android, and offers voice chat and multiplayer hubs for supported games.

Member offers

Deals and offers are available for members only. As are the occasional free games beyond those for NES and SNES.

One UK offer for members is the option to purchase a two game voucher for £84, thereby saving you cash on Nintendo eShop purchases.

How much does Nintendo Switch Online cost and is there a family plan?

Switch Online price

The price of Nintendo Switch Online varies depending on whether you like to pay monthly, quarterly or yearly. There is also family membership which includes up to eight Nintendo Switch Online subscriptions. Each different family member can use the full Nintendo Switch Online privileges on different consoles or even the same Switch.

After a one-week free trial period, a Nintendo Switch Online subscription will cost the following:

Individual membership

1 month (30 days): £3.49, €3.99, $3.99

3 months (90 days): £6.99, €7.99, $7.99

12 months (365 days): £17.99, €19.99, $19.99

Family membership

12 months (365 days): £31.49, €34.99, $34.99

How to get Nintendo Switch Online membership

It's easy to sign up for a Nintendo Switch Online account. Using a web browser, just head here if you are in the UK, or here if you are in the US.

Alternatively, you can sign up on your Switch itself. Head to the eShop icon on the bottom of the main menu screen, open the eShop and you will see "Nintendo Switch Online" as one of the options on the left-hand side. Click on it and it will take you to the membership options screen where you can choose your membership, even start the free trial period.

You will also need a free Nintendo Account though, so if you haven't got one already, head here: my.nintendo.com.

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