The Nintendo Switch Online service was announced very early on; almost at the same time the Nintendo Switch was released, back in March of 2017.
This paid service was initially supposed to launch somewhere in Fall of 2017 but was eventually delayed to an unspecified date in 2018.Back in May, Nintendo finally revealed that their new Online service, appropriately called Nintendo Switch Online, would finally become available in September of 2018—yet again with an unspecified date.
Among the features that Nintendo revealed this paid Online service to have, we find the Nintendo Entertainment System feature, Save Data Cloud Backup, Online Play, and the Nintendo Switch Online app to enhance the player's online experience.
The Nintendo Entertainment System feature has been hinted at as Nintendo's new Virtual Console—which was officially dismissed for the Nintendo Switch Online service. Unlike the Virtual Console, this new feature for the Online service is only featuring classic NES titles, but with a few tweaks that promise to make the experience more enjoyable.
For starters, the Nintendo Entertainment System feature will include classic games like
Mario Bros.,
Donkey Kong,
The Legend of Zelda,
Super Mario Bros.,
Super Mario Bros. 3,
Dr. Mario,
Ice Climber,
Tennis,
Balloon Fight, and
Soccer. The difference here is that these games, or at least the ones that feature multiplayer, will allow players to play these games with their friends online—a feature that was obviously not present in the 80s when the NES was still around.
While this does sound mildly interesting on paper, it's hardly any reason for players to write home about—especially because these are the same games they've been getting on each version of the Virtual Console, over and over again.
The Virtual Console, for anyone not familiar with the service, was Nintendo's lineup of classic games released on Nintendo consoles by either first or third party developers. The original service was originated on the Nintendo Wii back in 2006, which featured a massive library of games that could be purchased through the Wii Shop Channel.
Among the classic consoles featured on the Wii's Virtual Console, we could find the NES, Game Boy, Super NES, Game Boy Colour, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo 64, and Nintendo DS—with a few consoles from other developers like Sega and SNK. Needless to say, the service was more than popular when it was first revealed.
The Virtual Console was not a Nintendo Wii exclusive, though, as the service was then featured on the Nintendo 3DS, albeit with a smaller library of included consoles, and the Wii U—which started out disappointing and ended on a rather higher note. What the Nintendo 3DS' Virtual Console had going for it, however, was its portability—which made people love the service regardless of the consoles that were excluded.
When the Wii U came out, it too featured the already well-established Virtual Console service, although it was only a mere shadow of what it used to be on the Wii Shop Channel, and far inferior to that of the Nintendo 3DS. Eventually, the Wii U's Virtual Console got a bunch of new consoles and games that made up for all the time in which it only featured a very restricted lineup of NES and Super NES games.
Come March of 2017 with the Nintendo Switch finally releasing worldwide, and people were left wondering where the Virtual Console was—only to be hit with bad news as Nintendo decided to completely do away with it.
Nintendo of America CEO, Reggie Fils-Aimé, commented back in June that the Nintendo Entertainment System feature was a Virtual Console of sorts, explaining that the slate of games would increase over time, although he failed to say whether they would be offering NES titles or other consoles, as well.
The Nintendo Switch Online service is offering 3 different membership plans that will range from $3.99 USD for one month, for a single user, to $34.99 USD for the annual Family membership, which allows for one Nintendo Account holder to add up to 7 others to gain access to Nintendo Switch Online.
As mentioned before, the service will offer the Nintendo Entertainment System feature, Save Data Cloud Backup, Nintendo Switch Online app, and some unspecified Special Offers.
If that sounds like the Nintendo Switch Online service is not worth getting a subscription, is because it isn't. Nintendo has been glorifying this service pretty much since it was announced, way before it was revealed what was actually offering, and when they finally shared the information people were left disappointed.
No Virtual Console is probably the biggest offender here, and even when the subscription isn't too expensive the Nintendo Switch Online service simply isn't worth it—or at least not yet.
Nintendo keeps saying that they will be adding more software to the Nintendo Entertainment System, which some people believe is the new Virtual Console, but the fact that more games have not been announced for it already is quite disappointing.
When the service goes live at some point this month—since we still don't know exactly when because Nintendo has failed to give us an official date—online play will be locked and players will only be able to play online by subscribing Nintendo Switch Online. With Super Smash Bros. Ultimate on the way, and a bunch of first and third party games that feature online mode, this is the only real reason to pay for the service; and Nintendo knows it.
Nintendo Switch Online sounds like a good idea down the road, but all the secrecy and rather disappointing list of announced games do not make the service worth paying for. Adding online play to games that didn't feature that mode due to technical limitations of the time is a great idea but they can't just pretend NES titles at launch is luring anyone in. Maybe the Special Offers can help garner some interest once Nintendo decides to share new information but, as of now, it's a no from me.