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So, Nintendo dropped a video for the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion pack yesterday. And…
When they first announced the addition of N64 and Genesis games to the online plan, with it’s own price, I figured “yeah, an extra $5 to $10 for N64 and Genesis added to the plan? That sounds reasonable”. An extra $30 for a bunch of games that are over 20 years old, though? Jesus.
Don’t get me wrong, I think they deserve to make money off of providing this service, especially considering that licensing isn’t exactly free if you’re doing things legit, and N64 emulation is what it is. But you have one Hell of an uphill battle if you’re trying to convince me that a bunch of old games are worth the kind of premium being tacked on for them, here. Considering the collections I’ve bought before, I own pretty much all of the Genesis games I’d really ever want to play, in some form or another. And N64 is worth something, but I don’t think it’s that much on a yearly subscription. Why, you ask?
For $60 (or less, if you know how to shop), you can get PlayStation Plus, which comes with online for games (as expected), as well as free games each month, that you get to keep. Sure, you won’t be able to access them if you let your subscription lapse, but they’re still linked to your account when you buy a new subscription. And they’re comparatively recent, too; while they’re a mixed bag, I’ve gotten games that I otherwise wouldn’t have bought and had fun with them. And your subscription also nets you some discounts that change monthly.
Xbox Game Pass offers something roughly analogous to the above, with login on multiple devices supported at its most basic price point. Granted, I question the end goal, but it’s still offering you a buffet of games, for free, that are all more recent than the Clinton administration.
Which is what gets me about the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack. Aside from N64 and Genesis emulation, it doesn’t offer any other actual value to the end user; no discounts, no monthly freebies (or buffet), and flexibility in logins is a higher price on the payment plan.
The only other benefit is that the recently announced Animal Crossing: New Horizons paid DLC, which requires online for its connective features anyway, comes free with it. Which isn’t a benefit if you don’t play Animal Crossing in the first place. And it’s hard not to think that’s essentially what is driving up the price, here. Unless they plan to tack on value for this plan over time, in the same way for other games, it’s hard to claim it’s worth it over the base plan.
I still might give it some hard thought, though, if they chuck out Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon. I’ve never seen that sucker run properly (i.e. playable) on anything other than original hardware.
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