In response to the backlash of Nintendo abandoning the Virtual Console, one of the Wii and Wii U’s more beloved features, the company has slowly been adding legacy titles to the Nintendo Switch, accessible through online services.
You’ll have to purchase a subscription to Nintendo Switch Online to access the official library of NES, SNES, Sega Genesis, Nintendo 64, and Game Boy games.
Accessing NES, SNES, Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Pocket games does NOT require an upgrade to the Expansion Pack. However, you DO need to subscribe to the Expansion Pack in order to access the Sega Genesis, Nintendo 64, and Game Boy Advance game libraries.
These games run on the Switch through proprietary emulation software. Fortunately, they not only offer all the features of community emulators, including the ability to save and load state, but they also provide support for local cooperative multiplayer and even online multiplayer for certain games!
NES Games With Nintendo Switch Online (72)
This list includes ports of classic NES games with no special features or changes to the original version.
- Adventures of Lolo (Western version)
- Balloon Fight
- Baseball
- Blaster Master
- City Connection
- Clu Clu Land (Western exclusive)
- Crystalis
- Daiva Story 6: Imperial of Nirsartia
- Devil World
- Dig Dug II
- Donkey Kong
- Donkey Kong 3
- Donkey Kong Jr.
- Double Dragon
- Double Dragon II: The Revenge
- Downtown Nekketsu March: Super-Awesome Field Day!
- Dr. Mario
- EarthBound Beginnings
- Eliminator Boat Duel (Western exclusive)
- Excitebike
- Fire ‘n Ice
- Ghosts ’n Goblins
- Gradius
- Ice Climber
- Ice Hockey
- Journey to Silius
- Joy Mech Fight
- Kid Icarus
- Kirby’s Adventure
- Kung-Fu Heroes
- Mappy-Land
- Mario Bros.
- Metroid
- Mighty Bomb Jack
- Mystery Tower (Tower of Babel)
- NES Open Tournament Golf
- Nightshade (Western exclusive)
- Ninja Gaiden
- Ninja JaJaMaru-kun
- Pinball
- Pro Wrestling
- Punch-Out!! Featuring Mr. Dream
- R.C. Pro-Am
- River City Ransom
- Rygar
- S.C.A.T.: Special Cybernetic Attack Team (Western exclusive)
- Shadow of the Ninja (Western exclusive)
- Snake Rattle ‘n’ Roll
- Soccer
- Solomon’s Key
- Star Soldier
- StarTropics (Western exclusive)
- Super Dodge Ball
- Super Mario Bros.
- Super Mario Bros. 2
- Super Mario Bros. 3
- Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels
- Tecmo Bowl
- Tennis
- The Immortal (Western exclusive)
- The Legend of Zelda
- The Mysterious Murasame Castle
- TwinBee
- Vice: Project Doom
- Volleyball
- VS. Excitebike
- Wario’s Woods
- Wrecking Crew
- Xevious
- Yoshi
- Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
NES Games (SP Versions) With Nintendo Switch Online (16)
In addition to porting the original versions of NES games to Switch, Nintendo has also taken the time to release special versions of certain games with added features to enhance the experience.
These often give you extra lives or allow you to skip earlier parts of the game to make later challenges easier.
- Blaster Master – The Underworld Lord Awaits (Level 8, Sophia fully equipped)
- Dr. Mario – The UFO Cover-Up (Level 20 cut-scene)
- Ghosts ’n Goblins – The Great Demon Lord Awaits (Stage 6, dagger weapon)
- Gradius – Stage 5 And Maxed Out! (Stage 5, full power)
- Gradius – The Second Loop (Harder difficulty)
- Kid Icarus – The Three Sacred Treasures (Final Stage with each of the Three Sacred Treasures)
- Kirby’s Adventure – Now with Extra Game! (Extra Game setting and Sound Test)
- Metroid – Samus Aran’s Ultimate Arsenal (All power-ups unlocked)
- Metroid – The Decisive Battle Against Ridley! (All gear, Ridley Battle)
- Mighty Bomb Jack – High Game Deviation Value! (Final zone)
- Ninja Gaiden – The Thrilling Climax! (Stage 6-4)
- Star Soldier – Certain Victory on Stage 8 (Stage 8, five-way shot and shield)
- Super Mario Bros. 3 – Mario, the Quick-Change Artist! (World 8, multiples of 8 power-ups available)
- The Legend of Zelda – Living The Life of Luxury! (Loads of Rupees, all gear)
- TwinBee – A Second Helping of Donburi Island! (Level 6, increased difficulty)
- Zelda II: The Adventure of Link – Link, Warrior without Equal (Attack, Magic, and Life all maxed out at level eight)
Japanese Exclusive NES Games With Nintendo Switch Online (14)
- Adventures of Lolo (Japanese version, not to be confused with the Western version or the Western sequel which used this game as a partial source for some stages — thanks Lilly!)
- Atlantis no Nazo
- Clu Clu Land: Welcome to New Clu Clu Land
- Downtown Nekketsu Kōshinkyoku: Soreyuke Daiundōkai
- Famicom Wars
- Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light
- Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light (SP version)
- Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light (SP version 2)
- Joy Mech Fight
- NES Open Tournament Golf (SP version)
- Route 16 Turbo
- Smash Ping Pong
- Tsuppari Oozumou
- Yie Ar Kung-Fu
SNES Games With Nintendo Switch Online (63)
This list includes ports of classic SNES games with no special features or changes to the original version.
- Amazing Hebereke
- Battletoads in Battlemaniacs
- Bombuzal
- BRAWL BROTHERS
- Breath of Fire
- Breath of Fire II
- Claymates
- Congo’s Caper (Western exclusive)
- Demon’s Crest
- Donkey Kong Country
- Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest
- Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong’s Double Trouble!
- Doomsday Warrior
- EarthBound
- Earthworm Jim 2 (Western exclusive)
- Fighter’s History
- F-ZERO
- Harvest Moon
- Jelly Boy
- Joe & Mac
- Joe & Mac 2: Lost in the Tropics
- Killer Instinct
- Kirby Super Star
- Kirby’s Avalanche (Western exclusive)
- Kirby’s Dream Course
- Kirby’s Dream Land 3
- Kirby’s Star Stacker
- Magical Drop II
- Mario’s Super Picross
- Natsume Championship Wrestling (Western exclusive)
- Operation Logic Bomb (Western exclusive)
- Panel de Pon
- Pilotwings
- Pop’n Twinbee
- Prehistorik Man (Western exclusive)
- Psycho Dream
- Rival Turf
- Side Pocket
- Smash Tennis
- Spanky’s Quest
- Star Fox
- Star Fox 2 (previously exclusive to the Super NES Classic Mini)
- Stunt Race FX
- Super Baseball Simulator 1.000
- SUPER E.D.F. EARTH DEFENSE FORCE
- Super Ghouls ‘n Ghosts
- Super Mario All-Stars
- Super Mario Kart
- Super Mario World
- Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island
- Super Metroid
- Super Punch-Out!!
- Super Puyo Puyo 2
- Super R-Type
- Super Soccer
- Super Tennis
- Super Valis IV (Western exclusive)
- The Ignition Factor
- The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
- The Peace Keepers (Western exclusive)
- Tuff E Nuff
- Wild Guns
- Wrecking Crew ’98
SNES Games (SP Versions) With Nintendo Switch Online (7)
In addition to porting the original versions of SNES games to Switch, Nintendo has also taken the time to release special versions of certain games with added features to enhance the experience.
These often give you extra lives or allow you to skip earlier parts of the game to make later challenges easier.
- Kirby Super Star SP – Meta Knight’s revenge! (All secret modes unlocked)
- Kirby’s Dream Course SP – Dancy along with Kirby! (All secret modes unlocked)
- Kirby’s Dream Land 3 SP – Set difficulty to Easy Breezy! (All secret modes unlocked)
- Super Mario Kart SP – Fully Souped Up! (150cc difficulty unlocked from the beginning)
- Super Mario World SP – Give the world a whole new look! (Special World is completed unlocking a new-look Dinosaur Land)
- Super Metroid SP – Samus Aran’s Ultimate Arsenal! (All items obtained and weapons and Power Suit upgrades unlocked)
- Super Punch-Out!! SP – Champion Edition (All Circuits completed, Special Circuit unlocked)
Japanese Exclusive SNES Games With Nintendo Switch Online (9)
- Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War
- Fire Emblem: Mystery of the Emblem
- Kirby Star Stacker
- Kunio-kun no Dodgeball da yo Zen’in Shūgō
- Shin Megami Tense If
- Shin Megami Tensei
- Shin Megami Tensei II
- Sugoi Hebereke
- Umihara Kawase
N64 Games With Nintendo Switch Online (32)
This list includes ports of classic N64 games with no special features or changes to the original version. You need the Expansion Pack to access these games.
- 1080° Snowboarding
- Banjo-Kazooie
- Blast Corps
- Dr. Mario 64 (Western exclusive)
- Excitebike 64
- Extreme-G
- F-Zero X
- GoldenEye 007
- Harvest Moon 64
- Jet Force Gemini
- Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards
- Iggy’s Reckin’ Balls
- Mario Golf
- Mario Kart 64
- Mario Party
- Mario Party 2
- Mario Party 3
- Mario Tennis
- Paper Mario
- Pilotwings 64
- Pokémon Puzzle League
- Pokémon Snap
- Pokémon Stadium
- Pokémon Stadium 2
- Sin and Punishment
- Star Fox 64
- Super Mario 64
- The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask
- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
- Wave Race 64
- WinBack
- Yoshi’s Story
Japanese Exclusive N64 Games With Nintendo Switch Online (2)
- Custom Robo
- Custom Robo V2
Sega Genesis / Mega Drive Games With Nintendo Switch Online (44)
This list includes ports of classic Genesis games with no special features or changes to the original version. You need the Expansion Pack to access these games.
- Alien Soldier
- Alien Storm
- Alisia Dragoon
- Altered Beast
- Beyond Oasis (The Story of Thor)
- Castlevania: Bloodlines
- Columns
- Comix Zone
- Contra: Hard Corps
- Crusader of Centy
- Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine
- Dynamite Headdy
- Earthworm Jim
- Ecco the Dolphin
- Flicky
- Ghouls ‘n Ghosts
- Golden Axe
- Golden Axe II
- Gunstar Heroes
- Kid Chameleon
- Landstalker
- Light Crusader
- M.U.S.H.A.
- Mega Man: The Wily Wars
- Phantasy Star IV
- Pulseman
- The Revenge of Shinobi
- Ristar
- Shining Force
- Shining Force II
- Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master
- Sonic Spinball
- Sonic the Hedgehog 2
- Space Harrier II
- Street Fighter II: Special Champion Edition
- Streets of Rage 2
- Strider
- Super Fantasy Zone
- Sword of Vermilion
- Target Earth (Assault Suits Leynos)
- Thunder Force II
- ToeJam & Earl
- Virtua Fighter 2
- Zero Wing
Game Boy / Game Boy Color Games With Nintendo Switch Online (21)
- Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare (Western exclusive)
- Blaster Master: Enemy Below
- BurgerTime Deluxe
- Castlevania Legends
- Dr. Mario
- Game & Watch Gallery 3
- Gargoyle’s Quest
- Kirby’s Dream Land
- Kirby’s Dream Land 2
- Kirby Tilt ‘n’ Tumble
- Mario Golf
- Mario Tennis
- Metroid II: Return of Samus
- Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG)
- Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins
- Tetris
- The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening DX
- The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages
- The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons
- Quest for Camelot
- Wario Land 3
Japanese Exclusive GB/GBC Games With Nintendo Switch Online (1)
- Mother 3
- Yakuman
Game Boy Advance (GBA) Games With Nintendo Switch Online (15)
This list includes ports of classic Game Boy Advance games with no special features or changes to the original version. You need the Expansion Pack to access these games.
- Fire Emblem (The Blazing Blade)
- F-Zero: Maximum Velocity
- Golden Sun
- Golden Sun: The Lost Age
- Kirby & the Amazing Mirror
- Kuru Kuru Kururin
- Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
- Mario Kart Super Circuit
- Metroid Fusion
- Super Mario Advance
- Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2
- Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 (with e-Reader)
- The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
- WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$
- Yoshi’s Island: Super Mario Advanced 3
Japanese Exclusive GBA Games With Nintendo Switch Online (1)
- Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade
