These important games are missing from Nintendo Switch Online
Previously, we’ve gone over new retro catalogs that Nintendo should add to their Nintendo Switch Online service – including games from Nintendo DS as a hypothetical new addition. Today, however, we’re going over the platforms Nintendo Switch Online already has. It has quite a few, with NES, SNES, Game Boy, Game Boy Advance, and Nintendo 64 all being included for some time now. That said, each platform is missing at least one notable game, and some are missing several. We’ll be looking at all five Nintendo Switch Online platforms (minus SEGA Genesis, which doesn’t receive much in terms of updates anyhow) and which important titles are missing in action.
On the NES side, there aren’t actually that many Nintendo games missing. Just about the only notable exclusion is Yoshi’s Cookie, and even then, it’s hardly an essential inclusion unless you’re a diehard fan of both Yoshi and puzzle games. For SNES games, Yoshi’s Cookie is missing as well – and perhaps more importantly, Super Mario RPG. It makes complete sense why the original Super Mario RPG isn’t on Nintendo Switch Online – and while the remake is definitely the better game, the original holds up surprisingly well for its age. Furthermore, Link’s Awakening DX is available on Nintendo Switch Online in addition to the full-fledged remake released as a retail game, so there’s at least some precedent for having both on the same console. Nintendo 64 is also missing quite a few important titles; Super Smash Bros. is definitely the most significant exclusion. It may be where the Smash series started, but it’s very much worth playing in the modern day. It’s got an air of simplicity all its own, and it’d be great fun with the online multiplayer feature.
Other notable exclusions are Donkey Kong 64 and Diddy Kong Racing. At the time of writing, Nintendo has recently added the entire Donkey Kong Land series to Nintendo Switch Online, but we’re still missing these two gems on Nintendo 64. Perhaps Donkey Kong 64 will release sometime after Donkey Kong Country Returns HD? Only time will tell.
Game Boy and Game Boy Advance, however, are missing a lot. Starting with the former, both Kirby’s Block Ball and Kirby’s Pinball Land are not available. Donkey Kong (the 1994 version) is perhaps the most prolific absence here; it’s an excellent re-imagining of the original arcade classic with plenty of extra levels to play and moves to perform. We’re still missing the first two Game & Watch Gallery games, plus Super Mario Bros. Deluxe, Wario Land, and Wario Land 2. We’ll also throw Mole Mania in there as well; while not as well-known as some of the other games mentioned here, it’s a surprisingly fun little puzzle title. Speaking of which, Mario’s Picross is absent even though we have the Japan-only Mario’s Super Picross on the SNES category of Nintendo Switch Online. If you count main series Pokemon games, all of them are missing from the service; that said, we don’t think The Pokemon Company would release them in this way. Standalone purchases are more likely, if anything at all.
Finally, there are still plenty of games that the Game Boy Advance section needs. Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land and Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones still haven’t made their way to the service, while WarioWare: Twisted, Yoshi: Topsy-Turvy and Mario Pinball Land also remain absent from the platform. Additionally, we’re missing both Game Boy Advance Mario sports games; Mario Tennis: Power Tour and Mario Golf: Advance Tour. These exclusions aren’t quite as notable as the Nintendo 64’s – missing Donkey Kong 64 and Super Smash Bros. is sort of a big deal – but the Game Boy Advance platform has plenty of room to expand its lineup with these missing titles across multiple updates. It’s important to note that many of these games were available on Wii U, 3DS, or in the case of Super Smash Bros., just the standard Wii Virtual Console. In other words, most of the titles listed here have precedents for release.
Given the confirmation that Nintendo’s next console will support Switch software, it’s likely safe to assume that the existing Nintendo Switch Online libraries will carry over. This means we can continue to receive updates with new games even into the theoretical Nintendo Switch 2’s lifespan. If we have to wait until 2027 for Donkey Kong 64, so be it!
In the meantime, which missing games would you like to see added to Nintendo Switch Online’s existing platforms? Let us know in the comments down below. You can also check out our dedicated piece on DS games we want on the service here.
