Nintendo Switch Online - Price, Trial, Free NES Games List Jan 2019

The new Nintendo Switch Online service is out right now for all Switch owners around the world, as soon as you've downloaded the latest system update for your console. In this Nintendo Switch Online everything we know guide, we'll be putting together a guide to help explain the brand new subscription service, including the range of Nintendo Switch Online prices, how the Nintendo Switch Online cloud saves function, as well as all the details you need about the Nintendo Switch Online NES games, of which there are a fair few to choose from at launch.

Nintendo Switch Online Release Date and Price

Just below, you can see the final launch date for the Nintendo Switch Online subscription service, revealed by Nintendo to be September 18. There's also a free trial of the online service available for all, which lasts for exactly seven days.

How to Download Nintendo Switch Online
Nintendo Switch Online Prices
Nintendo Switch Online NES Controllers
Nintendo Switch Virtual Console, Free Classic Games
Are SNES Games Coming to Nintendo Online?
Nintendo Switch Online Cloud Saves

How to Download Nintendo Switch Online

To get started with Nintendo Switch Online, you'll firstly need to download the latest system update: version 6.0.0. After this, head to the Nintendo Switch e-Shop, and download the 'Nintendo Entertainment System - Nintendo Switch Online', which you can find under the 'Recent Releases' category.

Once the Nintendo Switch Entertainment System has downloaded on the home screen of your Nintendo Switch, click on the newly downloaded app. It'll now tell you that a subscription is required to play this, and you'll be taken to the Nintendo Switch e-Shop.

Click on the 'Free Trial' button to start your trial of Nintendo Switch Online, and you'll be asked to choose a payment option, for when the trial expires. When you've done this, the purchase confirmation will let you know when your trial will expire, and you're all good to go with the Nintendo Switch Online service, and all the NES games that it comes with.

Nintendo Switch Online Prices

Back when Nintendo was first revealing the Nintendo Switch Online service, there were three price models revealed for the service. You can see all three subscription models just below:

One month - $3.99
Three months - $7.99
Twelve months - $19.99
Twelve month family membership - $34.99 (up to eight Nintendo Accounts on different systems will be able to use this)

Nintendo Switch Online NES Controllers

During the Nintendo Direct on September 13, it was revealed that if you're a subscriber to the Nintendo Switch Online service, you'll be able to purchase two NES controllers for your console. As you can see below, you can purchase two controllers for $59.99, but only if you're a member of the Switch Online service.

These NES controllers can be charged by attaching them to the side of your Nintendo Switch while in docked mode. These two controllers are meant to be used to play the NES games on the Switch more comfortably, which you can find a complete list of just below.

Nintendo Switch Virtual Console, Free Classic Games

The traditional Virtual Console feature on past Nintendo consoles hasn't arrived for Switch yet, and could possibly be replaced by something new (although we expect a proper Virtual Console announcement is coming). Under this new online subscription model for the Nintendo Switch, Nintendo will allow a selection of classic games to be played by those who pay for the subscription.

In early May 2018, Nintendo released a list of ten NES games that will be available on Nintendo Switch when the online service goes live in September 2018. The ten games available at launch are as follows:

Adventures of Lolo
Balloon Fight
Ice Hockey
Dodgeball
Dr. Mario
Super Mario Bros.
Super Mario Bros. 3
Excite Bike
Tecmo Bowl
Double Dragon
Gradius
River City Ransom
Pro Wrestling
Ghosts 'n Goblins
Baseball
Donkey Kong
Ice Climber
The Legend of Zelda
Mario Bros.
Mighty Bombjack
Metroid
NES Open
Ninja Gaiden
Soccer
Solomon's Key
Tennis
Twin Bee
Wario's Woods
Yoshi

If you're wondering which of the games listed above are actually worth your time, then we've got you covered. In our NES Games You Need to Play piece, we walk you through which games are worth the cost of entry, and which ones you're probably better staying well away from.

Are SNES Games Coming to Nintendo Online?

Speaking to IGN, Nintendo also revealed that while the initial games line-up would be comprised of NES titles, SNES games are being considered for the future.

The company also announced the answer for online voice chat for the Nintendo Switch, but this isn't through the standard, conventional method that the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One employ. To talk to people online, you'll have to download a dedicated smartphone app, which Nintendo launched summer, 2017.

This app allows players to talk directly to their friends, set play appointments, and invite friends to play games online.

Nintendo Switch Online Cloud Saves

Before Nintendo Switch Online launched, cloud saves weren't a possibility, and if your Switch ever died, it took your save data with it. Now, the cloud saves feature for the Nintendo Switch are locked exclusively behind the online service, so you'll need to pay if you want to store your save data in the cloud.

Make sure to bookmark this page, as we'll be updating it with all the new information for the Nintendo Switch Online service as soon as Nintendo announces anything.