Nintendo Switch Online is Finally Worth It

[@GVG]

Thanks to HelloFresh for sponsoring today's video. Go to strms.net/hellofresh_gvgofficial, use my code POGGVGFREE, and receive one free breakfast item per box while subscription is active

[@geofatic]

Let's go!! Get that hellofresh money y'all!!

[@requiem165]

It will never be worth it to me because I cannot stand subscriptions.

[@M64bros]

As a honest respectful Nintendo fan of my own, I can confirmly say it's definitely 100% worth it! Rather than paying for every game $5.99 each You get to pay $20 every year and have basically all the NES and SNES and Game boy titles You pretty much have in one collection! Sure, you may not be able to keep them, but for those that want to try those classics for the first time casually, I would say it's definitely for those types of people! Alternatively, if you want to keep those games forever, Nintendo has been releasing Advance wars 1 + 2, Paper Mario thousand Year door Mario vs Donkey Kong (Remake), Pikmin 1 + 2, Super Mario RPG (Remake), Skyward sword HD, Mitopia (The 3DS remaster) Luigi's Mansion 2 HD, Super Mario 3d all stars (physical version), Metroid Prime remastered, Kirby return to Dreamland deluxe, Links Awakening (remake) arcade archives and Super Mario Maker 2 (since the classic Mario titles from that game play exactly the same as their original counterparts) and a couple of other third party video game collections for switch which is proof that Nintendo does care about gaming preservation. The people that are overreacting about the situation just need to learn to chill out. Lastly and unlike them, I actually have a job and I don't mind paying $20 every December considering the fact that it's not that expensive, I also have the expansion pack as well and sometimes rather than playing online. I just play with my friends locally in college while we're waiting for our class to start. From my point of view, I honestly don't think the Nintendo switch online membership Is that terrible, I think it's perfect for casuals that want to get into these classics for the first time!

[@glungusgongus]

​@@geofaticyeah is this new

[@SeanWMODonnell]

Metal warriors co-op..... Still waiting, and Metal Marines why 🚭

[@WhyYouWahYoo]

The drip feed and lack ownership are still rough things in my opinion, but it’s hard to argue that it’s not at least worth the price and more now. Adding DLCs really made the expansion pack way more reasonable than when it started. They HAVE TO continue this version of it next console, though. I can’t handle another seven years of drip feed.

[@jaguar4120]

Exactly!

[@miata646]

There are so many glaring problems with Nintendo's business model. On top of what you mentioned, my biggest gripe is that if I'm paying for NSO or other services it's for the sake of convenience but in reality you're stuck with limited control of settings when using their first party paid service. Why would I pay for an inconvenience when there are free options that don't require me to repay for a game I already own, and not even be given actual ownership of what I'm paying for?

[@unrealcows]

I've never really understood the drip feed argument, it was the same on vc

[@MrGnuh]

you just get a steam deck and all of a sudden you have access to everything without relying on anyone. it's portable. it's an open linux platform. it has steam. steam won't reset your library every few years.... nope. that's why i got over 1100 games on steam by now then there's the emudeck app. which makes installing everything you need to play any retro game ever made a 3 click affair. confirguration files included. i always massively disliked how much of a chore setting up all the emulators used to be. now emudeck does it all for me. it's bonkers. they got a windows version in beta now too. if you like retro games you really wanna check it out :3

[@Widgerber]

​​@@unrealcows not to mention, the drip feed allows people to try games as they release rather than having a dump of 200+ games all at once causing choice paralysis.

[@Joeysan24]

I love how Nintendo gives players an option to pay a yearly fee to rent a solid library of classic games. But I wish Nintendo also gave players the option to purchase each individual game to own forever. Having purchase options for consumers is a good thing.

[@thatonegeeksite5251]

That’s the one thing I love about PS Plus. If you have a sub you can access classic ps one games but if you just want the game it’s like $8. Would be great if Nintendo did this at some point.

[@maddiemcnugget1076]

I agree. It's interesting how we never really think about the ownership of media until around these times (I'd say the discussion probably started much earlier at the start of Netflix, but it didn't become more mainstream until now). I guess before it was primarily movies and tv shows which were on subscription. It would be nice to own a game though, especially for me, I'd love to own Earthbound 1+2. Nintendo and other video game companies will shut down their services after like... 5-20 years of a console being irrelevant. My roommate insists people will riot when switch services shut down but like... nobody's really competing with Nintendo for it's audience right now except indie, but most indie is in a differently league. Plus they're obviously not gonna shut it down now. They'll shut it down 20 years now like 2 console gens later and they will have a swarm of defenders saying "go buy the new console and pay the $80 subscription (probably will be $80 considering inflation!) to play your ancient game"... but why do I have to? I own this switch. I paid for this service. Give me my game.

[@flatcapman]

How the Hell is it a SOLID RANGE OF GAMES? For RPG players this is the WORST choice FOR THEM. No AAA hitters No square Enix No decent Japanese exclusives The service is a FKIN JOKE

[@kdegraa]

Nothing is forever when it comes to online content. They turned off Wii online. Subscription probably makes more sense.

[@Etnieskid7]

Lack of ownership and required internet connection is still a HUGE problem that they need to fix

[@Dark_Mishra]

@alexanderweber7062I think the internet connectivity check depends on who’s subscription is on who’s Switch. I have my sister’s account on my Switch, but because it’s not set as her primary console, we can’t play “her” content unless we specifically use her profile to access them.

[@Flashcardsinfo]

@alexanderweber7062 I think that it's once a week

[@sebastiantravis9406]

@@FlashcardsinfoYeah its every 7 days to keep the games playable offline. Now if one is without internet for more than a week then that sucks.

[@Flashcardsinfo]

@@sebastiantravis9406 But also pretty unlikely to be fair

[@sebastiantravis9406]

@@Flashcardsinfo I was just considering peeps with special circumstances like if they are OTR Truckers or in the Military on a ship like the Navy.

[@SuperNintendoGameboy]

It's thanks to NSO that I was finally able to play Banjo-Kazooie for the first time and now it's one of my favourite N64 platformers of all time.

[@psplayer1344]

It's been on Xbox for a million years. Switch is lame.

[@SuperNintendoGameboy]

@@psplayer1344 If I had an Xbox, then I wouldn't have made this comment to begin with

[@toastbud6870]

@@psplayer1344Xbox is dead 💀

[@toastbud6870]

@@psplayer1344yo just cuz your privileged for your mommy to buy you whatever doesn’t mean everyone has a mommy to spoil them like you 😂🫵

[@cemafer]

@@psplayer1344 If the Switch is lame Xbox is lamer because the games are more overpriced and the subscriptions suck ass

[@christonadams9046]

One thing I love about NSO is it's library format. It encourages people to play different games from what they'd usually play, which could lead to them finding new favourites. Like, for me alone, I gave a shot and fell in love with games like Crystalis, Star Tropics, Fire N Ice, the Donkey Kong Country trilogy, Super Metroid and Metroid Fusion, Zelda, F-Zero and F-Zero X, Mario's Super Picross, Kirby Tilt N Tumble, Star Fox 64, Sin and Punishment, Wario Ware Inc, Kuru Kuru Kururin and currently Streets of Rage 2 thanks to the library format. I love it

[@zgeiselh6797]

It encouraged me to try out more N64 games that I never owned, GBA too

[@MrVariant]

The fact they didn't increase the price unlike Sony and Xbox helps, especially as friends/family join in later years. Then the black friday sale with $16 in gold coins for the family expansion was a miracle. Weird vid to say now it's worthwhile, as opposed to when gba after the mario kart booster course. GBA is one person per console, sadly, as Kirby and the amazing mirror showed. We're not gonna get anything that is gonna be remastered (except sega genesis collection), by square enix (gba final fantasy advance project with extra content unlike pixel remasters and no dragon quest nes sadly), or in a collection outside genesis mega man wily wars which is better than nes legacy collection's 1-3, as wily towers let you use weapons from all 3 games after you beat everything, while having better graphics. No elec man pause glitch lol. Game and watch gallery 3 was a nice game boy color addition.

[@MumboMod]

Highly HIGHLY recommend checking out Earthbound too. It's a tiny bit of a slower start but one of the best games I've ever played ❤

[@samu-chan]

how u have time for all this

[@christonadams9046]

@@MumboMod I've tried but a few little things just prevented me from enjoying it and playing it further. I'll give it another shot eventually

[@Dairunt1]

Speaking of that "block of red squares", I hope that they eventually merge all of those into one unified "Virtual Console" app. I think the catalogue is robust enough for it to be called Virtual Console, and there's no way people will get confused as all other Virtual Consoles have been shut down.

[@PIKMINROCK1]

Maybe but, the reason why they are separate apps is probably related to simplifying emulation and multiplayer. If you integrate multiple emulators, the system has load up another emulator and probably close the other. While this would be possible for the lower end systems, it definitely runs into issues with stuff like N64 and if they add any newer systems and managing this opens doors to new glitches. It's also far easy to organize the games if they are divided in some way.

[@darinherrick9224]

How about they let me play all the virtual console games I bought on 3DS and Wii without signing up for some bullshit service?

[@ohhhyeahhhhhhhhhh]

to me switch online from like a value standpoint was fine when they added a good chunk of the snes library to it. That was never my issue, it was that online play and save backups should not be a paid feature for a console, and that this subscription model comes directly at the expense of a proper virtual console. If this service nixed the online component and was just called Nintendo Classics On Demand or something i would have no problem with it

[@ColonialSun-mg6tq]

I would still like to see Nintendo releases these games separately on the e shop

[@theendofit]

People will just whine that they are overpriced

[@ThomastheDankEngine8900]

@@theendofitsome might, but most would be thrilled and Nintendo would see a lot of purchases. People might complain about the rereleases on Switch but they sell really well, even more than the original game does in some instances.

[@Yoshizuyuner]

@@ThomastheDankEngine8900probably not that well sense why bother with that when emulating is so easy

[@ThomastheDankEngine8900]

⁠@@Yoshizuyunermany GameCube and Wii rereleases ($60 mind you) sell better than their original counterparts and that’s with Dolphin being one of the best emulators.

[@Ichigo111293]

@@Yoshizuyuneryou can make that argument with any fucking game. Most people still buy games. lol

[@MichaelHeide]

Gargoyle's Quest was one of the first Game Boy games I ever played. Absolute masterpiece, and it's a shame that the series vanished after Demon's Crest.

[@digitalworms]

Ya demons crest is a awesome game! When I was a teenager I went to jail over it!

[@StephanieAwesom]

I hope they do more cool things with NSO in the future, like I've always wanted a music player since Nintendo refuse to put their soundtracks on YT or Spotify etc., or an app where you can watch trailers and other videos like how they released that stuff on 3DS. But that's just bonus cool things at this point since the console apps are really good now, although Gameboy & GBA still need some catch-up. My personal favourite part of NSO is that it introduced me to The Legend of Zelda, since I probably wouldn't have played Ocarina of Time had I not gotten the expansion pass, so thank you NSO 😊I've also played Majora's Mask, Link's Awakening (which is one of my favourite games now), and have recently started the original TLoZ because of NSO so thank you again 😊 Edit: Wanna mention another cool thing, all the 2D Metroids (excluding remakes & such) are on the Switch!! I'm planning on playing through all of them in the future but I probably wouldn't do that if they weren't all on NSO.

[@BBWahoo]

Nintendo absolutely needs a music streaming service

[@AStupidID]

I honestly love NSO - played so many games I never would have even touched before. I honestly prefer it to the VC system - I would buy games on that and play them once and then never again a lot of the time. But with NSO, I can just try everything with no problems. It's really made me appreciate the NES library more than I ever have before :). Really hoping we get more consoles in the not too distant future, as well - 64DD, Virtual Boy, Master System, Saturn, Dreamcast, Game Gear, Turbografx - there's so many I'd love to have.

[@svenbtb]

Same, i really like the NSO system. I remember getting Ghosts and Goblins NES on Wii VC, playing it once and being like "Oh... this is not for me" lmao. But then you were just hosed and stuck with it. I really like that you can just play SO many games without needing to buy each one individually, especially with the expansion pass.

[@poophead27]

It would be better if they made online play free tho other features would be fine

[@edwardarcherwrestling6295]

They still need to allow you to play every handheld game with friends online like they do with all of the console NSO apps, instead of just the online ones. I've played so many single player SNES, NES, and GEN games for the first time because my friend and I could take turns online

[@r9delta104]

Lack of ownership is a big problem for me and Nintendo's drip feed behavior was tired more than a decade ago when i've been able to control access to their legacy library myself since the turn of the last century if I so desire. I understand one can't compete with free on every metric but there are several where they can. I'm always willing to put my money where my mouth is but their games deserve more respect and availability to consumers than a disposable subscription.

[@Bro3256]

6:38 I've been keeping track of NSO game counts compared to Virtual Console on prior systems and I can confirm that these numbers are not accurate if you were to account games released globally. As of January 2024, NSO currently has 251 total games between all regions compared to 741 VC games on Wii, 305 VC games on 3DS, and 434 VC games on Wii U. Since I'm tracking games released across all regions this includes platforms that never released outside of Japan which includes MSX games on Wii and Wii U and PC Engine on 3DS and of course counting games that at the very least released in certain regions only.

[@GVG]

We are just counting Europe

[@Bro3256]

@@GVG ah, thanks for the clarification

[@darinherrick9224]

It’s hilarious to me how everyone is against streaming services eliminating ownership but when Nintendo does it they ask for more. I paid hundreds of dollars for these games on Virtual Console. Why the hell would I want an online service to get access to what I already paid for???

[@brandonwoodward9515]

In an episode of GVG Cast, someone on the crew questioned why people view GVG as a Nintendo outlet. This video, the 30+ upcoming Nintendo Switch games video, and a lack of coverage of other platforms gives credence to those who say GVG is a Nintendo outlet. To be clear, being a Nintendo outlet is not a problem unless that is not what the creators want it to be. I will keep watching GVG Cast and the channel because I like games media without the toxicity.

[@1mrcow143]

Fr, I have no problem with it tho

[@funkyflights]

Should have the option to purchase individual games, once the switch online shuts down, bye bye games … Unless Nintendo actually offers a package to purchase all the games so you can keep them on that particular system forever …

[@cjt217]

I also do the family plan and I used to have the members all pay towards it for the first couple years, but I am at the point now where I'm happy to just shoulder the cost annually. It really does have so much value and I want people to enjoy all it has to offer!

[@ArcasDevlin]

This is what I do. I don't have a ton of money to buy people gifts, so I gave all my Switch-using friends a slot on the family account and I just keep it up.

[@itsmarshallll2600]

I do the same :)

[@cjt217]

@@ArcasDevlinI suspected that I wasn't alone. It's a great deal [when you have that approach]

[@jfgs930]

My issue with NSO is that you’re renting the games. The virtual console at least offered a method to permanently have the game on your system. And, more importantly, allowed you to play them without an internet connection. But I agree NSO has grown steadily, and after 7 years feels kind of worth it. Just in time for a new console! Ahha

[@ricln5464]

There's something many overlook when talking about NSO, yet i think is probably his best feature: With the exception of Mario 35 and Pacman 99, none, and i repeat, NONE of the games has EVER leaved the service. Both first and third party games. The library is only growing, and i love that

[@taffypool654]

My only improvement for NSO would be to include a brief (:30) gameplay video and maybe a “game type” identifier (platformer, puzzle, shooter. etc.). Right now you just have to rely on the “back of the box” description that often doesn’t say anything about the actual game. WiiU def had it right in that way on its VC.

[@dimensiondetective]

We live in a time where NSO is missing Urban Champion and Mach Rider, but does have famicom exclusives such as Mysterious Murasame Castle and Joy Mech Fight. A time where NSO is missing Donkey Kong 64 and Smash Bros 64, but DOES have Banjo Kazooie and Goldeneye! A time where we have no mainline Pokemon games on the service, and it almost feels MORE likely that we get the Game Boy game X! (the predecessor to X-Scape on 3DS) This timeline is an odd one but I’m happy to part of it😁 (Especially as NSO introduced me to the surprisingly fun games that are never talked about including Rygar and Solomon’s Key)

[@VitasVarnas]

Were they to add the F-Zero X Expansion Kit to NSO, then I may be interested in checking it out.

[@MichaelRyanNewell]

100% it’s worth the money! I wouldn’t risk pirating, I would just buy Switch Online and legally play everything you love!

[@bennybenitez7852]

Why not pirate ?

[@gamemaster2819]

I know a lot of people prefer Virtual Console, but I feel like I'm playing way more games on NSO than Virtual Console

[@ThomastheDankEngine8900]

The ideal setup would be allowing both sub and purchases.

[@Hamood113]

@@ThomastheDankEngine8900maybe even special discounts on these games for subscription holders

[@ThomastheDankEngine8900]

@@Hamood113exactly! That would be awesome, if you’re subbed you get a discount otherwise you can buy a game for its normal price.

[@gamemaster2819]

​@@Hamood113Kind of like how the Wii U gave a discount if you already had said game on the Wii

[@erickruse4679]

i have the expansion, and N64 only shows 2 games, but the other consoles are full of games. Do you have to download the games separately for N64?

[@gamer3ed484]

You might’ve downloaded the Mature 17+ library. N64 has two separate apps, one for all the regular games, and a separate app for M-Rated games. The M-Rated app only has a tiny amount of games on it, compared to the 25 or so the regular app has.

[@CrowTRobot]

Meanwhile Sony increased PSPlus Extra from $99.99 to $134.99 and Premium from $119.99 to $159.99. And the library of classic games is still really thin.

[@hododod246]

Are you kidding? They give away 3 games per month. And at least 1 of them are really good. Compared to PSPlus and Gamepass NSO is embarrassing.

[@Manue_12]

​@@hododod246No thanks, Sony gives away monthly games because they are usually heavily discounted and use that as an excuse to charge you 70€ a year if not more. I'm paying a subscription to play online and couldn't care less about monthly games I'm mostly not going to play, so I'd rather pay 20€ a year and have no games than being forced to pay 70€ just because a few games (that again, I'm most likely not going to play) are included.

[@kirby0louise]

PS Plus online actually works well. No tier of NSO will get you good online.

[@CrowTRobot]

@@hododod246 That’s irrelevant to my point. Look at the price increases and consider the quality of services that you’re being promised that are exclusive to those higher tiers.

[@ravenebony2267]

GBA even had a Banjo Kazooie game. It isn't as good as the N64 ones, but I'd still like to see all 3 of them on NSO at some point.

[@vermilionfox4238]

The issue I have is that Nintendo (as far as I am aware) is the only company that entirely locks games behind the subscription pay wall. Every game on Xbox game pass you can buy. Every game on PlayStation Plus (correct me if I’m wrong) you can buy. It’s just Nintendo where you have to subscribe. Literally all I want to play are the two Golden Sun games and Minish Cap. I don’t really want to pay £35 a year just for those. Please just let me buy them 😅

[@ThomastheDankEngine8900]

You can’t buy or download PS3 games but you are correct. It’s not a major issue since you can emulate the Nintendo classics easily, but still an annoyance.

[@requiem165]

yes you can. The PS3 store is still up unlike the wii u and 3ds shops... @@ThomastheDankEngine8900

[@charlestrudel8308]

yeah, but thats exactly why nintendo does it like this... you arent alone in wanting to really pay only for 1 or 2 games, but since everyone wants only 1 or 2 different games... its not really profitable because for making people pay, you need to port everything. now, its indeed greedy because nintendo could choose to make little profit per port.

[@mystikpahndah1847]

I think the best part of the online is the GBA stuff because this is the first time (unless you were a 3DS ambassador and even then) you can play VC GBA away from home, just like the GBA itself was designed to do. That and the addition of 64 titles really needs up everything. Waiting for games does suck, but it’s nice for it to just be there when I want it on the bus to work everyday.

[@normanl.6891]

Golden Sun now too

[@SliderGamer55]

I think one thing Nintendo is benefitting from right now is that most streaming services are more expensive now, and are continuing to make them more expensive, sometimes after taking notable content away from the service. So the cheapness of NSO is more a benefit the more streaming services want to be your new cable bill. They still should've explained the family plan better, that was a huge PR botch along with the less than ideal issues some of the N64 games needed fixing early on. (I'm paying 12 bucks a year personally, which is less than I spent per month when I had HBO Max)

[@GBA_Time]

What I find the best about NSO is not only playing my favorites and easily being able to go in and out of games super quickly, but also trying new games, if they are fun, GREAT, but if they suck, nothing lost. Love sampling games I haven’t tried before to see if they hit with me.

[@yellowblanka6058]

If we're honest, the small libraries on NSO are definitely padded out by bargain bin material - crap like "Doomsday Warrior" that are the "Hydrox" to quality games Oreo. I realistically didn't expect to see the totality of the NES/SNES etc. libraries on NSO, but even excluding games with pricey licenses attached, there are hundreds of games that could feasibly be on the service, and we have only what, 40-some SNES games after almost 7 years?

[@Pureheartt13]

Discovered Adventures of Lolo this way

[@Pureheartt13]

Discovered Adventures of Lolo this way

[@Pureheartt13]

Discovered Adventures of Lolo this way

[@Pureheartt13]

Discovered Adventures of Lolo this way

[@jamiecal11]

Most interesting thing to me is what happens next gen. Because in theory it's time for Gamecube but they've given us a lot of that library on Switch. If they don't give us that, even else is there?

[@requiem165]

DS games maybe? or probably just more n64 gb and gba games

[@gamer3ed484]

They could always add more SEGA consoles. Saturn would be pretty cool.

[@ShurikanBlade]

Gamecube and wii will probably never come because of size alone. N64 games were on average still only Megabytes big. Starting with the gamecube every game is at least 1 gig. Meaning, just the app for the service would be probably like 4 gigs at launch and grow really big. It's not a huge deal but simply having 14 gamecube games would make it nintendos second biggest "game" ever on switch. So my guess I'd they're probably gonna do Ds next but they may do a cool mix up and add virtual boy as well

[@GameFreak164X]

Virtual Boy

[@Manue_12]

@@ShurikanBlade the size argument is weird to me because they could just simply make it so that you have to download games separately.

[@madnessarcade7447]

I wish they released analytics for NSO stuff like the playerbase for each game how many people downloaded FZ99 etc

[@gamer3ed484]

NSO has gotten to the point where it’s nice to have access to all these games at once. One of the only big features I’m missing is the option to buy games. Even if Nintendo only let subscribers purchase NSO games, I still think it would be a nice option so that way you can have your library of purchased content if your membership ever lapses. Another feature I barely see anyone mention is the game vouchers. They are truly an amazing deal and make great gifts. For his birthday, I bought a set of vouchers for my brother and he got to pick two high quality first party Nintendo games with them. One of the things I would love to see in the future is just more and more systems added. DS is the next obvious step in my opinion, but having other consoles onboard would be a cool option as well. We already have Genesis/Mega Drive, so why not add other SEGA consoles like Game Gear, Saturn, 32x, CD, or Dreamcast? I think those would be particularly noteworthy since barely any of SEGA’s library outside of Genesis sees regular re-releases. This is another small thing, but I really want Pokémon Home to be a part of the expansion pack. It’s so annoying to pay an additional $16 a year for something that should be roped in with my membership.

[@SpriteDuel]

For me, all I want is that Four Swords Zelda game, whether it be the anniversary or the original.

[@wizawhat]

I've been very critical of the drip feed approach, but like yourself, at some point it suddenly dawned on me that NSO offers great value now. After I started playing Kirby tilt and tumble with the motion control in full function, I realized that the potential of this model was fully unlocked. It's come a long way since those shoddy early N64 roms.

[@justice5408]

I get that but I’d rather just buy a few classic games and have them in my ownership. It doesn’t feel like I own the NSO games which make feel me less attached/motivated when playing them

[@poophead27]

Yeah I agree

[@TheLuigi545]

It always annoyed me how the service that made me pay for the online experience just added more fluff, instead of actually improving that service. As long as I am thrown out of every third game in splatoon, I will not call this service worth it. The fluidity of the super mario bros wonder online system was the first shine of hope for me, but in my eyes the service still has a long way to go in the area that truly matters: online.

[@Foxmosis_]

Hey but at 5:10 what song is that in the background? It's so familiar but I can't quite put a name to it.

[@itsmarshallll2600]

It's a song from Minish Cap. Could be the mines or the forest village^^

[@Foxmosis_]

@@itsmarshallll2600 Thank you!! I believe it’s the village!! Have a good day!!

[@dreamsdeep1076]

I prefer virtual console. I’m fine with a subscription service to include games as an option. When is only option is when I take issue on it. I prefer buying games that interest me

[@jclkaytwo]

I'd like both to be an option. I just know that I wouldn't have played most of the games on NSO if I had to buy each of them individually. but I also acknowledge that a lot of people like that system.

[@DANCERcow]

It was always worth it! $4.17 a month being the cheapest by more than $3 against the other consoles.

[@chimingito]

and it only took 8 years! hype for switch 2 to come out this year and reset all the progress

[@Justin-hg3es]

Still missing some big games on the service, specifically on the N64 side. It’s getting better but they need to release content more frequently.

[@anthonyjamesst-aubin279]

I honestly want to get the expansion for the N64 and GBA library, but I'm not a big fan of the price for it, especially when you change your plan from the regular to the expansion. I bought the 12 months online not too long ago, but if I want to get the expansion, then I would have to spend $43.05 CAD instead of the $63.99 CAD. I'm still going to wait on it.

[@rayantenna]

I could play any console but I’ve come to love my switch and the portability

[@Jamsch101]

Great video, Jon. NSO is the best subscription service to me of the big 3, and there's always something I wanna play in comparison to the others.

[@coneg2714]

highly recommend getting the japanese versions of these nso apps as well for things that don't cross the pond! in particular, umihara kawase on the super famicom is a delight and the nso rewind feature really helps for how tricky later levels get

[@captainfach]

While I also am more for ownership over subscription, I really appreciate all the games that they put into the service. Games that I would probably not buy just because I'm unsure and my budget is pretty tight, and I end up loving a lot of them and end up later on buying them physically

[@R34-q7h]

Im actually considering buying another console currently and my choice was between the switch and the XboxS. Since I'm into retro gaming my choice has been made. I wasn't sure of the online switch store but your video has clarified a lot of doubts for me. Thanks for the video, choice made, I'm getting a switch.

[@N-MCMXCIX]

*About time someone finally saw the light!* This is about what I've been trying to tell people for a couple years now! Hopefully with you saying it, these words won't fall on deaf ears. I mean come on, the naysayers saying that everyone should pay for Xbox Game Pass instead, when said service is more expensive and incompatible with the Switch? You don't buy a Blu-Ray if all you have is a DVD player! But anyway; we may not get titles as fast as people demand them, we may get forgotten third-party titles when people are hungry for specific first-party titles, we may never get specific popular third-party titles due to eShop releases existing, we might never get GameCube or Dreamcast. But at the end of the day, Nintendo Switch Online is a great service. It may not be for the stuck-up enthusiast who already has "better" means of accessing the titles, but for normal players, it's a solid and convenient solution, as it is intended to be. And unlike what certain impatient naysayers insist, the service doesn't need to pursue short-term growth to compete with other services, as it is already winning through it's existing long-term sustainability approach. Not to mention that the service is more affordable than any other major media streaming service in the United States.

[@ranchman693]

Man to be a kid with NSO would be a blast LOL I Love playing genesis games online with my little brother like we would back in the day.

[@Wetzelpretzels]

What game is @20:03

[@GVG]

Ghouls n Ghosts

[@toastbud6870]

I hope you make one of these every year it’s very informative and I really liked this video

[@miyakogfl]

The only thing I hate with NSO is that when the switch 2 is out they'll probably shut it down and we'll lose all those games. I hope they do something so we can at least have the option to buy some of them when it shuts down (or even give them out to subscribers when it ends, but I would never expect it). I think it's still nowhere near as good as the Wii was, but definitely more convenient.

[@zoso1up]

I just bought a switch I had every Nintendo besides the switch but a house flood wiped out my entire collection,I wasn't there for the growing pains but I was surprised about the online library I can kinda get my collection back it's not the same but it's still nice i can have my son share my childhood gaming experience

[@joemurray]

Are the pokemon games on yet?

[@theSwift715]

They will probably be on a separate NSO expansion pass for a higher cost.

[@bluebrickmax]

NSO for me is a time-killer. When I only have 15-20 mins and can't jump into anything substantial. Sometimes I find a game I genuinely enjoy and finish. But I'm scared to form connections because I don't own the games.

[@requiem165]

facts

[@LuigiTheMetal64]

Virtual Console games, eShop ports, and hard copies are more worth it when region-free. The NSO is region-free by switching countries in a profile.

[@Arksimon2k]

Buying it for Golden Sun. There are a few other things I want to play, but Golden Sun was the baseline for me.

[@cheesewombatTV]

The main problem with NSO is honestly outside of Nintendo's hands: its the lack of a thorough amount of third party games. In the Wii era publishers didnt really understand the demand for these retro games and were okay with just putting them on the Wii shop for $5-$8. Now they understand how much they can make on collections and remasters/remakes so you see way less classics like Chrono Trigger and Mega Man on here than you used to. Even beyond that though there are still way too many missing 1st party games, especially on GBA, that app launching with like 6 games was unacceptable.

[@cosmicsvids]

Yeah the online is also terrible on the n64 app.

[@Wetzelpretzels]

What Kirby game is at @14:38

[@GVG]

Kirby 64

[@megamix5403]

6:04 I appreciate you making the Mega shoutout, mate. We all need more Mega Man in our lives lol

[@peterhalliday6492]

You mention not playing gameboy tetris multiplayer before. Is it possible to play the original gameboy tetris 2 player online now with NSO?

[@eddache]

Bold of you to presume I have anywhere close to 8 friends

[@DuBstepAnDa98]

I would have never checked out Kuru Kuru Kururin, Waverace 64, Pilotwings 64, nor Sin and Punishment if I didn't have NSO. I enjoyed all of those games.

[@dilbertfish]

@DuBstepAnDa98 All very good games.

[@T826-r3c]

I wish they gave the option to buy the games for 5-10 dollars instead of exclusively having them available on NSO I am just not a fan of losing access to games if I stop paying a subscription.

[@NekkoBlue]

I think the thing that still irks me with NSO (and just game catalog services in general) is that you don’t own any of the games you play. The service can just go poof one day and all the hours you’ve put into playing will just be _gone._ With Virtual Console you’d at least have the game downloaded on your system without the need for subbing to an online service.

[@hurricanemanning]

I have an analogue pocket so the GB/C/Advance stuff is a little less cool for me. I am happy that folks can access these games. I am definitely more interested in N64 stuff since there is a lot there that I didn't play.

[@jagkopp]

One thing to take into account as well is that so far, they haven’t taken a single retro game off the list. This probably means that when they secure a third party game, they have a very long term contract. Remember, you can’t compare this to some guy illegally sharing a games rom on the internet. Nintendo has to go through all the legal hoops for every single game that’s not their own property, and make sure they keep having the right to have it on NSO.

[@riversart2030]

I have definitely played some great games through NSO that I may not have checked out otherwise, but I still feel the expansion pack is too pricey to be worth it personally. Being able to split the price with others isn't an option for everyone, and it kind of rubs me the wrong way that they just locked certain systems behind that price point. It really should have just been an extra ten dollars a year instead of thirty.

[@itswoahfoxy]

I got a year of the expansion pack for Christmas from a family member, and it’s absolutely so much better than the standard subscription for gba and n64 alone. Also helps I didn’t have to pay for the extra premium but if you’re on the fence, go for it. Between Kirby Star Stacker, Paper Mario, and Golden Sun coming it’s definitely been a real treat to use the subscription. There’s some genuinely great games to play on the go!

[@knuclear200x]

Hard disagree. Unless the service gives actual Switch games from Odyssey to TOTK, then only the standard plan has any value.

[@dkfunentertainment3778]

Still need my OG gen 1-3 Pokémon games. Then it will be perfect!

[@Epic_C]

For me, the updated version didn't have value until I was able to actually buy a N64 controller for the N64 games. I stuck with the basic version until I was able to catch the N64 controller on their site (was not going to pay extras from scalpers). I finally managed to get one so the updated plan has value to me now.

[@EbolaGW]

Nobody ever mentions that there are still more retro games than ever before. You got the Arcade Archives, Johnny Arcade, and the legacy collections from Capcom, and the Castlevania collections. They don't have to be necessarily be part of NSO

[@pmerks]

My only complaint with the service now is the lack of local multiplayer options for the NES, SNES, and N64 apps. For GB and GBA, they have the option to connect 2 switches locally to play without online. I thought they had this option for the other apps as well and was disappointed when I tried to play a game of Mario Party 2 on a road trip with friends

[@Wetzelpretzels]

What Zelda game is @15:33

[@GVG]

Minish Cap

[@leanderwitter8505]

That is great voice you have there

[@Nookibo]

Agreed - I feel like NSO is really worth it by now. All the great retro games, the DLC and smaller bonuses like the profile pictures and even games like Tetris 99 and F-Zero 99. I'm also part of a family membership, therefore having to pay such a small amount to get access to all this content is just awesome. We also have our own weekly Game Club inspired by GVG's own Game Club and it's so much fun to experience those games, oftentimes for the first time even! There's always something to sink your teeth into. Thank you for the great video on the topic, Jon!

[@ronaldovindas3094]

Problem is, all those games will go away when the Switch gets obsolete eventually...

[@PixelShade]

I agree, nowadays NSO clicks, especially the retro online stuff... I couldn't play a lot of multiplayer games in the past due to not knowing people who owned GBC, GBA etc. (just think about it, you needed to own the console, you needed to own the same games, you needed link cables, etc. Not to mention Four Swords and Crystal Chronicles on gamecube). It was an ordeal to actually get together and play many multiplayer games... These days, once you have the service, everyone has the same pool of games and even if you live apart, you can still enjoy multiplayer gaming together. I actually finally understand Nintendo's vision for NSO, and why they made it a service.

[@joshuasims5421]

As soon as it has Pokémon gen 1-3 and any smash bros, I’ll call it good. Put up Kirby air ride and Nintendo can have a Nobel prize.

[@BLOODY__FATALITY]

You can't play NSO games without internet so I don't understand why we're saying we can play these games at a train station or where ever we want.

[@avery-u1w]

You can, it only checks for internet 1 time a week

[@kdegraa]

Can a switch connect to the Internet via a mobile phone hotspot?

[@carlos-iv4my]

I don't think Nintendo gets enough flack for drip feeding roms to which they have the full ownership. Sure, you get the option to pay less with family plans and such, but still they ask you 70 euros a year to play 12 GBA games. What's stopping them to upload Metroid Zero Mission? Or Wario Land 4? Or Mario vs Donkey Kong? Should someone being excited for them to decide to finally upload the 25-year-old rom of Golden Sun so you get to play it as long as you pay 70 damn euros a year? Probably the most scummy way I've ever seen to build a subscription service.

[@Cynim]

There’s still a lot of room for improvement, such as voice chat. The quality of the online connectivity has gone up as time went on and new games came out, but still… So yeah, better than in 2018, but still needs to improve overall.

[@theendofit]

I dont ever want voice chat on nintendo. Nothing would ruine a nintendo game more then hearing idiots none stop stream of cussing. If your playing with friends theres millions of options to chat with them

[@ThomastheDankEngine8900]

@@theendofittbf Discord is better than native voice chat on the other consoles

[@theendofit]

@PhilSpenderPrepsTheBull exactly and it alows for easier filtering out awful people

[@Cynim]

True, valid points.

[@Zero86Sk]

I want to correct you on one thing. The Sega Mega Drive Collection on Switch does have online multiplayer. On PC and other consoles you can even invite your friends to play games together.

[@hagrid397]

Due to my backlog, I haven’t had a chance to play most of these games, but I agree with you. There are tons of great games on here for a great value, especially with the family plan. My biggest issue with this is that I’m really hoping they don’t reset the online system again (like they did with the Wii/Wii U) and have to wait for the games to be added to the system again.

[@acmiguens]

Two things I'd like to say. One - I love that when Sony announced legacy content for a PS+ tier my PS-only friends said Sony would show Nintendo how it's done. And then Sony has been releasing not only much less content but less interesting as well. Two - I don't think Pokémon main games will release on NSO. To me, it makes much more sense for them to sell them on the eShop for $10 a copy and offer easy access to Pokémon Home, for instance. Not only will they make much more money this way, but on NSO that connection wouldn't exist IMO and they'd have to disable save states and rewind anyway.

[@benmalsky9834]

You forgot to mention the rewinding and save states feature. I LOVE that about checking out these older games.

[@CiromBreeze]

Just to add, the "SEGA Mega Drive & Genesis Classics" collections on PC do have online multiplayer

[@DanielZeal]

Until next generation when they inexplicably raise the price 💲💲💲

[@darinherrick9224]

And you lose access to every game you were playing.

[@kirbinator4626]

Switch online expansion isn't worth it for me, because i have nobody to share the costs with, and I hate requiring a cloud service to play games, especially with nintendo's track record with pulling the plug on the internet. I'll stick with emudeck for my retro games, thanks.

[@pichonCalavera]

A month ago I finally decided to pay for Switch Online + Expansion Pack, and yeah it's worth it now. Hopefully they add more GBA and N64 games.

[@kizanko]

I don't really think it's worth all the money. It took them to the end of it's life cycle and it's still very lackluster. You can't own the games that are online, u can't even download them for offline play if u want to go outside. The entire Switch OS in itself is lackluster. I don't understand why Nintendo is being so slow with optimizing everything. The Eshop is still slower than ever, no fun music, games are ported slow to online etc. Ugh.. Nintendo loves to do things one step behind the bare minimum

[@SmashTheOni]

Slight correction. You can play the games offline. The whole thing is downloaded. It just needs to be online to check if you're still subscribed once a week, and you're free to play offline after that.

[@poophead27]

Yeah this is too much money to waste mostly for online Play access

[@darinherrick9224]

I just bought a Switch for the first time and was shocked at how slow and awful the eShop is. It’s like we are still using the Wii only worse.

[@michaelwright1]

00:02 Nintendo Switch Online is now really good 02:07 Nintendo Switch Online gradually improved with new consoles and lower cost. 04:26 Nintendo Switch Online offers great value with a wide variety of games. 06:54 Nintendo Switch Online offers a wide array of legacy games and online capabilities. 09:02 N64 was the big multiplayer system with a range of games. 11:14 Exciting potential for multiplayer with the growing library of Game Boy and Game Boy Advance games on Nintendo Switch Online. 13:16 Nintendo Switch Online now has a great selection of games to play. 15:17 Nintendo Switch Online provides access to a variety of games without needing to purchase individually. 17:13 Nintendo Switch Online offers Japanese versions of games and unique experiences. 19:17 Nintendo Switch Online family plan offers good value for the money Crafted by Merlin AI.

[@lynxofhyrule]

this would be a very different video if it abruptly ended at the 6 second mark

[@That_Lady_Charlie]

I only pay the $20 US a year for online play. Which is absolutely worth it, yes. But everything I want from the expansion pass can be easily emulated.

[@roseforyoubabe]

exactly

[@ThomastheDankEngine8900]

The $20 tier with cloud saves is the least offensive paid online service out of the big three. That said, comparing which online service is the best is like asking which turd smells the best. Still a turd.

[@WhyYouWahYoo]

Most people can’t or don’t, so for them this is even more of a great value. There’s also inherent value in having these portably

[@M00nlightOfficial]

​@@WhyYouWahYooWhich also a laptop, Steam Deck, and even your phone are portable. Emulation isn't just locked to a desktop anymore.

[@WolfHack]

with the terrible netcode of nintendo multiplayer games it should be $0

[@nigelw7626]

I'm subscribed to it but absolutely can't stand the border for the screen, ruins the immersion for me and no option to take it off! Much prefer the Wii U offering they felt like you were playing the original game not a rom.