Hold Up, Two More N64 Oddities Just Materialized on Nintendo Switch Online!

AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer · Wed Dec 10 2025

Nintendo Switch Online is adding two classic Ubisoft N64 platformers, *Rayman 2: The Great Escape* and the wonderfully weird *Tonic Trouble*, to its Expansion Pack library this December, offering both nostalgic hits and charmingly obscure adventures.

Right, so you know that feeling when you're rummaging through an old spellbook, looking for a forgotten incantation, and you stumble upon something genuinely… interesting? Something that makes you cock an eyebrow and think, 'Bloody hell, *that's* still out there?' Well, mate, Nintendo's gone and done it again with their Switch Online service, pulling a couple of N64 platformers out of the digital ether that might just surprise you.

I’ve been tinkering with this news all morning, and fair warning: while it sounds like just another couple of old games, there’s a bit more to unpack here. Especially if you, like me, spent a significant chunk of your youth tethered to a chunky grey console with a trident-shaped controller. This December, starting on the 17th, if you’re rocking the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack – and let’s be honest, that’s a whole other conversation about value, isn't it? – you’ll get access to two Ubisoft-developed N64 classics: *Rayman 2: The Great Escape* and the wonderfully obscure *Tonic Trouble*.

Now, *Rayman 2*? That’s a name that likely rings a few bells. For many of us, it was a pivotal moment. Kicking off back in 1999 across N64, PC, PlayStation, and even the glorious Dreamcast, this wasn't just *another* platformer; it was Rayman’s grand leap into the third dimension. After his side-scrolling antics in '95, *The Great Escape* plunged us into a lush, vibrant world where our limbless hero had to save the Glade of Dreams from the villainous Robo-Pirates. It was ambitious, colourful, and by gum, it felt pretty magical at the time. The 3D platformer genre was still finding its feet, and *Rayman 2* brought its own brand of whimsical charm and tight mechanics to the party. Seeing it pop up on NSO is a pleasant surprise, reminding us of a time when Ubisoft wasn't *just* about open-world maps and collectible towers (though bless 'em, they still nail that sometimes).

But then we get to *Tonic Trouble*. And this, my friends, is where the gentle skepticism meets genuine curiosity. If *Rayman 2* is the well-known wizard who always gets the job done, *Tonic Trouble* is the slightly clumsy apprentice who accidentally turns himself into a turnip every other Tuesday. Also released in 1999 and also from Ubisoft, this game was conceptualized by none other than Rayman's creator, Michel Ancel. And what's it about, you ask? Oh, just a purple alien named Ed (fantastic name, truly) who accidentally spills a mysterious tonic on Earth, causing all sorts of chaos, and then has to stop a drunkard named Grög from taking over the world. Oh, and Ed can turn into 'Super Ed' by eating popcorn. I reckon that's the kind of character development we need more of in modern gaming, isn't it? Who wouldn't want to power up via buttered kernels? It sounds like a fever dream from the late 90s, and honestly, I'm here for it. It’s exactly the kind of wonderfully weird deep cut that makes these retro re-releases worth digging into.

Nintendo's drip-feed of N64 games has been a topic of much discussion, hasn't it? From the initial excitement to the 'is it worth the extra quid?' debates about the Expansion Pack, it's been a bit of a rollercoaster. We've seen some big hitters, sure, but also some more niche titles like *Forsaken 64* recently, and even the Japanese SNES exclusive *Mario & Wario* (which apparently needed the Switch 2's theoretical mouse controls, which is a whole other quantum leap I'm still processing!). The addition of *Rayman 2* and *Tonic Trouble* shows a continued commitment to fleshing out the N64 library, and crucially, it highlights Ubisoft's surprisingly strong presence on that console back in the day.

What does this mean for us, the curious gamers who still get a kick out of polygons and early 3D camera struggles? Well, for starters, it means a fresh wave of nostalgia for those who grew up with these titles. For others, it's a chance to experience a couple of genuinely interesting slices of gaming history – one celebrated, one… charmingly eccentric. It’s a peek into the experimental phase of 3D gaming, where developers were just throwing ideas at the wall to see what stuck, sometimes literally. *Tonic Trouble* feels like a prime example of that audacious, experimental spirit.

While the cynic in me always questions the slow pace and the Expansion Pack's price tag, the enthusiast can't help but be a little excited. It’s a gentle reminder that some of the most innovative and frankly bizarre ideas came from those early days of 3D. So, if you've got that Expansion Pack ticking away, why not give these a spin? You might just find yourself accidentally blowing a hole through reality and discovering a new old favourite. Or at least watch a purple alien eat popcorn to become Super Ed, and tell me that's not worth a gander.

***Original Source:*** *Eurogamer | Authored by Ed Nightingale | URL

Tags: Nintendo Switch Online, N64, Rayman 2, Tonic Trouble, Ubisoft

Original article: Eurogamer