Ten Classic NES Games That Desperately Need a Nintendo Switch Online Debut
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
A look at ten classic Nintendo Entertainment System games, from rare platformers to cult-classic RPGs, that still need official releases on Nintendo Switch Online.
The Nintendo Entertainment System essentially revived the gaming industry back in the late eighties, establishing a massive library of timeless titles. While Nintendo Switch Online has brought many of those iconic games to modern hardware through its retro library apps, a surprising number of stellar releases remain missing from the catalog. Building on a recent roundup by Jason Venter over at Polygon, looking at the gaps in the service highlights just how many foundational titles are locked behind expensive physical cartridges or defunct digital storefronts.
The list of missing essentials spans quirky cult hits and ambitious platformers that still hold up today. Forgotten gems like the whimsical vegetable text adventure Princess Tomato in the Salad Kingdom and the atmospheric action RPG Faxanadu helped shape the blueprint for genres we still play on modern platforms. Meanwhile, rare titles like Bubble Bobble Part 2 command exorbitant collector prices, meaning an official subscription release is practically the only way most players can experience them without resorting to emulation or breaking the bank.
Bringing these classic games to a modern platform is about more than simple nostalgia. For today's players across hybrid consoles and portable setups, access to gaming history provides crucial context for the indie titles and spiritual successors dominating modern digital storefronts. Whether it is clearing out the legal hurdles for complex ports or simply dusting off older Capcom and Hudson Soft classics, Nintendo would do well to expand its retro vault and give these overlooked pieces of gaming history a new audience.
Tags: Nintendo Switch Online, Retro Gaming, NES, Nintendo, Classics
Original article: Polygon