The 10 Best Retro Games to Check Out On the Nintendo Switch Online Library

The Nintendo Switch not only features some impeccable experiences from the current age of video games, but through the Nintendo Switch Online subscription service, players can also gain access to entire libraries of classic games.

For now, there is the basic subscription that features games from the Nintendo Entertainment System, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, and Game Boy. The more premium Expansion Pack adds in Game Boy Advance, Sega Genesis, and Nintendo 64 games.

No matter your subscription tier, here are some of the best games from across the many libraries of the Nintendo Switch Online subscription service.

Super Mario All-Stars

Featuring remakes of the first three Super Mario Bros. games and the Lost Levels, this All-Star pack is essential for platforming fans. Add in Super Mario World, and you have some of the best 2D platformers of all time that deserve to be played today.

Kirby’s Dream Course

Kirby games are all over the Nintendo Switch Online subscription service, but this golf spin-off is one concept that should be revived in a modern game someday. The two-player mode can especially light your competitive spirit on fire.

The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages

While the Nintendo Switch Online Library features a ton of Zelda games, this duology on the Game Boy Color is a hidden gem within the franchise. Featuring special interconnectivity between the games, the Oracle games are an interesting one-off from this franchise.

Fire 'n Ice

Also known as Solomon’s Key 2, this puzzle-platformer was quite ahead of its time despite being somewhat of a hidden gem even when it was first released in 1992. Easy to get into, hard to conquer, and even harder to put down once you really get a feel of the game’s challenges.

Rygar

This early example of the Metroidvania genre on the Nintendo Entertainment System would surprise modern gamers. Rygar may be challenging, but its use of different perspectives between the overworld and main levels was certainly novel.

Breath of Fire I & II

Capcom’s seminal JRPG series may be dormant now, but hardcore fans of the genre should check out the first two games of their iconic Breath of Fire games. The game’s character design and spritework alone should keep you hooked.

F-Zero X

We many not have a new F-Zero game on the horizon, but at least this ultra-fast Nintendo 64 entry is readily available on the Nintendo Switch. One of the coolest features of this game is the X-Cup, which creates randomly generated tracks for players to race through.

Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade

The first handful of Fire Emblem games may not have made it to English-speaking audiences, but at least the Game Boy Advance changed all that. Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade is a great introduction to classic Fire Emblem gameplay that modern fans should check out.

Sin and Punishment

For a true arcade experience, Sin and Punishment’s rail shooting gameplay is one that is still able to pump the right amount of adrenaline into your veins. This Nintendo 64 game is unapologetic with its ‘90s anime aesthetic and music.

Castlevania: Bloodlines

An almost forgotten 2D Castlevania entry, this Sega Genesis exclusive game keeps the challenge of the NES trilogy intact. Featuring two playable characters, Castlevania: Bloodlines (or Castlevania: The New Generation in Europe) led the way for more varied gameplay in the franchise moving forward.