Nintendo Switch Online has become a treasure trove of retro gaming in recent months with Nintendo pushing out a great many classics onto the subscription service. The titles range from across Nintendo's back catalogue, but also feature some games that made the older consoles must-buy hardware.

With so many games to dig through, it can be overwhelming to find the gems hidden away. We’re ranking the top 20 you absolutely must play, especially if you’ve never dived into the golden days of gaming. Of course, you’re going to need an active Nintendo Switch Online subscription with the Expansion Pack add-on, but once you’ve got these, you’re ready to play some of the best games ever made.

Donkey Kong - NES

Nintendo

The original Donkey Kong title ported from arcades to the NES still holds up today. It’s such a simplistic set-up and the sprite work is a delight even after all these years. It’s in that simplicity this can still thrive because no matter who you are, you will be humbled by an 8-bit gorilla lobbing barrels at you. It all looks so easy until you badly time a jump and end up wiped out and low on extra lives.

Pop'n Twinbee - SNES

Konami

In a just world, this would be nearer the top of the list but it can’t compete against the Nintendo classics. Some may say that Super R-Type is the superior shoot-em-up but there’s no accounting for being a fool. Pop’n Twinbee is just a joy, even when you’re being shredded by enemies. The colours, sounds, and power-ups make this a standout gem in the SNES catalogue.

Pokémon Snap - N64

Nintendo

There has to be a Pokémon game on this list and while Pokémon Stadium is a certified banger, it’s Pokémon Snap that feels more accessible to all players. And it’s just such a chill adventure, roaming around taking cute photographs of Pokémon. While the graphics don’t quite appeal nowadays, they thankfully don’t look overly hideous after so many years - and you can still see the joy in the game seeping through.

Breath of Fire - SNES

Capcom

The SNES was a god-tier console for RPGs until the PlayStation came along, and it’s home to some staggeringly great adventures. Breath of Fire is that proper good vs evil battle that you want from the genre, and it takes the player through some happy highs and sad lows. While it’s not the best RPG in the retro catalogues, it’s still a brilliant example of Japanese creators dominating a genre.

F-Zero X - N64

Nintendo

I’m a sucker for the F-Zero games and while I was tempted to put Mario Kart 64 in this place for a racer on the list, I had to give in to my inner child and rep F-Zero X instead. The sheer speed and pace of this game is still tough to handle. This makes it less family-friendly than karting, but there’s no denying the feeling you get when you take the lead in a battle of speed while taking corners at breakneck pace. Plus, some of the course design here is sublime with its futuristic imaginings.

Kirby Super Star - SNES

Nintendo

There are so many Kirby games to choose from and while they all have something special about them, this collection of games makes it an easy choice. It’s not Kirby as you would normally expect, and the range of genres across this SNES classic makes it one where anyone can find something they love. It’s also a good starting point because if you like this, you’ve got a wealth of games to explore after that you’ll love.

Mega Man 2 - Game Boy

Capcom

If you ask Mega Man fans which of the NES titles is the best, they’ll all say the second game. It managed to improve on everything from the first game while retaining the fun and the challenge. The retro graphics are still lush and the platforming, while unforgiving, is still effortlessly tight. Mega Man 2 also walked the balance of difficulty with more kindness than others - it’s still hard, but you don’t feel like snapping a controller in half while playing.

GoldenEye 007 - N64

Nintendo

GoldenEye 007 would be much higher on this list if it felt like it did back in the 1990s. That’s not me saying the old days were better, but the lack of a proper N64 controller and all your mates sitting around the TV drops this down the list. The old controls just don’t click with new layouts and technology - it’s doable, but a let down - and while the campaign is just as brilliant, you can’t just hop into multiplayer like you did with multiple controllers and shouting at your mate not to choose Oddjob.

Golden Sun - Game Boy Advance

Nintendo

Golden Sun had such a hold on me when it first released because it so perfectly recaptured those amazing SNES RPGs and took them to a handheld platform so I could play it on the bus. With a thrilling story of magic and a world in torment, this was all wrapped up in a simply gorgeous visual product. The sprite work here is in the upper echelon of games from this era. Replaying it recently, when it came to Switch, I was besotted once again by this wonderful experience.

Earthbound - SNES

Nintendo

Ahh Earthbound, the much-celebrated, yet hard-to-place RPG. Hard-to-place because one day Nintendo seems to love it, and the next they pretend this and its predecessor don’t exist. Surreal, idiosyncratic, and a sharp skewer of Western ideals and culture, Earthbound is a great RPG that thought outside of the box, stepped on the box, and then rebuilt the box. Once a cult classic, now a game that many agree holds a top spot in 2D RPGs for attempting something different.

Banjo-Kazooie - N64

Nintendo

3D platformers were once all the rage, every company seemed to be making one. Aside from Nintendo, none could do it better than Rare and they showed that with Banjo-Kazooie, a very off-the-wall adventure. Bold and colourful levels, instantly lovable characters, infectious jokes, and a stellar soundtrack, all bundled up in an engaging platformer that had you coming back constantly to find all of the collectibles. And all of this before even mentioning the icons that are Banjo and his friend Kazooie.

Star Fox 64 - N64

Nintendo

I was torn between Star Fox or Star Fox 64, but the N64 version just snagged it. Not because of any particular moments from the story, or the brilliant control scheme, but just because it took what made Star Fox (another dormant Nintendo franchise) so great and then made everything better. It doesn’t matter how much ‘realism’ you put into your spacecraft shooter, Star Fox 64 probably does it better. There’s something so moreish and wonderful about the combat and then you’ve got animal pilots? Instant winner.

Paper Mario - N64

Nintendo

Paper Mario was a massive swerve from Nintendo who had already dabbled with RPG mechanics for their little mascot, but now they were throwing out the visual rule book and bringing in a new sense of humour to their games. We can constantly argue which of these games ‘hold up’ to modern scrutiny, but Paper Mario wins because it didn’t favour 3D polygons that could age badly or a story that would feel stale after so many years. It’s still a gem in the Nintendo catalogue.

Super Mario Bros 3 - NES

Nintendo

Now we’re really getting into the meat and potatoes of this list and, honestly, these top seven games could be interchangeable on any other day. Super Mario Bros 3 was, I’d argue, the watershed moment for the Japanese developer. It took all other platformers and went one better - adding power-ups, level design, replayability, and cultural impact. This comes runner-up to only a few other 2D platformers and one of them is yet to appear on this list. We’ll come to what I consider 2D platforming perfection, but god damn, this is up there.

Donkey Kong Country - SNES

Nintendo

The weird 3D characters on a 2D plane shouldn’t have worked then and it shouldn’t work now, but it did and does. Add to this the talent of Rare who crafted a whole new personality and world for Donkey Kong and you’ve got a platformer that has its own identity provided by several means - characters, visual flair, verticality, and innovation in how a platformer should be played. Sure, it’s not as clean to look at as the Mario games, but Donkey Kong Country doesn’t need to be because it’s a wondrous experience beneath those vintage visuals.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past - SNES

Nintendo

I’d argue that any of these top five could place at number one. A Link to the Past is a masterpiece with so few flaws that it has consistently held a top spot in the hearts of gamers for generations and due to its stunning pixel graphics, it can stay there for more to come. Everything here is pitch-perfect 2D Zelda, from the memorable dungeons, and the combinations of items and abilities, to the gorgeous backdrop of Hyrule. It's still amazing that Nintendo set the bar for action-RPGs so high, so long ago.

Super Mario 64 - N64

Nintendo

It was so tempting to put this at number one but for me, it’s edged out by other titles in the Nintendo Switch Online catalogue. Doesn’t stop it from being a masterpiece, or a lesson on how to pivot from generation to generation, and from one moment into a bright future. Mario was so at home in a 2D space, yet he came to life when shifted to 3D and the sudden openness of the level design was mind blowing. It could have gone so badly, but it became one of the best games of all time. Super Mario 64 was and is the pinnacle of 3D platforming because of the years Nintendo put into crafting perfect backdrops and mechanics.

Metroid Fusion - Game Boy Advance

Nintendo

I’m no Metroid expert. I’ve played many of them and while I appreciate the scope of the worlds, and the expanding experiences Samus seems to get herself into, I will hand over the mic to my colleague Ewan who has a ride or die love for this series: “[Metroid Fusion] felt like a representation of all the genre’s best elements … go and play Metroid Fusion if you like survival horror. Or classic games. Or Metroid games. Or good games. Just play it, okay?” Why did I choose this over Super Metroid? Good question. Because I’m a pretentious swine and wanted to be different, but ‘Super’ is still an almost perfect game.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time - N64

Nintendo

Oooh, here we go. You’ve peeked at the number one already, you know what’s coming. However, we can’t pass over our number two on the list, probably the best 3D Zelda game ever - though the Switch Zelda games are up there. Ocarina of Time is, without a doubt, a perfect game. That doesn’t mean that it doesn't have little niggles, but they have emerged with age, and we’ve seen modern gaming tackle certain mechanics far better. These issues would never take away from what a project this was for Nintendo and the way it captured the hearts of millions of players. For sheer magic, look no further than the moment kid Link finally grows up and the world evolves.

Super Mario World - SNES

Nintendo

However, the best game on the Nintendo Switch Online subscription service is the best 2D platformer ever created. A game that has never been bettered, though some have come close. Super Mario World is instantly accessible to anyone who holds a controller - bumbling infant, ageing grandparent, or 20-something - all can grab a mushroom, bop an enemy, traverse the kingdom, and hunt down the threat of fairytale villainy. There is simply no flaw in this game; it introduced countless mechanics still used in gaming today. We got Yoshi, an instant icon, power-ups that revolutionised the franchise, a vast expansive world filled with goofy and loveable characters, and the precise, beautiful, rewarding platforming experience that billions of us adore.

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