Nintendo Switch Online adds 4 new free games, but you’re still not getting your money's worth

Over nine years since it originally launched, the Nintendo Switch is being officially discontinued, but not before Nintendo drops a handful of free games for it.

That sounds worse than it actually is. Your Nintendo Switch isn’t going to self-destruct anytime soon, but Nintendo has decided it’ll no longer make new consoles.

You’ll still be able to use it long after production ceases, however, and today Nintendo dropped four more classic games for select Nintendo Switch Online subscribers.

Nintendo drops 4 free games, one of which is actually two games in one

From today, Wednesday July 8, all Nintendo Switch Online subscribers will gain access to three Nintendo Game Boy games, but those with Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack will get a little something extra.

Expansion Pack subscribers will get a Nintendo Game Boy Advance title, which are exclusive to the higher tier membership. Those who own a Nintendo Switch 2 as well also get access to GameCube games, which is another incentive to upgrade as the base Nintendo Switch gets shelved.

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All Nintendo Switch Online subscribers get to play Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 (which has one of the most confusing titles ever), The Sword of Hope II and Fortified Zone.

Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 marks the first time Mario’s infamous doppelganger was a playable character. It’s a platformer that both continues the Super Mario Land series, while also kicking off the Wario Land series at the same time.

Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscribers already acquired Wario Land 4 quite some time ago, so it’s interesting to see Nintendo finally drop the original onto the service.

Nintendo

The Sword of Hope II is a Dragon Quest-like RPG that many gamers would hail as a hidden-gem. Worth a go if you like a turn-based RPG.

Fortified Zone looks like an oddly fun title. It sort of looks like a Legend of Zelda game if Link carried an assault rifle around Hyrule instead of a sword.

Those are all of the Nintendo Switch Online games, but Expansion Pack subscribers will also get the Game Boy Advance game Dr. Mario & Puzzle League.

Now this is an excellent deal because it’s actually two games in one. You won’t spend hours and hours on this duo, but they’re a great way to kill time.

All in all the four (technically five) games that have been added this time are good. However, it does highlight one of the biggest problems Nintendo Switch Online has right now.

Out of all the games that could have been added, this time we got a handful of Game Boy games.

There are still plenty of must-play NES, SNES, Nintendo 64 and Nintendo GameCube games that haven’t been added yet, which is becoming increasingly frustrating considering how much people are paying for this service.

At the time of writing Nintendo Switch Online still lacks both quantity and quality, with updates being far too infrequent. With PlayStation and Xbox currently making all of the wrong decisionsm Nintendo could come out a winner this year without even trying, if it’d just update its subscription service…

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