8 Retro Nintendo Switch Online Games That Play Better On PC
Topics: List, Nintendo, Nintendo Switch Online, PC, Retro Gaming
Featured Image Credit: Nintendo
Topics: List, Nintendo, Nintendo Switch Online, PC, Retro Gaming
Nintendo Switch Online is a decent service, but it’s nowhere near perfect, nor affordable for some gamers.
Some of the games offered through Nintendo’s annual subscription are also lesser versions compared to what you can currently play on PC.
Below are eight games currently available on Nintendo Switch Online, which, while being playable, simply work better on PC. Keep in mind that the titles below are only accessible via emulation, and as such require a physical, legally-obtained game with a compatible ROM.
This one is for the Stardew Valley fans, and unlike the original release on the Nintendo 64, Harvest Moon 64 comes with a suite of quality-of-life improvements.
Variable game speeds give you more time in the day to enjoy your farm, and updated controls make swapping between tools so much easier.
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While Animal Crossing is Nintendo’s go-to for a cosy life-sim, there's still a case to be made that the Harvest Moon series does it better, especially nowadays when games like Stardew Valley are all the rage.
This is so much more than a better version of GoldenEye 007. Modders have found a way to revive GoldenEye 360, a cancelled port of the legendary first-person shooter that unfortunately never made it to Microsoft’s Xbox 360 console.
Boasting an enhanced framerate, better resolutions, wide-screen support, and more, this is an excellent port that would have likely sold consoles had it originally been re-released.
Oh, it also supports online multiplayer, so you can ragebait your friends with Oddjob all over again.
As one of the more unique PC ports you’ll find online, this is a fan-made rom-hack remake of Earthbound: Beginnings for the Nintendo Entertainment System, but in the style of Earthbound for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System.
Updated visuals and gameplay tweaks not found in the original await you in this stunning recreation, and while it’s cool to see the Earthbound games available via Nintendo Switch Online, fans have gone a step beyond with ports like this one.
We’re getting a remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time later this year for the Nintendo Switch 2, and in the meantime, you might be tempted to boot up the original via Nintendo Switch Online.
Hold off on that replay, however, as the PC version of the game via Ship of Harkinian is widely considered the best iteration at the moment.
Performance gets a big boost from this PC port, resulting in an old-school Hyrule that’s never looked better. It also enhances the Nintendo 64 game with gameplay improvements and additions introduced through the 3DS remake.
It’s superbly good, and arguably the best PC port in this list, so try and give it a go before the remake later this year.
READ NEXT: Zelda: Ocarina of Time Unreal Engine 5 Remake Development Has Ended
Yes, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is that good, but its sequel, The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask, deserves some love too.
It’s such a unique entry in the Zelda series due to its darker tone and no title since has really come close to matching or surpassing it.
The time-travel mechanic makes it easy to overlook the horror behind the game’s events, because for Link, everything is in flux and can be easily altered with the Ocarina of Time, but everyone else is just days away from a terrible fate.
The PC versions you’ll find online are mostly superior due to an unlocked framerate and better resolutions, but the quality-of-life improvements also make this version worth checking out. For instance, you can customise how long a day in Termina lasts, either making the game easier or harder depending on your preference.
As far as Super Mario games go, the most fondly remembered titles tend to be 3D, despite most of the 2D games being bangers too.
Super Mario World on PC is an absolute blast because the ports we’ve seen are more than simply upscaled versions; they also introduce new moves to Mario’s moveset.
In what can only be described as horrendously cursed, you can give Mario a double-jump, which feels like cheating, but also a fun spin on a game we’ve probably played dozens of times.
The recent release of Star Fox (2026) has been a pleasant surprise for Nintendo Switch 2 owners.
Despite being yet another remake of the famed Star Fox 64, this new version looks gorgeous, feels good to play, and keeps players coming back with an engaging challenge mode and hilarious multiplayer features.
However, it’s also sparked interest in the original release of Star Fox 64, but before you load it up via Nintendo Switch Online, consider trying it on PC. It’s just the original version of the game running at 60fps, higher resolutions, and the option to switch off inverted controls, but all of these simple changes make a huge difference in terms of gameplay.
One last Legend of Zelda game, we promise. The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap is a game that’s seemingly flown under many gamers’ radars.
Don’t sleep on it, though. Give it a go via the recently released PC port. Aside from being an excellent, modernised way of playing a highly underrated Zelda game, the Minish Cap decompilation also supports a lot of customisation.
Some users are even creating their own custom-made dungeons for near-endless replay value.