In our recent Getting Into Retro Gaming article on which hardware it’s worth picking up to get started with the hobby, we argued that a Nintendo Switch is actually a pretty good investment for those looking to enjoy both modern and classic games. Part of that equation is that the Nintendo Switch Online service provides access to a variety of retro titles on NES and Super NES — and with the new Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack (launching October 26, 2021) you’ll be able to add Mega Drive and Nintendo 64 games to that list, too.
You may well be asking if it’s worth the £17.99 a year to sign up to Nintendo Switch Online — or, indeed, the £34.99 a year it costs to get the “Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack” subscription, which is quite a significant increase in price. £17.99 for a whole year is pretty reasonable, so I have no qualms recommending that purely for the retro games — even if you never play online. £34.99 is a bit of a bigger outlay, though — you can buy a brand new game for that — so it’s worth considering a bit more carefully.
So let’s take a closer look at what’s on offer with the new Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack service; from that, you should have a good idea of what to expect, and whether or not you think it’ll be worth it for you. Because everyone’s different! Yes they are. You’re a special little sunflower, you are.
Ahem. Anyway. Let’s see what we have available at launch, then. Today we’re going to look specifically at the N64 lineup; we’ll turn our attention to the Mega Drive library next.
Super Mario 64 (Nintendo 64)
An all-time classic 3D platformer — indeed, the game which pretty much codified most of the tropes of the genre that we’re still using today. This did get a rerelease a while back as part of the Super Mario 3D All-Stars Collection, but Nintendo, in their infinite wisdom, decided to make this a limited-time release both physically and digitally, so the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack will be a straightforward means of playing it.
An original PAL copy of Super Mario 64 for N64 will set you back between £20-£40 from popular second-hand retailer CEX depending on condition, and you’ll pay a similar price on eBay.
Mario Kart 64 (Nintendo 64)
My personal least favourite Mario Kart, but I know I’m very much in a minority on that. Mario Kart 64 is an all-time classic, and with online play via the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack it has the potential to ruin a whole lot of friendships even remotely. More recent Mario Karts have incorporated some of the tracks from this classic, but for some people there’s nothing like the original.
An original PAL copy of Mario Kart 64 will set you back anywhere between £30 and £100(!) from CEX, and you’re looking around the £20-£30 mark on eBay. Note that the Switch version will be the NTSC version, which runs a little faster and, for many people, is slightly superior as a result.
Lylat Wars (Nintendo 64)
Also known as Star Fox 64, this was a reboot of the original Star Fox/Starwing, and is probably one of the most visually impressive games on the Nintendo 64 — as well as one of the first games to feature full speech. It’s an excellent rail shooter that also introduces the free-flying “All Range” mode, and there’s a fun multiplayer mode that should be enjoyable to engage with online via the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack.
An original PAL copy of Lylat Wars will set you back anywhere between £8 and £65 from CEX, depending on condition and if you get it with the Rumble Pack included. On eBay you’re looking anywhere between £5 and £50 depending on condition.
Yoshi’s Story (Nintendo 64)
Largely underappreciated back in its time, this adorable platformer is a lot of fun — if a bit easy. It’s an enjoyable follow-up to Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island, and its side-scrolling gameplay made for a nice contrast with Super Mario 64’s full 3D exploration. Since a lot of people passed this by back in the day, it might be a good opportunity to revisit it on Switch via the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack.
An original PAL copy of Yoshi’s Story will set you back between £18 and £60 from CEX, and eBay prices range from £5 or so for a loose cart from a non-PAL region (typically Japan) to £70 or so for a factory-sealed copy.
Sin and Punishment (Nintendo 64)
This one’s noteworthy in that it didn’t actually get a western release, so the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack version might be a lot of players’ first opportunity to go hands-on with this unusual rail shooter from Treasure. It’s one of the few games on the Nintendo 64 that required you to use both the D-pad and the analogue stick rather than just the stick and buttons, and it’s well-regarded for its slick gameplay and impressive visuals.
A Japanese copy of Sin and Punishment for Nintendo 64 will set you back between £35 and £70 on eBay these days — and remember you’ll need a Japanese N64 (or a suitably modded system) to play it on.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (Nintendo 64)
Surely nothing needs to be said about this that hasn’t already been said. For many people, this is one of the finest games the Zelda series has ever put out — and its shift into a 3D world helped define how Zelda games worked right up until Breath of the Wild came out. Its music really highlighted the weakness of the N64’s sound chip, mind you.
A PAL copy of Ocarina of Time for Nintendo 64 will set you back between £25 and £180 from CEX, depending on if you want the shiny “gold cart” version from back in the day. Alternatively, the Gamecube disc that contains Ocarina of Time plus Majora’s Mask and the first two NES games in the series will cost you £48, or the 3DS version can be had for about £20. On eBay, you’re looking at between £15 and £185 depending on condition.
Dr. Mario 64 (Nintendo 64)
This fun puzzler is an evolution of the original game that released on NES; it features enhanced visuals and sound, plus a few additional ways to play, and multiplayer action. It’s a well-regarded game by those who played it — but it also suffered a bit on its original release from people assuming it was just more of the same. Online play via the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack is sure to be a hoot.
Dr. Mario 64 didn’t come out in PAL territories, so it’s not available at CEX. On eBay a North American copy will cost you between about £20 amd £65 depending on condition — remember you’ll need a North American (or compatible) N64 to play it, though.
Mario Tennis (Nintendo 64)
Mario Tennis for Nintendo 64 is an excellent arcade-style tennis game that is especially fun in multiplayer. Its Game Boy Colour version, which it was designed to be a companion piece to, was much more fun in single-player as it incorporated a full RPG-style story mode, but the Nintendo 64 version is a great party game — and with online play via the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack you can berate your friends from afar. This game is also where Waluigi originated from!
A PAL copy of Mario Tennis will set you back between £20 and £50 from CEX, while on eBay you’re looking at a similar price range.
Operation Winback (Nintendo 64)
Probably the most obscure title in the initial lineup of N64 games, this stealth action game is nonetheless a surprisingly influential one — its cover mechanic in particular went on to be used in titles like Metal Gear Solid 2, Kill Switch and Gears of War. It’s also interesting that this was developed by Omega Force, a company who would go on to be much better known for their Warriors series.
A PAL copy of Operation Winback for N64 will set you back between £12 and £40 from CEX, while on eBay you’re looking at a similar price range — you might be able to get a loose cart for under a tenner.
So there you go. Potentially you can save yourself a bit of money on picking up original copies of these games for Nintendo 64 by grabbing a Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack — but also bear in mind that you don’t “own” the games you can access through your subscription. As soon as your subscription lapses, the games go away until you subscribe again.
On the flip side, the subscription does allow you to play many of these games with friends online — which will be a lot of fun in the case of games like Mario Kart 64, Mario Tennis and Dr. Mario 64 in particular.
Ultimately only you will know if the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack is practical for your own circumstances — hopefully what we’ve outlined above will help you make an informed decision!
Thanks to the ever-reliable MobyGames for the screenshots. All prices correct at the time of writing.
