Nintendo Switch Online service arrives in September with cloud saves and NES games

It has been quite some time since Nintendo last discussed its planned online subscription service for the Nintendo Switch. While in the past, Nintendo console owners have been able to play online for free, that will be changing later this year on the Switch, with Nintendo launching an Xbox Live/PSN style service of its own. Today, Nintendo announced when paid online would be launching, in addition to some of the major benefits it will offer.

For starters, Nintendo Switch Online will offer users the ability to use cloud saves. Giving users greater control over their save files is something that many Switch owners have been asking for, but it looks like this feature will be reserved for subscribers.

To sweeten the deal, Nintendo is also giving Nintendo Switch Online subscribers access to a library of classic NES games. There will be 20 titles at launch, ten of which have already been announced:

1. The Legend of Zelda.
2. Mario Bros.
3. Super Mario Bros.
4. Super Mario Bros 3.
5. Balloon Fight.
6. Ice Climber.
7. Dr. Mario.
8. Donkey Kong.
9. Soccer.
10. Tennis.

NES games available as part of Nintendo Switch Online will also be able to take advantage of online or co-op multiplayer. This won't be true for every game available on the service, but it will be a neat touch for many.

Nintendo Switch Online will launch in September, almost 18 months after the console originally launched. It won't be aiming to compete with Xbox Live or PSN in terms of price. A monthly subscription will cost $3.99, meanwhile three months of membership will cost $7.99. A yearly subscription is $19.99 and finally, there will be a ‘family membership' option, allowing you to pay $34.99 a year and have Switch Online functionality across 8 Nintendo accounts on different consoles.

KitGuru Says: Games like Splatoon 2 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe will already have plenty of people wanting to subscribe, but I reckon that the biggest boost will come from Smash Bros later this year, which for all we know, could also be launching in September. Do many of you currently own a Switch? Will you be paying for Switch Online, or will you be sticking to offline gaming? 

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