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Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack

SCORE5.8FAIR

$49.99/yr — retro classics + DLC packs

BEST FORNintendo fans who want access to the retro library and included DLC. At $4.17 per month annually, NSO + Expansion Pack includes Animal Crossing: New Horizons Happy Home Paradise, Mario Kart 8 Booster Course Pass, and 500+ classic games.
Reviewed by the Clientele Research Team · Last checked 9 days ago (2026-07-15)
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Scores — click any row to see our rationale
Library Size7.5/10

500+ games across NES, SNES, N64, Game Boy, Game Boy Color, GBA, Sega Genesis, and GameCube — the most retro platform variety of any subscription. GameCube titles, including Wind Waker, F-Zero GX, Soulcalibur II, Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance, and Pokémon XD, were added starting with Switch 2 launch and require a Switch 2 to access. No modern Switch titles are in the subscription library.

Value7.5/10

At $49.99 per year, it is the cheapest major console subscription annually. The included DLC packs — Mario Kart Booster Course Pass at $25 retail and Animal Crossing New Horizons DLC at $25 — together cover most of the annual cost.

Day-One New Releases2/10

No modern Nintendo Switch games are included at any point. Switch titles are sold separately. The catalog is retro games and DLC packs for specific existing games only.

Platform Coverage5/10

Nintendo Switch only — handheld, docked, and tabletop modes. No PC, no mobile gaming beyond the limited Nintendo Switch Online app for voice chat. Nintendo Switch 2 is backward compatible.

Extras & Perks7/10

Online multiplayer for Switch games, a mobile app for some game features, exclusive subscriber-only offers, and Nintendo 64 with original controller support.

PROS
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass and Animal Crossing: New Horizons Happy Home Paradise DLC are both included. Their combined retail value of $50 exceeds the annual subscription cost.
Game Boy and Game Boy Color library was added in 2025, bringing the retro catalog to 500+ games across six Nintendo platforms.
CONS
No modern Switch games are included at any point. Every first-party Switch title requires a separate full-price purchase.
Online multiplayer in Switch games runs on peer-to-peer connections in many titles, not dedicated servers. Lag is noticeably worse than Xbox or PlayStation online.