Sadly, the phone app is still there.
After a long silence, Nintendo has begun detailing plans for the Switch Online paid service launching this September. According to the official site, it’ll arrive with a number of payment plans up to 12 months for $19.99, but a 12-month family plan (up to eight users) is also available for $34.99. The much-desired cloud saves will also be available via the service, along with 20 NES games compatible with online play. As of now, the confirmed list includes Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, Donkey Kong, Mario Bros., Balloon Fight, Dr. Mario, Super Mario Bros. 3, Ice Climber, Soccer and Tennis.
A detailed FAQ is available here, but we’ll dive into quick specifics provided by the press release. In addition to competitive/co-op play, players can not only watch each other play NES games but can “pass the controller” at any time and chat via the smartphone app. Meanwhile, the arrival of this service will mean online-compatible Switch games (Splatoon 2, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, etc.) will require payment to continue enjoying their online components. And yes, purchasing the payment plan is the only way to get cloud saves, but hey, at least we finally got it.
Does the Switch Online service meet your expectations? Let us know in the comments below!
