Nintendo Switch Online explained: what the membership and Expansion Pack include
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Nintendo Switch Online is Nintendo's subscription service, and for many games it is required to play online at all. There are two tiers, individual and family plans for each, and a growing list of extras that are easy to overlook. Here is what you actually get, and how to decide whether the higher tier is worth it for you.
What the standard membership includes
The base membership covers the essentials:
- Online play in games that support it, such as competitive and co-operative modes.
- Save data cloud backup for compatible games. Saves are backed up automatically once you are a member, and you can restore them on a new or repaired console.
- Classic games from the NES, Super NES and Game Boy libraries, played through Nintendo Classics apps, many with online multiplayer and rewind features.
- Nintendo Music, a smartphone app with soundtracks from Nintendo games.
- Member offers, such as occasional time-limited trials of full games and special deals.
One thing to know about cloud saves: if your membership lapses, Nintendo says you can recover your backups by starting a new membership within 180 days. Some games, often those where saves could be exploited, do not support cloud backup at all, and the console tells you when a game is excluded.
What the Expansion Pack adds
The Nintendo Switch Online plus Expansion Pack tier includes everything above, and then adds:
- More classic libraries, including Nintendo 64, Game Boy Advance and SEGA Mega Drive games.
- GameCube games on Nintendo Switch 2. This library is only playable on a Switch 2, not on the original console.
- Selected downloadable content for certain Nintendo games at no extra cost, such as the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass and the Animal Crossing: New Horizons Happy Home Paradise expansion.
- Some Switch 2 Edition upgrade packs, such as those for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, while the membership is active.
Remember that anything included with the membership is a benefit, not a purchase. If you let the Expansion Pack lapse, you lose access to those classic games, the included DLC and the upgrade packs until you renew. Anything you bought separately stays yours.
Individual or family plan
Both tiers come as an individual membership or a family membership that covers several Nintendo Accounts within one family group. The family plan shares the benefits across accounts, so it often works out cheaper per person in a household with more than one player. Everyone covered must be in the same Nintendo Account family group, and the person who buys it manages it.
Prices vary by region and change from time to time, so check the current figures in the Nintendo eShop or on Nintendo's website for your country.
Is the Expansion Pack worth it?
It comes down to what you will use:
- Worth considering if you play the included DLC games, enjoy retro titles, or own a Switch 2 and want the GameCube library.
- Probably not needed if you only want online play and cloud saves, which the standard tier covers.
A sensible approach is to start on the standard tier and upgrade when a specific included game or DLC catches your interest. You can usually upgrade mid-membership and pay only the difference for the remaining time, though check the terms shown in the eShop when you do.
Managing your subscription
- Automatic renewal is usually on by default. You can switch it off in the eShop or in your Nintendo Account settings and still keep the membership until it expires.
- Trials are sometimes offered to new members. Note when the trial ends if you do not want to be charged.
- Gift cards and eShop credit can pay for memberships, which suits younger players or anyone avoiding stored card details.
Libraries grow over time, so the list of included games and DLC will change. Check Nintendo's official Switch Online page for the latest line-up.
Which tier do you use, and which included games do you play most? Share your thoughts in the comments.