While Nintendo Switch Online doesn’t exactly match its competitors, it does have enticing benefits. Here’s what you should know about the subscription service.
The Nintendo Switch has officially made the jump online, and Switch fans have flocked to the new service to compete with friends and foes alike. The aptly titled Nintendo Switch Online is comparable to PlayStation Plus and Xbox Live in that its primary function is to grant access to online multiplayer. A subscription to the service, however, also nets you a library of select NES and SNES games, and soon-to-be N64 and Sega Genesis games. That said, Nintendo isn’t looking to fully replicate its competitors when it comes to the Switch’s online service. Here’s everything you need to know about Nintendo Switch Online. Nintendo Switch Online comes in two subscription types: Individual and family. An individual subscription covers one user, and a family subscription covers up to eight. A one-year individual subscription costs $20. One-month and three-month subscriptions are also available for $4 and $8, respectively. It’s obviously most cost-efficient to purchase a year out of the gate. Family subscriptions, meanwhile, cost $35 per year. To take advantage of this bulk subscription, you need to be linked in a family group. You can create a family group on the Nintendo Account website. Essentially, you and seven friends can get access to all Nintendo Switch Online features for less than $5 apiece. Both subscription types are available for purchase on the Nintendo Switch eShop. Nintendo Switch Online is accessible via the orange navigational menu when you first open the storefront. Keep in mind that subscriptions automatically renew unless you opt out in the eShop menu. Prepaid scratch-off cards can also be purchased at participating retailers for one-year Nintendo Switch Online memberships. Before Switch Online launched, Nintendo offered free online multiplayer for games like Splatoon 2 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Now, you have to have a subscription to use the online features of first-party Nintendo games and most third-party games. The one major exception is Fortnite, which can be played online without a subscription. Nintendo Online is only needed for multiplayer over the internet, however. Those without a subscription can still use the Switch’s Local Wireless Play feature between two Switch consoles, with up to three players on each console. If you want to talk to your friends while playing online games, you need the Nintendo Switch Online mobile app, which is available for both iOS and Android. Yes, it’s annoying to have to use two devices to take part in a traditional online multiplayer experience, but we don’t make the rules.
