Nintendo Switch Online: UK release date, games list, pricing and features

A new subscription service for multiplayer games will be available from tomorrow for Nintendo Switch console owners.

The Nintendo Switch Online service is the company’s first attempt at launching a paid subscription model. Gamers who pay £19.99 a year will be able to play against their friends over the internet.

Subscribers will also have access to a host of classic Nintendo games, which can be downloaded when gamers sign up for the service.

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Here are all the details of the new service, which launches in the early hours of Wednesday morning:

When does Nintendo Switch Online come out in the UK?

At 4am tomorrow morning, says TechRadar.

How much does it cost?

Gamers can either pay £3.49 for a month’s access to the service or £19.99 for a full year, the tech site says. There will also be a seven-day trial period.

Is it good value?The service is significantly cheaper than the £40-per-year fee for Microsoft’s Xbox Live. Sony’s PS Plus service costs £50 annually.

What are the benefits for subscribers?

One of the key advantages of Nintendo Switch Online is that subscribers can play against other gamers over the internet.

Users playing popular multiplayer games, such as Splatoon 2 or Mario Kart 8: Deluxe, will need to sign up for the service in order to make use of their game’s online features, says Polygon.

But there are a few games that don’t require the service. Gamers playing the global video game hit Fortnite, for instance, won’t need a Nintendo Switch Online subscription to access the title’s multiplayer options, says Kotaku.

Another advantage of the service is that it allows users to back up data to the cloud. This means that when games connect their Switch console to the internet, a copy of their device’s information is saved online.

If the console becomes damaged, gamers can simply download a copy of their last save from the cloud in order to continue playing.

There is a snag, however. Kotaku points out that data backed up to the cloud is deleted when gamers cancel their Nintendo Switch Online subscription.

Are any games included in the subscription?

Yes. Anyone who signs up for the service can play a selection of retro games that were originally available on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in the mid-to-late 1980s.

Eurogamer lists the NES games available from tomorrow as:

• Balloon Fight
• Baseball
• Donkey Kong
• Double Dragon
• Dr. Mario
• Excitebike
• Ghosts ’n Goblins
• Gradius
• Ice Climber
• Ice Hockey
• The Legend of Zelda
• Mario Bros.
• Pro Wrestling
• River City Ransom
• Soccer
• Super Mario Bros.
• Super Mario Bros. 3
• Tecmo Bowl
• Tennis

According to the Daily Express, the Japanese games firm could add titles from the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) – the successor to the NES – in the near future.

To top it all off, Nintendo Switch Online subscribers can also expect deals on digital games, as well as access to exclusive items for some titles, says CNet.