More games have been introduced than in prior years
If you are likely subscribed to Nintendo Switch Online, you may feel that this year has been notably rich with new titles on both the standard tier and the Expansion Pack. Certainly, not all of them have been iconic — we certainly do not expect that many users were asking for Urban Champion or Alleyway — but the variety is commendable.
And as it appears, 2024 has recorded the highest number of games added to NSO in North America. Artist and animator SmashToons, also known as Dalton Brown, has been tracking every Nintendo Switch Online release in North America since the service launched in 2018.
SmashToons shared his data sheet on Bluesky, revealing that with the addition of Tetris and Tetris DX this week, 2024 has just surpassed 2023’s NSO additions by one title — 56 compared to 2023’s 55.
This is quite impressive, given that 2023 saw the launch of the Game Boy, GBA, and N64 Legacy apps. Those three applications brought a substantial collection of new games, but 2024 has been delivering consistently on all fronts.
NSO had a strong start this year with Golden Sun and Golden Sun: The Lost Age on the GBA app. Perfect Dark and Banjo-Tooie were introduced to N64 (the former on the Legacy app). Metroid: Zero Mission stood out on the GBA. ToeJam & Earl in Panic on Funkotron was one of only three additions to Genesis. Meanwhile, Donkey Kong Land has been a popular title on the Game Boy app over the last month.
It seems the 2024 NSO releases are likely complete for the year, so it will be intriguing to see if 2025 will surpass this total. And of course, there’s anticipation for what the next Switch will bring to NSO.
Are you pleased with NSO in 2024? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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Alana has been part of Nintendo Life since 2022, and while RPGs are her first love, Nintendo is a close second. She enjoys nothing more than analyzing battle mechanics, characters, and narratives. She also wishes she were a Sega air pirate.