Friday’s Animal Crossing: New Horizons Direct had plenty of massive announcements for fans of Nintendo‘s cozy island life simulator. However, sandwiched between the reveals of Happy Home Paradise and the end of Animal Crossing‘s free DLC was the quiet confirmation of the price for Nintendo’s upcoming Switch Online service, Expansion Pack.
First announced at E3 2021, Expansion Pack is the next stage of growth for Nintendo’s burgeoning online service. Switch Online has had some growing pains over the years, but it’s hard to deny that fans are excited about the changes coming to the service. Now that the price and release date for Expansion Pack has been confirmed, it’s time to finally ask the most crucial question: is Expansion Pack worth the price of entry, or will Nintendo’s continued trouble with cornering the DLC and online-service market continue?
What’s The Difference Between Switch Online And Expansion Pack?
Nintendo Switch Online launched in September 2018, roughly a year and a half following the launch of the Nintendo Switch console and just in time for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate to release. Switch Online was meant to be little more than the first step of Nintendo’s foray into better online gaming and had two key features: access to online multiplayer and Cloud Saves, allowing players to protect their precious save data.
However, the addition of the Nintendo Entertainment System Online companion app proved to be a surprise success. Intended as a value add, it became the chief reason to subscribe to Nintendo Switch Online, giving players access to an ever-expanding selection of classic Nintendo games like Super Mario Bros and The Legend of Zelda. Its success led to a second companion app, Super Nintendo Entertainment System Online, which added SNES games to the mix.
Expansion Pack doesn’t add new online or cloud save features. Instead, it’s an entirely optional value add service that adds three huge updates. First, two new companion apps are being added: Nintendo 64 Online and Sega Genesis Online, both of which launch with a selection of massive hits like The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Star Fox 64 and Sonic the Hedgehog 2. Fans have long heard rumors of the addition of these services and more, so to finally see them confirmed has sparked a tremendous amount of interest in the new service.
However, at the Animal Crossing Direct on October 15, the expansion got possibly its single biggest software addition in the form of Happy Home Paradise. The latest Animal Crossing offering is New Horizons‘ first paid DLC, and its massive enough to be a game in its own right. Happy Home Paradise adds a new system where players manage a resort and help their residents enjoy their time away from home. The DLC is launching for $25 in November, but it’s included in the Expansion Pack membership at no additional charge.
How Often Will Switch Online + Expansion Pack Be Updated?
How often the Switch Online service is updated will be the biggest question in fans’ minds. And the simple answer is that we don’t know, but you can look at the previous services to perhaps find an idea.
When NES Online launched alongside Nintendo Switch Online, it was receiving monthly updates. These updates would range from a handful of games to huge title drops and SP updates (special challenge run versions of games). However, with the launch of SNES Online in September 2021, the monthly updates ceased, and Nintendo announced they would now release games to the services as they were ready.
For many, that change has meant the death knell for the services. As of this writing, NES Online and SNES Online have not received new games since July 2021, and only three drops occurred in 2021 for both services. That’s not to say the drops weren’t good, but there was a definite drop-off in quality. So far in 2021, SNES Online received third-party, lesser-known titles like Joe & Mac and Jelly Boy, while NES Online only received Fire ‘n Ice, Ninja JaJaMaru-kun and a challenge version of Super Mario Bros 3.
The N64 and Genesis services are launching with a killer library. On day one, players will have access to classics like Super Mario 64, Mario Kart 64, Streets of Rage 2, Castlevania: Bloodlines and Golden Axe. And while a slate of upcoming N64 titles, including Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards, Pokémon Snap and more, have been announced, that’s all that players know of. If the update schedules of NES and SNES Online are any indication, then the N64 and Genesis service updates could be few and far between.
Is Switch Online + Expansion Pack Worth The Money?
It’s important to remember that Expansion Pack is just that: an expansion. The standard Switch Online membership remains priced at $20 annually and still includes the NES Online and SNES Online services. That low cost has long been a huge appeal. Even with Nintendo’s admittedly lax online offerings, spending roughly as much as a large pizza on a year of access to a growing library of classic games wasn’t seen as that big a deal.
Expansion Pack comes with some pretty significant price hike, bringing the cost up to $50 annually. It may not seem like much, but that price jump now brings it more in line with services like PlayStation Plus, which offer better online, regular discounts on PlayStation Store purchases and a monthly selection of free games, often including AAA releases like Mortal Kombat X or Final Fantasy VII Remake. While the addition of N64 and Genesis Online are huge deals right out the gate, the real testament will be in seeing how often those services are updated down the road.
It may seem like a no-brainer for Animal Crossing fans, too, but the simple fact is that Happy Home Paradise‘s up-front $25 price tag may be significantly cheaper than paying another $30 a year to Nintendo. For gamers, the decision will be based on just how often they’ll play those classic N64 and Genesis games and if the library is significant enough. If there’s any doubt for you, you may honestly be better off skipping Expansion Pack for now.
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