- Nintendo announced three more free SNES and NES games for Nintendo Switch Online subscribers.
- Donkey Kong Country, Natsume Championship Wrestling, and The Immortal will be free on July 15th.
- You need an active Switch Online subscription to play the free classic games.
There’s seemingly no rhyme or reason to the timing of Nintendo’s additions to its library of classic games for Switch Online subscribers, but three new games are being added this month after a two-month hiatus. The highlight of the July additions is undoubtedly Donkey Kong Country, which was one of the best platformers ever released for the Super Nintendo and helped put developer Rare on the map before they heyday of the N64.
It’s a good thing that Nintendo picked such an spectacular headliner, because the other games being added to the selection of free games this month are the deepest of deep cuts. On the SNES, Natsume Championship Wrestling is an unlicensed wrestling game based on a conversion of a licensed wrestling game released in Japan. As for the NES, subscribers are getting The Immortal, which is a dark fantasy adventure game that was made for the fifth-generation Apple II. Why we’re getting these instead of the sequels to Donkey Kong Country is a mystery.
Following the release of Animal Crossing: New Horizons in March, Nintendo has let Sony and Microsoft dominate the headlines with news about their next-generation consoles, but, in case anyone at Nintendo is reading this, one way to get our attention would be to bring N64 games to Nintendo Switch Online. Just a thought.
Here’s the complete lineup of free NES and SNES games coming to Nintendo Switch Online on July 15th:
SNES Games
- Donkey Kong Country – Armed with chest-pounding muscle, mighty barrel rolls and awesome vine-swinging skills, Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong set out to face their adversaries, K. Rool and his reptilian crew of Kremlings. Play solo, compete with a friend or play cooperatively in over 100 levels filled with collectibles and hidden bonus levels.
- Natsume Championship Wrestling– Choose from 12 outrageous wrestlers and bring the pain! With a robust grappling system and over 50 moves to master, experience the most realistic wrestling action of the 16-bit era. Test your might against the AI, or up to two players can compete in exhibition, tag team and round robin matches.
NES Games
- The Immortal – Grab your Wizard’s Pack and let your quest unfold as you explore the Labyrinth of Eternity. Delve into the dungeon’s depths to uncover the mysteries of the ancient ruins. Your teacher Mordamir awaits below!
There are a variety of payment schemes for Nintendo Switch Online: $3.99 for one month, $7.99 for three months, or $19.99 for a year. There’s also a family plan that costs $34.99, but can support up to 8 Nintendo Accounts. If you want to try it out before you commit to paying, there’s a 7-day free trial as well.
