Written by Matthew Whitaker

With the Nintendo Switch 2 video game system on the horizon, access to much of Nintendo’s beloved back-catalog will be available on launch day through the Nintendo Classics service. This service is included as part of your Nintendo Switch Online membership; other systems are included for subscribers to the Expansion Pack version of the plan.

The Nintendo Classics service gives you access to NES, SNES, Nintendo 64, GameBoy, GameBoy Advance, and Nintendo GameCube games on your Nintendo Switch 2 system. The classic games offer enhanced resolution, online multiplayer, and Game Chat support.

While much of Nintendo’s game library is included in Nintendo Classics, several games are not yet part of the lineup. New games are added to the catalog approximately every month, so there’s a great deal to anticipate.

Here are five of the most-anticipated games:

1. Super Smash Bros. (Nintendo 64)

Image via Nintendo 
Believe it or not, the original Super Smash Bros. game has not been re-released since the Wii system through the now-defunct Virtual Console service. This game is an absolute classic and an important piece of video game history, showing how the juggernaut Super Smash Bros. series got its start. As a young child, I used to play this game all the time with my brother and cousins, being one of the first video games I ever owned. While its playable character roster and stage list are downright puny compared to the gargantuan Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, the game is still a blast to play and a huge nostalgia trip. Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 64 even has some exclusive content that never returned in later entries, like the Board The Platforms bonus mode!

2. Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land (GameBoy Advance)

Image via Nintendo

Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land is a remake of Kirby’s Adventure for the NES. It’s a huge upgrade that turns Kirby’s first and biggest adventure into something anyone can enjoy. Vastly improved visuals, sound, controls, and a ton of bonus content makes this one of Kirby’s best outings. This version features 4-player multiplayer, a match made in Dream Land for Nintendo Classics’ online multiplayer, and Game Chat support. It is a great addition for faraway friends who want to play cooperatively just the way they did in the 2000s with a GameBoy Advance Link Cable.

3. Super Mario Sunshine (Nintendo GameCube)

Image via Nintendo

This is coming soon to the Nintendo Classics service on the Nintendo Switch 2, but it can’t get here soon enough!

Super Mario Sunshine is the perfect summertime game. Set on the vacation paradise of Isle Delfino, this game is pure joy from June to August! I have countless memories of playing this on vacation with my brother. We felt exactly as if we were on the Isle Delfino. Super Mario Sunshine is certainly less polished and more difficult than other Mario platformers, but it’s definitely the most soulful of the red plumber’s whole series.

I’m hoping this one comes to the Nintendo Classics service by August at the latest!

4. Conker’s Bad Fur Day (Nintendo 64)

Image via Microsoft

Take Note, Folks:  This game is NOT family-friendly in any way, shape, or form.

While Conker’s Bad Fur Day looks like an innocent 3D platformer, the game stars a drunken squirrel who is just trying to get home after partying a bit too much the night before. What ensues is an inappropriate comedy misadventure that ranges from helping a divorced honeybee “pollinate” a local flower to fighting an opera-singing pile of feces. It’s a laugh-fest – my brother and I played the game in high school and it was always a hoot – but definitely not for kids!

Nintendo has published other mature Nintendo 64 games for its Classics service, so it’s likely this game will join the lineup sooner than later.

5. Mario Kart: Double Dash!! (Nintendo GameCube)

This is by far the most unique Mario Kart game of them all, offering the unique feature of two-man karts. Two players can team up, with one driving the kart while the other handles throwing items, being able to switch roles at almost any time. With 16 of the most memorable tracks in the series, a huge character roster to combine in pairs, and an expansive battle mode with fan-favorite rulesets like Shine Thief and Bob-omb Blast, this game is one of the biggest highlights of the Mario Kart series. Similar to Super Mario Sunshine, this one has a huge amount of personality, featuring a horn-filled soundtrack, wonderful visuals, and lively character animation. The biggest plus of having this on the Nintendo Classics service would be the ability to play online multiplayer with friends across the world!

Plenty of games can be added to the Nintendo Classics service to further expand the fun players can have on Nintendo Switch 2. Drawing from a catalog of NES, SNES, Nintendo 64, GameBoy, GameBoy Advance, and Nintendo GameCube games ensures that players across generations can return to the games they love for years to come.

Features like online multiplayer and Game Chat spice up the fun that can be had with these classic games, connecting players across the entire globe. Overall, the future of the Nintendo Classics service looks bright, bringing joy to players across the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 systems.