Nintendo’s Virtual NES/SNES expand with 4 more games

A quartet of new games are making their way to the Nintendo Switch’s subscriber-exclusive NES and SNES this month.

Expanding the library

The Switch’s online service isn’t too bad honestly. For one thing, it’s cheap. But past that, it’s a decent service (voice-support notwithstanding) and it offers some free classic games to play.

These aren’t exactly the same caliber of stuff that you can find for “free” on the Xbox and PlayStation, but they come with the sub, and really who’s gonna argue? Some of them are legit classics too, like SMB3 and Zelda II.

This month’s selection… well it’s not what I’d call jam-packed with icons. In fact, all four of the games hitting the service are pretty niche.

Super NES

• Pop’n TwinBee – The sixth game in the TwinBee series, this vertically scrolling shooter takes place in a cute, poppy setting. TwinBee and WinBee hear that the great Dr. Murdock has lost his wits, so they set off to return him to his normal self. This game was originally released in Japan and Europe in 1993, but this will be its first release in the U.S.
• Smash Tennis – In Smash Tennis, the controls may be simple, but there’s plenty of room for skill! With strong shots, weak shots, lobs and eight different court types, you can develop all sorts of approaches, unlocking the deep strategies of tennis. This game was originally released in Japan in 1993 and Europe in 1994, but this will be its first release in the U.S.

NES

• Shadow of the Ninja – In the midst of disorder and oppression, two shadow warriors rise to the people’s cry for help. Choose to play as one of two ninja masters from the Iga clan as they infiltrate enemy front lines. Master tactics of stealth as you acquire additional weapons and power-ups in order to overthrow an evil emperor and destroy his wicked empire, solo or with a friend.
• Eliminator Boat Duel – In this powerboat racing game, get behind the wheel of one of the fastest machines on the water to earn boatloads of in-game cash. Drivers earn thousands of dollars for competing, and you’ll use your winnings to repair and upgrade your boat to push your competitive edge to its maximum. A little aggression goes a long way – just try not to get sunk yourself, or you’ll be swimming back to dry land.

Yeah, not the biggest of names. One kind of cool thing though, is that the two SNES games have never seen a western release. During their original launches, both were limited to the Japanese market. So it’s neat that they’re finally getting out there to the rest of the globe.

If you’d like to play ’em, or the two NES games, then February 19th is the magical day. All four will arrive and be playable for subscribers then.