Nintendo adds a quartet of SNES games to the Switch’s online catalog

A famous team-up from the 16bit age arrives for the Switch Online’s SNES catalog, plus three other rarely seen titles.

Tag team heroics

Nintendo dropped four more classic SNES games onto the Switch Online’s library last night, and it’s quite the oddball lot. The company calls the selection “eclectic”, and that’s pretty on target, with three games most fans have probably never played, and one iconic (and tough) tag team gem.

As you can see from the header image, the latter title is none other than Battletoads Double Dragon. An oddly named team-up title from Rare and published by Tradewest, the game hit the Super NES back in 1993 and wasn’t quite as tough as the legendary Battletoads. Well, it wasn’t as tough from what we remember anyway, but it was still a stiff challenge and brought together the two very different properties for some solid beat ’em up action.

Now, past that game, there aren’t any games on the list that you’re likely to be a huge fan of. Big Run is a racer, which actually looks pretty sharp, plus Cosmo Gang the Puzzle and uh… Kunio-kun no Dodgeball da yo Zen’in Shūgō!. So yeah, scroll down and have a look, then get to playing, as all of the above should be ready to roll right now.

• BATTLETOADS DOUBLE DRAGON – The warriors from Double Dragon joins forces with the toad-acious Battletoads trio to form the ultimate team in this 1993 beat-’em-up! Tussle with terrific twins Billy and Jimmy Lee as they team up with Zitz, Rash and Pimple to defend the Earth against the combined might of the Dark Queen and the Shadow Boss! Leap from the Battlecopter onto the tail of the Colossus spaceship and fight your way through beastly baddies and lethal objects using the Battletoads’ arsenal of Smash Hits or the Dragons’ array of Dragon Force Techniques – each provides incredible attacking combos, including kicks, punches, throws and more! You’ll also put your driving skills to the test with the Speeder Bike and high-speed Space Pod. How will this struggle for Earth’s future end?
• BIG RUN – Race across the vast landscape of Africa – from Tripoli to Dakar – over the course of nine stages in this racing game originally released for the Super Famicom^™ system in 1991. This monumental task isn’t only about putting pedal to the metal, though! First, you’ll need to select a sponsor and then use those funds to hire staff. Next, you’ll need some spare parts to replace tires and engines when they get damaged or worn out. The glory of victory awaits if you can combine precise tactics and bold driving to weather the brutal driving conditions that stand between you and your goal.
• COSMO GANG THE PUZZLE – The Cosmo Gang take on falling-block-style puzzles across three modes in this 1993 action-puzzle game that was originally for Super Famicom. Focus on clearing blocks to get the high score in 1P Mode, play competitive battles in VS Mode and put yourself to the test in 100 Stage Mode, where you can solve stage after stage of strategic challenges. In each of the modes, progress is made by removing containers and Cosmos that fall from the top of the screen. You can remove the containers by lining six up in a horizontal row — and Cosmos are removed when they touch the blue orbs that occasionally make their way down. Though the two types of blocks are cleared in different ways, try to see if you can perform a combo by clearing both types at once!
• Kunio-kun no Dodgeball da yo Zen’in Shūgō! – This sports game, released for the Super Famicom system in 1993, features Kunio-kun (who you may recognize from the River City series!) and his striking dodgeball moves. Take the field and square off against teams from various countries and employ a variety of jumps, passes and dynamic knockout shots as you aim to become the greatest dodgeball team in the world. Plus, each stage has hidden gimmicks to discover, so your matches may even take some unexpected turns! Build your ideal team, power up with in-game items and train your teammates to be the best they can be. Can you take the dodgeball championship by storm?