What Nintendo offers and who pays what

Nintendo offers two subscription tiers for Switch owners: Nintendo Switch Online and Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack. The base plan costs $20 per year or $4 per month and covers online multiplayer, cloud saves, and access to a library of classic NES and SNES games. The Expansion Pack costs $50 per year or $10 per month and includes everything in the base plan plus Nintendo 64 games, Sega Genesis games, Game Boy games, and access to DLC for certain games like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

Both plans renew automatically unless you cancel. You can switch between tiers at any time, and if you downgrade mid-cycle, you keep access to Expansion Pack content until your current billing period ends. Nintendo also offers a family plan for $50 per year (base) or $80 per year (Expansion Pack) that covers up to eight accounts on one console or linked accounts across multiple consoles.

Key Takeaways

  • Nintendo Switch Online base plan ($20/year or $4/month) gives you online multiplayer and cloud saves, plus access to NES and SNES games.
  • The Expansion Pack ($50/year or $10/month) adds Nintendo 64, Sega Genesis, and Game Boy titles, plus DLC access for select games.
  • Family plans cover up to eight accounts for $50/year (base) or $80/year (Expansion Pack), whether on one console or multiple linked consoles.
  • Both plans renew automatically, and you can cancel or downgrade anytime without penalty.
  • You do not own the games in either library — access ends when your subscription ends.

Online multiplayer and cloud saves on the base plan

The base Nintendo Switch Online plan is required to play online multiplayer in most games. This includes Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Splatoon 3, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and most third-party online titles. Some games like Fortnite and Pokémon Unite allow free online play without a subscription, but these are exceptions.

Cloud saves are also part of the base plan. When you enable cloud backup for a game, your save file uploads to Nintendo's servers automatically. If your console breaks or you get a new one, you can read your saves on another Switch. Not all games support cloud saves — Nintendo publishes a list on its website of which titles are excluded, mostly games that use local multiplayer or have always-online requirements.

Classic game libraries: what comes with each tier

The base plan includes a rotating library of NES and SNES games. Nintendo adds new titles periodically, but the full list changes — some games are removed and others added. Current offerings include Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, Donkey Kong Country, and Kirby Super Star, but the exact catalog varies by region and changes over time.

The Expansion Pack adds three more libraries: Nintendo 64 games (like Super Mario 64, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and Mario Kart 64), Sega Genesis titles (Sonic the Hedgehog, Altered Beast, Phantasy Star), and Game Boy games (Tetris, The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, Metroid II). Like the NES and SNES libraries, these rotate — Nintendo does not may provide any specific game will remain available forever.

These are emulated versions, not the original cartridges. They run on your Switch and include save states, rewind features, and online multiplayer for some titles. You cannot read them permanently; access ends when your subscription ends.

DLC and game-specific content included in Expansion Pack

The Expansion Pack includes DLC for a limited set of games. The main titles are Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (all 48 DLC tracks), Animal Crossing: New Horizons (the Happy Home Paradise DLC), and Splatoon 3 (certain cosmetic items). Nintendo has not announced plans to add more games to this list, so check the official site to see if your game is included before purchasing.

This DLC is only available while your subscription is active. If you downgrade to the base plan or let your subscription lapse, you lose access to the DLC content when ready, though your game progress and non-DLC items remain on your console.

Family plans and how they work across multiple consoles

The family plan covers up to eight accounts and costs $50 per year for the base tier or $80 per year for the Expansion Pack. All eight accounts get the same level of service — you cannot mix base and Expansion Pack access within one family plan.

On a single console, you can create up to eight user profiles, and all of them get subscription benefits. Across multiple consoles, you can link accounts to a family group, and each linked account gets access on their own console. The account that purchased the plan does not need to be the one using it, so parents can buy the plan and children can use it on their own profiles or consoles.

If someone leaves the family group, they lose access to the subscription when ready. The person who paid for the plan can manage the group and remove members anytime.

Billing, cancellation, and switching between plans

Monthly plans ($4 base, $10 Expansion Pack) renew on the same date each month. Annual plans ($20 base, $50 Expansion Pack) renew on the anniversary of your purchase. You can cancel anytime through your Nintendo Account settings on the Switch or online — cancellation takes effect at the end of your current billing period, and you keep access until then.

If you upgrade from base to Expansion Pack mid-cycle, Nintendo charges you the difference for the remaining time. If you downgrade, you keep Expansion Pack access until your current period ends, then switch to base at renewal. There is no refund for downgrading early.

You can also pause your subscription for up to three months without canceling, which keeps your account active but stops billing. After the pause ends, billing resumes automatically unless you cancel instead.

What you need to know about game availability and account requirements

The classic game libraries are not permanent. Nintendo removes and adds titles based on licensing agreements, and there is no way to predict which games will stay or go. If you want to keep a specific game long-term, you may need to buy it separately as a standalone title on the eShop.

You need a Nintendo Account to use the subscription. This is free to create and separate from your Switch profile. If you share a console with family members, each person can have their own profile, but only one account needs to own the subscription for everyone to benefit (on that console).

The subscription is tied to your Nintendo Account, not your console. If you get a new Switch, you can sign in with the same account and keep your subscription active. If you sell your console, make sure to deactivate your account on it so the new owner cannot access your subscription.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need Nintendo Switch Online to play single-player games?

No. The subscription is only required for online multiplayer, cloud saves, and access to the classic game libraries. You can play all single-player games on your Switch without any subscription.

Can I use the same subscription on two different consoles?

Yes, if you use the family plan or link your account across consoles. With the individual plan, you can sign in on another console, but only the primary console (the one where you set your account as primary) lets other users on that console access your subscription. On a secondary console, only your account gets the benefits.

What happens to my save files if my subscription expires?

Your local save files stay on your console. Cloud saves are deleted 180 days after your subscription ends. If you resubscribe within that window, your cloud saves are still there. After 180 days, they are permanently deleted.

Can I get a refund if I change my mind about the subscription?

Nintendo does not offer refunds for subscriptions. You can cancel anytime and keep access through the end of your billing period, but you will not get money back for unused time. Monthly plans give you more flexibility to cancel if you want to test the service short-term.

Are the classic games the same as the originals?

They are emulated versions, not the original cartridges. They include modern features like save states, rewind, and online multiplayer for some titles. The gameplay is the same, but the experience is slightly different from playing on original hardware.