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Nintendo’s Switch Online service has become a better deal over time, offering more perks than just the ability to play games online. On top of getting access to SNES, NES, and Game Boy classics, and cloud save backups for most games, Nintendo announced that you’ll also be able to get discounted game vouchers that are cheaper than buying games at full price.
All subscribers can buy a two-pack of these vouchers for $99.98, and a huge range of first-party (in other words, typically discount-averse) Nintendo games are looped in. After the exciting February Nintendo Direct, some big hitters were added to the list of eligible games, including The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (normally $69.99 by itself), Pikmin 4, and Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp. (Sadly, Metroid Prime: Remastered is nowhere in sight.)
That’s on top of other highlights like Fire Emblem Engage, Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe, Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon, Metroid Dread, Splatoon 3, and Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Important note: You have to be a subscriber both to buy and use these vouchers.
It’s great that this list is more expansive than Nintendo’s first swing at this deal in 2019. But this perk could actually turn Switch Online into a must-have service because it allows you to pre-purchase up to four sets of vouchers (totaling eight games), and keep them for 12 months from the date of purchase. With $20 in savings with each pair of vouchers, buying four bundles will save you up to $80, assuming that each title normally costs $59.99. If you buy a lot of games, this is a smart way to save a little bit of money on every forthcoming purchase.
You can get a free seven-day trial for Switch Online here, and you can easily subscribe to the service directly from the Switch’s eShop (it costs $3.99 per month, $7.99 for three months, or $19.99 per year). However, you can purchase (or gift) a one-year subscription with a digital code via Best Buy for $19.99. With a family subscription that costs $34.99 per year, up to eight Switch accounts can reap the perks of Switch Online.
For players who want all the perks, access to GoldenEye 007 and other N64 and Sega Genesis games, and complimentary DLC for some Switch games like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, you’ll need Nintendo’s Switch Online plus the Expansion Pack tier, which costs $49.99 per year for one account, or $79.99 per year for a family subscription. Nintendo recently announced that Game Boy Advance games have arrived as a new perk, with more coming later this year.
Update (Feb. 9): Following Nintendo’s February 2023 Direct presentation, this article was updated to mention that new games, including The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Pikmin 4, and Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp are eligible for Switch Online game vouchers.
