All you need to know about the Nintendo Switch Online

This is an important year in the history of Nintendo. In 2018, Nintendo finally realized that the Internet existed. Nintendo is the last of the big three to create an online pain service, and it has just launched on the switch. The new Switch Online service will cost you $ 20 a year and includes features such as online gaming, cloud backups and a selection of classic games. You may think that you already had some and you would be right. That's what makes Switch Online a tricky business for Nintendo, but that's the way it works today.

If you had any illusions by stealthily avoiding the system update that activates Switch Online, think again. Attempting to access online game features that require a subscription triggers an error asking you to update your console. Fortunately, the update is fast and painless. If your device has been plugged in, it probably has already downloaded the v6.0 update. It only takes a minute to restart and install. However, make sure that the right Nintendo account is linked to your console – the online content will now be linked to this account and can not be modified.

Nothing will look immediately different once you get the latest firmware. However, most games with online components will require Switch Online. You will be asked to sign up for the service when you try to access these features. Titles like Splatoon 2, Mario Tennis Aces and Mario Kart 8 do it all.

Okay, so sign up for Switch Online – you have several options. There is a new section in the eShop for Switch Online subscriptions, so go first. The most cost-effective way is to reduce $ 20 per year of service. You can also get a single month for $ 3.99 or three months for $ 7.99. There is also an annual family plan for multiple accounts at $ 34.99. You can dive directly with a subscription or enjoy a free 7 day trial to try it out.

Unfortunately, Nintendo's cloud backups will not work with all games – for example, Splatoon 2. For games that support cloud backups, downloads are automatically done in the background. You can see the status of your cloud save in the system settings, plus there is an option to manually back up your old backups to the cloud. However, you can not let your Nintendo subscription expire. Unlike Sony and Microsoft, Nintendo will allow you to save your backups in the cloud if you cancel Switch Online.

The online game is transparent and works more or less as before. That means you still have to manage Nintendo's clumsy friend codes. Yuck. Switch Online adds voice chat, but it is linked to a smartphone app rather than the console itself. Again, it's clumsy and strange.

Many switch owners have made fun of paying for a limited set of features. So, Nintendo softens the pot with a package of classic games. There is a new NES gaming customer in the eShop, and anyone can download it. However, this will only work if you have a Switch Online subscription. The customer must also register online each week to make sure your account is still active.

At launch, the NES hub includes games like Super Mario Bros. 3, The Legend of Zelda and Double Dragon. There are about 20 games right now, and others will come to the hub each month. Later this year, Nintendo will add titles such as Solomon's Metroid, Ninja Gaiden and Key. These games run the same way as usual, but there are some improvements to multiplayer: you can play with a friend online and there are some new mechanisms in some games. You can also save the states of the games and reload them later. Nintendo also proposes to offer you NES type controllers with your subscription.

Nintendo will not go back, so you will have to get used to spending $ 20 a year to use your switch with online features. There are certainly benefits like cloud backups and the NES hub, but now everyone needs it. You can manage without Switch Online at the moment, but Nintendo will probably make it more difficult over time.

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