The Nintendo Switch Online service has remained largely unchanged since its launch in 2018. That changed in October 2021, when Nintendo introduced the service’s Expansion Pack.
Nintendo Switch Online, for those unfamiliar, is a paid subscription service available for the Nintendo Switch console. It gives you access to online multiplayer, cloud backup for your save data, and a selection of classic NES and SNES games, among other things.
Everything from the regular Switch Online subscription is included in the Expansion Pack, plus some extra perks. It’s accessible as a separate subscription, which means the fundamental Switch Online service remains intact.
There are three key advantages of upgrading to the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack (its actual name):
- The Nintendo 64 Switch is an online app that lets you to play a variety of vintage Nintendo 64 games online.
- The Switch Online Sega Genesis also offers a selection of Genesis/Mega Drive games.
- Animal Crossing: New Perspectives Happy expansion of Home Paradise!
The Switch Online Expansion Pack is only available as an annual membership; there’s no option to pay monthly like the base plan. Subscribing to the Expansion Pack costs $49.99 for 12 months, compared to $19.99/year for the regular subscription.
Like the standard Switch Online plan, you can also subscribe to the Expansion Pack using a family membership. The membership comes at a cost of $79.99 for 12 months. With this package, you will enjoy up to eight Nintendo accounts. Thankfully, it is possible to share a Switch Online subscription with loved ones that live in a different address than yours.
The Switch Online Expansion Pack is only offered as an annual membership. It lacks the feature to pay monthly as is the case with the base plan. The Expansion Pack goes for $49.99 for a 12-month subscription, compared to $19.99 for a basic subscription.
A family membership can also be used to subscribe to the Expansion Pack, much like the normal Switch Online subscription. This costs $79.99 for a year and can be shared among up to eight Nintendo accounts.