Nintendo shadow-drops Rare collection for Switch Online users

Nintendo today held its Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase, in which it announced several upcoming games for the Switch from its third-party partners. Near the end of the show, it announced that it was launching several retro Rare titles on its Nintendo Switch Online subscription service. All five games launch today for subscribers.

The five games include R.C. Pro-Am and Snake Rattle ‘n’ Roll for the NES, Killer Instinct and Battletoads in Battlemaniacs for the SNES and Blast Corps for the Nintendo 64. According to the trailer, the first four games are available to all Switch Online subscribers, while Blast Corps is available to those with the more expensive Expansion Pack subscription.

This isn’t the first time most of these games launched on modern consoles. Four are currently available in the Rare Replay Collection (Battletoads in Battlemaniacs being the exception), which is available on Xbox. However, they’re all new to the Switch.

Rachel Kaser

Rachel Kaser is a gaming and technology writer for from Dallas, Texas. She's been in the games industry since 2013, writing for various publications, and currently covers news for GamesBeat. Her favorite game is Bayonetta.