When the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription tier was first announced, audiences were skeptical. Nintendo’s online connectivity has never been a huge selling point, and the jump for individual buyers from $20/year to $50/year was substantial given it only includes a few extra perks like N64 and Sega Genesis libraries, as well as access toDLC forAnimal Crossing: New HorizonsandMario Kart 8 Deluxe. While people have concerns with certain ports, it is an inarguably nice perk to see games likeF-Zero Xcome out of the vault.
About one new N64 game has been added to the Expansion Pack each month since it launched in October 2021, includingThe Legend of Zelda: Majora’s MaskandPaper Mario. Friday, March 11 sawF-Zero Xadded to the service, which is a big deal for fans of the Nintendo racing series that doesn’t see a lot of love elsewhere. While many hope this is a sign for things to come, it is admittedly an odd choice for Nintendo given it had the perfect opportunity to advertise its upcomingKirby and the Forgotten Land.
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F-Zero X Returning is Great, But Not Huge
TheF-Zerofranchise is one of Nintendo’s most underutilized, with the last major release being 2004’sF-Zero Climax; a Japan-only Game Boy Advance title. Its legacy has been kept alive via Captain Falcon’s presence inSuper Smash Bros., and a number of tracks available inMario Kart 8are adaptations ofF-Zerotracks like Mute City. Beyond that,F-Zero Xon Nintendo Switch Onlineand prior Virtual Console launches are the majority of content fans have received in recent years.
The version ofF-Zero Xthat dropped last week does stand out thanks to its inclusion in Nintendo’s wider online service. Online multiplayer is available to every user, which wasn’t an option back on the original Nintendo 64.F-Zero Xadditionally comes with modes like Time Attack and Death Race, in which players win by destroying all of their opponents, which makes for better replayability as a more multiplayer-focused “party” game on Switch. Yet the return ofF-Zerolikely would have been better received if it came alongside a larger franchise revival akin toMetroid Dread.As of this writing, all fans have is a report suggesting an"ultra-realistic"F-Zerogame on Switch was rejected by Nintendo.
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Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards Would Have Been a Better March 2022 Game
There’s nothing to say new games being added to Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack have to tie-in with larger promotions; prior additions likeBanjo-KazooieandPaper Mariocertainly were not connected to modern releases likePaper Mario: The Origami King. One could say the same thing for Nintendo’s NES and SNES libraries, whichincorporated fan-favorites like theDonkey Kong Countrytrilogywithout a newer project to advertise.
Yet, the opportunity was there for Nintendo to addKirby 64: The Crystal Shardsas a way for fans to whet their whistles beforeKirby and the Forgotten Landlaunches on March 25. Given the general length of Kirby games it likely would not have run the risk of fans being too busy playingKirby 64to buyForgotten Land, and marketing opportunities go beyond them being of the same franchise. There are deeper connections betweenKirby 64andForgotten Land, such as the seeming return of copy ability mixtures as new “evolved” abilities and athrowback design for antagonist King Dedede.
Though there was ample opportunity for Nintendo to useKirby and the Forgotten Land’s release as a chance to offer historical context, there’s as much of an argument to be made thatF-Zero Xstands out as a multiplayer offering on the eve of Nintendo’s next big 3D platformer. Regardless,F-Zerocoming to Switch in any capacity is sure to be good news for fans, especially as3DS and Wii U eShops are shutting down. HopefullyF-Zero Xsparks enough interest to see further developments.
F-Zero Xis available now via Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack.
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