If you were ever tempted to play Japanese exclusives on iconic Nintendo consoles like Game Boy, NES, and Super NES, the latest monthly update for Nintendo Switch Online is going to make you very happy.
Nintendo’s subscription-based service will now include four new games, three of which were once region-locked to Japan. Nintendo shared the joyous news in a trailer on Sept. 6, which teased the gameplay of each of these titles.
- Kirby’s Star Stacker
- Quest for Camelot
- Downtown Nekketsu March: Super Awesome Field Day!
- Joy Mech Fight
If you’re wondering, Kirby’s Star Stacker, Downtown Nekketsu March: Super Awesome Field Day!, and Joy Mech Fight were originally exclusively released in Japan. The games also never received an English translation. So, don’t be surprised if you see a bit of Japanese; you get to experience nostalgia in its purest, untranslated form. Also, the UI is pretty apparent, so don’t worry about having to learn Japanese.
The pixelated action sports hit, Downtown Nekketsu March was originally launched in 1990 for the Japan-exclusive Nintendo console Famicom, which was later redesigned into the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) to be sold in countries outside of Japan.
Like Downtown Nekketsu March, Joy Mech Fight was also originally launched on the Famicom console in 1993, garnering massive popularity for its funky mechs and extremely fun visuals and fighting styles.
A spinoff to the mainline series, Kirby’s Star Stacker was originally launched for the Super Famicom (SNES), but a remake of it made it to the Game Boy console later. So, this isn’t its first Western release.
Last but not least, Quest for Camelot is the only one in this lot that was originally released in the West and Japan. It’s a 2D action RPG developed for the Game Boy and was first launched in 1998.
You can play all these games and several other evergreen NES, SNES, and Game Boy titles for free, as well as enjoy online play and cloud saves—if you are subscribed to Nintendo Switch Online for $19.99 a year ($39.99 a year for a family subscription).
