A Nintendo Online upgrade may allow users to play classic Nintendo 64 games on the Nintendo Switch. Additionally, there are rumors that Nintendo is currently rebuilding the N64 controller for the Switch.
This is according to NateDrake, who claims to be a Nintendo insider, and in his latest podcast episode he speculates that Nintendo Switch Online may support N64 games in the near future. This is in line with a recent Eurogamer report that "other retro platforms" could be coming to the Switch. NateDrake has also previously claimed that Game Boy games will also appear on the Switch.
We are eager for Nintendo to bring more retro games to the Switch, especially N64 games, which can be difficult to make work on modern TVs without stepping into the somewhat gray area of emulation. So NateDrake's tip is good news... Well, almost.
The tipster claims that Switch-based N64 retro games may incur additional fees, and that Nintendo may increase the pricing of the subscription service from the current $19.99 to "$30 per year, capped at $35."
According to Nate Drake, N64 games could be coming to the Nintendo Switch by the end of this year, meaning that users could enjoy the updated service on the new Nintendo Switch OLED by March 31, 2022.
For obvious reasons, there is no confirmation as to what N64 games will be playable. However, if Nintendo is correct, we may be able to once again play such 90s classics as "The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time" and "Goldeneye 007."
And there could be even more retro fun to be had on the Switch, along with N64 games. Documents recently filed with the Federal Communications Commission also suggest that Nintendo may be developing an upgraded version of the N64 controller, codenamed "HAC-043."
As evidenced by the "HAC" portion of the codename, there is good reason to believe that this new device will be compatible with the Nintendo Switch. These three letters are currently used on all Nintendo Switch products, and the console itself appears to be called "HAC-001."
Just last year, Nintendo announced an official SNES controller codenamed "HAC-042," and it is very possible that "HAC-043" could mean the arrival of another retro controller. It is also quite possible that this controller will be announced at the same time that N64 games are added to Nintendo Switch Online.
Not much is known about the purported new Nintendo device; the Video Games Chronicle reports that apparently Nintendo "previously requested confidentiality when submitting new controller designs to the FCC."
Interestingly, when Nintendo submitted its application for the SNES controller in 2019, it included a diagram showing the device's shape. However, for this upcoming controller, Nintendo chose to include a simpler rectangular diagram, presumably to avoid revealing too much. Still, the diagram hints that the device will feature the classic N64 controller's signature elongated thin logo on the front.
At this stage, it is difficult to predict whether N64 games will make an appearance on the Nintendoswitch anytime soon, if indeed they will. If it does come to fruition, we will keep you updated as the latest information becomes available.
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