The people who have been buying annual subscriptions to Nintendo Switch Online since launch will soon need to pay again to continue the service, which means that Nintendo might soon add more retro games to the app to entice fans to re-up their subs. The question now is what console will be added to Nintendo Switch Online next?
The Nintendo Switch Online service launched on September 18, 2018. A subscription for this service is required for playing games like Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate online. Nintendo Switch Online is considerably cheaper than the online passes required by its competition, and Nintendo has sweetened the deal by adding exclusive games like Tetris 99 to the service. Nintendo Switch Online launched with twenty NES games, and more were added over time.
One year after Nintendo Switch Online launched, Nintendo announced that 20 SNES games were coming to the service. At the time, this seemed like Nintendo's attempt at convincing people to re-up their subs, as the annual subs that were bought when the service launched were about to expire. The next batch of annual subs is due to expire this week, and there is speculation that Nintendo will add another console to the Switch Online service.
There has been a lot of speculation that the next console to come to Switch Online will be the Nintendo 64, as it was the next home console released by the company after the SNES. There is something getting in the way of N64 games, however, as Super Mario 3D All-Stars is due to be released this week, and that has a remastered version of Super Mario 64. An N64 collection wouldn't be complete without Super Mario 64. It's reasonable to think that Nintendo would hold off for another year before adding N64 games, with Super Mario 64 included.
It's possible that Nintendo GameCube games could be on the way, but you also have the problem of Super Mario Sunshine coming to Super Mario 3D All-Stars this week. It would require a lot more work to improve the visuals of the GameCube era of games to make them look passable on the Switch, and it feels like Nintendo would go through its older consoles first.
It seems more likely that Nintendo would go for its older handhelds for the next additions to the Switch Online service. The starting line-up could include Super Mario Land, Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins, Dr. Mario, Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3, Kirby's Dream Land, Super Mario Bros. Deluxe, and Metroid II: Return of Samus. The biggest draw would be getting the older Pokémon games on the system. If Switch Online added Pokémon Red & Blue and Pokémon Gold & Silver, with the ability to trade wirelessly with other players (as was the case was the 3DS versions of the game), then it would be a huge incentive to pay for another year.
I would also be nice to see Game Boy Advance games come to Switch Online at the same time for a more complete package, like Mario Kart: Super Circuit, the Super Mario Advance games, The Legend of Zelda: Minish Cap, the Golden Sun games, Metroid Fusion, Metroid Zero: Mission, F-Zero: Maximum Velocity, and Warioware, Inc: Mega Minigames. The GBA Pokémon games would also be a huge draw, assuming The Pokémon Company can be brought on board.
The Switch Online service has taken a lot of flak in the past, especially for the performance of games like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, but the low price point and library of retro games and Tetris 99 mean that it's a worthwhile investment for many. Nintendo needs to keep adding more games if it wants to avoid people letting their subscriptions expire, and a killer library of classic handheld games could do the trick, assuming it isn't banking on Mario 35 bringing in the crowds.