Nintendo Switch Online Gave Us 8-Bit Excitement – NSO Roundup November 2025
In November, Nintendo Switch Online decided to send some love to the 8-bit world of gaming. Instead of adding games to their more expensive Expansion Pack collections, Nintendo focused on the NES and the Game Boy, adding two games for each system. However, are the games any good? Let’s find out.
Battletoads
The SNES Battletoads games were added to Nintendo Switch Online a while back, but the NES Battletoads is the most famous game in the series – mainly for its insane difficulty. Seriously, get used to dying from spikes, high-speed crashes, and more. Still, the game has some of the most detailed, cartoony graphics on the NES and great music. There’s also a large variety of gameplay mechanics to keep things fresh and interesting. Those who want an awesome challenge need to play this game.
Bionic Commando (Game Boy)
The Game Boy version of Bionic Commando has scaled-down monochrome graphics, of course, but it maintains the core gameplay of the original. The gimmick in the Bionic Commando games is that you can’t jump – instead, you must use your bionic arm’s grappler to get to higher platforms and swing across gaps. The grappler takes some time to master, and I had difficulty getting used to it. Still, those who don’t mind the learning curve should enjoy this game.
Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters
This is the Game Boy sequel to the NES cult classic, Kid Icarus. Once again, you take on the role of Pit the angel, and you journey into the underworld to save Angel Land. The gameplay is the same as the original. Armed with your trusty angel bow, you explore, discover secrets, and fight enemies. Also, watch out for the pots that will dump snakes on you. Seriously, those pots are everywhere.
Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos
In the NES sequel to Ninja Gaiden, Ryu must take on a mysterious foe to save his girlfriend Irene – and the whole world. Like the original, the sequel features impressive graphical cutscenes that tell a real story. There are new power-ups, such as a shadow power-up that creates a double of you. Unfortunately, there are also weather hazards such as wind and ice, which add to the already-high difficulty. Still, this is a worthy sequel.
Nintendo Switch Online Gave Us Some 8-Bit Goodness!
All of the games we got on Nintendo Switch Online this month are high-quality and should provide loads of fun, even with some insane difficulty. You don’t even need the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack to enjoy these games. So, take advantage of Nintendo Switch Online’s save states and rewind feature and go beat Battletoads!
