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00:07Nintendo Switch Online has a lot of gaming's greatest classics and narrowing it down to the
00:1320 best was no small task. Welcome to MojoPlays and today we're looking at the very best of what
00:19Nintendo Switch Online has to offer.
00:30But before we dive in, we publish new content all week long, so be sure to subscribe and ring the
00:35bell to get notified about our latest videos.
00:39Mario Kart 64
00:48Until Nintendo decides to add Double Dash to the GameCube collection, Mario Kart 64 is the best option for players
00:55looking to experience the franchise's roots.
00:57And it's easy to see why it became such a multiplayer juggernaut in the N64's heyday.
01:02It was a strong step up from the Super Nintendo original with more dynamically styled tracks and a bit more
01:07chaos that the series would continuously build off of.
01:10Not only is it still fun to go for gold in all the Grand Prix's, but the battle mode holds
01:15up as well.
01:15And it's one of many retro games that comes updated with online multiplayer.
01:24Fire Emblem Path of Radiance
01:35Although GameCube games are only available online for the Switch 2 and the collection got off to a bit of
01:41a slow start, there are still some excellent games there.
01:44Fire Emblem Path of Radiance introduces future Smash mainstay Ike, a rookie mercenary trying to restore the last heir of
01:51a fallen nation.
01:52It's a strong, middle entry in the series, with several firsts like 3D graphics and voice acting, yet still with
01:58the threat of permadeath should one of your party members fall in battle.
02:02What makes it a special entry, and one worthy of upholding two decades on, is how it handles the racial
02:07divide between the human Bjork and the Laguz, a species of shapeshifters, both throughout the narrative, as well as within
02:14your party.
02:23Gunstar Heroes
02:33To fans of shoot-'em-up games, Treasure is a top-tier developer.
02:37Thankfully, Nintendo Switch Online has its very first game, and it is still an absolute blast.
02:43Released for the Sega Genesis in 1993, Gunstar Heroes has you going up against an evil empire with plenty of
02:49frantic, destructive bullet types to pick up along the way.
02:52It's a run-and-gunner high point of the 16-bit era, with action-packed screens and over-the-top
02:57bosses.
02:58Gunstar Heroes moves like a finely-tuned machine, with you blasting through with havoc alongside it.
03:04It's still a joy to play today, while also being a historically significant stepping stone in the action genre that
03:10would influence others for years to come.
03:30There are actually a ton of Kirby games available through Switch Online across multiple platforms.
03:37Yet, Kirby Superstar remains a fan-favorite and a genuine classic.
03:41It stands out from many others in the series, being a collection of seven games and two minigames.
03:47Although each individual part is shorter than a typical Kirby game, that doesn't mean they aren't complete experiences.
03:53Far from it.
03:54From the Metroidvania-like Great Cave Offensive to the frantic and fun gourmet race to Revenge of Meta Knight with
04:01an actual story,
04:02Kirby Superstar consistently delivers on fun gameplay spread throughout varied modes.
04:07Now, if only Nintendo could add a DS collection so we can play the remake.
04:18Golden Sun
04:28One of the best games in the Game Boy Advance collection, and the start of an all-too-short-lived
04:33JRPG series under Nintendo's umbrella.
04:36Golden Sun takes place in the land of Wayward, where alchemy was sealed away long ago due to being a
04:42potentially dangerous force.
04:44The story follows Isaac and his magically adept friends trying to stop evil forces from unleashing alchemy onto the world.
04:50For a handheld system, Golden Sun was highly impressive for the time, with richly detailed characters and worldbuilding, and a
04:57quick-paced battle system.
04:59It all still holds up well today, and makes us wonder why Camelot has only been allowed to develop Mario
05:04sports games since the series was last seen in 2010.
05:17Paper Mario
05:26Speaking of Mario, the first installment of Paper Mario is also available on Nintendo Switch Online, and it's another fantastic
05:33RPG through the service.
05:34The setup is simple. Bowser once again kidnaps Princess Peach and takes over her castle, but has this time imprisoned
05:41Star Spirits, which Mario must rescue.
05:43The Papercraft art style is still as remarkable now as it was then, with endlessly charming visual flares peppered throughout
05:50the adventure.
05:51Mario's companions shine with diverse personalities and abilities in and out of combat, which is simple enough for RPG newcomers
05:58while remaining fun and varied for everyone to enjoy.
06:01All that to say, it's an incredibly strong foundation for the spin-off series.
06:13Tetris
06:20Yes, the simple, addictive, groundbreaking Tetris most definitely deserves to be here.
06:25It helped launch the Game Boy into the stratosphere, giving players the divine satisfaction of beating their best records at
06:32how fast they could delete rows of blocks.
06:33As one of the most influential puzzle games of all time, Nintendo Switch Online features Tetris Roots on the Game
06:39Boy, as well as the home launch on the NES.
06:42As fun as these two versions still are, there are also other ways to play.
06:47There's Tetris DX on the Game Boy Color, which comes with additional modes, or there's Tetris 99, the Battle Royale
06:54spin on the series released in 2019, which still regularly receives themed events tied to new game releases.
07:17There have been incredible platformers throughout Nintendo's long history, but few match the charm and downright silliness of Banjo-Kazooie.
07:27It follows the dim-witted Banjo and the wise-cracking Kazooie, who must venture into a witch's lair to rescue
07:33Banjo's sister.
07:34Across the bear and bird's first adventure, developer Rare filled their game with goofy cartoon characters, inventive mechanics, and imaginative
07:42levels that rivaled Nintendo's own Super Mario 64, released two years prior.
07:46Every moment bursts with joy and color, and it remains a highlight of Nintendo and Rare's partnership, as does the
07:54sequel Banjo-Tooie, which is also available on the service.
07:58With games these good, it's easy to see why we all keep clinging on to the hope that the series
08:03might someday return.
08:09EarthBound
08:17Underappreciated at the time of its release, at least in the West, EarthBound went on to gain a strong cult
08:23following, which it very much deserves.
08:24It follows a young boy named Ness, another made more popular by his inclusion in Smash, who travels the world
08:30with his new friends using powerful psychic abilities to stop the world-ending threat, the alien Giygas.
08:36With an odd sense of humor focusing on Western culture viewed through a Japanese lens, the quirky writing carries you
08:42along while still maintaining the seriousness of the overall plot.
08:46Despite being as old as it is, EarthBound retains a uniqueness not found anywhere else, so it's a good thing
08:53Nintendo keeps releasing it digitally, despite its initial poor launch.
09:02Sonic the Hedgehog 2
09:04The original Sonic the Hedgehog was already a marvel, and yet, Sega
09:16took a huge step forward in scope with its sequel.
09:19Levels were grander this time around, enticing players to speed through countless exhilarating obstacles while narrowly avoiding their traps.
09:27We were introduced to Tails, Sonic's trusty sidekick whose hover ability made the player two-spot actually feel different.
09:33And, as usual, the Switch Online version supports local and online multiplayer.
09:38Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is not only one of the best games you can play through the Switch Online service,
09:42it's one of the finest video game sequels of the 16-bit era, and a key example of why Sega
09:48was able to rival Nintendo for a short time.
09:58GoldenEye 007
10:06As the third best-selling game on the Nintendo 64, most players who owned the system have incredibly fond memories
10:13of GoldenEye 007.
10:15The single-player campaign was a thrilling recreation of Pierce Brosnan's first big-string outing as Bond,
10:21on top of being a significant step forward for first-person shooters on console, which previously appeared more commonly on
10:27PC.
10:28What the game is most cherished for, of course, is its multiplayer.
10:32Thanks to fun, spacious maps, a ton of great weaponry, a variety of customization options,
10:38and the option of up to four players, which was a big deal at the time,
10:41GoldenEye became one of the key multiplayer games on the platform, which it can still be enjoyed as today on
10:47Switch.
10:55The Legend of Zelda The Wind Waker
11:09Obviously, if this list were purely subjective, I'd put just about every Zelda game on it,
11:14but then it wouldn't be a very interesting list.
11:17That being said, The Wind Waker is one that cannot be ignored.
11:20Set on the islands of a flooded Hyrule, it follows Link out to save his kidnapped sister,
11:25and stop a returned Ganondorf from wreaking havoc on the world.
11:28From the stunning visuals, somehow controversial at the time of release, yet which remain fantastic today,
11:34to some of the strongest written supporting characters in the series, Wind Waker shines.
11:39That's not to mention its truly incredible music, some clever new items,
11:43and a whole ocean of puzzles, dangers, and treasure to seek out.
11:55Donkey Kong Country
12:04The last game of Rare and Nintendo's partnership we'll talk about today,
12:08Donkey Kong Country brought the franchise back in glorious fashion.
12:11The pre-rendered visuals were clearly unlike anything else on the Super Nintendo.
12:16Every level and character was lovingly crafted with detail and expression.
12:20Those levels were also incredibly well designed,
12:23from the densely packed jungles, to those precarious mines, to deep, deadly waters.
12:29Every bit of it is a blast to play through,
12:31and accompanied by one of the greatest soundtracks the system ever saw.
12:35This game was so good that it spawned two sequels,
12:38supporting the console deep into the next generation.
12:41And thankfully, all three are available on Nintendo Switch Online.
12:51F-Zero GX
13:01The GameCube installment of the F-Zero series is arguably the best one,
13:06and honestly, that argument isn't that hard to make.
13:09Developed by Amusement Vision, now known as RGG Studio of Like A Dragon fame,
13:14GX is the franchise at its peak speed and difficulty.
13:18That same level of difficulty is what has made it such a champion of die-hard racing fans.
13:23That, and its incredible track design, presentation, and the fact that it runs at 60 FPS.
13:29Not for nothing, but it also has a pretty strong story mode on top of all of that.
13:33There are multiple other games available through the service, including the Battle Royale F-Zero 99,
13:38but GX remains the cream of the crop.
13:48Super Mario World
13:59After establishing the Super Mario series on the NES, on top of saving the entire home console market,
14:05Nintendo followed up the 8-bit era with one of their mascots' greatest adventures.
14:10Super Mario World did so much right.
14:12The sprites are delightful, the level design is still some of the best in platforming history,
14:17and there are plenty of secrets to uncover, beckoning you to keep playing.
14:21The Super Cape was a wonderful new power-up, letting Mario soar to new heights,
14:26just as Yoshi was a strong addition to the cast of the Mushroom Kingdom.
14:29It's a classic, an easy pick as one of the best games on the service.
14:33Though, I'd be remiss if I didn't also mention Super Mario All-Stars,
14:37the 16-bit collection of the first three games and the lost levels.
14:49Metroid Fusion
14:58The Metroid series has entered a renaissance over the last few years,
15:02so if you have yet to play the brilliant Fusion on the GBA,
15:06and you have Nintendo Switch Online, this is a reminder that you absolutely should.
15:11Following a near-fatal attack by the newly unearthed X parasite,
15:15Samus is saved with Metroid DNA.
15:17Thus, she's the only one capable of braving a hostile planet full of more parasites,
15:22which can morph into the various creatures they infect.
15:25Although it's an evolution of the series formula,
15:27Fusion also leaned a little more into horror than previous entries,
15:31primarily thanks to the SA-X,
15:34one of the parasites in the form of Samus at her full power
15:36that stalks you throughout the narrative.
15:46Soul Calibur II
15:56Soul Calibur II is widely considered the best in the series for a variety of reasons,
16:02from its balanced mechanics to its surprisingly deep single-player content.
16:06There's also the establishment of guest fighters that the series would rely on moving forward.
16:11PS2 players got Haihachi from Tekken,
16:13Xbox players got Spawn from Image Comics,
16:16and us GameCube players got Link from The Legend of Zelda,
16:20which was really cool to see.
16:21This version was one of the first GameCube titles when the expansion launched with the Switch 2,
16:26making it the first time it was made available digitally.
16:29There really is a lot of content here,
16:31like the deep, story-driven Weapon Master mode that can provide hours of enjoyment.
16:43Super Mario 64
16:53The game that established Nintendo in the 3D era,
16:57Super Mario 64, unsurprisingly, is still extremely fun to play today.
17:01Like Mario Kart 64, it was one of the first games to launch with the Nintendo 64 expansion
17:06when it was added to the service, bringing a flood of nostalgia to any players
17:10who didn't happen to pick up 3D All-Stars before it was discontinued about seven months prior.
17:16Every angle that this game could be praised from, it has been for three decades now.
17:21Deservedly so.
17:22Princess Peach's Castle is a joy to explore,
17:24the levels are robust with varied challenges,
17:27and the mechanics brought Mario forward in exciting new directions.
17:38Super Metroid
17:46When the topic of best Metroid game comes up,
17:49it's the Super Nintendo's rich, atmospheric, genre-defining entry
17:53that is so often given that coveted spot.
17:56It went above and beyond what its predecessors had done.
18:00Every section was drenched in personality,
18:02taking full advantage of the system's hardware,
18:04and giving us some of its best visuals and music.
18:08Every fight felt pivotal,
18:09between epic clashes against Kraid, Ridley, and Mother Brain,
18:13now some of the most iconic moments in the series.
18:16Its world was a layered puzzle,
18:17with Samus's abilities and arsenal serving as the keys to unlocking the way forward.
18:22Super Metroid was ahead of its time,
18:24and its influence can be felt in the treasure trove of Metroidvanias released every year.
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19:01The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time.
19:12Despite the Switch 2 receiving a remake,
19:15you can't talk about the best games on Nintendo Switch Online without mentioning Ocarina of Time.
19:20It's one of those timeless experiences that has been praised for years on end,
19:25with the influence of its systems and mechanics still felt today.
19:29Because of this, despite being nearly three decades old, it holds up remarkably well.
19:34Every addition to Link's bag of tricks and tools brings a lovely new hook to gameplay.
19:39Its dungeons, yes, even its weakest, are all enjoyable puzzle boxes begging to be solved.
19:45From its memorable characters to its beautiful music, and everything in between,
19:50Ocarina of Time is one of gaming's greatest gifts.
19:53And, if you've already played it too many times,
19:56there's always its beautifully existential sequel, Majora's Mask, also available on the service.
20:08Which classic games in the Nintendo Switch Online catalog would you recommend?
20:12And, which of these are in your backlog?
20:15Share your thoughts in the comments, and we'll see you next time.