TL;DR
- The Basic Tier ($20/yr individual / $35/yr family): Essential for playing games like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Splatoon 3 online. Includes NES, SNES, and Game Boy libraries.
- The Expansion Pack ($50/yr individual / $80/yr family): Adds N64, Sega Genesis, and Game Boy Advance games, plus major DLC for Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
- The "Family Plan" Hack: If you have more than one kid (or you play too), the Family Plan is a no-brainer. It covers up to 8 accounts for one price.
- Communication: Nintendo doesn't have native "DMing." Voice chat requires a separate Nintendo Switch Online app on a phone, which is clunky but keeps the console relatively "socially silent."
- Freebies: Fortnite and Roblox do not require an NSO subscription to play online.
Ask our chatbot for a breakdown of NSO vs. PlayStation Plus
Nintendo Switch Online (NSO) is Nintendo’s version of a "club membership." If your kid wants to race against their cousin in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe or visit a friend’s island in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, they have to have this.
Unlike the old days where you just plugged in a second controller, most modern multiplayer happens over the internet, and Nintendo (like Sony and Microsoft) puts that access behind a paywall. Beyond just "playing with friends," it provides Cloud Saves—which are a lifesaver if your kid drops their Switch in the toilet and you need to recover their 300 hours of progress—and access to a massive library of retro games.
Nintendo loves to make things slightly more complicated than they need to be. There are two main levels of service, and choosing between them usually comes down to how much your family loves "the classics" and specific Nintendo franchises.
This is the "budget" option. For $19.99 a year (individual), you get:
- Online Play: Necessary for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Splatoon 3.
- NES, SNES, and Game Boy Libraries: These are the "not brain rot" games. We’re talking Super Mario Bros. 3, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, and the original Tetris.
- Exclusive Games: You get access to "99" games like Tetris 99 and F-Zero 99, which are chaotic, 99-player battle royale versions of classic games. They are surprisingly addictive and high-quality.
This jumps to $49.99 a year. It’s a steep hike, and for many families, it’s overkill. You should only get this if:
- You want the N64/GBA Library: This includes heavy hitters like The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Mario Kart 64.
- Your kids are obsessed with Animal Crossing or Mario Kart: The Expansion Pack includes the Happy Home Paradise DLC for Animal Crossing and the Booster Course Pass (48 extra tracks) for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. If you were going to buy those separately anyway, the subscription starts to make sense.
- Sega Nostalgia: It includes a Sega Genesis library, which is mostly for the parents who want to show their kids what Sonic the Hedgehog 2 actually felt like.
Check out our guide on whether the NSO Expansion Pack is worth the money
One of the best parts of NSO is the access to "Retro" apps. Instead of buying individual games, you download an app (like the "Super Nintendo Entertainment System" app) and it acts as a virtual console with dozens of games inside.
Why this is great for parents:
- No Microtransactions: These games were made in the 80s and 90s. There are no "loot boxes," no "skins" to buy, and no "battle passes." It’s pure, finished gameplay.
- Historical Context: It’s a great way to show kids where Mario came from.
- The "Save State" Feature: Modern kids have no patience for the "Game Over" screens of our youth. NSO allows them to "rewind" gameplay or save anywhere. This significantly lowers the frustration level (and the likelihood of a controller being thrown).
The "Meh" Factor: Some of the N64 games haven't aged well. The controls can be clunky on a modern Switch controller, and the graphics—which looked like the future in 1996—now look like a blurry collection of triangles. Your kid might open Super Mario 64, play for five minutes, and go back to Minecraft.
Nintendo is notoriously protective (some would say "behind the times") when it comes to social features. Unlike Xbox or PlayStation, there is no system-wide messaging. Your kid cannot send a text message to a "friend" they met in a lobby.
To use voice chat in games like Splatoon 3, Nintendo requires you to use a smartphone app.
- The Pro: It’s a natural barrier. Most younger kids don't have a dedicated phone, so they just don't voice chat. This keeps them away from the toxic chatter often found in online lobbies.
- The Con: It’s annoying to set up. If your teen wants to coordinate with friends, they will almost certainly bypass this and just use Discord on their phone or computer instead.
In-Game Chat Exceptions
While the Switch itself is quiet, some "third-party" games have their own built-in chat systems that bypass Nintendo’s rules.
- Fortnite: Has its own voice and text chat.
- Roblox: Has its own (often problematic) text chat.
- Rocket League: Uses "Quick Chat" (pre-set phrases) but can allow for more if settings are toggled.
If you are going to pay for NSO, you need to be using the Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app. It is, hands down, the best parental control app in the gaming world.
- Friend Requests: You can see who your kid is adding as a friend. On the Switch, you need a "Friend Code" (a long string of numbers) to add someone, which makes it harder for strangers to find your child.
- Playtime Monitoring: The app sends you a "Monthly Summary" of what they played. If you see 40 hours of Stardew Valley, you're probably fine. If you see 40 hours of a game you’ve never heard of, it’s a conversation starter.
- The "Alarms": You can set a hard limit. When time is up, the Switch can either show a notification or—if you’re feeling spicy—force the console into sleep mode.
The "Hidden" Browser
The Switch does not have an official web browser. However, there is a "hidden" one used for logging into Wi-Fi at hotels. It’s very difficult for a kid to use this for general surfing, but it’s a reminder that no device is 100% "offline."
If your kid is begging for the Expansion Pack, use it as a moment to talk about Digital Value.
Ask them: "Are you actually going to play the N64 games, or do you just want the Mario Kart tracks?" If it's just the tracks, you can actually buy those for a one-time fee of $25 and skip the $50/year recurring sub.
Also, discuss the Family Plan. If they have friends who are also on the Switch, you can technically add a friend to your family group to share the cost, but we recommend keeping the "Family Group" to actual family or very close, real-life friends to avoid management headaches.
Nintendo Switch Online is a relatively "safe" subscription compared to the wild west of PC gaming or the social pressures of Discord.
- Get the Standard Family Plan if you have multiple kids who play Mario Kart or Pokemon Scarlet/Violet.
- Skip the Expansion Pack unless you are a die-hard Nintendo nostalgia fan or your kid is deep into Animal Crossing home design.
- Use the App: Download the Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app today. It’s free and gives you the data you need to be an intentional parent.
- Check your current sub: Go to the eShop on the Switch and click your user icon to see if you're already paying for this.
- Set up the Family Group: If you have multiple Switches in the house, make sure they are all under one Family Group to save money.
- Audit the "Friends List": Sit down with your kid and ask who "SkibidiFan42" is. If they don't know them in real life, delete them.
Ask our chatbot for a list of the best 'E' rated games on NSO