31 October 2023 , 13:00
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Nintendo’s rival subscription service to PS Plus and Xbox Game Pass has surprised players today with some new additions to the NES and Game Boy catalogue.
Nintendo Switch Online has today received a timely update for players who elect to subscribe to the Nintendo service, treating members to a gauntlet of spooky-themed titles to play just in time for Halloween. You’ll likely never heard of the two additions coming to the NES Nintendo Switch Online catalogue, admittedly because they’re such deep cuts. However, the October update brings with it a long-forgotten entry into one of Konami’s classic franchises that may have passed you by.
As announced per Nintendo UK's Twitter, Castlevania Legends – as the name suggests – is a rather nondescript entry into the classic vampire platforming series from Konami. In it, players take on the role of a hunter named Sonia Belmont, who must take the fight to Dracula using her grandfather’s whip. Graphics-wise it’s a little dated compared to more beloved entries like Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, but looks undeniably recognisable – even on 1998 Game Boy hardware. Sonia’s unique skill is called Burning Mode, which sees her become temporarily invincible.
The last two additions for Nintendo Switch Online’s October update are both spooky in theme and some of the rarest NES titles you’ll ever see mentioned. The Mysterious Murasame Castle was first released in 1986 and is one of the earliest games ever released for the system, previously a Japan exclusive until a 2013 release for the Nintendo 3DS. It’s a top-down action adventure that casts you as a swordsman battling through the titular maze-like castle.
The final NES game to be added is Devil World, another incredibly early maze game that didn’t come to Europe until 1987 – three years after it was originally released. In it, you collect dots while navigating each level by destroying enemies with your fire breath. Its major claim to fame is that it was the first console game to come from Shigeru Miyamoto – the creator of Super Mario – after a string of arcade-only hits, so a nice piece of Nintendo history.
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Nintendo Switch Online October 2023 games
The full list of Nintendo Switch Online titles added in October 2023 is as follows:
- Castlevania Legends – Game Boy
- The Mysterious Murasame Castle – NES
- Devil World – NES
Seeing as today is the last day of October, Nintendo Switch Online subscribers should expect the next wave of titles to arrive sometime next month. And while it’s disappointing to see no new additions for either the SNES, Game Boy Colour, Game Boy Advance or Nintendo 64 catalogue, there’s sure to be more to come in future.