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Nintendo Switch Online adds another classic Pokémon spinoff game

By Jesse Lennox Published September 16, 2022

Pokémon Puzzle League will be available to all Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pass subscribers starting on July 15.

The addictive spin-off puzzle title Pokémon Puzzle League combines elements from the Pokémon franchise with the gameplay from Panel de Pon, in which the aim is to arrange colored blocks to earn points. The game was the first to feature characters from the anime, such as Ash, Misty, and Brock. The crew will enter Puzzle Village where they will encounter other trainers, gym leaders, and members of Team Rocket and face off in puzzle battles.

Pokémon Puzzle League is the 17th N64 game to be added to the Expansion Pass service and the second Pokémon game in a row, following last month’s addition of Pokémon Snap. This title had one other re-release on the Wii via the Virtual Console, however, Nintendo has since shut that service down, making this the only way to play this title without the original hardware.

A strange note is that Pokémon Puzzle League will not be available on the service in Japan. Instead, players in that region will be getting Custom Robo due to the fact that Pokémon Puzzle League only saw a western release at launch and never got a Japanese translation.

The Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pass started off feeling like a poor value upon launch but has since grown to feel like a valuable service. The inclusion of more cult classic games like Pokémon Puzzle League, and even the latest collection of Sega Genesis games like Zero Wing, have been a significant factor in winning over those hardcore Nintendo fans.

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Gaming

Everything you need to know about Nintendo Switch Online

Person holding Nintendo Switch, looking at the home screen.

Much like Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5, the Nintendo Switch makes it easy to jump online and play with friends. The service, known simply as Nintendo Switch Online, has seen big changes over the years, and it now offers plenty more than access to online multiplayer. One of the biggest draws is its growing collection of games from N64, NES, and other iconic platforms -- making Nintendo Switch Online a great way to access the best titles from past generations.

Nintendo offers a few different options when it comes to paying for Nintendo Switch Online, with both individual accounts and family accounts up for grabs. From its library of retro games to a smartphone application and special offers, here's a complete look at Nintendo Switch Online.
Individual/family subscription models

Gaming

Mother 3 is finally on Nintendo Switch … but only in Japan

Clause standing b y a bench in Mother 3.

Mother 3, the highly requested cult-classic RPG for the Game Boy Advance, is set to appear today on the Nintendo Switch Online service. But there's a catch: It's only available in Japan.

North Americans were first introduced to the Mother series under the name Earthbound on the SNES in 1995. As was common at the time, the game was renamed for the West in an attempt to avoid confusion. In 2006, a third entry was released in Japan for the GBA simply called Mother 3, but it has never had an official translation for Western audiences. Both Mother 2, aka Earthbound, and the original Mother, renamed Earthbound Beginnings, have been added to Nintendo Switch Online, but there has never been any indication that the third game would receive the same treatment.

Gaming

5 Nintendo DS games we need on Switch after Another Code: Recollection

Key art for Radiant Historia

We’re in the middle of a Nintendo DS renaissance on Nintendo Switch, which is fitting as that classic handheld turns 20 in 2014. Coming off the excellent Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective re-release from last year, more DS classics are coming to Nintendo Switch this month. First, Another Code Recollection contains a full-on remake of the cult classic Another Code: Two Memories, and it's out now. In a few days, on January 25, Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney will remastered as part of a trilogy collection that also bears its namesake.

This has all gotten me to think about what other Nintendo DS games I’d like to see make a comeback. According to Moby Games, There were well over 2,000 DS titles, but not all of them matched the notoriety and success of titles like New Super Mario Bros. or Nintendogs. That means the DS library is still full of cult classics primed for a re-release or full-on series comeback. These are the five I’d like to see make a comeback in the wake of Another Code Recollection and Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy.
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