Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

A copy of NES game ‘Golf’ is reportedly found hiding on the Nintendo Switch

By Garrett Hulfish September 18, 2017

Beginning with the Nintendo Wii, Nintendo has celebrated its history through the Virtual Console. The service has also existed on the Wii U and 3DS, but fans have been left eagerly awaiting its arrival on the Nintendo Switch. As it turns out, an NES emulator may have been on the console the whole time.

According to hacker YellowS8 (via Engadget), a hidden game called Flog (golf spelled backward) has been deep inside the

Nintendo Switch

‘s main binary. The Flog emulator was first discovered in July, but these screenshots mark the first glimpse at it. The screenshots that accompany the reveal look identical to the 1984 sports sim Golf. It is still unknown what triggers the title officially, but YellowS8 says it can be run using unofficial methods. Flog has supposedly been lurking inside the console since version 1.0.0 of the firmware.

Even more curious is the supposed inclusion of multiple control methods. As expected, the default controls scheme appears to use the Joy-Con control stick and face buttons. The screenshots suggest that by holding the ZL or ZR button activates motion controls. Users would be able to swing physically to play shots.

Nintendo has previously stated that Virtual Console is on its way to the

Nintendo Switch

, yet the company has never made any indication of adding motion controls. No prior official NES ROMs have used the control method and Nintendo appears to be tight-lipped on the subject.

In addition to the Virtual Console, Nintendo also touted the Classic Games Selection as part of next year’s online subscription for the Switch. These classics will include Switch-specific upgrades like online play.

With each iteration of Virtual Console, Nintendo has added more and more console emulators. On the original Wii, it was limited to NES, SNES, and Nintendo 64 titles. With the Wii U and 3DS, the service added Gameboy, Gameboy Color, Gameboy Advance, and Nintendo DS entries. The Nintendo Switch has been rumored to go even further, suggesting the addition of Gamecube games on Virtual Console.

While these rumored remain unconfirmed by Nintendo, its latest Direct stream revealed that classic Nintendo titles are incoming, starting with Mario Bros. later in September.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Garrett Hulfish

Contributor

Garrett is the kind of guy who tells you about all the tech you haven't heard of yet. He also knows too much about other…

Gaming

Nintendo confirms that Switch 2 and a June Direct are coming

A Nintendo Switch Red and Blue system.

Nintendo has finally confirmed two important things that people were speculating about. First off, we learned that another Nintendo Direct showcase will be taking place this June. More importantly, Nintendo finally confirmed that it is working on a Nintendo Switch successor and said we'd learn more about it within this fiscal year.

This all came from a statement by President Shuntaro Furukawa on Nintendo's corporate X (formerly Twitter) account. "We will make an announcement about the successor to Nintendo Switch within this fiscal year. It will have been over nine years since we announced the existence of Nintendo Switch back in March 2015," the post confirms. "We will be holding a Nintendo Direct this June regarding the Nintendo Switch software lineup for the latter half of 2024, but please be aware that there will be no mention of the Nintendo Switch successor during that presentation."

Gaming

Hades 2 shows the Steam Deck’s biggest advantage over the Nintendo Switch

A Steam Deck sits next to a Switch OLED.

It's always an exciting week when the sequel to one of the greatest games of all time surprise releases on a Monday. That's what happened on May 6 when Hades 2 surprise launched into early access. Players are already diving into the surprisingly robust roguelike, testing their might in its new biomes. I've been enjoying it myself from the comfort of my couch -- and not on my Nintendo Switch, where I played the first Hades. Instead, I'm curled up with my Steam Deck.

The PC-only launch means that Hades 2 is a Steam Deck "exclusive" for the time being (or at least exclusive to portable PCs like it and the Asus ROG Ally). It'll likely come to Nintendo's system -- or its predecessor -- once it hits 1.0, but developer Supergiant doesn't expect its game to leave early access until at least the end of 2024. Until then, you'll need a device like the Steam Deck to play it on the go. That's a reminder that Valve has beaten the Switch at its own game, and Nintendo will have to get creative again with its next system to regain its throne.
Early access on the go
Based on my time with it so far, Hades 2 is a phenomenal match for the Steam Deck. It's already Verified for the platform, and for good reason. It looks fantastic (especially on an OLED screen) and runs smoothly. I've already taken it on the go and found that it's not a huge drain on the Steam Deck's battery. At this point, I don't imagine I'll need to play it any other way.

Gaming

3 retro classics to play on Nintendo Switch Online this weekend (May 3-5)

Kirby and his friends post in Kirby and the Amazing Mirror art.

With rumors of a new Nintendo console heating up, it's once again time to accept that the Switch's long lifespan is coming to its end. 2024 will likely be the system's last full year before a successor steals its thunder. That's apparent in Nintendo's recent first-party offerings, as the system is getting a lot of remasters and niche curveballs this year. As exclusives like Endless Ocean: Luminous underwhelm, you may have found yourself looking for reasons to fire up your Switch.

Thankfully, you have a lot of great excuses to do so if you're subscribed to Nintendo Switch Online. The service is home to plenty of classic games from the NES up to the Nintendo 64. Even if you're a game historian, there's a good chance you haven't played everything Switch Online has to offer. This weekend, I have three recommendations for anyone looking to fire up some great, old games. These aren't random picks; I've chosen three games that feel spiritually linked to some of this spring's biggest games.
Kirby and the Amazing Mirror