Many people who buy the basic Nintendo Switch Online membership see a much more expensive "Expansion Pack." What exactly does this expansion add, and is it worth the extra money? This is a common question for many Switch players before renewing. Below, I'll directly clarify the most frequently asked questions.

What does the Expansion Pack add over the standard membership?

Simply put, two things: some classic old games and some paid DLC for major titles.

Regarding old games, it mainly includes N64 and Sega MD games. For example, Super Mario 64, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Donkey Kong 64, and so on. If you're interested in Nintendo's history or want to catch up on classics you missed back in the day, these are useful. But if you're a player who started with the Switch, these graphics will indeed feel quite "retro" by today's standards.

The DLC part is currently the most debated and also where the actual value lies. It currently includes the Animal Crossing: New Horizons "Happy Home Paradise" DLC, the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe "Booster Course Pass," and the Splatoon 2 "Octo Expansion." If you happen to be playing these games, the Expansion Pack effectively saves you the cost of buying the DLC separately.

If I just want to play online, is the basic membership enough?

Yes. For most people, the basic version is sufficient.

If you mainly play online competitive games like Pokémon Scarlet/Violet or Splatoon 3, the basic membership covers all those features. Cloud saves are also included in the basic plan. Many people, when choosing Switch game recommendations or Nintendo game recommendations, don't particularly focus on the perks that come with the membership. The online functionality itself is no different.

Simple guideline: If you don't know whether you need N64 games, you probably don't. If the Animal Crossing DLC or the Mario Kart new tracks don't appeal to you, the standard plan is more straightforward.

How is the experience of the N64 games included in the Expansion Pack?

This depends on how much "nostalgia" you can tolerate.

3D games from the N64 era have camera controls and gameplay logic that are very different from today. For instance, the aiming method and map design in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time are a world apart from the current Zelda game, Breath of the Wild. Additionally, the emulator occasionally suffers from minor frame drops. Although Nintendo is continuously fixing things, if you're a player who values "smoothness," you might find it a bit rough.

However, if you're an older player wanting to experience classic party modes from two-player Switch games on the Switch—like Mario Party 2 or GoldenEye 007—the online modes of these N64 games are much more fun than playing solo. This is something that other platforms can't easily replicate.

Is the DLC permanently tied to the membership?

This is something you need to note: once your Expansion Pack membership expires, you can no longer access the DLC content.

For example, if you use the Happy Home Paradise DLC from the membership to build a bunch of houses for your villagers and then your membership expires—your island remains, but you can't enter the DLC area anymore. This is different from buying the DLC outright. So if you plan to play a game's DLC long-term, buying it outright is more reliable. This is a detail many people overlook when discussing in game rankings or game encyclopedias.

A more practical approach: if you just want to experience a DLC short-term, like finishing the Splatoon 2 Octo Expansion within a month, then getting one month of the Expansion Pack membership is cheaper than buying the DLC separately. But if you keep playing the DLC in Animal Crossing, it's still better to buy it outright.

If I don't play online multiplayer, is it worth buying the membership just for retro games and DLC?

You can calculate this yourself.

For example, the individual Expansion Pack costs about 4,900 yen per year (roughly 240 RMB), and the family plan is more expensive. Meanwhile, buying the Mario Kart 8 Booster Course Pass separately is a little over 1,700 yen, and the Animal Crossing DLC costs 2,500 yen. If you play both games, the membership fee is essentially offset by the DLC value, and the N64 games come free.

But if you only play one of those DLCs and don't touch retro games, buying that single DLC outright is cheaper than renewing the membership. The basic membership is about 2,400 yen a year, plus buying the DLC separately might be just 2,500 yen, making the total lower than the Expansion Pack.

Additionally, if you prefer more modern titles from indie game recommendations, N64 games might not be your thing. For many players who enjoy fresh experiences, the free retro games often end up as a backlog of "might play later" rather than an actual daily choice.

Who is the family Expansion Pack for?

The family plan is the most cost-effective entry point, provided you have a reliable group of friends or family.

The family Expansion Pack costs about 8,900 yen per year for up to 8 people. If you fill all slots, each person pays an average of just over 1,100 yen, which is much cheaper than the individual plan. Many people form groups in communities or ride-sharing platforms to split the cost. However, there is a risk: if one person enables parental controls or leaves the membership, others may be affected. When carpooling, you must find trustworthy partners, or disputes can easily arise.

Finally, if you're still undecided, I recommend starting with the basic membership. When you want to play a specific DLC, switch to a 1-month Expansion Pack trial, or join a short-term family plan. This way, you won't waste money, and you can judge for yourself whether the N64 games and DLC are truly what you need.