N64 and Sega Genesis emulators coming to Nintendo Switch in late October

Castle Courtyard The Legend Of Zelda Ocarina Of Time
Castle Courtyard The Legend Of Zelda Ocarina Of Time (Image credit: @JHNingamer on YouTube)

What you need to know

  • A 40-minute Nintendo Direct took place today at 3:00 p.m. PT/6:00 p.m. ET.
  • News for several upcoming games was given.
  • Emulators are coming to Nintendo Switch including one for Sega Genesis and N64.
  • N64 and Sega Genesis controllers for Nintendo Switch were also announced.
  • They will come to Nintendo Switch in late October.

Rumors have been flying around for the last few weeks stating that some kind of Game Boy and Game Boy Color emulator or even an N64 emulator would be coming to Nintendo Switch in the near future. Today it was confirmed that those rumors were partially true.

During today's Nintendo Direct, we learned that the N64 emulator and a Sega Genesis emulator will be coming to the hybrid gaming system in the near future as a new subscription-based service. This is a separate service from the Nintendo Switch Online subscription currently in existence which gives players access to online gaming as well as select NES and SNES games.

Prices have not been disclosed at this time for the new emulator. But we do know the plan will come into effect in "late October". The existing plans will remain in effect. Additionally, if you have an existing plan, you can switch over to the new one. Players can also subscribe to both services known as the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack.

Several retro classics will be joining the best games on Nintendo Switch with this service. While fans hope the most popular titles will be included, the complete list of N64 and Sega Genesis games in each emulator hasn't been revealed yet.

N64 Games (Image credit: Nintendo)

These were some of the N64 games confirmed for the service.

  • Super Mario 64
  • Mario Kart 64
  • StarFox 64
  • Yoshi's Story
  • The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
  • WinBack Covert Operation
  • Mario Tennis
  • Dr. Mario 64

Zelda Majoras Mask (Image credit: @ZorZelda on YouTube)

The Direct also revealed that additional games will be coming to the N64 emulator. Including:

  • The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
  • F-Zero X
  • Mario Golf
  • Pokemon Snap
  • Kirby 64 The Crystal Shards
  • Paper Mario
  • Banjo Kazooie

Sega Genesis Games Nso (Image credit: Nintendo)

These were some of the Sega Genesis games confirmed for the service.

  • Castlevania Bloodlines
  • Contra Hard Corps
  • Dr. Robtnik's Mean Bean Machine
  • Ecco the Dolphin
  • Golden Axe
  • Gunstar Heroes
  • Musha
  • Phantasy Star IV
  • Ristar
  • Shining Force
  • Shinobi III
  • Sonic The Hedgehog 2
  • Streets of Rage 2
  • Strider

Nintendo Switch Online N64 And Sega Genesis Controllers (Image credit: Nintendo)

Along with these emulators, an N64 controller and a Sega Genesis controller have also been announced. These will exclusively be available to Nintendo Switch Online members and will sell for $49.99 each.

Rebecca Spear
Gaming Editor

Gaming aficionado Rebecca Spear is iMore's dedicated gaming editor with a focus on Nintendo Switch and iOS gaming. You’ll never catch her without her Switch or her iPad Air handy. If you’ve got a question about Pokémon, The Legend of Zelda, or just about any other Nintendo series check out her guides to help you out. Rebecca has written thousands of articles in the last six years including hundreds of extensive gaming guides, previews, and reviews for both Switch and Apple Arcade. She also loves checking out new gaming accessories like iPhone controllers and has her ear to the ground when it comes to covering the next big trend.