How much is the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack per month? Just $4.17 monthly!

I know you‘re curious about the new Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership and how much it really costs per month compared to the regular membership.

The answer is: an individual Expansion Pack subscription breaks down to just $4.17 per month.

Let me explain…

The Expansion Pack membership is $49.99 annually for an individual membership. Divided across 12 months, that comes out to only $4.17 per month!

Here‘s a quick overview of the pricing:

• Individual (1 account): $49.99/year or $4.17/month
• Family (up to 8 accounts): $79.99/year or $6.67/month per person

Now, I know your next question is probably:

Is the Expansion Pack worth that extra monthly cost over the standard Online membership?

This is what I‘ll explore for you in detail below…

I‘ll go over what you get with the Expansion Pack, how it compares to the standard membership, whether the price is justified, tips for getting the most value from it, and any other questions you may have!

Let‘s dive in…

What extra benefits do you get with the Expansion Pack?

First, let‘s look at what extra goodies you‘ll get for that small $4.17 monthly investment:

• Nintendo 64 game library – This currently offers over 80 classic N64 games like Super Mario 64, Ocarina of Time, and more

• Sega Genesis game library – Around 50 all-time favorites right now like Sonic 2, Streets of Rage, Golden Axe

• Animal Crossing: New Horizons DLC – Specifically, the Happy Home Paradise expansion which normally costs $24.99 alone

Those are some pretty nice bonuses! Having unlimited access to 100+ iconic retro games and a big new DLC is a pretty sweet deal.

But is it worth double the price of standard Online? Let‘s explore further…

Expansion Pack vs standard Online membership

Here‘s a handy comparison table looking at exactly what‘s included with each membership tier:

Feature	Standard Online	Expansion Pack
Online Play	✅	✅
Cloud Saves	✅	✅
NES Games	✅	✅
SNES Games	✅	✅
N64 Games	❌	✅
Genesis Games	❌	✅
Special Offers	✅	✅
Animal Crossing DLC	❌	✅
Price – Individual	$19.99/year	$49.99/year
Price – Family	$34.99/year	$79.99/year

Looking at it this way, the Expansion Pack adds a ton of extras!

You‘re getting:

• 3 more consoles‘ worth of games – N64 + Genesis + DLC
• Over 130 more classic games – The retro libraries have 85+ games currently
• $24.99 DLC – Happy Home Paradise normally costs this alone

So if you‘re someone who will play a lot of these retro titles and the Animal Crossing DLC, it seems like a worthwhile upgrade!

Next let‘s look at some different use cases…

Is the Expansion Pack worth it for you?

Whether the Expansion Pack seems "worth it" really depends on your gaming habits and priorities:

For retro enthusiasts

If you love playing old-school N64, Genesis, NES and SNES games, the Expansion Pack is amazing.

• You‘d spend way more buying just a few of these classics individually!
• According to PriceCharting.com, Super Mario 64 on N64 now costs $69.99 used.
• The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time is $50.99. Two games and you‘ve nearly spent the yearly Expansion Pack price!

For Animal Crossing fans

Since Happy Home Paradise normally costs $24.99 alone, getting the huge DLC essentially pays for half of the Expansion Pack annual cost already.

• For major Animal Crossing fans, this feels like a no-brainer.
• The online play and 100+ retro games are just big bonuses!

For families

Sharing the cost over 8 accounts on a family plan makes it super affordable at ~$5 per person monthly.

• Kids will absolutely love having this huge retro library to explore!
• As a parent, online safety features are easy to manage as well.

For casual gamers

If you only occasionally play the NES and SNES games included with standard Online, the extra cost is harder to justify.

• The retro libraries are wonderful, but not essential for casual gaming.
• Splurging for the Expansion Pack really depends on your nostalgia and interest in these classic games.

Hopefully looking at it this way helps weigh if the added games and content fit your gaming needs and curiosity!

What are the most popular N64 and Genesis games included?

In case you‘re wondering which retro games are available, here‘s a quick rundown of the most popular and well-known titles on each platform so far:

Top Nintendo 64 games:

• Super Mario 64
• Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Majora‘s Mask
• Mario Kart 64
• Super Smash Bros
• Star Fox 64
• Yoshi‘s Story
• Kirby 64
• Paper Mario
• F-Zero X
• Pokemon Snap

Top Sega Genesis games:

• Sonic 2 and 3
• Streets of Rage series
• Gunstar Heroes
• Golden Axe trilogy
• Phantasy Star IV
• Shining Force
• Ristar
• ToeJam & Earl
• Aladdin
• Earthworm Jim
• VectorMan
• Castlevania: Bloodlines

And lots more! Over 80 N64 and 50 Genesis titles currently and counting.

For retro fans, that‘s an incredible lineup spanning so many iconic series. Having unlimited on-demand access to all these classics is tough to beat!

Can I pay monthly for the Expansion Pack?

This is one of the most-asked questions about the new membership.

Unfortunately, Nintendo currently only offers the Expansion Pack as a 12-month subscription.

There‘s no monthly payment option as there is for the standard Online membership.

I know, paying $49.99 upfront seems steep compared to $19.99 for a year of standard Online! Many fans have requested a monthly payment choice.

But looking at the breakdown, you end up saving in the long run:

• Standard Online individually:
  • $19.99 annually
  • or $3.99 monthly
• Expansion Pack individually:
  • $49.99 annually
  • Equivalent to $4.17 monthly

So you actually save about $1-2 per month by paying annually for the Expansion Pack rather than potential monthly installments.

While the lack of flexibility is inconvenient, the yearly price is the better deal if you can manage it. Fingers crossed Nintendo adds monthly payments eventually!

Can I upgrade from standard Online to Expansion?

Absolutely! If you currently have a standard Nintendo Switch Online membership, upgrading to the Expansion Pack is easy:

• Visit Nintendo eShop and go to Nintendo Switch Online
• Select “Upgrade to Expansion Pack"
• Accept the new terms and purchase
• Your remaining Online membership value converts to a dollar credit
• This credit applies toward the Expansion Pack upgrade cost
• You only pay the price difference!

For example:

• You have 5 months left on a standard $19.99 membership
• That‘s about $10 of remaining value
• Upgrade to Expansion Pack costs $49.99
• So you pay just $49.99 – $10 = $39.99!

This ensures you maximize the value from your existing membership. Upgrading mid-term is ideal rather than cancelling and re-subscribing.

The only catch is you can‘t go back to a standard membership once you upgrade to the Expansion Pack. But all those extra games make it worthwhile!

How many N64 and Genesis games will be added over time?

If you‘re worried about getting bored of the current retro game libraries, don‘t fret!

Nintendo has stated they plan to continue expanding the Switch Online collections over time.

The Nintendo 64 and Genesis apps launched with a combined:

• 85+ games – That‘s already tons of gameplay!
• But Nintendo‘s aim is to grow each library to over 100 games eventually.

We can expect around 10 more titles added per system every 6 months, for the foreseeable future.

So even if some of your favorite classics aren‘t available yet, more goodness is coming!

Here are just some of the great N64 and Genesis games rumored for future addition:

• N64: Mario Party 1-3, Pokemon Stadium 1 & 2, Donkey Kong 64, Kirby and the Crystal Shards, 1080 Snowboarding
• Genesis: ToeJam and Earl in Panic on Funkotron, Kid Chameleon, Ranger X, Rocket Knight Adventures, Disney‘s Aladdin and Lion King

With so many iconic games still coming down the pipeline, an Expansion Pack membership will keep paying dividends for years of retro fun.

Can I play the Expansion Pack games offline?

Yep, you can absolutely play the hundreds of NES, SNES, N64 and Genesis games offline once they are downloaded to your Switch!

The only requirement is that you must connect online and validate your membership at least once every 7 days.

This periodic check-in confirms you still have an active Expansion Pack subscription. As long as your membership is current, you can then play 100% offline without restrictions.

So don‘t worry about spotty wifi or cell service – you can still enjoy your retro classics:

• On a road trip or vacation
• On a plane or train
• Anywhere without stable internet
• While kids are watching shows online

Just remember to go back online within a week to verify your membership status. Then you can proceed to game offline to your heart‘s content!

Does the standard Online membership stay $20 per year?

Yep, despite adding the pricier Expansion Pack option, Nintendo has kept their standard Online membership at the same reasonable $19.99 annual cost for individuals.

Considering what you get for just $20 per year, it‘s quite a steal:

• Online play
• Cloud save backup
• NES and SNES games
• Special offers and discounts

The value becomes even greater for families who can share the cost over 8 accounts for just $34.99 annually.

Sony and Microsoft charge $60 annually for PlayStation Plus and Xbox Live Gold. So Nintendo Switch Online remains highly affordable for online gaming with some great retro bonuses.

Adding the Expansion Pack at a premium price point keeps the base service cheap for those who just want to play Switch games online. Kudos to Nintendo for not raising the standard membership cost!

Why do Switch physical games stay $60?

While Nintendo‘s digital eShop game sales tend to be limited, one thing that never seems to change is the $60 MSRP for new physical Switch game releases.

You‘ve likely noticed that nearly all major first-party Switch games stick to the full $60 price for months or years after launch, with few discounts.

But why doesn‘t Nintendo lower prices over time like other game publishers? There are a few business factors at play here:

• Nintendo‘s exclusive franchises like Mario, Zelda and Animal Crossing continue selling strongly at full price due to their timeless quality and appeal. Lowering the price risks leaving money on the table.

• Limited-time sales promotions on marquee titles would degrade their perceived value, so Nintendo is very selective about discounting.

• As a premium brand, consumers expect to pay full dollar. Nintendo sets prices to match what the market will bear.

• With hardware and software integrated under one roof, Nintendo‘s profits largely come from their own games rather than third-party sales. This gives them less incentive to discount.

• Game cards cost more to manufacture than discs, so the higher media prices also drive baseline game pricing.

So in summary, Nintendo keeps prices firm due to perpetually high demand, avoiding over-discounting, brand positioning, business model, and production costs.

Nonetheless, savvy shoppers should watch for rare sales holidays and pre-owned deals to save on must-have Nintendo Switch games!

Does the Expansion Pack feel worth the $4 monthly upgrade to you?

We‘ve covered a lot of ground here! Let‘s recap the key points:

• For only $4 more than standard Online per month, you get full access to 3 additional retro console libraries and a $25 DLC

• The N64 and Genesis games provide hundreds of hours of legendary gameplay – a huge value!

• Big Animal Crossing fans essentially get the DLC for free and online play as a bonus

• Shared family plans drop the price to just ~$5 monthly per person

• You can play 100% offline after doing a quick weekly online check-in

• More great retro games are added continuously over time

• Upgrading from standard Online prorates the price difference

• But annual payment is required – no monthly installment option yet…

Looking at all the benefits, my verdict is the Expansion Pack delivers quite a bit of extra gaming goodness for minimal added cost.

For retro enthusiasts like myself, it‘s practically a steal! But even casual gamers can appreciate having so many iconic N64, Genesis and NES/SNES classics at their fingertips.

If you try out the 7-day free trial and love the access to decades of hits, paying roughly four bucks more per month seems like a worthwhile investment to me.

But it really comes down to your personal gaming preferences. Hopefully breaking down the cost factors in detail helps you decide if upgrading to the Expansion Pack is justifiable for you!

Let me know if you have any other questions. Enjoy rediscovering some retro magic!