Nintendo has quietly expanded its Nintendo Classics lineup on Nintendo Switch Online with three additions drawn from the NES era: Ikari Warriors, R.C. Pro-AM II and Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom.
The new releases are now available to download for Nintendo Switch Online subscribers through the Nintendo Classics offering.
Nintendo confirmed that the three titles are available to subscribers immediately.
In its announcement, Nintendo said the titles 'are joining the Nintendo Classics range and will be downloadable for Nintendo Switch Online members.'
Ikari Warriors (1986, SNK) — Originally developed by SNK and first released in arcades in 1986, Ikari Warriors is a top-down, vertically scrolling run-and-gun in which one or two players control mercenaries Ralf and Clark.
The characters later appeared in SNK's King of Fighters series.
The NES port of Ikari Warriors earned a reputation for challenging gameplay and awkward controls, which often contributed to its high difficulty on home systems.
R.C. Pro-AM II (1992, Rare) — Rare's R.C. Pro-AM II arrived late in the NES lifecycle, launching in 1992 as a sequel to the 1988 R.C. Pro-AM.
The title features four-player isometric racing across 24 tracks, vehicle upgrades funded by race winnings, and bonus stages including dragstrip sprints and tug-of-war events.
The game showcases Rare's late-era NES work and supports local multiplayer on the original platform.
Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom (1991, Tecmo) — Tecmo's Ninja Gaiden III released for the NES in 1991 and later saw a port to the Atari Lynx in 1993.
Despite its numbering, Ninja Gaiden III's story is set between the first two NES entries and follows Ryu Hayabusa as he confronts a conspiracy involving a rogue agent and genetically modified enemies.
The NES release was noted for its narrative focus and the series' signature difficulty, and it would be the final Ninja Gaiden title on the NES.
Regional variation: For Japanese Nintendo Switch Online subscribers, Nintendo has substituted Dragon Buster in place of R.C. Pro-AM II.
Dragon Buster is an early Namco action-RPG ported to Famicom hardware and has been included in Namco compilation releases over the years.
All four titles — Ikari Warriors, R.C. Pro-AM II, Ninja Gaiden III and Dragon Buster (in Japan) — are available now through the Nintendo Classics collection on Nintendo Switch Online.
Subscribers can find and download the games via the Nintendo Switch eShop library for Nintendo Classics.
The new releases are now available to download for Nintendo Switch Online subscribers through the Nintendo Classics offering.
Nintendo confirmed that the three titles are available to subscribers immediately.
In its announcement, Nintendo said the titles 'are joining the Nintendo Classics range and will be downloadable for Nintendo Switch Online members.'
Ikari Warriors (1986, SNK) — Originally developed by SNK and first released in arcades in 1986, Ikari Warriors is a top-down, vertically scrolling run-and-gun in which one or two players control mercenaries Ralf and Clark.
The characters later appeared in SNK's King of Fighters series.
The NES port of Ikari Warriors earned a reputation for challenging gameplay and awkward controls, which often contributed to its high difficulty on home systems.
R.C. Pro-AM II (1992, Rare) — Rare's R.C. Pro-AM II arrived late in the NES lifecycle, launching in 1992 as a sequel to the 1988 R.C. Pro-AM.
The title features four-player isometric racing across 24 tracks, vehicle upgrades funded by race winnings, and bonus stages including dragstrip sprints and tug-of-war events.
The game showcases Rare's late-era NES work and supports local multiplayer on the original platform.
Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom (1991, Tecmo) — Tecmo's Ninja Gaiden III released for the NES in 1991 and later saw a port to the Atari Lynx in 1993.
Despite its numbering, Ninja Gaiden III's story is set between the first two NES entries and follows Ryu Hayabusa as he confronts a conspiracy involving a rogue agent and genetically modified enemies.
The NES release was noted for its narrative focus and the series' signature difficulty, and it would be the final Ninja Gaiden title on the NES.
Regional variation: For Japanese Nintendo Switch Online subscribers, Nintendo has substituted Dragon Buster in place of R.C. Pro-AM II.
Dragon Buster is an early Namco action-RPG ported to Famicom hardware and has been included in Namco compilation releases over the years.
All four titles — Ikari Warriors, R.C. Pro-AM II, Ninja Gaiden III and Dragon Buster (in Japan) — are available now through the Nintendo Classics collection on Nintendo Switch Online.
Subscribers can find and download the games via the Nintendo Switch eShop library for Nintendo Classics.
