Nintendo Switch Online Expands SNES Library with Japanese Exclusives and Retro Classics

Nintendo has continued to enrich its Nintendo Switch Online retro game offering, this time announcing the addition of three classic titles to its Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) collection.

The latest expansion marks a significant milestone, as it features Japan-exclusive Super Famicom releases that are making their debut for many players outside of Japan.

The newly added games include Wrecking Crew ’98, Sunsoft’s Amazing Hebereke, and the iconic shoot-'em-up Super R-Type developed by IREM.

Wrecking Crew ’98, which had previously only been available in Japan, is now accessible to Nintendo Switch Online subscribers worldwide.

This action puzzler stars Mario and allows players to experience both the original NES-influenced Wrecking Crew as well as the updated 1998 version.

Gamers can break through 100 challenging stages, demolishing structures while outmaneuvering enemies, or test their skills in the frenetic panel-matching gameplay of Wrecking Crew ’98, where clearing sequences of colored panels increases attack power against opponents. Also making a notable western debut is Amazing Hebereke.

Developed by Sunsoft and released on the Super Famicom in 1994, Amazing Hebereke brings charming, frantic battles to the Nintendo Switch Online collection.

Players can select from whimsical characters and engage in single-player antics or compete alongside up to four participants in VS Mode.

Dynamic stages, filled with interactive items and hazards, offer exciting opportunities for clever play and unexpected upsets.

Each character features unique special attacks, making every round unpredictable and engaging. Completing the trio is Super R-Type, IREM’s beloved 1991 side-scrolling shooter that has cemented its reputation as a classic among shoot-'em-up enthusiasts.

Players pilot the advanced R-9 spacecraft in defense of Earth against the invasive BYDO Empire across seven challenging stages.

With a range of power-ups, adjustable difficulty options from Novice to the demanding Pro mode, and notoriously difficult boss encounters, Super R-Type continues to test reflexes and perseverance more than three decades after its initial launch. It is worth noting that the Japanese version of the Switch Online Super Famicom app also receives a unique lineup this week, featuring titles such as Battletoads in Battlemaniacs and Marvelous: Another Treasure Island.

The latter, directed by future Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma, holds special significance as his first directed game and draws clear inspiration from The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, even utilizing the same game engine.

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