The number one prayer request of Nintendo Switch owners has been heard and answered: Nintendo announced Monday evening that cloud data saves will be coming to Nintendo Switch, as part of the Nintendo Online Service.

Cloud data saves will allow users to upload game save data into a cloud-based server and then re-download them at a later time. The advantage to this would be as a fail-safe in case the user’s Nintendo Switch were to require a repair: a process which requires the owner send their console back to Nintendo, virtually guaranteeing that any saved data stored in the actual Switch unit itself is lost.

Cloud data saves will be one of the key selling points of the Nintendo Online Service, due to launch this September.

Super Mario Bros. 3 will be available as part of the Nintendo Online Service, with brand new online play!

The Nintendo Online Service, a subscription-based online service for the Nintendo Switch, which will be required in order to play games like Super Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Splatoon 2, or ARMS online, was originally supposed to launch at some point in 2017; however, plans for the Nintendo Online Service roll out were pushed back to September of 2018.

While an exact date of the launch of the Nintendo Online Service were not announced Monday evening, several details were divulged.

Included with a subscription to the Nintendo Online Service will be immediate access to 20 classic NES games, available for the first time with online play. Players can compete for high scores, or virtually pass the controller to each other in games like the Legend of Zelda, Super Mario Bros. 3, and 18 other titles. Nintendo says that more games will be released as time goes on.

Nintendo is offering a number of Subscription Options for the Nintendo Online Service. Options range from one month indulgences for $3.99, to a full year’s membership for $19.99. The most intriguing option is a “family plan”, which allows an account holder to invite up to seven other Nintendo Switch owners into the plan and grants those members full online access. So in theory, you and a group of your friends could pony up for a family plan, and then split the cost up to 7 ways.

Not a bad deal!

There are three downsides that we noticed about the plans for the Nintendo Online Service.

1. It kind of stinks that you now have to pay for something that was previously free. The silver lining in that cloud is that the Nintendo Online Service is extremely affordable, especially compared to the $60 one has to shell out for PSN access, or Xbox Live Gold membership.
2. Voice chat is still handled by the atrocious cell phone app. I don’t think there is a single person on the planet who is thrilled with the prospect of having to continue to juggle the terrible cell phone app, as well as their Switch when attempting to communicate with others online, but for better or worse, it’s here to stay for the time being. We’ll see how painful this really is once games like Fortnite, as well as some unannounced games arrive for the system.
3. Where’s my Virtual Console?? One of the most exciting aspects of the Nintendo Switch’s launch was the speculation on how Nintendo would evolve their Virtual Console services on the new platform. Would we see games from the Game Cube era arrive? While the ability to play NES games with new online modes is novel, it isn’t quite the meat and potatoes that many players were hoping to dine on.

With E3 2018 less than a month away, chances are very good that we will hear more about the launch date for the Nintendo Online Service (expect it to roll out right about the same time that the new Super Smash Bros. game, which is scheduled to release this fall, launches) very soon.

In the meantime, let us know your thoughts.

Is the Nintendo Online Service guilty of highway robbery? Or do you think that the price is reasonable for the extra’s that are included.

Let us know in the comments section below.

Written by The Watchman

The Watchman is a journeyman gamer who has seen and played a good chunk of gaming history.
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