Downloads; Roms; Nintendo Switch Roms Trimmed (XCI) Nintendo Switch Roms Trimmed (XCI) Trimmed XCI files are roms that have the useless filler data removed resulting in a smaller size rom.
Can you play old games on the Nintendo Switch? The answer is yes, but as Nintendo readies itself to launch a paid-for online gaming service this year, the not-so-fine print is that you’ll have to pay for it.
We had plenty of questions ahead of today’s exclusive Nintendo Switch UK showcase. Top of the list was trying to dig out some more details of the Switch’s online gaming model, which had been hinted at in the past but not confirmed. But we now know that from autumn 2017, the online gaming on the Nintendo Switch will be offered as a premium service.
Pricing and an exact launch date are still to be confirmed, but we understand that a beta version of the Switch online app will be ready in time for summer. The beta will offer limited online gameplay for free, before transforming into a paid-for service in autumn.
While charging for online gaming will be a first for Nintendo, it’s hardly out of step with the rest of the industry, and our investigations into the Switch’s new premium service did yield one happy fact – retro titles will be available as part of the package.
Subscribers will be able to download one NES or SNES title per month, and in addition to being able to play the classics of yesteryear, they’ll also feature online multiplayer modes.
Of course, what we really want to see if a whole slew of iconic NES and SNES games made available on the Switch immediately. But given the existence of the Nintendo Classic Mini, that seems unlikely – at least for the time being. Rather, it looks like Nintendo will opt to trickle its arsenal of classics down to the Switch – we’d wager that most of the better known NES and SNES games were available within a year or so of launch.
Check out our guide for more information on Nintendo Switch games, or click here to pre-order the Nintendo Switch.
Related: Nintendo Switch vs Wii U
Watch: Nintendo Switch – First Look
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Well that didn't take very long. Today, the first batch of Nintendo Switch game ROMs have appeared online, according to a post on GBATemp. Hacking suit Big Blue Box has reportedly ripped six Nintendo Switch games straight from their carts, according to the post from BBB, this was done using a Nintendo Switch console (exactly how I won't pretend to understand). The games ripped so far include:
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
- Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
- ARMS
- Has Been Heroes
- Puyo Puyo Tetris
- Lego City Undercover
So you may be asking yourself, 'What does this mean? Are people about to start downloading Nintendo Switch games for free and ruining everything?' The answer is no. Not yet, anyway. But these advances to have a number of consequences, and there are some things that you may want to keep an eye out for. Actually, there are some really near things that could come from this, and some not so neat things that could come from this.
The best case scenario would look something like this. A bunch of really talented people get full access to all of the game files and do some incredible or whatever else. It doesn't matter. The bottom line is that pirating games hurts the company you're stealing from, and it makes things harder for those that want to enjoy the system legitimately.
Nintendo is going to be much slower, and much more cautious in bringing things like a functional web-browser and alternative storage methods to the Switch when it knows that there's a community actively trying to find exploits to allow the downloading and playing of game ROMs.
Something to think about.