The 11 Best 3rd-Party Games On Nintendo Switch Expansion (2024)

The Nintendo Switch Online service has been active since September 19, 2018, a year after the console's launch. It came with several perks for members, including online play, cloud saves, NSO App access, exclusive offers, and retro games. Members only had NES games at the service launch, though its library grew with more options.

In October, 2021, the Expansion Pack brought Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis/Mega Drive games to Nintendo’s Online service. Playable games now come from several developers, including Nintendo’s competitors like Sega and Xbox Game Studios. Members who upgraded to Expansion Pass gained more access to retro games, including from 3rd party developers. Some games that have multiplayer modes can be accessed for local and online play, which is a boon for players who prefer their Switch hooked up to their TV.

11 Earthworm Jim

A Cartoonish Challenge

Earthworm Jim

Platformer

Action

Systems

Platform(s)

Nintendo Game Boy , Nintendo Game Boy Advance , Nintendo DS , PC , PS3 , Sega CD , Game Gear , Master System , Genesis , SNES , Xbox 360

Released

December 16, 1994

Developer

Shiny Entertainment, Playmates Interactive Entertainment, Gameloft

There are some wacky games on the Sega Genesis, but very few offer a more animated, hilarious earthworm experience like Earthworm Jim. As the title suggests, the protagonist is an earthworm in a super suit that gives him super strength and a gun. His journey forces him to face many villains that yearn for his super suit, including Psy-Crow, Evil The Cat, and Queen Pulsating Bloated Festering Sweaty Pus-filled Malformed Slug for a Butt.

The game excels in its quirky, colorful animations, especially when Jim gets hurt. Despite the appealing visuals, its difficulty isn’t anything to sneeze at when dealing with tricky platforming and aggressive enemies. Though there was an SNES version, the Sega Genesis version was superior with its consistent framerate and extra original level.

10 Mega Man: The Wily Wars

1994's Fresher, Shinier Mega Man Collection

Mega Man: The Wily Wars

Platformer

Systems

Platform(s)

Genesis

Released

October 21, 1994

Developer(s)

Minakuchi Engineering

See Also

Check out the latest news about Nintendo Switch Online! - News - Nintendo Official Site

Mega Man: The Wily Wars is the perfect entry for any newcomer willing to play the first three Mega Man games with much better graphics. Its design is similar to Mega Man X, being released a year before the collection. The visuals in this collection became the standard for the series’ next game, Mega Man 7

This collection serves as a huge graphical enhancement with very few A.I. changes for the enemies and robot masters across the games. It does include an extra mode after beating the three games called The Wily Towers. It’s the last challenge to test Mega Man’s skills and equipped abilities from the entire journey, with the goal beings to take down Wily.

9 Shining Force 1 + 2

Sega’s Early Classic SRPG

Shining Force

RPG

Tactical

Systems

Platform(s)

Genesis , PC , Switch , PS4 , Wii , Xbox 360 , Android , iOS

Released

July 13, 1993

Developer

Climax Entertainment, Sonic! Software Planning

Shining Force 1 + 2 are simple, beloved SRPGs that never fell out of Sega’s favor. Shining Force 1 is the 2nd entry of the series for the Sega Genesis, which was remade on the Game Boy Advanced. Shining Force 2 is the series’ 5th entry for the Mega Drive, which was re-released in other collections as well.

Both games give the player a selection of allies with unique personalities, classes, and stories before combat. When two units engage, the perspective doesn’t use the Fire Emblem side view, but rather Pokemon's angled turn-based perspective. Pokemon Red & Blue released three years after Shining Force 2, which suggests this series was a strong inspiration.

8 Ghouls 'N Ghosts

The Incarnation Of Challenge

Ghouls 'n Ghosts

Action

Platformer

Systems

Platform(s)

Arcade , PS2 , Master System , Genesis , TurboGrafx-16 , iOS

Released

October 29, 1988

Developer(s)

Capcom

Ghouls 'N Ghosts is the Sega Genesis sequel to a well-known challenging IP. It helped increase the series' success, becoming the 8th-highest-grossing arcade game of 1989 in Japan The game does bring the familiar run-'n-throw-weapons combat system back, but with various levels and enemies to provide different challenges.

The sequel doesn’t hold back its frustrating difficulty, forcing the player to expect the unexpected when progressing. Fireballs, hurricanes, and skulls are commonplace. Any enemy can appear from anywhere to stop Arthur’s quest for his life-long love, including throwing attacks appearing from off-screen. This is one of the harder (but fair-ish) entries in the Switch Sega Genesis’ library.

7 Crusader Of Centy

Animalistic Hero’s Quest

Crusader of Centy

Action-Adventure

RPG

Systems

Platform(s)

Genesis

Released

June 16, 1994

Developer

Nextech

Crusader of Centy is an action-adventure with a gameplay formula inspired by The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. The game doesn’t point out where to go, making the player set off on their adventure as the protagonist should for his 14th birthday. The hints aren’t obvious, which makes it necessary to listen closely to many NPC responses.

During the protagonist’s hero quest, his human speech is replaced by animal & plant speech. This new ability encourages him to learn different techniques from other animals and rely on their aid for his journey. He can interact with many animals, including a familiar hedgehog.

6 Virtua Fighter 2

2D Martial Arts

Virtua Fighter 2

Fighting

Systems

Platform(s)

Arcade , PC , PS2 , PS3 , PSP , Genesis , Sega Saturn , Xbox 360

Released

1995-12-00

Developer(s)

Sega-AM2

Virtua Fighter 2 on Sega Genesis is a 2D remake of one of Sega’s best arcade games; one that became very successful in Japan. It is a standard fighter with a 3-button control scheme for guarding, punching, and kicking. The game is heavily footsie-based, making positioning and attack timing essential. A match can end by knocking out the opponent’s health or knocking them off-stage.

The original nine characters from the predecessor return to the roster, with two more characters, Shun Di and Lion Rafale, joining them. The game excels at showcasing different martial arts, such as hakkyokuken, wrestling, praying mantis, and even drunken kung-fu.

5 Jet Force Gemini

1999 Galactic Rescue

Jet Force Gemini

Third-Person Shooter

Action-Adventure

Platformer

Systems

Platform(s)

Nintendo 64

Released

October 11, 1999

Developer(s)

Rare

See at Nintendo eShop

Futuristic space games are included in the Expansion Pack, like Metroid Fusion, but Jet Force Gemini is the only 3D third-person shooter with a galactic hero experience. Jet Force Gemini are a galactic trio that includes the boy Juno, the girl Vela, and their pet, Lupus.

The team is forced to land on a planet overrun by the Mizar army, encouraging them to save the poor Tribals from hostile insects. Each team member has unique skills suited for different missions, such as Juno walking on magma, Vela swimming infinitely, and Lupus floating in the air. The team’s techniques must be utilized to save every alien civilian without dealing friendly fire. Players can even challenge their friends in multiplayer deathmatches.

4 WinBack

A Classic Action Shooter

WinBack: Covert Operations

Third-Person Shooter

Systems

Platform(s)

Nintendo 64 , PlayStation 2

Released

October 19, 1999

Developer(s)

Omega Force

WinBack: Covert Operations is a good game for anyone seeking a third-person action experience similar to Metal Gear Solid. It isn’t as dramatic and confusing as MGS though, making this game much more straightforward to understand.

The world is linear compared to Metal Gear Solid, simplifying the objective directions. Each level has enough space and environment for the player and enemies to take cover. The game encourages paying attention to the environment, as enemies can from appear anywhere to take down the protagonist.

3 Blast Corps

Classic Explosive Carnage

Blast Corps

Action

Puzzle

Systems

Platform(s)

Nintendo 64 , Xbox One

Released

March 24, 1997

Developer(s)

Rare

Nothing beats jumping into a Nintendo 64 game like Blast Corps to cause destructive mayhem. It’s one of the most accessible games on the system for relieving explosive aggression.

Level objectives range from simply destroying every building in the area to safely escorting transports through blocked paths. Different vehicles are provided for each level to utilize their destructive power, including a mecha robot. Players can replay levels to try for faster completion times, and to earn better scores and rewarding medals.

2 Perfect Dark

A Rare Successor To A Golden Legacy

Perfect Dark

First-Person Shooter

Systems

Platform(s)

Xbox 360 , Nintendo 64

Released

May 22, 2000

Developer(s)

The Initiative , Nintendo , Rare , Crystal Dynamics

Perfect Dark provides a special opportunity for players to become secret agents firsthand. What starts as a realistic stealth mission shifts into a more other worldly threat for the protagonist, Joanna Dark.

The levels are spacious, offering plenty for players to explore, opening up the choice to confront enemies head-on or stealthily sneak past them. There are different weapons available, including using the enemies’ utilities or Johanna’s fists. The game does get better after players get used to the game’s movement and aiming. It even has multiplayer options for friendly or competitive co-op. Perfect Dark is one of two Nintendo 64 games that’s rated M in Nintendo’s Online service.

1 Banjo-Kazooie

An Amusing World With Whimsical Tunes

Banjo-Kazooie

3D Platformer

Systems

Platform(s)

N64 , Xbox 360

Released

June 28, 1998

Developer(s)

Rare

See at Xbox Games Store

The most humorous platformer on the Nintendo 64 service is Banjo-Kazooie. It’s been over two decades since the series from Rare was released on a Nintendo home console. It was designed with Mario 64's influence in mind, resulting in a vibrant world, memorable characters, and fun controls.

The game doesn’t only excel in its platforming and puzzles, but with wacky music and humorous interactions as well. Challenges will vary, with some hints to guide Banjo to his main objective, collecting the jigsaw puzzles. The world feels very alive, as friends and foes showcase distinct personalities when interacting with Banjo. For anyone who wants more Mario 64 in brighter colors, this game fulfills those needs and more.