The recent confirmation of the Switch 2’s backward compatibility bodes well for the continued growth of Nintendo Switch Online‘s classic game collections. While not much is known about the successor to Nintendo’s wildly successful hybrid console, there’s every reason to believe that the Big N will carry over Nintendo Switch Online in at least some capacity. The most recent update to the service sees three new Sega Genesis games joining the console’s classic game collection available as part of the Expansion Pack subscription tier, with two of the titles being highly requested from fans since the moment Nintendo brought Sega games to the Switch.
The three classics from the Sega Genesis library most recently added to Nintendo Switch Online are Vectorman, Wolf of the Battlefield: Mercs, and ToeJam & Earl in Panic on Funkotron. While each of these titles is sure to have a dedicated fanbase excited about the games now being playable on the Switch, the Toejam & Earl sequel is arguably one of the more interesting titles of the bunch, having become a cult classic in the wake of its initial poor critical and fan reception at launch.
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Every New Sega Genesis Game on Switch Online as of November 26, 2024
Vectorman
Originally released in September 1995 as one of the late-era first-party Genesis games, Vectorman is a very solid action platformer with some unique mechanics. As the titular hero, players maneuver through fairly traditional levels while shooting enemies, but some interesting transformation abilities add variety to what’s otherwise a straightforward run n’ gun. Vectorman‘s developer, BlueSky Software, would also handle the port of the seminal Shadowrun to the Genesis before closing its tenure on the system with Vectorman‘s sequel and the final installment of World Series Baseball. Vectorman had a positive critical and commercial response upon its release, but its release coinciding with the launches of the Sega Saturn and Sony PlayStation led to it being somewhat overlooked. The title is arguably one of the great underappreciated gems in the Genesis catalog.
Wolf of the Battlefield: Mercs
Known in Japan as Senjō no Ōkami II (or Wolf of the Battlefield 2), Mercs is the sequel to Capcom’s arcade classic: Commando. Like the original, players control a lone soldier from a top-down perspective in frantic run n’ gun gameplay, albeit with improved visuals and sound. Notably, the Genesis port of the arcade hit features both Arcade Mode and Original Mode. As the naming suggests, Arcade Mode is a faithful port of Wolf of the Battlefield 2‘s coin-op cabinet, while Original Mode is unique to the Sega Genesis version and contains a brand-new set of stages. Original Mode also allows players to switch between multiple different characters and even features some light RPG elements and progression. While players in North America may not remember this Genesis port of a beloved Capcom sequel, the title was the best-selling game on the console in the UK the month of its release.
ToeJam & Earl in Panic on Funkotron
Finally joining its predecessor on the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack tier is ToeJam & Earl in Panic on Funkotron. This sequel to the classic ToeJam & Earl is vastly different from its predecessor, swapping out the Rogue-inspired random levels and treasure hunts for a more traditional 2D side-scrolling platformer. The change was hotly contested among players at the time of Funkotron‘s release, but the title has since become something of a cult classic among Genesis enthusiasts. And, despite an initially cool reception from critics, the legacy of Panic on Funkotron is that it is among the best games on the Sega Genesis and one of the console’s better platformers.
Nintendo Switch
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- Battery
- 1 Lithium Polymer batteries required
- Dimensions
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- Weight
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