Summary
- Ridge Racer 64 is now available on Nintendo Switch Online, adding to the catalog of N64 titles.
- The game offers multiplayer for up to four players, 25 cars, and nine courses.
- Nintendo Switch Online continues to expand its library with fan-favorite titles, making it more popular.
Nintendo Switch Online has added another classic to its growing catalog of N64 titles, the first-party racing game Ridge Racer 64. The subscription service, Nintendo Switch Online, originally launched in 2018 and wasn’t initially as well received as PlayStation Plus and Xbox Game Pass due to its extremely limited offerings. However, the growing library of titles — along with the addition of Nintendo 64, Sega Genesis, and Game Boy Advance titles via the Expansion Pack — has made Switch Online increasingly popular.
The Ridge Racer series of games began in arcades and was present on most platforms until 2016, when the last entry in the franchise was released. One of the most popular titles, Ridge Racer 64, launched in 2000 and proved so popular that it got a remake in 2004 for release on Nintendo DS. Part of what made Ridge Racer 64 one of the best racing games on Nintendo 64 was the fact that it included tracks from the original Ridge Racer and PlayStation’s Ridge Racer Revolution, and also introduced new cars and tracks. Nintendo added updated drift and collision systems as well.
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Many fans of the series and racing games in general will be happy to learn that Ridge Racer 64 is now available for Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscribers. This emulated version of the game includes multiplayer for up to four players, as well as 25 cars and nine courses to choose from. Ridge Racer 64 joins a growing collection of iconic Nintendo 64 titles available through Nintendo Switch Online, including other racing games like Mario Kart 64, F-Zero X, and Wave Race 64.
Ridge Racer 64 Comes to Nintendo Switch Online
Of course, there are still many games that people would love to see come to the subscription service, but Nintendo has been fairly successful thus far at adding what fans are clamoring for. Other recent additions to Nintendo Switch Online were three SNES games, Fatal Fury 2, Super Ninja Boy, and Sutte Hakkun, as well as the NES version of Tetris and Game Boy Color’s Tetris DX. One of the most hyped titles added to the service was Banjo-Tooie in October, which fans had been asking for since Banjo-Kazooie became available in 2022.
The growing appeal of a Nintendo Switch Online subscription will be bittersweet for a large number of players, however. In November, Tencent, which handles distribution of Nintendo Switch in China, announced that it will be shutting down Nintendo Switch Online services and eShop access in that country between March and May of 2026. It’s unclear how many millions of gamers will ultimately be affected by the shutdown.
