Battletoads, Ninja Gaiden II, Bionic Commando And Kid Icarus Join Nintendo Switch Online Classics

28 November 2025
Nintendo Switch 2Nintendo Switch
10 min.
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Battletoads, Ninja Gaiden II, Bionic Commando And Kid Icarus Join Nintendo Switch Online Classics

Summary:

Nintendo has boosted the Nintendo Switch Online experience again by slipping four fan favorite classics into the Nintendo Classics line up across NES and Game Boy. Battletoads and Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos bulk up the NES selection with tough, fast paced action that once defined living room bragging rights. On the Game Boy side, Bionic Commando and Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters bring portable twists on platforming and adventure that many players either missed the first time around or have not touched in decades. Together, these four games show how Nintendo treats its back catalogue as something living rather than dusty, combining difficulty, personality and history in a set that feels like a mini retro festival. We walk through what has changed with the latest November 2025 update, what makes each game worth your time, how to access the new apps on Switch and Switch 2, and why this drop hints at even more interesting classics to come.

What has changed with Nintendo Switch Online classics in November 2025

November 2025 brought a fresh wave of nostalgia to Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 owners by expanding the Nintendo Classics apps that sit inside the Nintendo Switch Online service. Four games arrived at once rather than the usual one or two, and they span two different systems, which already makes this update feel bigger than the average refresh. On the NES side, subscribers now see Battletoads and Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos in the line up, while the Game Boy app gains Bionic Commando and Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters. The drop landed near the end of the month, turning a normal week into an instant retro celebration. Nintendo has also been slowly rebranding the retro apps from the old naming to the Nintendo Classics label, so players opening the NES or Game Boy icons now see a clearer umbrella for these libraries. For anyone who loves swapping between modern releases and older favorites on the same screen, this mix of new arrivals and quiet polish makes the service feel more alive.

Why these four NES and Game Boy picks matter

At first glance this could look like just another batch of older games, but the specific mix Nintendo picked tells a more interesting story. These four are not obscure curios, yet they are also not the obvious first wave that everyone expects when talking about NES or Game Boy. Battletoads has a reputation as one of the hardest games of its era while still being oddly charming, and Ninja Gaiden II represents a classic sequel that refines a well known platforming formula. On the Game Boy side, Bionic Commando showcases how creative designers got when translating console ideas to a small screen without simply shrinking everything, and Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters gives a second life to a sequel that many regions barely saw when it was new. Together, they show different ways retro games can stand out, whether through challenge, clever mechanics or under appreciated history. That makes this update feel curated rather than random, like Nintendo is nudging players to explore corners of its past that still hold up and deserve another shot.

Battletoads on Nintendo Switch Online – difficulty and legacy

Battletoads joining the NES Nintendo Classics app is a big moment for anyone who grew up hearing legends about its brutal stages and seemingly impossible speeder bike sequence. Now it sits just a few clicks away for Switch and Switch 2 owners, complete with modern conveniences like save states and rewind that take some of the sting out of the challenge. Under the tough exterior sits a game that experiments constantly, throwing beat em up levels, vertical climbing segments, vehicle stages and more at players without much warning. That variety helped the game stand out in the early 90s and still keeps it interesting today, even when it occasionally feels unfair. Playing Battletoads in 2025 can feel like visiting a theme park built with no safety inspectors, but that chaos is part of the appeal. Thanks to the flexibility of Switch hardware, you can now chip away at its hardest sections on the couch, on the train or in bed, turning a childhood wall into something you can tackle one small piece at a time.

Ninja Gaiden II on NES classics – fast action for skilled players

Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos arrives alongside Battletoads and brings a different flavor of classic difficulty. Where Battletoads throws wild variety at you, Ninja Gaiden II focuses on tight platforming, aggressive enemy placement and a main character who feels incredibly responsive once you get used to his movement. The sequel builds on the cinematic storytelling the series helped pioneer on NES, mixing cutscenes between stages with a pulpy plot that keeps things moving. Mechanics like the ability to cling to and climb walls add more nuance to how you approach each level, rewarding players who think a few steps ahead rather than simply reacting. On Switch and Switch 2, the quick suspend features and save options mean you can practice specific tricky stretches instead of replaying whole stages over and over. It turns the game into a kind of action puzzle where you slowly piece together the exact sequence of jumps and attacks needed to carve a clean path through the chaos, which makes each victory feel earned instead of handed to you.

Bionic Commando on Game Boy – grappling through a new portable era

Bionic Commando arriving on the Game Boy Nintendo Classics app gives portable fans something a little different from traditional platformers. The hook here is the lack of a jump button: instead, your bionic arm becomes your main tool for movement, letting you swing across gaps, climb to higher ledges and reposition yourself in ways that feel fresh even decades later. The Game Boy version reimagines the setting with a more futuristic tone, but the core appeal stays the same, inviting players to treat each level like a movement puzzle as much as an action stage. On a modern Switch screen, the chunky sprites and clear silhouettes hold up nicely, especially with the visual filters and screen options the Nintendo Classics app provides. For players used to more straightforward run and jump games, Bionic Commando can feel strange at first, almost like learning to walk again, but once the swinging clicks it becomes a satisfying rhythm. Working through this version on a handheld system again, even in emulated form, recaptures the feeling of mastering a slightly awkward toy that suddenly starts doing exactly what you want.

Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters – a second chance for a cult classic

Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters joining the Game Boy catalog is quietly one of the most exciting parts of this update, especially since the game originally skipped some regions and spent years as a kind of missing link in the series. It puts players back in the sandals of Pit, mixing side scrolling action, vertical climbing and light role playing touches against a backdrop influenced by Greek mythology. Compared to the original NES game, this adventure softens a few of the rough edges while still keeping a sense of challenge, and it uses the Game Boy hardware to create surprisingly moody little fantasy scenes on a tiny screen. Bringing it to Nintendo Classics finally gives a broad global audience a chance to treat it as more than a footnote whenever Kid Icarus gets mentioned. For fans who discovered Pit through later appearances, including crossover fighters, this is an easy way to see where some of his moves and personality took shape. The save and rewind tools mean you can experiment with routes and upgrades without worrying about losing an entire run to one bad jump.

How to access the new NES and Game Boy classics on Switch and Switch 2

Getting to these four games is simple once you know where to look, but the growing number of apps and icons on Switch and Switch 2 can still make things a little confusing at first. You need an active Nintendo Switch Online membership at the standard level, after which you can download the Nintendo Entertainment System – Nintendo Classics app and the Game Boy – Nintendo Classics app from the eShop at no additional cost. Once installed, launching the NES app reveals Battletoads and Ninja Gaiden II in the grid of available games, while the Game Boy app houses Bionic Commando and Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters. On Switch 2, the same apps exist alongside additional collections tied to the Expansion Pack tier, but these four new arrivals sit firmly in the base membership, which is good news if you prefer to keep things simple. You also need an internet connection the first time you play to verify your membership, although after that the games can run offline for a limited window, which is perfect for trips or commutes.

Tips for newcomers trying these classics for the first time

Jumping into these older games for the first time can feel intimidating, especially if your baseline for difficulty comes from modern titles that lean toward friendly checkpoints and generous tutorials. The good news is that Nintendo Classics builds in tools that make experimenting far less stressful. Save states let you capture your progress before a tricky boss or obstacle, and the rewind feature gives you a way to correct a mistimed jump or misplaced attack without restarting. A smart approach is to treat your first few runs as casual scouting missions rather than serious attempts, paying attention to enemy patterns, platform layouts and hidden pickups. For Battletoads and Ninja Gaiden II, this kind of observation pays off quickly because so many hazards are designed to catch you off guard at least once. On the Game Boy side, giving yourself time to adapt to Bionic Commando’s arm based movement and Kid Icarus’s mix of horizontal and vertical stages helps avoid frustration. Think of it like learning a new instrument: the first sounds might be messy, but with a bit of patience everything starts to click.

Why Nintendo keeps expanding the Nintendo Classics library

The steady stream of additions to the Nintendo Classics library shows that Nintendo sees its history as a key part of the Switch and Switch 2 story rather than something to be locked away. By weaving retro apps into the Nintendo Switch Online subscription, the company turns nostalgia into an ongoing perk rather than a one time purchase, which encourages long term engagement. Every new drop, including this November 2025 wave, gives fans another reason to reopen the apps, check what has changed and maybe share a favorite with friends or family members who never saw these games the first time. It also helps preserve smaller or more experimental titles that might otherwise fade into the background, especially when they were originally released in limited regions. From a practical angle, classic libraries give people who finish modern releases an easy fallback option when they want something shorter or more focused to play. For Nintendo, that keeps the ecosystem sticky, while for players it feels like carrying a tiny museum of interactive history in your bag.

What this update hints at for future retro drops

This particular set of four games hints that future retro drops may continue to balance famous names with slightly less obvious picks, which is good news if you like being surprised. Battletoads and Ninja Gaiden II have strong recognition, yet pairing them with Bionic Commando and Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters suggests that Nintendo is willing to dig a little deeper when deciding what to surface next. It also shows a willingness to support sequels and spin offs instead of only the very first entries in a series, which opens doors for more follow ups that fans have been quietly requesting for years. Looking ahead, it would not be shocking to see additional Game Boy and NES titles that flesh out trilogies, regional oddities or crossover projects, especially as Switch 2 continues to mature. For now, these four classics serve as a reminder that the service can still surprise even long time fans. If you have been waiting for the right moment to explore the Nintendo Classics apps again, this November 2025 update is a strong excuse to dive back in and see what you connect with.

Conclusion

The arrival of Battletoads, Ninja Gaiden II, Bionic Commando and Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters on Nintendo Switch Online proves once again how much life is left in carefully chosen retro lineups. Together they showcase different flavors of challenge, personality and design, from brutal platforming gauntlets to inventive movement systems and overlooked sequels finally getting their moment. With modern features like save states, rewind and flexible handheld or docked play, these games slot more comfortably into busy lives than they ever did on original hardware, turning once intimidating legends into achievable goals. At the same time, they enrich the broader Nintendo Classics ecosystem, giving both long time fans and curious newcomers more reasons to keep their memberships active and their curiosity switched on. Whether you are chasing childhood memories or discovering these worlds for the first time, this update invites you to slow down, pick a favorite and enjoy the strange, charming energy of early console and handheld adventures.

FAQs
  • Do I need the Expansion Pack to play these four new classics
    • No, you only need the standard Nintendo Switch Online membership to play Battletoads, Ninja Gaiden II, Bionic Commando and Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters. They are part of the NES and Game Boy Nintendo Classics apps that are included with the base subscription tier, so you do not have to upgrade to the Expansion Pack to access them.
  • Where can I find Battletoads and Ninja Gaiden II on my Switch
    • After downloading the Nintendo Entertainment System – Nintendo Classics app from the eShop and confirming your Nintendo Switch Online membership, open the app and scroll through the NES library. Battletoads and Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos appear as selectable tiles alongside other NES games, and you can launch them directly from that screen.
  • How do save states and rewind help with difficult retro games
    • Save states let you capture your exact spot at any time, which is ideal before tricky jumps, boss fights or unfamiliar sections. Rewind lets you quickly undo recent mistakes without restarting a stage. Together they turn harsh difficulty spikes into learning opportunities and allow you to practice specific patterns until they feel comfortable instead of repeating long stretches from the beginning.
  • Are these versions of the games different from the originals
    • The games themselves are faithful to their original NES and Game Boy releases, keeping the same levels, mechanics and visual style. The main differences come from the Nintendo Classics wrapper, which adds modern touches such as save states, rewind, optional screen filters and control remapping. These additions sit on top of the original experiences without changing their core design.
  • Which game is the best starting point if I have never played any of them
    • If you prefer fast paced action with tight controls, Ninja Gaiden II is a strong choice, while Battletoads is best if you feel ready for a very tough but varied challenge. On the Game Boy side, Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters offers a more forgiving adventure with a fantasy feel, and Bionic Commando is ideal if you want to try a movement system built around a grappling arm instead of a jump button.
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