Nintendo Switch Online was seen by a lot of fans as a controversial feature when it was first introduced back in 2018. Slapping a price tag on the online functionality of the Switch did not seem to be worth the money at first. However, Nintendo perhaps hoped that the Switch Online Expansion Pack would change users' perspectives on the service, since it grants them access to emulators for the NES, SNES, and N64. Some still wonder whether the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack is worth the price of entry, but more new games are consistently being added to its lineup.
The latest game to be added to the N64 roster in the Expansion Pack is Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards. Initially, Kirby 64 was showcased in a trailer alongside Mario Golf and the original Pokemon Snap. However, at the time, fans only knew that these classic games were being planned for release on the Switch but not when they would be getting access. Kirby 64 first released in 2000, meaning that it will have been out for over 20 years by the time it's in the hands of Switch players.
Kirby as a character is even older than that, as the famous pink ball is celebrating his 30th anniversary this year. While fans have already seen a new Kirby game come out in the form of Kirby and the Forgotten Land, a return to a classic title featuring one of gaming's most well-known characters certainly won't be shunned by many fans. Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards features the titular Kirby hunting down, as might be expected, the shards of a sacred crystal after it has been shattered by dark matter, and has finally been announced to be coming to Switch Online subscribers on May 20.
Kirby 64 has players collect the pieces of the sacred crystal over six worlds, each split into several levels. As usual, Kirby can suck up and take on the forms of most of his enemies, giving him unique powers. Besides the single-player elements of Kirby 64, there is also a multiplayer portion of the game that can be played locally or online with other Nintendo Switch Online subscribers.
Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards makes its way to the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack next week, but it is not the only piece of content for the subscription service likely coming soon. In a recent interview, Nintendo's president confirmed that the company would be bringing new content to Switch Online. And after seeing the leak of a Game Boy Advance emulator, some fans are pretty sure they know what's coming.
Kirby 64: The Crystal Shard will be available on May 20 for Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack subscribers.