3 missing Nintendo games Switch Online can finally give players officially outside of Japan

Being able to play classic Nintendo games through Nintendo Switch Online can be a great tool to explore different kinds of games. Many of the iconic releases for consoles like the NES, Super Nintendo, Game Boy, and other platforms are easily available for anyone to jump into quickly. But as more games are added to the service across Nintendo different systems, some fans are curious if we'll ever get to see the games that weren't always available in all territories. Back in the day, some games that were released by Nintendo were exclusive to Japanese audiences, and never had the chance to find their way to North America, even though Nintendo systems were very popular with everyone.

This is why Switch Online classics are such a great addition to the online service. It not only gives people a chance to play games they never experienced back then, but also allows Nintendo an outlet to bring out some of their deepest backlog of titles to be more available to new audiences. And with the Switch Online Expansion Pass being a bigger commitment for Nintendo fans that own a Nintendo Switch 2, it would be another reason for more people to jump into the online service. Here are 3 missing Nintendo games that Nintendo Switch Online can finally give players officially outside of Japan.

Mother 3 (Earthbound sequel)

The most requested sequel

It's no secret that one of the most requested Nintendo games to get an official translation and release outside of Japan is Mother 3. Most people would know the series as Earthbound outside of Japan, especially the characters that appeared in the Super Smash Bros. series that were directly from it. While the first two Earthbound titles have gotten some form of release in North America, both on the Super Nintendo and though Switch Online classics, the third game in the series has yet to receive one. Mother 3 follows a young boy named Lucas who has psychic powers, and uses them to protect the world from a mysterious global invasion. The gameplay of Mother 3 is very similar to its predecessor, with players controlling a party of characters to explore different locations and get into battles. The combat of the game was a little different from previous Mother titles, where hitting buttons to a beat in combat could open up enemies to additional attacks.

To many Nintendo fans, Mother 3 has been an elusive game for many years. Originally, it was planned to be developed for the Nintendo 64 in the year 2000, until that plan was canceled and development shifted to the Game Boy Advance in 2003. Although it never released outside of Japan, Mother 3 became a big success in Japan towards the end of the Game Boy Advance's lifespan. However, despite its success, Nintendo never made an official attempt to bring the game to western audiences on the GBA, and has since not done any official translation or port of Mother 3 to any other platforms.

Because of its popularity, there have been a few fan translations of the game shared online, giving people a chance to play Mother 3 in some way. It's been something that fans cry out for every year, or whenever a new announcement is made for the company in relation to Switch Online or other Nintendo re-releases. With the Nintendo Switch Online service starting to add more classic Nintendo games that weren't released in the west now, Mother 3 would be at the top of everyone's list for the game that should be up next.

Fire Emblem: Genealogy Of The Holy War

A lost tale in the west

If there's one series that has skyrocketed in popularity over the years for Nintendo platforms, it's definitely Fire Emblem. The series has seen multiple entries released across different handheld and home consoles, with a wide range of results. The most popular entries of the series in North America have been on the Nintendo 3DS, and allowed the series to find more success afterward on consoles like the Nintendo Switch. But one addition to the legacy of Fire Emblem was never released outside of Japan back in 1996. Fire Emblem: Genealogy Of The Holy War was released for the Super Famicom in Japan, and is the fourth official installment of the series, but is the second game to come out for the Super Famicom back then.

The plot of Fire Emblem: Genealogy Of The Holy War takes place over two generations of warring factions, with a cult trying to revive the ancient dragon Loptous and plunging multiple countries into war. The gameplay is similar to previous Fire Emblem titles, with the grid-based layout and turn-based battles. The triangle of weapons system is first introduced to the series within this game, which helps decide the outcome of battles and how strong a unit can be with a rock-paper-scissors approach to them. This design of combat would stick with the series from that point forward, which can be seen in more recent entries of the series today.

To date, the game has never been ported or re-released with an official translation. Although some aspects of the plot and characters that appear in Fire Emblem: Genealogy Of The Holy War are part of later games, which borrow and reference elements from the outcome of its story. Because so many people continue to support Fire Emblem games as they are released from Nintendo, it would be a smart choice to bring this lost entry to Switch Online for more people to finally play, much in the same way that the game Mario and Wario was finally brought over to the service.

Excitebike: Bun Bun Mario Battle Stadium

Something entirely different

In Japan, there were a few Satellaview games that were part of an ongoing series of releases for Japanese audiences to tune into. These games were playable for a select time called the Super Famicom Hour, where game data was broadcast to Super Famicom systems that had the Satellaview attachment, allowing games to be downloaded. Some games would have CD quality sound, as well as voice acting to be part of the experiences, including a Legend of Zelda game with a fully voiced narrator.

One game that was part of this collection of Satellaview titles was Excitebike: Bun Bun Mario Battle Stadium. This was a remake of the original Excitebike, but included different Mario characters into the mix. The graphics of the game were updated to the same quality of other Super Famicom games, and a new Super mode was added into the gameplay. Everything else about it is identical to the original game, but things looked and sounded better with this release. Excitebike: Bun Bun Mario Battle Stadium had four episodes that were released during broadcast times for Satellaview, with each one adding a new character to the roster of drivers to control. This includes characters like Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Yoshi, and Toad. However, two Koopa Troopers were also part of the racers that appeared, but they were not playable characters.

Although none of the Satellaview games been part of the Nintendo Switch Online classics, this would be a good place to start introducing them to audiences outside of Japan. These games were a part of Nintendo's history that were made for the Super Famicom, despite being geared towards those who owned the extra accessory. Even if we don't have the official commentary and narration that may have been part of their broadcast back in 1997, it would still be neat to play all four versions of the game that were around at the time. And if we're lucky, maybe this can lead to some of the other Satellaview games getting a second lease on life thorugh Switch Online in the same way.

Classic games we haven't seen yet

As more games continue to be added to the Switch Online classics, the service will increase in value overall for Nintendo fans who have subscribed to it. With games like Mario and Wario finally getting a western release for players who never got to experience it back then, this could be a good sign of more lost games being available for everyone to play. Nintendo's backlog of games from throughout its history offers many options of titles that could build out the Switch Online classics catalog. If Nintendo fans are able to get access to games that haven't been around for such a long time, it'll make the service even more appealing than it is now, and entice more people to jump on board with it.