Tag: HAL Laboratory

NES vs Famicom Switch Online apps – March 2019 update

March update brings the biggest difference between the two apps. For the first time, the NES app gets something that the Famicom app wont, StarTropics. The reason for this is the fact that StarTropics never got released in Japan. So instead, Japanese users get a game that was never released outside of their region, Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light. And then there’s also the usual extra game that Japan has been getting recently.

Below is the list of games added to the NES app:

  • Kid Icarus
  • StarTropics
  • (SP) Kirby’s Adventure (Starts with the first file finished with 100%)
  • (SP) Zelda 2 (Starts at the beginning but all powered up and with all the magic spells)

And here’s the list of games added on the Family Computer – Nintendo Switch Online app.

  • Yie Ar Kung-Fu
  • Kid Icarus (Famicom Disk version, features save files)
  • Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light
  • (SP) Kirby’s Adventure (Same changes as the NES app)
  • (SP) Zelda 2 (Famicom Disk version, same changes as the NES app)

Yie Ar Kung-Fu was never released outside of Japan and is simply ignored in this month’s NES app update.

NES vs Famicom Switch Online apps – February 2019 update

Welp, Nintendo has done it again. The NES app only gets two new games while the Japanese version gets three. It’s also interesting to note that this is also the first time there’s a second Special version for a game that already had one before (Metroid). Below is the list of games added on the NES version.

  • Kirby’s Adventure
  • Super Mario Bros. 2
  • (SP) Blaster Master (Starts fully powered up on area 8)
  • (SP2) Metroid (Starts fully powered up right before the final area)

And here’s the list of games added on the Family Computer – Nintendo Switch Online app.

  • Kirby’s Adventure
  • Tsuppari Oozumou [つっぱり大相撲]
  • Super Mario USA (aka, Super Mario Bros. 2)
  • (SP) Blaster Master (Same changes as NES app)
  • (SP2) Metroid (Famicom Disk Version, same changes as NES app)

The sumo game from Tecmo was never released outside of the region. So, once again, instead of replacing the game for a different one, Nintendo simply decided to skip it.

NES vs Famicom Switch Online apps – December update

A bit late but still in time as it’s still December (and 2018) while I’m publishing this. ? Anyway, this time there wasn’t much difference between the two apps.

The main difference this time is that the Famicom app got (for obvious reasons) the Famicom Disk version of SP Metroid instead of the cartridge version. So you have enhanced sound effects in the Japanese version compared the NES one. (Including Ridley sound effects whenever he’s hurt)

Besides that, the differences are simple. Adventures of Lolo levels seem to be harder in the Famicom and SP Dr. Mario starts from a slightly different save state due to the random nature of the game.