For August, Nintendo has updated both applications with the same number of games. The only difference is the swap between Vice: Project Doom and Downtown Nekketsu.
Below is the list of games added to the NES app:
Kung-Fu Heroes
Vice: Project Doom
(SP) Gradius (Starts at the beginning of the 2nd playthrough)
And here’s the list of games added on the Family Computer – Nintendo Switch Online app.
The oddest thing about this month’s update is that it arrived very late and didn’t add much. Still, Vice: Project Doom is a really nice surprise and Downtown Nekketsu is fun too.
For this month’s update, Nintendo has added the usual number of things to the app. The big difference is that, instead of a third game, they decided to add a feature this time: Rewind. Rewind feature functions a bit similar to found on the SNES Classic, except that you can’t view a playback of your actions, only snapshots.
Anyway, below is the list of games added to the NES app:
Donkey Kong 3
Wrecking Crew
(SP) Mighty Bomb Jack (Starts you on the last section of the game with everything set up for the best ending.)
And here’s the list of games added on the Family Computer – Nintendo Switch Online app.
Donkey Kong 3
Wrecking Crew
(SP) Mighty Bomb Jack (Same change as NES version.)
So even though the western app only got two new games this month, it was the exact same thing for the Japanese version. It really seems like Nintendo counted the Rewind feature as a replacement for a game. Also, there’s an odd blank space on the NES app if you’ve left the default order on the games.
For June 2019’s update, Nintendo has released the exact same content on both applications. The only differences are in localization but the games’ contents are the same overall. Below is the list of games added to the NES app:
City Connection
Double Dragon II
Volleyball
(SP) TwinBee (Starts all powered up at the beginning of the game’s “2nd quest”)
Here’s the list of games added on the Family Computer – Nintendo Switch Online app, which is exactly the same.
City Connection
Double Dragon II
Volleyball
(SP) TwinBee (Same changes as above)
Even though Volleyball was Famicom Disk System in Japan, the game has no differences besides the usual localization ones.
Related to the gameplay videos, I recorded the NES one first and then the Famicom one. I think it’s pretty noticeable in the Volleyball section, XD . Honestly, it surprised me how fun it can be and the matches can last a lot. It was so enjoyable that the Famicom video ended up being 1 hour long. welp. XD
For May 2019, both apps have received the same games. Still, there is a difference in one of them when compared between the western and Japanese versions. First, here’s the list of games added to the NES app:
Donkey Kong Jr.
Vs. Excitebike
Clu Clu Land
(SP) Star Soldier (Starts you with full upgrades at stage 8)
And here’s the list of games added on the Family Computer – Nintendo Switch Online app.
Donkey Kong Jr.
Vs. Excitebike
Clu Clu Land
(SP) Star Soldier (Same as above)
As you can see, the list is exactly the same. Vs. Excitebike was a Famicom game that was originally never released outside of Japan. But, since the game has no Japanese text, there was no issue in also making it available on the NES app.
Clu Clu Land, though, seems to have really options and levels when compared between the two releases. The music also seems to be different.
The update for April 2019 brings things back to how they started. Both NES and Famicom get the same number of games. Still, though, there’s an important difference in Kid Icarus.
Below is the list of games added to the NES app:
Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels
Punch-Out!! Featuring Mr. Dream
Star Soldier
(SP) Kid Icarus (starts off in the final level with everything powered up)
And here’s the list of games added on the Family Computer – Nintendo Switch Online app.
Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels (aka, Super Mario Bros. 2 in Japan)
Punch-Out!! Featuring Mr. Dream
Star Soldier
(SP) Kid Icarus (Famicom Disk version – Same start as above)
As expected, Kid Icarus in Japan is based on the Famicom Disk version. Besides the difference in sounds, though, there’s a huge difference in gameplay as well. The final level in the Japanese version is not an auto-scrolling one, but one where you can actually move the screen at your own pace. Also, you need to press the A button if you want to keep flying.
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.
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.
January has arrived and with it comes the biggest difference yet between the NES and Famicom apps of the Nintendo Switch. On November, the Famicom version of the app got one more SP version that NES didn’t get, but it was also because it didn’t need it. This time, though, Japanese users will get one extra game.
Below is the full list of games added on the Nintendo Entertainment System – Nintendo Switch Online app.
Blaster Master
Zelda 2
(SP) Ninja Gaiden (Starts on stage 6-4, right before the final boss.)
(SP) Ghosts’n Goblins (Starts on stage 6 of the first run.)
And here’s the list of games added on the Family Computer – Nintendo Switch Online app.
Blaster Master
Joy Mech Fight [ジョイメカファイト]
Zelda 2 (Famicom Disk System version)
(SP) Ninja Gaiden (Same as above.)
(SP) Ghosts’n Goblins (Same as above.)
As you can see, Japan got the usual three games, but one of them was never released outside of the region. So instead of replacing the game for a different one, Nintendo simply decided to just omit it and leave it to just two new games for the people using the NES version.
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.
With the latest update of the NES and Famicom applications on Nintendo Switch, the first noticeable difference has actually appeared. Previously, most of the differences were just in the language. This time, though, the Japanese application got one more game that is not available on the NES application.
The November update for the NES Nintendo Switch Online included the following games:
(SP) Gradius: Gradius but, by default, it loads a save state in which you are fully powered up and start on stage 5 (if I recall correctly)
Metroid: Regular NES Metroid, password functionality works the same way to the point that you can crash it with the right code.
Mighty Bomb Jack: Another regular NES game.
TwinBee: Regular NES TwinBee.
You can see each of the games in action in the video below:
In Japan, though, they got the following:
(SP) Gradius: Same special version as above, just in the Japanese release.
Metroid: The Famicom Disk version of Metroid. This includes enhanced music and a save file system similar to The Legend of Zelda.
Mighty Bomb Jack: Same as above, just in the Japanese release.
TwinBee: Same as above, Japanese release.
(SP) Mario Open Golf: A special version of the Japanese release of NES Open Tournament Golf. This version starts by default with a save data where everything is already unlocked.
As you can see, the Famicom Nintendo Switch Online application actually got one more game in the latest update compared to the NES version. The biggest reason why this happened is because Mario Open Golf is quite different to NES Open Tournament Golf in its contents.
The first difference and main reason why there’s no SP version is that NES Open Tournament Golf has everything already unlocked by default. In Mario Open Golf, Japan is the only course available at the start and the rest need to be unlocked. There’s also the fact that the Japanese version has a few more courses available and the overall game is harder. Similar to Super Mario Bros. 2, it was one of those games that Nintendo thought it would be too hard for players outside of Japan. In this case, they did release the same game but with a simplified and lower number of courses.
