'What is Nintendo Switch Online?': How to play Nintendo Switch games online, and get free games

If you want to make the most of your Nintendo Switch experience, then you need to get a Nintendo Switch Online subscription.

Nintendo Switch Online gives you unlimited access to online play, which is great for games like "Super Smash Bros. Ultimate," and necessary to play online-only games like "Fortnite."

An individual Nintendo Switch Online membership costs $3.99 a month, $7.99 for three months, or $19.99 for a year. In other words, if you pay for an entire year up front, you're only paying $1.66 per month.

Alternatively, you can sign up for a Family Membership, which gives up to eight Nintendo Account holders online access for a year. This plan costs $34.99.

You can even try the service free for seven days.

Here are some of the great features you'll find with Nintendo Switch Online.

Check out the products mentioned in this article: Nintendo Switch Online 12-month membership (From $19.99 at Best Buy) Nintendo Switch (From $299.99 at Best Buy) What a Nintendo Switch Online subscription offers Live multiplayer action To play online games with people around the world, you'll need a Nintendo Switch Online account. Steven John/Business Insider

You can play multiplayer games on the Switch without internet, but you'll need to have all the players in the same room together. 

With Switch Online, you can play in real time with gamers from all around the world. This is crucial for games like "Fortnite" and "Overwatch," which don't feature offline game modes.

You also get free access to "Tetris 99," a Battle Royale version of "Tetris" that pits you in a survival contest against 99 other players at once.

Classic Nintendo Games Many classic NES and SNES games are available as free downloads with Nintendo Switch Online. Steven John/Business Insider

A Nintendo Switch Online subscription gives you automatic access to dozens of free Nintendo Entertainment System and Super Nintendo Entertainment System titles. These games, originally released in the late 1980s and early 90s, have been remastered specifically for play on the Switch.

From classic Nintendo games like "Dr. Mario" and "Double Dragon," to Super Nintendo titles like the original "Mario Kart," many of your all-time favorite games are there waiting for you.

You can also play these games online, with people across the world. Playing games from the 80s and 90s online is a brand new way to experience them.

Cloud game save data

With Switch Online, you can save your game data to the cloud, so that even if your console is lost or damaged, you won't lose your progress.

However, if you unsubscribe from the Nintendo Switch Online service, you'll need to resubscribe within 180 days, or your cloud saves will be erased.

Your Nintendo Switch Online subscription can save space on your console by saving data to the cloud instead of the console. Steven John/Business Insider Use the Nintendo Switch Online app 

Nintendo Switch Online also gives you access to the Nintendo Switch Online app for iPhone and Android, which allows you to check your in-game stats, and voice chat with anyone who you're playing with who also has the app.

Certain games, like "Animal Crossing: New Horizons," gain new functionality when connected to the Nintendo Switch Online app. New features are added often

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