Nintendo's most recent Direct had quite a few surprises, including the announcement of a new expansion for its Nintendo Switch Online service. Nintendo Switch Online is a membership that gives players access to online play, cloud saves, and a handful of other small features. One of the biggest features of the membership, however, is a library of classic Nintendo titles from the NES and SNES that can be played at any time.

The announced expansion plan bolsters that library with games from the Nintendo 64 as well, and even adds online play for some of them. The addition satisfies many Nintendo fans who have called for more classic Nintendo systems to come to the service, but the real surprise of the event was that some select Sega Genesis games would be added as well. The list is pretty diverse, but it should add a lot of hours of gameplay for Genesis fans to check out.

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Castlevania: Bloodlines

Castlevania: Bloodlines was released in 1994 and was a tentpole release in the classic vampire-hunting Castlevania franchise that helped establish the Metroidvania genre. It was the eleventh entry in the series, and was very well received, with many still considering it one of the best Genesis games of all time. The game also runs a little on the short side with the main story only taking around 2.5 hours to complete for most players and 5 hours for completionists.

Contra: Hard Corps

Contra: Hard Corps was also released in 1994 as the sequel to the SNES classic Contra 3. The game features four unique playable characters and a massive pool of fun and creative weapons for players to experiment with. The game is widely considered one of the best entries in the Contra series and requires an average of 1.5 hours to complete its main story and 6 hours for a completionist run. That brings the total time to check out the first two games to 4 hours to experience their stories and 11 hours to see all that both have to offer.

Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine

Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine is a falling block puzzle game that was a spin-off to Sega's iconic Sonic the Hedgehog series. It was originally released in 1993 and received generally positive reviews that year. While Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine may not be one of the best-reviewed Sonic games in the series, it still offers some solid puzzle gameplay for fans to check out. The game is a good option for any fans of the genre and only takes 2 hours for its story or 4 for a complete run. This brings the total for all three games up to 6 hours and 15 hours for their main stories and completionist runs respectively.

Ecco the Dolphin

Ecco the Dolphin is a well-remembered action-adventure series that was released in 1992 and follows the adventures of a titular young dolphin as he searches the sea and time for his missing family. The game is also the longest so far, with a main story completion time of 5 hours and a completionist time of 6.5. This addition brings the total to 11 hours for main story runs and 21.5 hours for a completionist run of all the games so far.

Golden Axe

Golden Axe is a classic beat 'em up series that helped define the genre when it was released in 1989. The game established an entirely original fantasy universe known as Yuria that is reminiscent of Conan the Barbarian, and it follows a variety of playable characters as they embark on a dangerous quest. However, the game is relatively short with the main story runtime of 1 hour and a completionist runtime of 1.5 hours, bringing the totals up to 12 hours and 23 hours. For players who don't want to check the game out on Switch, however, one talented modder did manage to get Golden Axe to be playable in the original DOOM.

Gunstar Heroes

Gunstar Heroes is a run-and-gun shooter similar to Contra that was released in 1993. The game was praised upon its release for its chaotic action and graphics that were very impressive for the time. The game has received numerous rereleases thanks to its popularity, and it is definitely great to see it making its way to the Nintendo Switch. The average time to beat the game, in solo or co-op, sits at 2 hours, bringing the total for all games' main stories to 14 hours and complete runs up to 25 hours.

MUSHA

MUSHA is a vertically scrolling shoot 'em up that received a mixed reception when it launched in 1990. The game features mech warriors fighting against a human-built supercomputer that has attacked the Earth in the year 2290. Despite its mixed reception at release, the game has since been praised for its difficulty, graphics, and a great soundtrack. It takes around 1.5 hours to beat, with no option for a completionist run, bringing the totals for all the games so far up to 15.5 and 26.5 hours.

Phantasy Star 4

Phantasy Star 4 is by far the longest on the list so far, as is a classical JRPG that includes all of the staples fans of the genre have come to expect. Originally released in 1993 in Japan and 1995 in North America and Europe, Phantasy Star 4 has a story set between Phantasy Star 2 and Phantasy Star 3. The game received decent reviews at launch, with critics enjoying its gameplay but finding its story and graphics lackluster. The game's story, however, takes an average of 21 hours to finish, while a completionist run requires 27 hours. This doubles the total so far to 36.5 hours for a main story run of all the games and 53.5 hours to see everything that the games have to offer.

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Ristar

Ristar is a 1995 platforming game that follows an anthropomorphic star and plays very similarly to Sonic the Hedgehog. The game was fairly well-received, but it has become a bit of a cult classic after it was overshadowed by Mario, Sonic, and the end of the Sega Genesis' lifespan. This makes Nintendo Switch Online a great opportunity for fans of classic platformers, as it only takes around 3 hours to play through this game. This brings the totals up so far to 39.5 and 56.5 hours.

Shining Force

Shining Force is another turn-based JRPG that was released in 1992. The game has been re-released many times over the years and is still praised for its unique spin on the genre. While the game has often been compared to early Fire Emblem titles, it was actually inspired by the Dragon Quest JRPG series. For RPG fans, Shining Force's main story takes 22 hours to complete, while doing everything the game has to offer takes around 25. This brings the main story total up to 61.5 hours and the completionist total up to 81.5 hours.

Shinobi 3

Shinobi 3 is a hack-and-slash action game that follows a ninja on a path to stop the evil crime syndicate Neo Zeed's evil plans. Many have called for the Shinobi series to receive remasters, and with that being unlikely to happen any time soon, this re-release could be the closest thing to it for now. Shinobi 3's main story takes 2.5 hours to finish while a full run where players see everything takes 4.5. This brings the totals up to 64 hours and 86 hours for players who want to check out all of the games.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2

Perhaps the biggest title of all the additions is Sonic the Hedgehog 2. A classic platformer, the game was originally released in 1992 and was a massive success. The game is still replayed highly to this day in its many forms, and its newest release will likely be no different. While there are other Sonic titles that would be welcome on Nintendo Switch Online, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is definitely a great start. Total, the game takes around 3 hours to complete, bringing the totals so far up to 67 and 89 hours total.

Streets of Rage

Streets of Rage is another classic beat 'em up that was released on the Genesis in 1991. The game kicked off a series that still receives new entries now and then to this day, and featured art from the iconic artist Mick McGinty. Streets of Rage is a classic of the genre that will satisfy any fan, and it comes in with a playtime of only 2 hours, bringing the totals up to 69 and 91 hours.

Strider

Strider is a classic hack-and-slash platformer that was released into arcades in 1989 before being ported to home consoles like the Sega Genesis and original PlayStation. The game is an arcade classic that has had a massive impact on the games industry at the time. The game also only takes up to 2 hours to beat.

The final totals for the Sega Genesis titles coming to Nintendo Switch Online see a main story completion time of 71 hours and a completionist time of 93 hours. Clearly, Nintendo's online service is a must for retro gamers, as there is now several days worth of Sega Genesis content to enjoy.

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