Nintendo Switch Is the Best Way to Game on a Budget This Summer

The summer season is in full swing, which means kids will be looking for something to occupy their time. Nintendo recently held an event showcasing several potentially great games heading to the Nintendo Switch. If you are a parent that needs to pay for these games, you will be happy to hear there are several ways for you to save while your kids are out of school.

The first way to save money is by participating in the Nintendo Switch Game Vouchers program that is available to Nintendo Switch Online members.  With this program, you buy two vouchers for one hundred dollars. This will allow you to download two games from the Nintendo Switch eShop. Most big games cost $60, with The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom being the exception at $70. Not every game on the eShop participates in this program, however, most of the bigger titles are a part of it. You can have up to eight active vouchers at a time and once you purchase a voucher, you have one year to use it. You can also use a voucher to pre-order a game, such as Super Mario Bros. Wonder, which will arrive in October. One important thing to note is that Nintendo doesn't always offer this voucher program, so if you are interested, you should take advantage of it while it is still around. 

Another great way to save money is to try a game before buying it. There are quite a few demos on the Nintendo Switch eShop that you can download and play a small portion of the game for free. This includes both games that are currently available as well as upcoming titles. Sea of Stars is an excellent example of a game that isn't out yet, but you can play a small portion to see if you like it. Some other available demos include Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon and Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe. Pikmin 4 is a game coming to the Nintendo Switch next month that many people are excited about, and Nintendo has revealed that a demo for that will also be available on June 28th. Nintendo is constantly adding demos to the eShop, so you want to get in the habit of checking it out from time to time.

Another service that Nintendo has that offers excellent value is the Nintendo Switch Online program. You can have either an individual account or a family membership if there are a bunch of gamers in your house. If you get the Nintendo Switch Online Membership with the Expansion Pack, you will have access to various games and items. For example, Nintendo recently announced that an upcoming expansion for Mario Kart 8 will be free if you have the Nintendo Switch Online Membership with the Expansion Pack. You can also buy it a la carte, but if you have this membership, you don't have to do so.

There are also all of the retro games that Nintendo gives as a benefit to being a member. The available platforms include the Nintendo Entertainment System, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Sega Genesis, Nintendo 64, Game Boy, and Game Boy Advance. Nintendo periodically adds new platforms to the lineup, with the Game Boy and Game Boy Advance being the most recent additions.

The games on these platforms are a gold mine of some of the all-time classics. For example, the NES has Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 3, The Legend of Zelda, Donkey Kong, Double Dragon, Excitebike, and more. In addition to having those games, they have different versions for some of these titles. You have the original The Legend of Zelda available to play, along with a special version of the game. In this instance, The Legend of Zelda SP version allows you to begin with items you typically have to find, such as the candle, bombs, arrows, the power bracelet, and more. You also receive 255 rupees, the in-game currency for The Legend of Zelda. There is also a special version of Metroid that places you before the fight with Ridley and gives you pretty much everything. It is an excellent idea on Nintendo's part to provide you with the game's original version and then a slightly modified version to get a different experience.

Over on the SNES, you can find iconic titles such as The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Super Metroid, Super Mario World, Donkey Kong Country, and even a game never released on the Super Nintendo,  Star Fox 2. Over on the Sega Genesis, you have Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Streets of Rage 2, Earthworm Jim, Street Fighter II Special Champion Edition, and more. The Nintendo 64 selection offers one of the highest-rated games of all time with The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Super Mario 64, Pokemon Snap, GoldenEye 007, and more. Then over on the Game Boy and Game Boy Advance side of things, you have The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX, Metroid II: Return of Samus, Mario & Luigi Superstar Saga, Fire Emblem, and more.

Nintendo’s offering is like Microsoft Game Pass although Nintendo favors classic titles from their past instead of modern games. There are over 225 games available across those various platforms, so you can see what a tremendous value Nintendo offers for its online service. Free demos are also always great, so you can try games before you buy, and then there is the voucher program that can save you up to $20 per game. Remember that the Nintendo Switch is also a portable console, so you can play these games anywhere, including while traveling.