Nintendo confirmed on September 1, 2026 that three games have been added to the Nintendo Entertainment System – Nintendo Classics lineup available to Nintendo Switch Online members: Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom, IKARI WARRIORS and R.C. PRO-AM II, according to Nintendo’s official update. The announcement frames the trio as new goodies for subscribers already dipping into the service’s retro catalog, with access gated behind an active membership and a linked Nintendo Account.
Here’s the context: Nintendo Switch Online members get access to classic titles spanning the Super NES, Game Boy and NES libraries as part of the subscription, and this update simply expands the NES side of that offering. Nintendo is also dangling a free seven-day trial for non-members, though the fine print matters here – that trial automatically converts into a one-month auto-renewing membership at the then-current price unless canceled, and it can’t be redeemed for an Expansion Pack membership or by an account that already holds an active Individual or Family Membership.
The trial also isn’t available in every country, and Nintendo’s terms apply beyond what’s listed in the announcement itself. Anyone weighing whether the base tier is worth it long-term should check our breakdown of Nintendo Switch Online’s pricing and benefits before committing past the trial window.
Honestly, this is a solid if unspectacular drop for anyone who hasn’t already burned through the NES catalog. Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom is the standout – Nintendo’s own description calls it the third and final chapter of the Ninja Gaiden saga, putting players back in control of Ryu Hayabusa as he hunts down the real culprit behind Irene’s death. It’s the kind of late-series NES action title that rarely got as much attention as its predecessors, so its inclusion here is a reasonable pull for genre fans.
IKARI WARRIORS, released in 1987, is a more brute-force addition: an action shooter where players control Paul and Vince fighting through enemy territory with limited ammunition, power-up drops, and the option to commandeer tanks and helicopters mid-mission. It’s dated by design, but that scarcity-driven tension is exactly what made it a notable arcade-to-console port in its era.
R.C. PRO-AM II rounds out the update as the most mechanically dense of the three. The 1992 racing sequel supports up to two players across 24 tracks, and Nintendo’s notes highlight a progression loop where race winnings fund upgrades at the R.C. MODEL SHOP, plus two bonus modes – TUG O’ TRUCK CHALLENGE and THE DRAG RACE – for extra cash and championship points. For a subscription service built on nostalgia, it’s the pick most likely to hold someone’s attention past a single session.
The three additions break down like this:
- Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom – the third and final entry in the original Ninja Gaiden trilogy, starring Ryu Hayabusa.
- IKARI WARRIORS – a 1987 NES action shooter with limited ammo, power-ups, and vehicle sections.
- R.C. PRO-AM II – a 1992 racing sequel with two-player support, 24 tracks, upgradeable cars and two bonus games.
What remains unclear is how this specific trio fits into Nintendo’s broader release rhythm for the classic library, since the September announcement doesn’t reference past additions or lay out what’s coming next. Nintendo’s messaging here is narrowly focused on these three games and the standard membership terms, not a wider roadmap.
Which of these three are you most likely to boot up first, and does a single-game trailer or bonus mode like the DRAG RACE actually move the needle on whether Switch Online’s classic tier is worth keeping? Let us know, and keep an eye on our ongoing Nintendo coverage for whatever the next library update brings.
