Nintendo Switch 2 Update Adding Feature We’ve Wanted Since The Wii Era

Our first proper Nintendo Direct in nine months is officially on the way later today. Ahead of the show, we just got our first (leaked) look at a new update for Nintendo Switch Online on Switch and Switch 2 that appears to be adding a feature gamers have begged Nintendo for since the days of the Wii.

Some context for younger gamers: When the Nintendo Wii launched around the same time as the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, it was pretty clear Nintendo was on its own path and not really trying to compete with Microsoft and Sony. Fair enough, too, as it’s a choice that ultimately served Nintendo well. However, while most gamers could accept the disparity in power and graphical fidelity, many wondered why Nintendo chose not to include an achievements or trophies system similar to the ones PlayStation and Xbox introduced to this generation.

Link obtains a piece of the Triforce in a dungeon in The Legend of Zelda for NES.

Over the years, Nintendo has stuck to its guns. We never got achievements on the Wii, the Wii U, the 3DS or Nintendo Switch. Nintendo’s stance has always been that people should want to play games for fun, and not treat them as a checklist of chores. Of course, there are millions of gamers out there who like achievements because they’re fun, and have always held out hope that one day Nintendo would relent.

The good news is we now appear to be one step closer. Ahead of today’s Nintendo Direct, an update to the Nintendo Switch Online service has yielded some interesting findings. Dataminer Luigiblood first uncovered the existence of new in-game challenges for the NES, SNES, and Game Boy Classics apps. It looks as if players will be able to take on challenges for specific classic games, and earn special collectible cards if they’re successful. Take a look at some of the cards below. The first round of challenges looks to be focused on Donkey Kong.

While this obviously isn’t the achievement system for new releases we might have been hoping for, it’s a definite step in the right direction — not to mention an excuse to go back and replay some stone-cold classics.

“Retro achievements is actually kinda awesome,” one fan writes on Reddit. “This may make me resub to NSO.”

Another adds: “Despite Nintendo’s reluctance to do system wide achievements I think this makes a ton of sense for them. They’ve made several games that use their classic games for challenges or speedruns like NES remix, so this feels like a natural extension.”

This new Nintendo Switch Online feature will almost certainly be announced officially during the Nintendo Direct later today, so be sure to tune in.