Nintendo Switch Online

Nintendo Switch Online is a subscription service for the Nintendo Switch that includes online multiplayer, cloud saves, access to the service's mobile app, and access to Nintendo Entertainment System and games, effectively replacing the Virtual Console feature that was used on the Wii, Wii U, and Nintendo 3DS. The service launched on September 18, 2018; prior to its launch, online multiplayer on the Nintendo Switch was available for free.

An additional subscription tier known as Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack was released on October 25, 2021. It includes access to Nintendo 64 and games, as well as the  DLC for  and the Booster Course Pass for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and later added support for Splatoon 2 's Octo Expansion.

Another update in March 2022 added the ability to create a personalized icon based on various Nintendo characters, frames, and backgrounds. These include villagers that celebrate their birthday in the current month. An update in February 2023 added Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance games, of which Game Boy Advance requires the Expansion Pack.

Mobile app
The Nintendo Switch Online mobile app features services for specific games, including with NookLink. NookLink allows the player to view certain player and island data, as well as interact with the game.

User profile icons
An update in March 2022 allows users to purchase game-specific icon elements (divided between characters, frames, and backgrounds) with US$Platinum Points from the Nintendo Switch Online system app. An icon cannot be created without adding a character.

has its own special section in the system app, with each villager born in a given month being available as icons during that month. Characters cost Platinum Points 10, while frames and backgrounds cost Platinum Points 5. As of 2023, Nintedo has not released the Animal Crossing x Sanrio crossover characters icons.

List of profile icon elements


These icons were available from August 1, 2022 to September 5, 2022.

These icons were available from July 4, 2022 to August 1, 2022.

These icons were available from June 6, 2022 to July 4, 2022.

These icons were available from May 1, 2022 to June 6, 2022.

These icons were available from April 4, 2022 to May 1, 2022.

These icons were available from March 1, 2022 to April 4, 2022.

