The new Nintendo Switch Online service has finally made its big debut. To give Switch players an even bigger reason to subscribe, Nintendo is adding official voice chat support to more of its own titles.
The latest update to the Nintendo Switch Online app for iOS adds chat support for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Mario Tennis Aces, and more.
Switch players have been enjoying online play since the console made its debut, but the experience has been pretty basic. Switch Online, a new subscription service, will help Nintendo make it better.
The service, which costs $20 a year, $7.99 a quarter, or $3.99 a month, is now required to play most games online. It also offers cloud data backup, and access to a bunch of classic NES games, including Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, Donkey Kong, and Double Dragon.
Now you can chat inside these games using the Nintendo Switch Online app for iOS.
Nintendo Switch Online for iOS is finally more useful
The Nintendo Entertainment System is one of four new titles, alongside Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Mario Tennis Aces, and ARMS, that now have official voice chat support inside the Switch Online app. Until today, Splatoon 2 was the only title on the list.
To use voice chat, you’ll need to open the Switch Online app on your iOS device, fire up a compatible title on your Switch, then open the voice chat mode. You might want to plug a headset into your iOS device for a better experience.
It’s not the most seamless solution — Switch players would much prefer that voice chat was handled by the console itself — but it’s better than nothing. And it’s great to see that Nintendo is finally adding support for more titles.
If you own a Switch and you haven’t already signed up for Online, we recommend you try it out. There’s a 7-day free trial to enjoy, and the NES games alone make it well worth the money. Online play and cloud save backups are also a must-have.