Killer Instinct Gold Hits Nintendo Switch Online

Killer Instinct Gold is the newest addition to the Nintendo Switch Online library for Nintendo 64 titles.

This Nintendo 64 adaptation of the arcade fighter Killer Instinct 2, Gold arrives alongside the original Killer Instinct in the vast collection of retro games accessible to Online Expansion Pack members.

Originally launched nearly three decades ago in 1996, Killer Instinct Gold was created by the British developer Rare, a frequent second-party studio for Nintendo during that era. Rare produced hits such as Donkey Kong Country, GoldenEye 007, and Perfect Dark for Nintendo's earlier consoles. Players can select from a lineup of 10 formidable fighters and put their skills to the test across various modes, featuring "hundreds of thousands of moves and devastating combos at your disposal."

Rare, and by extension the Killer Instinct series, is now owned by Microsoft, making Killer Instinct Gold another Xbox Game Studios title to debut on the Switch. Following the 2013 release of the Xbox One launch title Killer Instinct, there has been no indication that Microsoft intends to develop a new sequel for the franchise.

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Nintendo Switch Online is a subscription-based service for online gaming on the Nintendo Switch platform. Memberships provide online capabilities for competing or teaming up with friends, plus a library of classic Nintendo games from the past four decades. This includes titles from the NES, SNES, Game Boy, Nintendo 64, and (with the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2) the new GameCube catalog. A complimentary seven-day trial is also offered.

Nintendo Switch 2 preorders opened in late April with the console price set at $449.99 — and the response was as chaotic as anticipated. Although Nintendo has alerted U.S. customers who placed Switch 2 pre-orders via the My Nintendo Store that release date delivery is not assured due to overwhelming demand, Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser assured IGN that the company will have sufficient stock to satisfy consumer demand "through the holiday season."