Nintendo Switch Online Gave Us Fun Puzzles and a Bloody Shooter – NSO Recap 10/1/25

This M-rated Nintendo 64 first-person shooter isn’t well-known, even among die-hard fans of the platform. So, what is it? It’s an arena shooter where the players fly around in little hovercrafts in a kill-or-be-killed environment, where the last one standing wins. Pick your character and vehicle and go gunning people down. It sounds great, but I found the controls rather wonky. It took me a while just to figure out how to move forward. It was fun once I figured out how to actually play it, but it was still pretty difficult to move where I wanted, and I died a lot. Still, it’s worth a look.

Mr. Driller 2

In this Game Boy Advance sequel to the arcade puzzler, Mr. Driller, the world is being overtaken by colored blocks (seriously, that’s the actual story), and two kids must save the world by drilling through the blocks. You’ve got to drill as fast as you can to avoid getting crushed and scramble for air capsules to avoid suffocating. Seriously, you have to keep moving, figuring out the best route through the colored blocks while you’re at it. Intense arcade-style experiences are always welcome on Nintendo Switch Online, especially since they’re perfect for a quick play on the go, so Mr. Driller 2 fits right in.

Klonoa: Empire of Dreams

This Game Boy Advance title is a puzzle platformer where the insomniac king has forbidden dreams, and he’ll only relent if you defeat the four monsters that are terrorizing the land. Unlike in traditional platformers, you can glide for short distances, and you can grab monsters and use them to double jump. You must use these abilities to get you through obstacles and obtain items. This was my first time playing a Klonoa game, and it was a good introduction to the series. I’d definitely be interested in checking out some of the other Klonoa titles.

Conclusion

I applaud it when Nintendo Switch Online adds more obscure games to its lineup, and this month gave us some good games you might not have heard of. However, if you only have the base Nintendo Switch Online membership without the Expansion Pack, you might once again feel left out. Nintendo obviously wants you to pay for the more expensive service. Still, remembering those who have the base membership could help their reputation. Hopefully next month, Nintendo Switch Online will add some NES, SNES, or Game Boy games that all membership levels can play.