The Clock is Ticking: Why the Nintendo DS Library is a Critical, Overdue Addition to Switch Online

For years, subscribers to the Nintendo Switch Online (NSO) service—particularly those invested in the premium Expansion Pack tier—have been treated to a steady stream of classic content. From the groundbreaking 3D worlds of the Nintendo 64 and the beloved 16-bit era of the SNES to the recent, highly anticipated inclusion of Game Boy Advance and GameCube titles, Nintendo has successfully built a compelling argument for its subscription service. However, a glaring omission remains: the vast and rich library of the Nintendo DS (DS), the console that defined dual-screen portable gaming. The consensus among the gaming community and industry analysts is clear: it’s past time for DS games on Nintendo Switch Online. The technical hurdles, long cited as the primary roadblock, appear to be solvable, and the commercial opportunity—in terms of subscriber growth and capitalizing on nostalgia-driven revenue—is immense.

This discussion is vital for anyone tracking the future of the video game subscription market and digital distribution models. The delay represents a missed opportunity for Nintendo to leverage one of its most popular and commercially successful consoles in history. With recent patent filings hinting at viable solutions for the dual-screen conundrum, the time for speculation is over, and the time for a firm announcement is now.

The Unsolved Problem: Dual Screens and Touch Input

The Nintendo DS was revolutionary because of its unique hardware, specifically the dual-screen setup and its reliance on stylus-based touch controls. Emulating this experience on a single-screen, hybrid console like the Nintendo Switch presents genuine technical challenges. The common arguments against DS emulation focus on how to display both screens effectively and how to manage the required precision touch-screen input in both handheld and docked modes.

• Display Modes: The DS experience necessitates displaying two screens simultaneously. Recent, high-profile Nintendo patents have revealed potential solutions, including a “Parent/Child” dual-screen layout, a “Picture-in-Picture” mode for less critical second-screen information, and a “Switch Mode” to toggle between full-screen displays. These concepts validate the fact that a technical workaround is not only possible but is actively being developed internally.
• Control Schemes: Many core DS games, such as The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks, were built entirely around the stylus. In handheld mode, the Switch’s capacitive touch screen can largely replicate the feel of the original, but the experience in docked mode requires an innovative solution, potentially involving gyro controls or a cursor navigated by the Joy-Con, which is a key technical challenge that must be addressed for TV play.

Strong Market Indicator: The fact that Nintendo is actively patenting methods to solve the dual-screen integration is perhaps the clearest sign yet that a DS library is being prepared. Companies do not invest significant research and development (R&D) capital into patents for services they have no intention of launching.

A Library of Untapped High-Value Content

The library of the Nintendo DS is not merely large; it is loaded with high-quality, commercially successful titles that remain trapped on aging hardware. For Nintendo, adding this catalog is a guaranteed subscriber retention strategy, offering unique selling points (USPs) that competitors cannot match. The sheer volume and quality of the DS library offer years of planned content drops to maintain momentum for the NSO Expansion Pack.

• The Core Exclusives: Classics like New Super Mario Bros., Mario Kart DS, and cult-favorite RPGs such as The World Ends with You (though ported, the original DS version offers a different experience) and Dragon Quest V and IX are instantly valuable additions.
• Unique Role-Playing Games (RPGs): The DS was a golden age for portable RPGs. Titles from the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series, Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon, and non-Nintendo exclusives like Professor Layton and Ace Attorney (where Nintendo owns the digital distribution rights) represent an immense catalog of long-form, desirable content.
• The Nostalgia Factor: The DS sold over 154 million units, making it one of the best-selling consoles of all time. An entire generation of gamers holds deep nostalgia for this console, translating directly into a massive, built-in audience eager to pay a premium for access to these games on modern hardware. This is an undeniable driver for digital subscription growth and increased Average Revenue Per User (ARPU).

Competitive Advantage: Introducing a DS library solidifies Nintendo’s dominance in the retro gaming emulation space on modern consoles. While PlayStation and Xbox focus on their later-generation libraries, the DS catalog represents a unique asset that would vastly increase the perceived value of the NSO Expansion Pack and provide a compelling counterpoint to competitors’ offerings.

A Pattern of Strategic, Gradual Expansion

Nintendo’s rollout of classic libraries has always been methodical, a strategy of maximizing long-tail revenue by introducing new systems gradually. The DS would follow a familiar pattern: first, the addition of Game Boy and Game Boy Color (base NSO), then Game Boy Advance (Expansion Pack), and now, rumors point towards the DS being the next logical step. The recent addition of GameCube titles to the Switch’s successor, the Switch 2, demonstrates Nintendo’s continued commitment to expanding the classic offering, making the DS delay even more conspicuous.

• The Precedent: Nintendo has successfully overcome emulation hurdles for the N64 and GameCube, demonstrating the necessary technical capability within the Bethesda Game Studios (oops, wrong company, correction: Nintendo’s in-house R&D teams) and external partners. The perceived difficulty of the DS emulation has likely led to its being prioritized later in the release schedule.
• Monetization Tiers: The DS library, due to its complexity and the potential long-term development costs for the emulator, would almost certainly be positioned within the higher-priced NSO Expansion Pack tier, offering a massive incentive for users to upgrade. This strategic placement is key to Nintendo’s subscription monetization model.

Urgency in the Current Market: With other platform holders aggressively pursuing cloud gaming and vast back-catalog inclusion, Nintendo must continue to strengthen its unique content offering. The DS library is the single most powerful, untapped resource left in their vault to boost the value proposition of the Nintendo Switch Online service against its competition.

Conclusion: The Time for DS is Now

The excuses are running thin, and the market demand is at an all-time high. The Nintendo DS is a legendary console whose games are long overdue for a widespread revival on the Nintendo Switch Online service. Recent technological advancements hinted at by Nintendo patents confirm that the dual-screen problem is one of execution, not impossibility.

Nintendo has a commercial imperative to bring these games to its current and future user base. By adding the vast, high-quality, and deeply nostalgic DS library, the company would not only enrich its service but also drive a new wave of subscription renewals and Expansion Pack upgrades. The clock has been running for years; it is time for Nintendo to announce the return of the DS and allow a new generation to experience its golden era of portable innovation.

The next major Nintendo Direct should not pass without this monumental announcement, which is a critical piece of the puzzle for the long-term success of the company’s digital subscription business.