Nintendo Switch Online NES Games Will Have Suspend Points, Friend Interaction

The Nintendo Switch Online service is set to launch in just a couple of days, and while there’s still things to be done with its cloud save services, there’s no question that thousands of fans will dig into its online library of NES games. And thanks to Nintendo, we’ve got an idea of what other features are in store for these classics.

The official Nintendo Switch Online page shows off a new video featuring the NES selection screen in action. Choosing your game of choice seems pretty easy, as you can just select and get right into what you want to play. But then we get a look a a couple of things you can do with these games.

First off, if you’re playing a game that isn’t necessarily built for two player simultaneous play (like, for example, Super Mario Bros.), the second player can actually interact by controlling a little hand icon on the screen. With it, they can use said hand to point out certain things in the area, or even applaud if the other player does something significant. (Or if you just want to be a jerk and cheer when they fall to their death or something — the choice is yours.)

But then there’s another feature, and this will serve as good news for those of you that don’t want to play an entire game in one sitting. The online NES games will feature suspend points, in which you can save your game, turn off your system and then come back later and pick up right where you left off. If you recall, a number of Virtual Console games on Wii and Wii U came with this feature, enabling you to pause and return however you see fit without leaving the system just sitting there.

Of course, you still have to make sure you check in online every seven days to keep your online NES games from going away. And don’t forget, if you want to, you can play with NES-style controllers that charge by sliding into the Nintendo Switch. (You can play with other control methods as well, if you prefer.)

We’ll let you know how well the service fares when it launches in just around 48 hours or so. But thus far, the games look good, and the library will only grow even more from here.