Virtual Console Dreaming: The November 2025 Update
Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos by Tecmo
If your family and the holidays aren’t stressing you out enough, there are four new titles being added to the Classics Catalog this week. Switch Online subscribers can check these out starting on November 26th.
-Kicking this slate off is Battletoads. For no reason in particular, I feel the need to mention that Switch Online does have a rewind function. I beat it on March 13, 2020–it was the first thing I decided to throw myself into when the world shut down. It’s pretty good if you don’t mind a little suffering.
-The unofficial Year of the Ninja continues with Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos. I’ve never actually finished a 2D Ninja Gaiden so I can’t make an educated difficulty comparison with Battletoads (but it is worth noting that whoever cut this trailer CHOSE to highlight an ice level).
-Lastly, we’re getting the Game Boy versions of Bionic Commando and Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters. I don’t have much to say about either of these but having a grappling arm would make passing the salt at Thanksgiving dinner more exciting.
And why are there so many feet in that Kid Icarus clip?
Exactly a year ago, a delusional version of myself said they were going to take the week off. Nintendo had different plans as they dropped Donkey Kong Land after Donkey Kong Land. I won’t mind if they keep the same schedule this year as long as they bless us with some Diddy Kong Racing or Rogue Squadron.
Here’s my current wish list for the service. There have been no changes since the last update.
SNES
Pocky and Rocky 2
Secret of Mana
GBC/GBA
Mario Golf: Advance Tour
Metal Gear: Ghost Babel
Mother 3
Onimusha Tactics
Pokemon Pinball
Tony Hawk misc.
Nintendo 64
Beetle Adventure Racing
Bomberman 64
Bomberman 64: The Second Attack!
Bomberman Hero
Castlevania 64/Legacy of Darkness
Goemon’s Great Adventure
Mischief Makers
Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon
Quest 64
Snowboard Kids
Snowboard Kids 2
GameCube
1080 Avalanche
Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance
Battalion Wars
Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg
Cubivore:: Survival of the Fittest
Donkey Konga 1-3 (rerelease the bongos!)
Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat
Eternal Darkness
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles
Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance
Geist
GoldenEye: Rogue Agent
James Bond 007: Agent Under Fire
James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing
James Bond 007: From Russia with Love
James Bond 007: Nightfire
Killer 7 (if we’re not getting a port of the Steam version)
Kirby Air Ride
Lost Kingdoms
Lost Kingdoms II
Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour
Mario Kart: Double Dash
Mario Party 4-7
Metroid Prime 2 (if we don’t get a proper remaster)
P.N.03
Phantasy Star Online Episode 1 & 2
Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness
Resident Evil 2, 3, and Code Veronica
Skies of Arcadia Legends (I think this is the one I want the most)
SSX 3
Starfox Adventures
Starfox: Assault
Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast
Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader
Star Wars Rogue Squadron III: Rebel Strike
Super Smash Bros. Melee
TimeSplitters 2
TimeSplitters: Future Perfect
Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell
Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory
Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4
Tony Hawk’s Underground, Underground 2, and American Wasteland (if we don’t get remakes)
Turok: Evolution (if Nightdive doesn’t do its thing)
Viewtiful Joe 1 and 2
Wario World
Wave Race: Blue Storm
Yu-Gi-Oh! The Falsebound Kingdom
As I hinted at above, the goal is to work less this week. However, I’m currently chipping away at a pair of reviews so you can look forward to those in the near future.
Happy Thanksgiving! We’ll talk soon.