David Bridges
At a glance
- New Additions: Nintendo is adding Rayman 2: The Great Escape and Tonic Trouble to the Switch Online Classics library on December 17.
- N64 Exclusivity: The new games are available exclusively for Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscribers.
- Historical Context: Tonic Trouble was Ubisoft’s first 3D platformer, released alongside Rayman 2.
- Long-Requested Game: The announcement precedes the long-anticipated release of Donkey Kong 64 on N64 NSO, leaving fans curious.
Nintendo has announced its Nintendo Switch Online additions for December, which are for all the N64-era 3D platformer fans out there. On December 17, Rayman 2: The Great Escape and Tonic Trouble are joining the Switch’s Nintendo Classics library. As a reminder, N64 games are exclusive to Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscribers, along with the emulators for the Game Boy Advance, Sega Genesis and GameCube.
For retro gaming completionsists, Tonic Trouble might actually be the more interesting get for NSO, despite being far less well known than the Rayman series. It was Ubisoft’s first 3D platformer, but a number of delays meant it ended up releasing in the same year as Rayman 2, and therefore has become a bit lost to time. The game stars an alien janitor named Ed, who accidentally drops a powerful green tonic out of his spaceship and all over Earth, making a mutated mess of the planet that he has to clean up.
Tonic Trouble was also conceptualized by Rayman creator Michel Ancel, but Ubisoft clearly only had room for one limbless mascot going forward. Arriving in 1999, Rayman 2: The Great Escape was the series’ Super Mario 64 moment, reimagining the original 2D game as a 3D platformer that was met with critical acclaim at launch. These days, the superb Rayman Legends would probably be most fans’ pick for the best game in the long-running series, but Rayman 2 would likely be near the top of the list.
Today’s announcement means that Rayman arrives on the N64 NSO app before Nintendo’s own Donkey Kong 64, which has been one of the most requested games for years. Why the company still hasn’t handed that one over in a year when the big ape made his triumphant 3D platformer comeback remains a mystery. But with the Rayman series kicking off its 30th anniversary celebrations back in September, the arrival of Rayman 2 makes a lot of sense.
Nintendo updated its N64 app for the launch of the Switch 2 earlier this year. Fire it up on today and you can make use of a rewind function, as well as a new CRT filter for optimum nostalgia.
Ethan Carter
