Five New Sega Genesis Games Added To Nintendo Switch Online, Including Altered Beast, ToeJam & Earl, And More

Nintendo surprised many by dropping Paper Mario the classic RPG onto Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack earlier in the month. Five new surprises were added today.

This time, though, they aren’t Nintendo 64 games – it’s five Sega Genesis titles. Announced late last night, Altered Beast, ToeJam & Earl, Dynamite Headdy, Sword of Vermilion, and Thunder Force II are now available to play on the Switch for any NSO + Expansion Pack subscribers. 

Altered Beast was first released in 1988 and it’s a 2D beat ‘em up arcade-style game that debuted on the Sega Genesis, of course. In Ancient Greece you will play as a undead wolfman character, who is revived by Zeus in order to rescue Athena. Listen to some Game Informer’sReplay hosts an episode where editors speak about the reboot of Project Altered Beast and how it was remade. 

In ToeJam & Earl, you control the alien rappers who crash-land on Earth. This game launched on the Sega Genesis in 1991 and spawned multiple sequels, including ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove, which was released just two years ago. Our thoughts can be found here. Game Informer’s ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove review.

Thunder Force II is a 1988 scrolling shoot ‘em up first released in 1988 on the Sharp X6800 computer. It was however ported to Sega Genesis one year later. This was the Genesis’s original launch title in America. The trailer shows that each stage begins with a top down view. You can destroy enough bases to further intrude on enemy territory. At that point the game switches into a 2D scrolling shooter. The Genesis Mini was the last time it was seen. You can also hear its incredible music. 

The fourth game released to NSO is Dynamite Headdy, perhaps one of the most odd releases this drop. It’s a 2D platformer where you play as Headdy, a puppet who must take down an evil puppet king named Dark Demon. You will enjoy the unique artwork and fun combat that it offers thanks to more than 12 power ups. Dynamite headdy, a similar to Thunder Force II was last seen on a Genesis Mini. 

NSO dropped Sword of Vermillion as the fifth and last game. This is a DnD-themed RPG. The screen can show your character as well as their movements on an interactive map of the world. A first-person viewpoint shows you your character moving around wherever you’re located. The game also has 2D combat and an impressive art style. It first appeared in 1989, before being released again in the United States in 1991. 

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