F-Zero X boosts onto Nintendo Switch this week with online play... sort of

techradar.com:

N64 classic F-Zero X is finally boosting onto Nintendo Switch Online this month, by way of the premium Expansion Pack tier that grants players access to a selection of Nintendo 64 titles.

The futuristic racer is launching on Nintendo Switch soon after The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, and much like other multiplayer games on the service, it can be played online – well, kind of.

Announced by Nintendo via its various social channels, F-Zero X is officially coming to Expansion Pack's N64 collection on March 11, which is sure to delight fans of the retro racer, and give newcomers a glimpse at the highly regarded series, which has been gathering dust for the past 15 years or so.

As mentioned, F-Zero X will also support online multiplayer via Nintendo Switch Online, but be warned that it's nothing bespoke. As is the case with Mario Kart 64, F-Zero X is simply adopting its split-screen multiplayer for use online. This means that, unlike modern online titles, you'll still see everyone else's perspectives while playing. We'd obviously have preferred something a bit more unique here, but then we're happy that we can play this N64 classic online at all.

Arguably one of the best things about playing F-Zero X on Nintendo Switch – aside from the fact that it's a remarkably slick game that's aged very well – is that it's compatible with the Nintendo Switch wireless N64 controller.

While stocks of the NSO member-exclusive controller remain scarce, it's arguably the best and most authentic way to play F-Zero X if you own it – although the game's controls aren't all that complex to begin with, so your Joy-Con or Nintendo Switch Pro Controller will get the job done just fine, too.

F-Zero X is the second game in Nintendo's long-dormant sci-fi