Why the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack is now a no-brainer

techradar.com:

After a more than controversial start, Nintendo just redeemed the Switch Online Expansion Pack in one fell swoop. Beginning March 18, subscribers will be able to access all of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe’s upcoming DLC at no additional cost, which will add 48 new tracks to the evergreen title until the end of 2023.

If you ever needed an incentive to subscribe, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe DLC is most definitely it. Not only does the Booster Course Pass ensure that Nintendo’s most popular Switch title will keep people racing for many more years to come, but when you consider that the upcoming DLC costs $24.99 / £22.49 on its own, then the $49.99 / £34.99 / AU$59.95 for a 12-month subscription to Nintendo’s premium service suddenly looks rather reasonable. 

It helps that Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is one of the best online multiplayer experiences on the platform, too. Many Switch owners (myself included) probably only subscribe to Nintendo’s online service in the first place so they can continue racing against other players across the globe. And if that’s the case, you might as well buy the Expansion Pack and get Mario Kart 8 Deluxe’s DLC as part of the deal – you’ll be paying $44.98 / £40.48 if you choose to buy the DLC separately and subscribe to Nintendo Switch Online anyway. In fact, that means UK Switch subscribers could actually end up paying £5 more than they might need to if they don’t pick up the Expansion Pack.

Of course, the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass isn’t the only perk of subscribing to the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack. To my surprise, Nintendo has steadily added more N64 and Sega Genesis titles to the service, instead of drip-feeding games at its usual glacial pace. Paper Mario and Banjo-Kazooie have already