ULTRAAAAAAAA COMBO! Killer Instinct Gold Arrives on Nintendo Switch Online

Get ready to relive the glory days of the 90s! Killer Instinct Gold, the iconic fighting game from Rare, has officially landed on Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack. This news has fans of the series and retro gamers buzzing with excitement, marking another significant addition to Nintendo's expanding library of classic titles.

Originally released on the Nintendo 64 in 1996, Killer Instinct Gold was a response to the surging popularity of fighting games like Mortal Kombat. While it faced criticisms upon release, particularly for being a somewhat downgraded port of Killer Instinct 2, its unique features and groundbreaking combo mechanics have cemented its place in gaming history. As Marc "Spidey" Griffin, gaming journalist, puts it, "“ULTRAAAAAAAA COMBO!” A battle cry that became popular with young fighting game fanatics in 1996 has returned!"

Killer Instinct Gold boasts a roster of 11 fighters and introduces features exclusive to the N64 version, like team battle, team elimination battle, and a training mode. One of its notable improvements over its predecessors was the replacement of 2D backgrounds with new-fangled 3D environments, enhancing the visual experience. While the fighters retained their 2D animations, the interactive environments, with elements like boxes that could extend combos, added a new layer of depth to the gameplay.

"The N64 severely lacked a fighting game library compared to Sony’s original PlayStation," Griffin notes. Killer Instinct Gold aimed to fill that void, offering Nintendo fans a fighting game that could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with franchises such as Tekken and Virtua Fighter, even if it couldn't fully compete due to hardware limitations.

However, for members in Japan, the service’s latest N64 addition is Ridge Racer 64, which arrived in the west back in January this year.

For those looking ahead, the classic games will also be available to Switch 2 owners with an Expansion Pack subscription. Nintendo plans to bring access to a range of GameCube classics when the console arrives on June 5th. Titles like The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, Soul Calibur 2, and F-Zero GX are set for launch!

Whether you're a long-time fan or new to the series, Killer Instinct Gold on Nintendo Switch Online offers a chance to experience a unique piece of fighting game history. Will this addition satisfy the craving for classic games on the Switch? What are your favorite memories of Killer Instinct Gold? Share your thoughts and combos in the comments below!

• Killer Instinct Gold
• Nintendo Switch Online
• Rare