Switch’s Nintendo 64 wireless controllers are sold out until 2022

By Otto Kratky Published November 3, 2021

In a strange case of “what year even is it?,” Nintendo has sold out of wireless Nintendo 64 controllers made for the Switch. Sadly, anyone hoping to get a retro-style modern controller this holiday season is going to end up disappointed. Nintendo said it won’t have more in stock till 2022.

The Nintendo 64 wireless controller is pretty much exactly what it sounds like. It’s a Nintendo 64 controller (weird third arm and all) except it can connect to users’ Nintendo Switch consoles. The controller was given new life thanks to Nintendo’s new online plan, Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack. The new plan comes with a library of Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis games for players to barrel through, as long as they’re willing to shell out some extra cash.

Recommended Videos

While the plan itself has been panned by fans for its pricing, others have clearly spoken with their wallets. It’s not clear when wireless Nintendo 64 controllers will be back in stock, but anyone looking for the true retro experience will have to wait until next year. Nintendo’s stock shortage doesn’t apply to its wireless Sega Genesis controllers for the Switch. Players can pick those up at any time. both controllers cost $50.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

Along with a buffet of Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis games, Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack gives subscribers access to Animal Crossing: New Horizons‘ latest DLC: Happy Home Paradise. The expansion, which players normally would have to pay $25 for, lets them design tropical getaway homes for villagers both old and new.

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Otto Kratky is a freelance writer with many homes. You can find his work at Digital Trends, GameSpot, and Gamepur. If he's…

Gaming

The best Lego games for Nintendo Switch

Aloy holds a bow in Lego Horizon Adventures.

You can't talk about the best Switch games without at least one Lego game coming up. These games have adapted all of the major franchises, from superheroes to fantasy characters, into some of the most enjoyable games for kids and adults. Or, better yet, play them together since nearly all of them are best played in local multiplayer. At this point in the Switch's lifecycle, there are over a dozen Lego games out there to pick from. While you could always go with whichever one is based on your favorite franchise, there are a few others not based on a license that are just as good. These are our picks for the best Lego games on the Switch that mix in both license properties and original IPs.

If you do plan on playing these with a friend or family member, make sure you have a spare controller ready.

Gaming

All upcoming Switch games: 2024, 2025, and beyond

The Nintendo Switch is one of the most popular consoles Nintendo has ever produced, with a wide variety of games to choose from and plenty of unique features. We’ve already gotten to play new entries across the Zelda, Super Mario, and Pokémon series on Nintendo Switch, but there are still plenty of great games on the way for the hybrid console. These include exclusive games developed internally by Nintendo, as well as third-party titles and ports of games that are also available on other platforms. Not all upcoming video games make their way to Switch, but plenty do!

Here's our list of the best upcoming Nintendo Switch games for 2024 and beyond. Of course, some titles without release windows could skip the Switch entirely and wind up on the Nintendo Switch 2 (or whatever it ends up being called). And if you're looking at future releases on multiple consoles, don't forget to check out what's upcoming on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and PC this year.
Upcoming Switch games 2024
The games listed below either have 100% confirmed release dates or solid release windows that we expect them to hit this year. Anything that's up in the air due to more vague launch predictions or previous delays will be listed below confirmed launches.

Gaming

Nintendo Switch’s successor must overcome one major challenge

Someone picks up a Nintendo Switch OLED Model.

The latest news on the Nintendo Switch’s successor, colloquially referred to as the Nintendo Switch 2, excites me. Unfortunately, it also demonstrates a major hurdle that Nintendo Switch 2 will have to overcome.

While Nintendo has yet to go all out in terms ofexplaining what the Switch 2 is yet (or if that’s even its name), we did learn in the company’s latest financial results that the console will be backward compatible with Nintendo Switch titles. That’s a win for not just Switch 2, but game preservation and the Nintendo Account system. Although backward compatibility is a net win for Nintendo’s next system, as it was for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, it reminds me that Nintendo must succeed where PlayStation and Xbox have struggled this generation.