Ninja Gaiden III, Ikari Warriors, and R.C. Pro-Am II Join Nintendo Switch Online

Nintendo Switch Online's NES Classics library has expanded with three more games, adding Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom, Ikari Warriors, and R.C. Pro-Am II. All three titles are available now to Nintendo Switch Online subscribers, according to Game Informer News.

The update is particularly notable for fans of Tecmo's original Ninja Gaiden games. With Ninja Gaiden III now included, subscribers can play the full classic NES trilogy through Nintendo's subscription collection. The arrival of R.C. Pro-Am II also completes another small but influential NES series on the service, following the addition of the first R.C. Pro-Am in February 2024.

Meanwhile, Ikari Warriors brings a historically important SNK action game into the Switch Online lineup. The run-and-gun title first reached arcades in 1986 and later came to the NES in the United States in 1987. Its addition gives subscribers access to a game that was not only a major arcade success in its era, but also part of SNK's early breakthrough with Western audiences.

A complete NES Ninja Gaiden trilogy on Switch Online

Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom originally released in 1991 and served as the final Ninja Gaiden installment made for the NES. Its arrival closes a gap in Nintendo Switch Online's collection, meaning the platform now contains all three of the series' foundational 8-bit entries.

That matters because the NES Ninja Gaiden games occupy a distinctive place in the history of action games. They are remembered for demanding platforming, fast-moving combat, enemies that pressure players from multiple directions, and cinematic storytelling ambitions that stood out during the console's lifespan. The games helped define the identity of Ninja Gaiden well before later revivals reintroduced the name to a new generation.

The third entry gives players the opportunity to experience the original trilogy in sequence through a single modern service. While each game has its own challenges and structure, Ninja Gaiden III remains a meaningful historical endpoint for the NES era of the franchise. For players who have previously used Switch Online to revisit the first two games, this update removes the need to look elsewhere for the conclusion of that early run.

Its availability also arrives at a time when legacy game libraries are increasingly valued as preservation tools as well as subscription perks. Having a complete trilogy does not simply add one more title to a menu; it makes it easier to understand how the series developed across its original three NES releases.

R.C. Pro-Am II joins its predecessor

The other series milestone in this update involves R.C. Pro-Am II. Rare's remote-controlled racing sequel was released in 1992, and it now sits beside the original R.C. Pro-Am in the Nintendo Switch Online NES library. The first game has been available through the service since February 2024.

R.C. Pro-Am is often associated with a style of arcade racing that values quick reactions, hazardous tracks, and competition over simulation. The sequel continued that identity, providing another example of the kinds of inventive, compact multiplayer-friendly experiences that were common on the NES. Its arrival gives subscribers a more complete look at the series rather than leaving only its earlier game available.

For Nintendo Switch Online users exploring older racing games, the pairing is useful for more than simple convenience. Playing the games together offers a chance to see how a sequel built on an established concept during the final stretch of the NES generation. R.C. Pro-Am II arrived late in that system's life, when developers were still finding ways to expand familiar formats on aging hardware.

Rare's history also gives the release added interest. The studio would go on to become closely connected to several major console releases in later generations, but R.C. Pro-Am belongs to an earlier period of its catalog. Including both games in the same Switch Online library creates a straightforward way to revisit that part of the developer's history.

Ikari Warriors brings arcade history to the NES collection

Ikari Warriors is the oldest game in the latest group. It debuted in arcades in 1986 before receiving its U.S. NES port in 1987. The game's military-themed run-and-gun action, overhead perspective, and relentless forward momentum made it a memorable part of the arcade landscape of the mid-1980s.

Players control soldiers fighting through enemy territory, facing waves of opposition while using weapons and vehicles encountered along the way. That design helped make the game a prominent example of an arcade action formula built around immediate danger, cooperative play, and the push to survive as long as possible.

Its presence on Switch Online is significant beyond its basic genre appeal. Game Informer notes that Ikari Warriors was among the highest-grossing arcade games of its time and helped SNK gain traction in the West. That context makes it an important addition for anyone interested in the company's evolution. SNK would become widely known for later fighting games and arcade hardware, but games such as Ikari Warriors were part of the foundation that established its profile internationally.

The NES version naturally represents a home-console interpretation of the arcade original, which is a familiar story for many games from that period. Arcade-to-console ports were central to how players encountered major coin-operated hits at home, even when technical limitations required changes. Nintendo Switch Online's inclusion preserves access to that NES version specifically, placing it alongside other games that reflect the transition from arcade sensations to living-room play.

Three different views of the NES era

Although these additions arrive together, they represent notably different corners of 8-bit gaming. Ninja Gaiden III is a focused action-platformer and the conclusion to a major trilogy. R.C. Pro-Am II is a racing sequel from the NES's later years. Ikari Warriors is an arcade-rooted run-and-gun game whose history began before the NES port reached the United States.

That variety is one of the continuing strengths of the Nintendo Switch Online Classics approach. A single update can add games that appeal to very different audiences: players seeking a difficult action challenge, those looking for classic racing, and those interested in arcade history or SNK's early catalog. Rather than centering on one publisher, genre, or release period, this group offers a broader snapshot of what the NES library contained.

The timing of the original releases also illustrates the length of the NES era. Ikari Warriors' arcade debut came in 1986, while Ninja Gaiden III and R.C. Pro-Am II both arrived in the early 1990s. The selections therefore stretch from the period when arcade conversions were especially vital to consoles through the later years when developers continued releasing sequels and refining established genres.

What subscribers can play now

All three games are available now through the Nintendo Switch Online Classics NES library for subscribers. Their addition means the service now offers the complete classic Ninja Gaiden trilogy, as well as both R.C. Pro-Am games.

• Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom -- originally released in 1991; the final NES Ninja Gaiden entry.
• Ikari Warriors -- debuted in arcades in 1986 and was released on NES in the United States in 1987.
• R.C. Pro-Am II -- originally released in 1992; joins the first R.C. Pro-Am, which entered Switch Online in February 2024.

For fans of Nintendo's retro catalog, the update is less about a single headline game than about the completion of two recognizable NES lineups and the arrival of an arcade landmark. Ninja Gaiden III is the clearest centerpiece because it completes a trilogy, but R.C. Pro-Am II and Ikari Warriors give the release a wider range of racing, action, arcade, and historical appeal.

With these games added, Nintendo Switch Online subscribers have three more reasons to browse the NES Classics app--whether they are returning to difficult 8-bit favorites, exploring SNK's formative years, or discovering how remote-controlled racing looked on Nintendo's original home console.