Ethan Crossfield 
Nintendo Switch Online continues to expand its selection of classic games with three additions to the NES library. Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom, Ikari Warriors, and R.C. Pro-Am II are now available to subscribers, giving players access to the complete NES Ninja Gaiden trilogy and both entries in the classic R.C. Pro-Am series.
Three Different Eras of NES History
The newest release is Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom, which arrived in 1991 as the final NES game in the Ninja Gaiden series. Its addition gives Nintendo Switch Online subscribers the full classic trilogy on the service, alongside the earlier Ninja Gaiden games.
R.C. Pro-Am II also extends an existing series collection. The 1992 racing sequel now joins the original R.C. Pro-Am, which has been part of the Nintendo Switch Online library since February 2024. Both games are built around the same top-down remote-control racing concept, although the source information does not specify any differences between the two versions included on the service.
Ikari Warriors Brings an Arcade Landmark to NES
The oldest of the three additions is Ikari Warriors. The run-and-gun action game first launched in arcades in 1986 before receiving its U.S. NES release in 1987.
Beyond its place in the NES catalog, Ikari Warriors carries notable arcade history. It was among the highest-grossing arcade games of its era and played a role in helping SNK establish itself with Western audiences. Its arrival gives Switch Online subscribers another important example of the action games that helped define the period.
What This Means for the Classics Library
All three games are available now for Nintendo Switch Online subscribers through the NES library. The update is especially useful for players who prefer complete series collections rather than isolated entries. Ninja Gaiden now has its entire classic NES trilogy represented, while R.C. Pro-Am has both of its listed games available through the service.
The additions also broaden the library’s historical range. Ninja Gaiden III and R.C. Pro-Am II represent later NES releases, while Ikari Warriors connects the collection to the arcade scene that preceded the console versions. Nintendo Switch Online subscribers can therefore explore three different parts of the era through one update.
Key points
- Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom is now available in the NES library.
- The release completes the classic NES Ninja Gaiden trilogy on Nintendo Switch Online.
- R.C. Pro-Am II joins the original game, which was added in February 2024.
- Ikari Warriors originated in arcades in 1986 and reached U.S. NES players in 1987.
The three new NES additions
| Game | Original release information | Series status on Switch Online |
|---|---|---|
| Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom | NES, 1991 | Completes the classic Ninja Gaiden trilogy |
| Ikari Warriors | Arcades, 1986; U.S. NES, 1987 | Adds the run-and-gun classic to the NES library |
| R.C. Pro-Am II | 1992 | Joins the original R.C. Pro-Am |
Expert View
This update shows the value of Nintendo Switch Online’s classics strategy: a relatively small group of additions can have greater impact when it completes recognizable collections. Finishing the NES Ninja Gaiden trilogy and pairing R.C. Pro-Am with its sequel gives returning players a clearer reason to revisit those series, while Ikari Warriors adds historical depth through its connection to SNK and the arcade market. For preservation-minded fans, the release is less about novelty than about making important parts of NES and arcade history easier to access in one library.
