Nintendo Unveils Nintendo Music Streaming App for Switch Online Subscribers on Android and iOS

Nintendo has once again stirred excitement and curiosity among its fans with a surprise announcement: the launch of Nintendo Music, a streaming app for Android and iOS. This release, hot on the heels of the Nintendo Alarmo—a Nintendo-themed alarm clock debuted this month—comes as fans eagerly await any word on the next console, referred to as the Switch 2, amidst a flurry of speculations and leaks regarding its specs and release date.

The app’s interface will immediately feel familiar to anyone who has used streaming services like Spotify. It offers all the expected features, including playlists curated by Nintendo, along with some unique capabilities. Among these are options to filter out songs that may contain spoilers and the ability to extend certain tracks for up to an hour, instead of merely looping them.

So, what does this mean for Nintendo enthusiasts? Many of you might find this app compelling enough to already consider downloading it on your Android or iOS devices. The good news is that as long as you’re subscribed to Nintendo Switch Online, even if it’s just a free trial, you can take full advantage of everything Nintendo Music has to offer.

Despite the excitement, there are a few points worth delving into. First off, Nintendo’s decision to create a standalone music app rather than just adding its soundtracks to established platforms like Spotify is interesting. This move might not resonate with those who prefer a consolidated music library. Sure, having official Nintendo soundtracks straight from the source is great, but requiring a separate app and subscription may feel like an obstacle for listeners who enjoy blending their music tastes or using social features provided by other services.

Moreover, Nintendo fans have long been archiving and sharing Nintendo soundtracks on platforms like YouTube. While it’s nice to have an official source, Nintendo seems late to the party. Surprisingly, the app lacks composer and artist information on tracks, presenting only game titles. This is a step backward considering that fans who uploaded these soundtracks typically included detailed metadata.

With Nintendo enforcing copyright strikes on fan-uploaded content prior to the app’s launch, it might seem a bit more justified now. However, this has inadvertently hampered efforts to preserve gaming history—a task that theoretically should be easier for Nintendo to manage than anyone else.

Finally, the selection of available soundtracks is notably underwhelming. Despite covering the full spectrum of Nintendo consoles, only 23 soundtracks are available as of now, leaving out many iconic tracks. For example, the marketing materials hinted at the inclusion of the Super Mario 64 OST, a promise that remains unfulfilled.

Given Nintendo’s rich history of beloved games and soundtracks, the time it took to deliver this service, and the choice to launch a standalone app, it’s reasonable for fans to hope for a more robust library right from the start.

One can’t help but wonder, when will fans finally see the Legend of the Seven Stars OST make its debut on the platform?