Nintendo Unveils Nintendo Music: A Streaming App for Paid Switch Online Subscribers on Android/iOS

Nintendo recently surprised its fan communities with the announcement of Nintendo Music, a new streaming app for Android and iOS. This release comes on the heels of the Nintendo Alarmo, a Nintendo-themed alarm clock that also launched this month. Interestingly, these developments come as the gaming giant remains silent about the much-rumored Switch 2, despite various leaked hardware specs and potential release dates swirling around the internet for some time.

Upon first glance, Nintendo Music’s interface bears a striking resemblance to popular music apps like Spotify. It offers a similar set of features, including playlists curated by Nintendo. In addition to these familiar tools, the app provides some unique extras. For instance, users can filter out potential spoilers by hiding songs from certain games and even extend particular tracks to play for up to an hour instead of simply looping them.

Many of you might already be excited about this app, perhaps even in the process of downloading it to your Android or iOS device. For those with an active Nintendo Switch Online membership—even if you’re just using a free trial—Nintendo Music is fully accessible, enabling you to make the most of its offerings whenever you wish.

However, there are some notable issues to address.

Firstly, Nintendo has chosen to release a standalone music app instead of making its soundtracks available on platforms like Spotify, a path that many other game developers and publishers have taken. This approach may not be particularly appealing to listeners who prefer having all their music in one place. While it’s great to have official Nintendo soundtracks at our fingertips, it would be even better if they didn’t require a separate app and subscription, especially for those who enjoy other music or the social features these platforms offer.

It’s worth mentioning that Nintendo enthusiasts have spent over two decades diligently uploading Nintendo soundtracks to YouTube and other sites. The official app feels somewhat overdue. Oddly enough, Nintendo has omitted composer and artist information from its tracks, only naming the games. This is a stark contrast to fan uploads, which frequently include such details.

Nintendo’s crackdown on fan-uploaded OSTs makes a bit more sense now with the arrival of Nintendo Music, but it still raises concerns about game preservation and the ease of access fans have long provided. Given Nintendo’s resources, you’d think they’d deliver this information more comprehensively than anyone else.

Additionally, the app’s current catalog of soundtracks is unexpectedly sparse. Although it claims to encompass all Nintendo consoles, only 23 soundtracks are available right now. This omission leaves many iconic OSTs unrepresented, including some that were teased in the promotional trailer—like the soundtrack for Super Mario 64, which is nowhere to be found.

Considering Nintendo’s vast library of legendary games and soundtracks, alongside the fact that it took this long for such an initiative to materialize, it’s reasonable for fans to expect a more extensive selection at launch.

With all that said, one question remains: when will the Legend of the Seven Stars OST make its appearance?