Nintendo has expanded the NES library available through Nintendo Classics with three additional games: Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom, R.C. Pro-Am II and Ikari Warriors. The September 2026 update adds another mix of action and arcade-style releases to the retro catalog included with Nintendo Switch Online.
Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom is the most prominent addition. Originally released by Tecmo in 1991, the side-scrolling action game follows Ryu Hayabusa as he attempts to clear his name after being framed for the murder of Irene Lew. It was the third entry in the original NES Ninja Gaiden trilogy, following Ninja Gaiden and Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos.
The game retains the fast platforming and combat associated with the earlier NES entries while introducing new movement options for Ryu, including the ability to hang from certain horizontal surfaces. Ninja Gaiden III is also known for continuing the series’ heavy use of cinematic story sequences, an unusual presentation style for action games of its era. Its addition gives Nintendo Classics another major title from one of the NES library’s most recognizable third-party franchises.
R.C. Pro-Am II also joins the service as part of the same update. Developed by Rare, the 1992 racing game expands on the original R.C. Pro-Am with additional tracks, vehicle upgrades and competitive modes. Players control radio-controlled cars from an overhead perspective while collecting items, avoiding hazards and using weapons against rival racers.
The sequel includes 24 tracks and supports multiplayer racing, while also introducing side activities such as drag racing and Truck-o-War that can provide additional money for upgrades. R.C. Pro-Am II arrived relatively late in the NES lifecycle and has historically been less widely available than some of Rare’s better-known releases. Its addition therefore brings another comparatively uncommon NES title into Nintendo’s current subscription catalog.
The third game, Ikari Warriors, is the NES adaptation of SNK’s 1986 arcade shooter. Players control soldiers Ralf and Clark as they move vertically through enemy territory, collecting ammunition and power-ups while fighting infantry, vehicles and other threats. The NES version supports two-player cooperative play, retaining one of the features that helped distinguish the original arcade release.
Ikari Warriors has appeared on modern Nintendo hardware before through other releases, including Hamster’s Arcade Archives version of the original arcade game. The Nintendo Classics addition is specifically the NES version, however, preserving the home-console adaptation rather than replacing the separately sold arcade release.
Likewise, Ninja Gaiden III already received another modern release earlier this year through Hamster’s Console Archives line for Nintendo Switch 2. That version is sold separately and includes additional emulator features, while the newly added Nintendo Classics release is part of the NES catalog available through a Nintendo Switch Online membership. The overlap gives players more than one way to access the 1991 game on current Nintendo hardware.
Nintendo has continued adding games to its retro libraries throughout the Switch generation, with Nintendo Classics now covering systems including the NES, Super NES, Game Boy, Nintendo 64 and Game Boy Advance. Nintendo Switch 2 also has access to compatible libraries and its own Nintendo GameCube Classics catalog, depending on membership level and platform requirements.
The three-game September update is smaller than a major Nintendo announcement, but it fills several remaining gaps in the NES collection. Ninja Gaiden III completes another important part of an established series, R.C. Pro-Am II brings back one of Rare’s later NES racers, and Ikari Warriors adds a recognizable cooperative action game from SNK’s early catalog.
Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom, R.C. Pro-Am II and Ikari Warriors are being added to Nintendo Entertainment System – Nintendo Classics as part of the September 2026 update for Nintendo Switch Online members.
