Nintendo has worked hard this year to get fans excited about their online memberships. How did they do this? They tickled the secret to every gamer’s fancy — nostalgia. Nintendo Switch Game Boy games have been here for most of 2023, and there are plenty of classic games to make you feel young again. Which ones are currently available as of November 2023, and what games are fans excited to see maybe come up in the future?
Thankfully, accessing Nintendo Switch Game Boy games is easier and cheaper than the Nintendo 64 or Game Boy Advance games. Nintendo’s online membership has two tiers. You only need the standard, less expensive tier to access Game Boy games, alongside NES and SNES titles.
The Nintendo Switch Online (NSO) basic tier is $19.99 for the whole year for one person. The family plan is where people see savings. It is $34.99 annually with eight people on the plan, costing around just over $4 a person. It’s a steal when you consider the benefits you get.
You can still play Game Boy games on the Nintendo Switch Online (NSO) + Expansion Pack membership. It is pricier, but players gain additional benefits, including:
This plan is $49.99 annually for one person and $79.99 for you and seven others.
Once you choose, set it up with your Nintendo account, go to the Store, and download the Game Boy application to start scrolling through the catalog. Nintendo adds games over time, which they usually announce in Nintendo Directs.
Gamers rejoice — this is the complete list of Game Boy games you can play on the Nintendo Switch as of November 2023:
We know there are a few titles you may not know and a few you are already booting up your Switch to play. Let’s review some of the highlights, especially if you’re unfamiliar with the Game Boy’s catalog and want somewhere to start.
Another essential question remains on gamers’ minds. If you can play Game Boy games, can you play games from the Game Boy Color? Can you have the look of the Game Boy Pocket? Thankfully, yes is the answer to each of these questions.
How do you switch between Game Boy, Pocket and Color styles? Follow these instructions to make the simple switch:
Another option at the bottom of this menu allows you to toggle between accessing North American games or the EU and North American lists. Don’t be fooled — this does not magically unlock new games that were not there previously. It only allows players to access the European ports, which may have some dialog or stylistic differences but probably not additional content.
The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening DX was a rerelease of the original titles — sans DX — for the Game Boy Color. It is commonly referred to as the best Game Boy game of all time, and the DX version includes color graphics and additional gameplay features, such as another dungeon. It was aptly named the Color Dungeon, in honor of the Game Boy Color’s revolutionary technology.
Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins is a legendary marker in the Mario franchise because it introduces a fan-favorite character — Wario. Despite it being released in 1992, the game holds up. The music is highly memorable, and the levels are some of the most varied in the series. It was a Mario entry that continued to explore how much versatility future games could have.
The Kirby series is always a good go-to, but Tilt ‘N Tumble is a fascinating entry. The game uses gyro technology, requiring players to physically tilt their controllers to move Kirby around the courses. Get a little movement in with this fun puzzle game.
Tetris is another solid choice because it is familiar and fascinating to master. If you’ve ever watched professional Tetris players, you will understand the appeal of getting good at this arcade classic. However, with Tetris 99 available, you might want to play that instead.
Nintendo hasn’t made any announcements to add any more games to the Game Boy roster yet. However, this doesn’t stop fans from posting online, asking them to revive their favorite games. Some of these include:
What are your favorite titles that we are missing from this list? Let us know!
Nintendo has made a wise choice to provide these old games for fans. With the remake and remaster boon gaming companies are undergoing, nostalgia marketing seems here to stay. People are willing to pay to play old games without needing to boot up their dusty systems that may not even load anymore.
What does this trend signal for the future of Nintendo’s consoles? Fingers crossed that the DS, 3DS and GameCube get similar treatment eventually.
