Summary
TheNintendo Switch Onlinefeature is an official emulator that allows players to download a series of software that makes their Switch compatible with old gaming software. This software includes the Nintendo 64, Nintendo GameCube, the original Game Boy,and the Game Boy Advance. All of these can be downloaded separately, and each one comes with a wide range of classic games that can be played on a modern console.
While the Game Boy available on Nintendo Switch online already has a host of amazing classic games available, there are still some iconic titles from this era that are missing from this collection. While it may be unfair to demand that Nintendo add every single game from their Game Boy library to this service, some major games haven’t made the cut. Players will love to check out these classics for themselves, especially if they missed out on the opportunity to do so beforehand.
Updated June 10, 2025 by Ritwik Mitra:Nintendo has been hailed time and time again as one of the major players in the handheld console market, with the company’s insistence to let players enjoy their favorite games on the go being admired by many. Even annoying kinks were eventually fixed.
There are many great Game Boy games that players can check out on the Nintendo Switch Online service, but fans can’t help but feel like some of the console’s best offerings haven’t been given the time of day.
TheFinal Fantasyseries attained a foothold in the West following the mainstream success of the seventh mainline entry, but Square was hard at work trying to make the franchise popular in foreign markets well before their PS1 efforts. The studio felt that the main games in the series were too complex for Western fans to wrap their heads around at the time, so they decided to scale back the experience and let players enjoy a classic action-adventure game.
This led to the release ofFinal Fantasy Adventure, a spinoff title that was pretty fun but lacked a lot of the complexities that made the parent series so compelling. Still, players who want to check out the game that birthed theManaseries will love whatFinal Fantasy Adventurehas to offer.
Players who want to check out a unique platformer with a compelling gameplay loop and multiple endings willlove whatWario Land 2has to offer. The removal of the time limit from its predecessor was a stroke of genius that let players explore each level to their heart’s content, which was important given how the game’s endings were structured.
Wario will regularly be blocked from exploring the beaten path, forcing him to either figure out an alternate way to move past these obstacles or find hidden entrances to other levels. This encourages players to replay this title and help Mario’s mirror character end his adventure on a high note, despite his villainous tendencies.
3Harvest Moon GB
The First Portable Game In The Series
Players who love unique farming sims that are as charming as ever will loveHarvest Moon. Despite the problems that have plagued the modern run of the franchise and forced the developers to change the name of this IP, the series now known asStory of Seasonshas featured on several legendary Nintendo consoles, andHarvest Moon GBis no exception here.
It’s a shame that this game isn’t on the Nintendo Switch Online service since players checking out the Game Boy’s many highlights would’ve loved to give this title a whirl. Hopefully, Nintendo will give this series the love it deserves and let players check out a highly underrated entry that helped shapeHarvest Moon’s legacy.
4Tennis
A Simple Sports Game
TheTennisvideo game released on the Game Boy in 1998 might not feature any of Nintendo’s iconic characters as a playable option. However, many fans of the original handheld console still miss this realistic sports game on Nintendo Switch Online.
Tennisis a short and simple game that allows the player to engage in a handheld version of tennis. Sports games do still exist, but few keep things as simple as the games from this era. There is no online competitive scene or hundreds of different game modes on offer. As a result, modern gamers may also like picking up this old Game Boy game for a fresh experience. Plus, Mario features as the umpire in each match, just to remind players that this is still a Nintendo title.
The firstYoshivideo game from 1991 often gets confused with other games in the series, as it is known asMario and Yoshiin some parts of the world. As such, many Nintendo fans would have bought this game expecting another platforming adventure starring Mario and hisnew green dinosaur sidekick. Instead,Yoshifor the Game Boy is a puzzle game in which the player has to match up falling blocks to create a pattern.
It isn’t an overly difficult game, andYoshihas been criticized for being repetitive at times. However, it would be great if Nintendo would show fans where this character started. It would also be something new for younger generations to play on a home console.
Understandably, most people will think of Mario when they hear about a platforming video game from Nintendo. However, the developer also has another beloved platforming franchise:Donkey Kong. He may havestarted as a villain,but this ape has had a successful run of solo games over the last number of decades. Nintendo was even kind enough to launch this mascot on the Game Boy withDonkey Kong Land, a companion game toDonkey Kong Countrythat was released on the SNES in 1995.
This handheld version ofDonkey Kongallowed players to engage in a lot of the same side-scrolling platforming featured in the console games. The main difference this time was that this game could be played on the go. There is little in theDonkey Kong Landseries that players can’t experience in any otherDonkey Konggame on the Switch. However, it would be nice if Nintendo added one of these games to the online system to let people who like the Game Boy play someDonkey Kong.
ThePokemonfranchise has released several spin-off games from the main series over the years, but none have been quite as unique asPokemon: Pinball.This title came out on the Game Boy shortly after the release of the first main series games in the series, and it functioned very well as a standard pinball game with a coat of paint that fit thePokemontheme. Some of the creatures from the first generation even appear on the main screen as part of the overall presentation.
As a result,Pokemon Pinballfunctions as a standard pinball game in which players attempt to achieve a high score. However, this game also has a Pokemon-catching mini-game, where players can try to catch and collect all 151 original Pokemon using the classic pinball gameplay. Therefore, this game adds something to the Game Boy that is sorely missing. It can appeal tofans of plain old pinball, and it is something new forPokemonfans to try.
The first generation ofPokemongames has received two remakes so far, and one of these remakes comes in the form of theLet’s Gogames from 2018. This means that new players canjourney through the Kanto regionany time they want on the Nintendo Switch. Sadly, there is no way to play these games in their original forms, aside from booting up an old physical Game Boy or playing an illegal emulator on the internet. Now that Nintendo has access to its own online emulator, it makes sense to release the original versions of the firstPokemongames in the franchise.
There are still plenty of fans who have not experienced this generation as was first envisioned. Hundreds of olderPokemonfans would love to return to where the franchise started. It makes sense for Nintendo to make these games available to play on the Nintendo Switch.
Mario is the most recognizable and popular character owned by Nintendo. This platforming plumber first debuted inDonkey Kongin 1983, and he has appeared in many different video games ever since. Few people have had the chance to play Mario’s first game on the Game Boy, and even fewer who have played it in its updated form.
Super Mario Bros Deluxeis a new version of the originalSuper Mario Brosgame from 1985 that was released on the Game Boy Color. The new version adds color to the first game, as well as providing a tighter experience and removing glitches. If any Mario fan wants to experience his first adventure, this is the way to do it.
