Blast From the Gameboy Past

During the Nintendo Direct on Wednesday, it was revealed that Gameboy and Gameboy Advance games were coming to the Switch Online Services that night. We’ve checked the available titles out so far. What do we think of Gameboy and Gameboy Advance games on the Switch?

My favorite announcement from Wednesday’s Nintendo Direct was the reveal of Gameboy and Gameboy Advance games coming to the Switch Online services. Now that I’ve tried them, here are my thoughts on the games available:

Gameboy Games

Alone in the Dark: This is, without a doubt, the weakest game among the Gameboy games provided. The graphics are pretty bad, even by Gameboy Color standards. There are too many cutscenes and the game isn’t very interesting so far. I may go back and try this again but only if I’m really bored.

Tetris: A classic Gameboy game. A must play and a great addition to the Switch’s library of games. It looks good in color and in black and white, but I have a ton of nostalgia for the green look.

Metroid 2: Return of Samus: Another classic. I love that you can play this in the original green, the black and white from the Gameboy Pocket or with a splash of color from the Gameboy Color. I like the Gameboy Color look the best but again, the green look is classic. No matter how you play this, you just need to play it. Its great.

Kirby’s Dream Land: This is a fun game. It looks nice in the Gameboy Color look because Kirby is pink there.

Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins: Another classic! This one looks best in the black and white look but the color isn’t bad and of course the green look is nostalgic. Fun game.

Gargoyles Quest: This one looks best in classic green or the white. The color look is a bit strange. Neat platformer.

Wario Land 3: This is a Gameboy Color game so it looks great in full color. There is no option to see it in anything else. Its a good platformer with Wario’s usual wacky brand of humor.

Game and Watch Gallery 3: Another Gameboy Color game. This is a very simplistic game and just an alright addition to the lineup. Its still better than Alone in the Dark!

Gameboy Advance

kurukuru Kururin: This game is just strange. I’m not even sure what it is. and why it was included. The weakest game in the GBA lineup. I doubt I’ll play this one anymore.

Warioware, Inc Mega Microgames: I love this game. The microgames are so weird and fun. The Nintendo microgames are especially a blast. This is a great addition to the GBA lineup.

Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3: You may think, “Why do we need this when we already have Super Mario Bros 3 on the NES lineup?” Well, not only does this version of Super Mario Bros 3 has some extra levels, it is also the best looking version of Super Mario Bros 3 ever. The graphics are a real treat. Love this.

The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap: A classic Zelda game. Capcom developed this game and its one of the best Zelda games ever. An excellent addition to the GBA lineup. This game still looks very good.

Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga: My favorite game of the GBA lineup. I love Superstar Saga. Its one of the best Mario rpgs. I can’t wait to play this game a ton more.

Mario Kart Super Circuit: This game is alright. I’m not a huge fan of retro Mario Kart. The series really didn’t get great until the N64. Not a terrible addition to the lineup though.

Overall, I think the GBA games are higher quality than the Gameboy games. Both lineups are pretty good though. I still don’t understand why Alone in the Dark or kurukuru were added to the lineups though.

Can’t wait to see more additions to the Gameboy and Gameboy Advance lineups. Here’s hoping we’ll get some old Pokémon games, Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, and other classic Gameboy/Gameboy Advance games.

What do you think of the initial lineup of Gameboy/Advance games?