Now that Game Boy and GBA games are on the Switch, it’s essential that Nintendo keeps the momentum going with new additions. A frequent complaint of Nintendo Switch Online’s classic catalogs is that Nintendo is often slow to add major titles. Perhaps the best example of this is how theN64 catalog is still missing games likeSuper Smash Bros.over a year after being introduced on the Switch. If Nintendo is going to draw in more gamers to Nintendo Switch Online and do justice to the legacy of its most iconic handhelds, it needs to keep its foot on the gas with frequent, substantial updates for each catalog.
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The Game Boy and GBA Libraries are Massive
Nintendo revolutionized gaming when it released theGame Boyin 1989, giving gamers a handheld experience like no other. The Game Boy remains one of Nintendo’s greatest success stories since it started making video games, with the company supporting the handheld through various revisions until 2003. After the tremendous success of iterations like the Game Boy Color, the Game Boy Advance was introduced in 2001 and served as a full-fledged hardware upgrade, opening the door for a gargantuan library of games across first and third-party developers.
In total, the Game Boy and Game Boy Advance received support for over twenty years by the time Nintendo ceased system sales of the GBA in 2010. This rich history translates to an even richer collection of games, games that could make the Game Boy and GBA catalogs on Switch dwarf every other classic catalog. FromPokemonspin-offsto beloved third-party titles, the only thing stopping Nintendo from ballooning the Game Boy and GBA libraries on Switch is its own ambition. Both consoles truly had something for everyone to enjoy, and failing to capitalize on that would be a missed opportunity.
Nintendo Could Begin to Rival PS Plus and Xbox Game Pass With Enough Game Boy and GBA Games
Throughout Nintendo Switch Online’s history, its classic catalogs have largely seemed like a novelty rather than a game-changing feature. If Nintendo leverages the Game Boy and GBA’s massive libraries, however, it could provide an experience that mimics that ofPS Plus and Xbox Game Pass. Both subscription services provide a practically unconquerable amount of titles for gamers to enjoy, providing excellent value and no shortage of things to do. If Nintendo ever wants to compete and make NSO feel more legitimate, it will have to go all-in on the Game Boy and GBA’s sheer quantity of diverse games.
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