Highlights

• Game Boy revolutionized handheld gaming with a vast library of original titles that set it apart from earlier devices.
• Nintendo Switch Online offers classic Game Boy games, expanding the selection over time for subscribers to enjoy.
• Some Game Boy titles, like Tetris and Super Mario Land 2, stand the test of time with engaging gameplay and nostalgic charm.

Handheld gaming has been around since the late '70s, but it wasn't until Nintendo developed and launched the Game Boy in 1989 that it became a global phenomenon. While companies like Mattel and Milton Bradley produced cheaper devices with singular games on them, the Game Boy had a massive library of original games to choose from.

Nintendo Switch Online is a subscription-based service that allows you to access online play, cloud saves, and a wide selection of classic games. Game Boy and Game Boy Color games were added to the service in early 2023, and it seems like more are on the horizon. Each title has something unique to offer, but some are more fun than others.

Updated on March 12, 2024, by Kyle Chamaillard: Every couple of months, Nintendo expands the number of Game Boy and Game Boy Color titles available to Nintendo Switch Online subscribers. It's not much, but they continue to add some of the best games from their catalog to the service, making it more enticing to anyone who doesn't have a membership yet.

Dr. Mario, Mario Golf, and Mario Tennis have been added to Nintendo Switch Online since this list was last updated, so we've decided to revisit this article to see how they stack up against the other Game Boy games on the service.

21 Quest For Camelot

Quest for Camelot is one of the rare licensed games available on Nintendo Switch Online. Based on the animated film of the same name, this Game Boy Color title was actually co-published by Nintendo, which means that they mostly own the rights to it.

There were a ton of licensed games that plagued both home consoles and handhelds during this era, and Quest for Camelot is a brutal reminder that most of them weren't very good. Dull gameplay, repetitive music, and more nullify any chance this title had for success. If you're curious, it might be worth playing for a bit before you decide to hop into something more worthwhile.

20 Game & Watch Gallery 3

Nintendo had been in the handheld market long before the Game Boy came out with its fairly popular line of Game & Watch machines. The first one launched in 1980, and as the name implies, it featured a simple yet fun game and a clock as its main features.

Over 60 Game & Watch devices were created within a decade. After the Game Boy became a success, Nintendo began compiling some of them together with remastered graphics, new playable characters, and more. You can play the classic or modern versions of these games, but many of them might not hold your attention for longer than a few minutes.

19 Castlevania Legends

Castlevania Legends is a strange entry in the long-running series. It was designed as a prequel and follows Sonia Belmont on her quest to vanquish Dracula. The setting and characters are fascinating, but Castlevania Legends was difficult to play when it originally launched, and it's not any better by today's standards.

Its status as the official first chapter in the Castlevania series made Legends an essential title for completionists, but even long-time producer Koji Igarashi has claimed the game is non-canonical and removed it from the official timeline. If you're struggling to complete this adventure, there is a light mode that makes the game significantly easier by giving you a fully-powered whip.

18 Dr. Mario

The Game Boy and NES versions of Dr. Mario were developed simultaneously and launched a couple of months apart from each other. While the portable version allowed you to play Dr. Mario anywhere you wanted, the lack of color originally made it much more difficult and less fun than the alternative.

You can still challenge yourself with the Game Boy version of Dr. Mario on Nintendo Switch Online, but you might be better off playing either the NES or N64 titles which are also available on the service. They play much more smoothly and even allow you to challenge a friend to a match locally or online.

17 BurgerTime Deluxe

The Game Boy's library is full of excellent and original first-party titles, but it also has a decent amount of games like BurgerTime for classic arcade fans. The original version of this delicious-looking platformer originally launched in 1982 before becoming a sensation and finding a home on the Intellivision in 1983.

As Peter Pepper, you must run around an elaborate stage to collect ingredients for hamburgers. The tricky part is you'll be chased by sentient sausages, pickles, and more as you run around the level. BurgerTime Deluxe is just as fun as Pac-Man or Donkey Kong, so if you're looking for a new game to claim a high score on, flip it on and see how far you can go.

16 Blaster Master: Enemy Below

Despite multiple entries and reboots, the Blaster Master series has always struggled to become as popular as Contra or Ghosts 'n Goblins. Blaster Master: Enemy Below was one of the last games to be developed by Sunsoft, and while it's an interesting Metroidvania to revisit, certain issues hold it back from being as great as the current run of Blaster Master games.

One of the more unique aspects of the series is that you can alternate between playing as the human protagonist - Jason - or controlling his tank. Not only does this open up options for taking down enemies, but each has its own upgrades to collect as well. This feature, plus multiple perspectives, helps Enemy Below stand out, but its difficulty shouldn't be underestimated.

15 Kirby's Dream Land

Kirby is one of the few major Nintendo mascots that first appeared on Game Boy before making their way to home consoles. While it's nice seeing the adorable hero's origins, Kirby's Dream Land feels more like a blueprint for what the series would eventually become than something worth playing through.

Kirby's Dream Land is the first game designed and directed by Masahiro Sakurai, who wanted to create a more relaxing platformer that casual gamers could enjoy. It's fun to jump around as Kirby, but his infamous copy abilities wouldn't appear until Kirby's Adventure for the NES, so the only way to attack is by sucking in enemies and spitting them back out. Dream Land has plenty of the core concepts of a Kirby game, but nearly every sequel is more fun than the original.

14 Alone In The Dark: The New Nightmare

Aside from platformers and JRPGs, the Game Boy and Game Boy Color also had a surprising amount of survival-horror games in its library. Alone in the Dark helped shape the genre when the first game was released on PC in 1992, so it was a welcome surprise when a Game Boy Color port of Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare launched in 2001.

Heavily inspired by Resident Evil, The New Nightmare features two playable protagonists who must fight monsters and solve puzzles to escape the deadly Shadow Island. While the Game Boy Color version doesn't have the FMV cutscenes from the console versions, it's still a haunting adventure unlike anything else available on Nintendo Switch Online.

13 Kirby Tilt 'N' Tumble

There is nothing quite like Kirby Tilt 'N' Tumble for the Game Boy Color, mostly because the cartridge came with a built-in accelerometer that allowed you to swing your console around and control the pink protagonist as he rolled around a stage. It was a huge surprise when it came to Nintendo Switch Online, and, of course, you can move your Switch around or use the face buttons to play through this excellent spin-off.

It's nice that you can enjoy Tilt 'N' Tumble without having to use motion controls, but it is an essential part of the experience that increases the enjoyment of navigating Kirby around and completing a level before time runs out. It's a shorter title, but its inclusion on the Switch opens the doors for more gimmick-based games.

12 Metroid 2: Return Of Samus

After making her debut on the NES, Samus Aran's next adventure could be played anywhere after Nintendo decided to develop the sequel to Metroid for the Game Boy. Metroid 2: Return of Samus begins shortly after the first game's events and sends Samus to SR388 - the home planet of the Metroid species - to investigate the disappearance of several research teams.

Metroid 2 is often considered the black sheep in the family, especially its original iteration. It was later remade for the 3DS as Metroid: Samus Returns, but the original is still one of the best Game Boy games available. Few titles offer the same tense atmosphere and action as Metroid 2, and its non-linear design makes exploration feel unlike anything else on the console.

11 Gargoyle's Quest

Gargoyle's Quest is one of the few third-party titles in Nintendo Switch Online's Game Boy catalog and is likely one of the lesser-known titles on the service. Heavily inspired by The Legend of Zelda 2: Link's Adventure, this Ghosts 'n Goblins spin-off stars Firebrand as he attempts to save the Ghoul Realm from peril.

For a Game Boy game, Gargoyle's Quest is incredibly ambitious and is still a blast to play today. The exploration is fun, there is a surprising amount of action throughout, and the feeling of going from a lowly minion to an unstoppable force of nature as you unlock new abilities keeps the adventure interesting until the end. Sometimes, it feels good to be a bad guy.

10 Mario Golf

Mario Golf for the Game Boy Color launched the same year as the N64 game with the same name, but they couldn't be more different. While the home console version used 3D models to create lush and relaxing environments, the portable Mario Golf relied on narrative and RPG-inspired gameplay mechanics to compel you to rise to the top.

In an interesting twist, Mario Golf has more original characters than familiar faces from the Mushroom Kingdom. You start your career by choosing one of four protagonists - Kid, Joe, Sherry, and Azalea - and interact with an open world to challenge opponents. The golfing itself is a blast, and these extra components make the game irresistibly hard to put down.

9 Kirby's Dream Land 2

Kirby's second appearance on the Game Boy holds up significantly better than its predecessor due to Kirby's ability to suck in enemies to use their powers. This feature was introduced in Kirby's Adventure for the NES, but Dream Land 2 contains another essential element that has since become a staple of the series - animal friends.

Kirby can float around and slide under narrow cliffs, but there are still certain areas he can't reach on his own. Luckily, Rick, Kine, and Coo - a hamster, fish, and owl - will assist Kirby once he rescues them from certain bosses. Dream Land 2 is a short and sweet adventure with plenty of charm and different powers to experiment with.

8 Pokemon Trading Card Game

Between the video games, the anime, and the trading card game, it was almost impossible to ignore Pokemon's impact on pop culture during the late 90s and early 2000s. As the franchise became more popular, it made sense for the creators to develop a digital version of the trading card game in the form of a unique and fantastic Game Boy Color game.

Using the first three sets from the TCG, the Pokemon Trading Card Game puts you in the shoes of a novice card battler who must take down the eight Club Masters to earn the opportunity to face the Grand Masters. The game beautifully weaves the rules of the card game with the template for a mainline Pokemon game, though you can face any Club Master in any order you like.

7 Mario Tennis

Similar to Mario Golf, Mario Tennis for the Game Boy Color was developed alongside the N64 version, though the two games are very different from each other. There were more mini-games and multiplayer options on the N64, but the Game Boy Color Mario Tennis relied on a single-player story mode to set itself apart.

The campaign borrows RPG mechanics like experience points and an interactive world full of interesting characters to create a compelling journey about a rising star. You'll watch the protagonist grow from rookie to champion as long as you can beat the greatest tennis player in the Mushroom Kingdom at the end - Mario.

6 Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins

The original Super Mario Land launched alongside the Game Boy in 1989, and while it's still a great game, its sequel is much better in nearly every way imaginable. Its graphics were stunning at the time, and the massive levels allowed you to have as much freedom to explore as Super Mario World for the SNES.

Super Mario Land 2 introduced Wario to the series as an antagonist after he casts a spell on Mario's private island and brainwashes the citizens to think he is their leader. It's refreshing to see Mario face a non-Koopa enemy, and the unique ability to turn into Bunny Mario helps make Super Mario Land 2 one of the best 2D Mario games.

5 Wario Land 3

After making his first appearance in Super Mario Land 2, Wario inevitably became the star of a line of games on the Game Boy known as Wario Land. Only Wario Land 3 is available on Nintendo Switch Online, but it's an excellent representation of the series and perfectly highlights Wario's unique abilities.

If you like platformers but feel like Super Mario Bros. titles are too repetitive, Wario Land 3 instantly subverts expectations and makes you re-think how to approach these kinds of games. The bulky anti-hero prefers to charge into enemies instead of jumping on them, and similar to Metroid, you'll need to re-visit previous stages to explore new paths and progress the story after unlocking certain abilities.

4 The Legend Of Zelda: Oracle Of Ages

The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages was developed simultaneously with Oracle of Seasons, but both games contain unique dungeons, narratives, characters, and items. Once you complete one of the two adventures, you'll be given a code to input into the other game to unlock the true final boss and ending.

Oracle of Ages is more focused on puzzles and combat, and you'll rely on the magical Harp of Ages to manipulate time and continue the adventure. The only reason Oracle of Ages ranks lower than other Legend of Zelda games on Game Boy is because it relies on a familiar gameplay mechanic - time travel - while the others experiment with new ideas that give them their own identity.

3 The Legend Of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening received a fantastic remake on the Nintendo Switch in 2019, but now you can experience the best version of the original game through Nintendo Switch Online. Link's Awakening first launched on the Game Boy in 1993, but a re-release on the Game Boy Color added a new dungeon, color graphics, and somehow made a nearly-perfect game even better.

Link's Awakening has always been one of the stranger entries in the long-running series. It doesn't take place in Hyrule, a cavalcade of Nintendo characters like Kirby and Chain-Chomp appear throughout, and the ending is surprising and emotional. If you like Zelda games such as A Link to the Past or The Minish Cap, Link's Awakening DX contains an adventure you won't forget anytime soon.

2 The Legend Of Zelda: Oracle Of Seasons

While Oracle of Ages treads on familiar territory, Oracle of Seasons provides a refreshing adventure unlike anything else in the series. Instead of acquiring the Harp of Ages for time manipulation, you'll instead receive the Rod of Seasons - a magical weapon that can change the weather and open new paths for you to travel down.

Can't reach a treasure chest across a lake? Change the weather to Winter to freeze the water, so you can slide on over to your prize. There are plenty of fun puzzles throughout Oracle of Seasons, but unlike Ages, it has a heavier emphasis on combat that will require you to stay on your toes at all times.