Summary
Handheld gaming has been around since the late ’70s, but it wasn’t untilNintendodeveloped and launched theGame Boyin 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 Onlineis 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 June 25, 2025, by Kyle Chamaillard:Donkey Kong and Mario’s Picross have been added to the service recently, so we’ve decided to revisit this article to see where they rank against the other Game Boy games on Nintendo Switch Online.
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.
When the Game Boy launched in 1989, it had something for everyone. Tetris was available for puzzle lovers, Super Mario Land was there for a traditional platforming experience, and Baseball was one of two titles available for sports fans. One of the game’s best features was the local multiplayer, which allowed two people to play against each other using a Game Link Cable.
It was certainly fun at the time, but it’s hard to get back into the swing of Baseball’s slow pacing and frustrating gameplay. If you really want a baseball game for your Nintendo Switch, investing in something modern like Super Mega Baseball or MLB The Show is a much better play.
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.
The originalMega Man 2is regarded as one of the best games for the NES, but the Game Boy title with the same name fails to live up to its legacy. While Minakuchi Engineering developed every other Mega Man for the Game Boy, Mega Man 2 was the only title outsourced to a company unfamiliar with the series.
Instead of containing original content or just existing as a port of the excellent Mega Man 2 for the NES, this Game Boy game simply reuses bosses and stages from Mega Man 2 and Mega Man 3 to create a hollow and forgettable experience. You’re much better off playing the NES versions of these games if you’re looking for a pure Mega Man adventure.
Similar to Mega Man 2, Mega Man: Dr. Wily’s Revenge mostly consists of reused content from the first two games for the NES. The first four bosses you face are from the original title, while the latter half are from Mega Man 2. Despite the familiar stages and enemies, this game also has some new content that makes it worth checking out if you’re a long-time Mega Man fan.
As you approach the end of the game, you’ll eventually face a new boss in the series - Enker. His powerful Mirror Buster allows him to absorb Mega Man’s attacks and unleash them back at him. Dr. Wily’s Revenge suffers from downgraded visuals and a crunchier soundtrack compared to its predecessors, but it’s still interesting to hop into from a legacy perspective.
Breakout was one of the most popular and influential games of the 70s that continues to appear in different forms to this day. You likely had a version of it pre-installed on your iPod or cell phone, and its simple yet satisfying gameplay is still a blast in small doses.
Alleyway launched alongside the Game Boy and is essentially just Nintendo’s Breakout. Your main objective is to move a paddle so you may bounce a ball toward rows of bricks to destroy them. The game’s biggest appeal is the stages designed after characters like Mario and a Koopa Troopa, but it’s not enough to make you want to play it over and over again.
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 andremoved 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.
The Game Boy and NES versions ofDr. Mariowere 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.
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 asPac-ManorDonkey 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.
Despite multiple entries and reboots, theBlaster Masterseries has always struggled to become as popular asContraorGhosts ‘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.
