The following ranking of the Nintendo Switch Online Game Boy and Game Boy Color games is compiled using the User Ratings (out of 10) given to each GB(C) game available on Switch in the West. Please note that this ranking is not set in stone and will automatically fluctuate over time depending on assigned User Ratings — and, over time, new additions to the NSO library, of course.
If you think a game deserves to place higher in the ranking below, simply click on the 'star' button and score it yourself. Your personal rating could very well boost its placement in the overall ranking!
Ready to go all 8-bit? Let's take a look at the Game Boy games playable on Nintendo Switch, as ranked by you lovely people. We start at the bottom of the pile...
Publisher: Infogrames / Developer: Pocket Studios
Release Date: 27th Jun 2001 (USA) /
18th May 2001 (UK/EU) Available On: Nintendo Switch Online This one was a cross-platform title that also had PlayStation, PC, and Dreamcast versions, and although the diminutive handheld probably wasn't the ideal platform for an immersive Resident Evil-inspired survival horror experience, developer Pocket Studios did an admirable job downscaling the prerendered environments to display on Game Boy Color, delivering a decent approximation of the game as it existed on the far more powerful systems. That's not to say GBC's Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare is the pick of the ports, of course. But, as massively downscaled 8-bit 'demakes' go, it's really not a bad one and can be impressively spooky given the platform's limitations.
Not one we'd rush to play over Game Boy luminaries like Super Mario Land 2, then, but a long way from terrible.
Publisher: Sunsoft / Developer: Sunsoft
Release Date: 24th Sep 2000 (USA) /
27th Oct 2000 (UK/EU) Available On: Nintendo Switch Online The mixture of old and new elements give Blaster Master: Enemy Below enough new twists to make it a worthy sequel to the amazing original. Sure, many of the same audio/visual elements have been carried over fairly unchanged, but the new bosses and open setting offer up a whole new experience for fans to enjoy. If you never gave the Blaster Master series a chance (and Switch owners don't have much excuse considering that both this and the NES original are available with a Nintendo Switch Online subscription), this great Game Boy Color title is as good a reason as any to get stuck in.
Publisher: Nintendo / Developer: HAL Laboratory
Release Date: 11th Apr 2001 (USA) Available On: Nintendo Switch Online Released in 2000 in Japan and the following year in North America, this GBC spin-off never came to PAL shores — at least not until it was added to the Nintendo Switch Online retro catalogue in June 2023. The cartridge included a tilting sensor which enabled you to control Kirby by rolling him around levels, and guiding him to the goal.
Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble isn't ground-breaking, but it's a fun Kirby curio and worth playing if you can track it down. Make sure you're playing it in a regular GBC or GBA, though — the accelerometer doesn't like being held upside down in a GBA SP, and you won't get very far plugging it into a Game Boy Player, either. Thankfully, the version on Switch uses that console's gyro sensors.
Publisher: Nintendo / Developer: Nintendo R&D1
Release Date: Nov 1991 (USA) /
21st May 1992 (UK/EU) Available On: Nintendo Switch Online Metroid II: Return of Samus expands on the original NES title nicely. There's still no map for the game's giant world, which isn’t necessarily a problem due to this game’s linearity, although it can be an issue if you put it down for a while and don’t remember where you got to. There's a decent amount of exploration and hidden items to find, and the hunt to find and kill the 39 Metroids is fairly fun. Although nowhere near as refined as the 2D masterpiece that is Super Metroid, Metroid II has held up better than the original NES game and as such is still very much worth playing. Of course, the 3DS remake is arguably the best way to play the first return of Samus these days, but the original still has a lo-fi charm of its own.
Publisher: G-mode / Developer: Data East
Release Date: Mar 1991 (USA) /
1991 (UK/EU) Available On: Nintendo Switch Online Quite a bit longer than Data East's original arcade game, BurgerTime Deluxe's 24 all-new levels are sure to entertain, but it won't require a lengthy investment. You play Peter Pepper, a chef whose restaurant has been invaded by several pieces of living food, like sausages and eggs. Somehow, the only way to get rid of these pests is to create gigantic burgers by walking across the components — the buns, meat, lettuce — spread out across various platforms connected with ladders. It might not win an award for realism, but its gameplay still holds up well today, with strategy required to outwit the burger-hatin' enemies.
Suitably satisfying fast food fodder, then.
Publisher: Nintendo / Developer: Nintendo
Release Date: 1st Dec 1999 (USA) /
1st Feb 2000 (UK/EU) Available On: Nintendo Switch Online Game & Watch Gallery 3 mostly sticks to the formula of its predecessors, and it does a fine job of offering up some simple handheld gaming classics in a more convenient form, with a large number of games and a good, varied selection to boot. There are a lot of things to unlock for those willing to put the time in, and if you manage to get everything, you can always revisit any of the titles to improve your scores. Definitely worth a look if you're a G&W fan.
Publisher: Nintendo / Developer: HAL Laboratory
Release Date: 1st Aug 1992 (USA) /
3rd Aug 1992 (UK/EU) Available On: Nintendo Switch Online Kirby’s Dream Land was and remains an exceptionally charming platformer, although you might find that the pink puff’s debut Game Boy adventure feels a bit too elementary these days. Many years' worth of nostalgia gives us huge affection for Kirby, but looking over the top of those rose-tinted glasses for a moment reveals a slightly pedestrian title being carried by that charm, a game that was outpaced by its descendants in virtually every way.
Kirby’s genesis is strong, especially considering the hardware, but the irresistible puffball has done better since. Naturally.
Publisher: Capcom / Developer: Capcom
Release Date: Jul 1990 (USA) /
1991 (UK/EU) Available On: Nintendo Switch Online Beautiful in its simplicity, satisfying in its depth, and assured in execution, Gargoyle's Quest is one of the best games on the system and a solid indication of how potent a gaming platform the Game Boy was, even during its fledgling years. Technically a Ghosts ‘n Goblins game, it actually plays much more like The Adventure of Link, with top-down overworld gameplay giving way to side-on platforming battles. This is a truly timeless release that should be experienced by gamers of all ages.
Publisher: Nintendo / Developer: HAL Laboratory
Release Date: 1st May 1995 (USA) /
31st Jul 1995 (UK/EU) Available On: Nintendo Switch Online Kirby's Dream Land 2 is simple, solid fun from the Kirbster, and one of the better traditional-style Kirby titles. The technical mastery of Game Boy really shines through even now, with great presentation and a fairly large world to conquer. Even though its low level of challenge makes it seem smaller than it actually is, its length and numerous power-ups to experiment with make it ideal for repeat playthroughs. After all these years, this still plays like a dream.
Publisher: Nintendo / Developer: Nintendo R&D1
Release Date: 2nd Nov 1992 (USA) /
28th Jan 1993 (UK/EU) Available On: Nintendo Switch Online The original Super Mario Land was a solid start for the series on Nintendo's Game Boy system, but nothing could prepare gamers for what the developers were able to do with this sequel. The developers managed to improve every aspect of the game and made the adventure a much longer and more rewarding experience this time around. The difficulty is a bit on the easy side, but it's still one of the best Game Boy titles ever released and a testament to just how capable a game system the Game Boy truly was in the hands of talented devs.
If you're a Super Mario fan, you absolutely must play this game; if you're not, this legendary release is good enough to make you one.
Publisher: Nintendo / Developer: Nintendo R&D1
Release Date: 30th May 2000 (USA) /
14th Apr 2000 (UK/EU) Available On: Nintendo Switch Online Like Wario Land II before it, Wario Land 3 is, in some ways, more of a puzzle game than an action game and it's essential to know going in that this is very different from a standard Mario platformer. The Wario concept was refined further in this third entry, with a ton of stages and different paths making it easily the biggest Wario Land in terms of scope. If you enjoyed the previous adventure, then this generously expanded outing is likely to please you even more. If this is your first Wario Land, you absolutely must try it.
And if the previous one wasn't your cup of tea? Waaaaaaaaaaaaah!
Publisher: Nintendo / Developer: Flagship
Release Date: 14th May 2001 (USA) /
5th Oct 2001 (UK/EU) Available On: Nintendo Switch Online If you're looking for a straightforward Zelda adventure, this battle-heavy quest is about as straightforward as it gets. Oracle of Seasons put combat centre stage, but adds in enough originality to keep it from feeling monotonous. Developed by Capcom subsidiary Flagship and helmed by Hidemaro Fujibayashi, director of several later games including Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, Seasons was most notable for allowing you to use the Rod of Seasons (shocker!) to shift the world's climate and solve a variety of puzzles, from freezing lakes to growing Deku Flowers. It was a smart weather-switching system that would later be revisited in various other Zelda entries.
There is much incentive to play the Oracle games together, and if you do, we'd recommend tackling this one second. Doing so adds in interesting plot twists that enhance the relatively barebones storytelling and enables crucial weapon upgrades that help against the challenging end boss. It may not be as engrossing as Ages, but Seasons still offers up an old-school adventure that will feel fondly familiar to long-time franchise fans.
Publisher: Nintendo / Developer: Flagship
Release Date: 14th May 2001 (USA) /
5th Oct 2001 (UK/EU) Available On: Nintendo Switch Online Oracle of Ages manages to feel both new and familiar at the same time. Link wields the Harp of Ages, which you could use to travel through time. Now, he may have already done some time-travelling with his ocarina, but in Oracle of Season's companion piece it becomes the central aspect of gameplay, primarily used to solve puzzles, by moving a stone in the past to redirect the flow of water in the future, for example, or planting seeds that will grow into trees and vines. This makes for a puzzle-heavy adventure, one that's enhanced by nuanced, colourful characters, interesting items, and a plot much unlike those previously seen in the franchise.
While many beloved Zelda tropes remain, the game still takes plenty of chances, many of which really pay off. It may have been built on Link's Awakening's engine, but Ages feels like its own game.
Publisher: Nintendo / Developer: Nintendo
Release Date: 31st Jul 1989 (USA) /
28th Sep 1990 (UK/EU) Available On: Nintendo Switch Online With few of the bells and whistles that would arrive later on, Game Boy Tetris is arguably the purest expression of the original block-falling idea. There have been countless ports of this addictive puzzler made available for just about every electronic device in existence, but the Game Boy version is arguably the most beloved and its clear visuals, responsive controls, and that theme tune make it easy to appreciate why.
The very deadliest of killer apps, no self-respecting Game Boy enthusiast should be without a copy.
Publisher: Nintendo / Developer: Nintendo EAD
Release Date: 15th Dec 1998 (USA) /
1st Jan 1999 (UK/EU) Available On: Nintendo Switch Online Link's Awakening is a game of contrasts: sadness and joy, bleakness and whimsy, dream and reality, confusion and comfort. Its success lies in its ability to balance these contradictory elements with tight, compelling gameplay and a timeless presentation. The extra dungeon and other features of this DX version don't add up a huge amount over the original monochromatic release, but it's still a mighty fine game enhanced by the upgraded console's colour palette.
Grezzo's Switch remake might have prettified Koholint Island, but the joyous, quirky characters, melancholy, and beauty of Link's first portable adventure were there right from the very beginning. If you own a Game Boy Color or have any other way to access it — like, say, a Nintendo Switch — this game is essential.
