One of the biggest perks that Nintendo Switch Online offers is access to several of its classic game catalogs. Though newer consoles are locked behind the Expansion Pass add-on, any NSO subscriber can revisit games from earlier Nintendo eras. And if you enjoy playing retro games, the lineup available through the Classics Library is pretty solid. When it comes to Game Boy and Game Boy Color games, NSO offers access to many of the most beloved hits. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t a few missing.
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If you want to revisit the best games from the Game Boy and Game Boy Color days, the existing Classics Library isn’t a bad place to start. It offers beloved hits like Link’s Awakening and hidden gems like Gargoyle Adventures. But a few formative and highly beloved games are still missing from the list… for now. Nintendo does add to the library fairly often, so there’s always a chance your favorite will be added. And while the collection does focus on first-party Nintendo titles, there are third-party games available, too. With all that in mind, here are the 5 games that I most want to see added to the NSO Game Boy Classics Library, ranked from least to most essential.
5) Harvest Moon GB (Game Boy)
Yes, it hurts my farming sim-loving heart to rank Harvest Moon as the least essential addition to the Game Boy Classics library. But let’s face it, there are a ton of great farming sims out there, including the newer Story of Seasons games from the creators of the original Harvest Moon series. Even so, I know I’m not the only cozy gamer who got their start with the early Harvest Moon games. And we need a chance to revisit the classics.
Harvest Moon GB, as its name suggests, was the first handheld installment in the farming sim franchise. It was also the second game in the entire series, making it an iconic part of Harvest Moon history. Released in 1998, this game did a solid job of bringing everything that worked from the first Harvest Moon to a portable format. It later got an upgraded Game Boy Color release, as well, and if I had my way, we’d have both options in the Nintendo Switch Online Classics Library.
4) Metal Gear: Ghost Babel (Game Boy Color)
This 2000 installment in the Metal Gear series brought the series to Nintendo for the first time. Though critically acclaimed in its time, the game has somewhat fallen out of memory because it has never been re-released for modern consoles. That said, it will soon be playable on Nintendo Switch/Switch 2 via the upcoming Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 2, which is why it doesn’t rank higher on this list. Though soon to be more accessible, this would be a perfect addition to the Classics Library, as well.
Originally billed as a portable adaptation of Metal Gear Solid, the game transformed into an alternate reality spin-off instead. And most fans think the game is far better for it. Metal Gear: Ghost Babel delivers the action-adventure stealth gameplay fans love from the franchise, and it’s a shame it’s been so difficult for modern gamers to revisit it. Even though it’s coming back as part of the upcoming collection, the game’s status as one of the best games ever released for Game Boy Color should earn it a place in the NSO Classics Library, as well.
3) Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Game Boy Color)
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again – the Harry Potter games for Game Boy had no right to be as good as they were. Though Chamber of Secrets is my personal favorite, I’m a proponent of starting with the beginning, so I’ve got to pitch Philosopher’s Stone as the first addition to the Game Boy Classics Library on NSO. Would I love to see all of the Harry Potter Game Boy games added eventually? Yes, yes I would.
This game got a simultaneous release for PlayStation, Game Boy Advance, and Game Boy Color. But in my opinion, the handheld version is the absolute way to go for its solid pixel graphics if nothing else. The game is an RPG that pulls from the books rather than the movies, offering fans a faithful and in-depth way to engage with the Wizarding World. Though there are, of course, newer Harry Potter games out there, these classics have a special charm that deserves to be revisited via the Classics Library.
2) Final Fantasy Adventure (Game Boy)
This 1991 release from Square has an interesting place as both a Final Fantasy spin-off and the first game to start the Mana series. As such, it’s a pretty key piece of JRPG history, one that well deserves a place among the library of Game Boy Classics on NSO. The game has had a few remakes, with the 2003 GBA release of Sword of Mana and the Adventures of Mana mobile release in 2016. But the original is worth revisiting as both a piece of gaming history and a solid retro action RPG.
Final Fantasy Adventure‘s gameplay often gets compared to titles like the original The Legend of Zelda for its blend of dungeons and puzzles. It lets players become the Hero, who escapes from and ultimately seeks to defeat the Dark Lord. Final Fantasy Adventure is often remembered as one of the best titles released for the Game Boy, and it’s well worth revisiting in its original form. Though another Final Fantasy spin-off, The Legend of Final Fantasy, sold better in the West, Adventure has ultimately aged more favorably and earns its place as my choice for ideal additions to the NSO Classics Library.
1) Pokemon Crystal (Game Boy Color)
Now that Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen have their standalone re-releases, fans have a taste of what it’s like to play retro Pokemon on the Nintendo Switch. And we want more. While the Kanto remakes do let players venture to Johto, that doesn’t mean we can just skip over the Gen 2 games. In particular, Pokemon Crystal has a special place in Pokemon history as the first game with a playable female protagonist and the first appearance of the Battle Tower. So while having Gold and Silver in the library would be a win, if we have to pick just one, the enhanced Crystal is my pick.
As the enhanced follow-up to Pokemon Gold and Silver, Pokemon Crystal improved on the original Johto games in a few key ways. Along with the female protagonist option, the game added animations for Pokemon sprites during battle, new story elements, and, of course, the Battle Tower. It didn’t sell especially well in its time, but the game received critical praise and has lived on in the memories of those who did play it. Getting to revisit it as part of the Game Boy Classics library would be a dream, even if a standalone re-release for HeartGold and SoulSilver looks more likely at this point.
What Game Boy or Game Boy Color game do you most want to see added to the Nintendo Switch Online Classics Library? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
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