Switch Online price hike likely for Game Boy, Game Boy Advance games

Nintendo is currently experimenting with Game Boy and Game Boy Advance emulators...will they introduce a new Switch Online tier?

Published Apr 21, 2022 11:12 AM CDT   |   Updated Sat, May 14 2022 3:20 AM CDT
2 minutes & 15 seconds read time

Will Nintendo introduce a third Switch Online pricing tier for Game Boy and Game Boy Advance titles?

Switch Online price hike likely for Game Boy, Game Boy Advance games 32

Nintendo is reportedly working on new Game Boy Advance and Game Boy emulators for its Switch Online service. The company has yet to make anything official, but dataminers have leaked system emulator files onto the internet.

The emulators, referred to as Hioyoko (Game Boy) and Sloop (Game Boy Advance) in the files, are in development at Nintendo Europe Research Division (NERD). Nintendo is actually using homebrew tech like EZ-Flash to load save states onto the consoles to test the emulators. Nintendo has tested 30 Game Boy Advance games so far. Only four playable games were found on the Game Boy emulator.

Switch Online price hike likely for Game Boy, Game Boy Advance games 20

Games running on the Sloop GBA emulator.

The list of tested games include:

Game Boy

  • Tetris
  • Qix
  • Link's Awakening
  • Super Mario Land

Game Boy Advance

  • Zelda Minish Cap
  • Yoshi's Island
  • WarioWare
  • WarioLand
  • Super Mario Bros 3
  • Ninja FiveO
  • Metroid Zero Miss
  • Metroid Fusion
  • Megaman Zero
  • Megaman Battle Network
  • Mario vs Donkey Kong
  • Mario Kart
  • Mario Golf
  • Mario and Luigi
  • KuruKuru Kururin
  • Kirby Amazing Mirror
  • Gunstar Superheroes
  • Golden Sun
  • Golden Sun Lost Age
  • Fire Emblem Sacred Stones
  • F-Zero
  • Drill Dozer
  • Castlevania Aria of Sorrow
  • AstroBoy
Switch Online price hike likely for Game Boy, Game Boy Advance games 21

A composite of images taken from leaked files and emulation menus.

The GBA and GB offerings may not come any time soon. Sources have told Kotaku the emulators currently only run on Switch development kits and not the consoles available to consumers.

Twitter user orcastaw posted an excellent run-down that shows NERD is using official Nintendo factory software like the 160p Test Suite to test the GBA Sloop emulator.

So far, Sloop is better at emulating GBA than the Wii U's emulation solution developed by M2.

The real question remains: Will Nintendo charge extra for Game Boy and Game Boy Advance games on Nintendo Switch Online? Given the breadth of games being tested and the significant added value, probably.

The newer Switch Online + Expansion Pak was the first price increase for the service. The Expansion Pak tier includes access to Nintendo 64 and classic SEGA Genesis games as well as full NES and SNES games for $49.99 a year.

That's more than double the base Switch Online membership, which costs $19.99 a year.

How much will Nintendo charge for GBA and GB titles? $59.99 a year? Even more? Only time will tell, but count on a new tier being added for the wealth of games available on these handhelds.

Buy at Amazon

Pokemon Legends: Arceus - Nintendo Switch

TodayYesterday7 days ago30 days ago
$53.33$53.34-
* Prices last scanned on 12/26/2022 at 3:24 pm CST - prices may not be accurate, click links above for the latest price. We may earn an affiliate commission.

Derek joined the TweakTown team in 2015 and has since reviewed and played 1000s of hours of new games. Derek is absorbed with the intersection of technology and gaming, and is always looking forward to new advancements. With over six years in games journalism under his belt, Derek aims to further engage the gaming sector while taking a peek under the tech that powers it. He hopes to one day explore the stars in No Man's Sky with the magic of VR.

Newsletter Subscription

    Related Tags

    Newsletter Subscription
    Latest News
    View More News
    Latest Reviews
    View More Reviews
    Latest Articles
    View More Articles