February's Nintendo Direct announced that Game Boy and Game Boy Advance games are joining the Nintendo Switch Online subscription service. The reveal was a highlight of the presentation, detailing Game Boy games that are playable on Nintendo Switch Online at launch and in the future. Fans of the Game Boy era were given a particularly unique gift when Nintendo announced that filters mirroring the visuals of early versions of the handheld could be applied to the titles within the Nintendo Online library. These filters deliver a massive dose of nostalgia, as they allow players to experience classic games using the visuals of whichever Game Boy they originally owned.
The Nintendo Direct revealed that filters for the Game Boy, Game Boy Pocket, and Game Boy Color can all be applied to classic Game Boy titles on the Nintendo Switch Online service. In addition, players have the option to "reproduce classic feel" and "display with small screen" in order to better replicate the aesthetic of the Game Boy and Game Boy Advance screens. Together these culminate into both presentation and gameplay that deliver fans an authentic experience with some of their favorite handheld titles.
Game Boy Filters Offer Fans a Chance to Relive The Unique Visuals of Their Childhood
The Game Boy enjoyed one of the longest lifespans of any console. One reason for this was that multiple versions of the handheld were released by Nintendo in the 90s, each providing small updates to tech or performance. The Game Boy era was therefore unique, as titles from across multiple versions of the handheld could be played with different visuals. This resulted in fans associating their nostalgia for a title with the visuals of whichever Game Boy they owned.
The visuals of each Game Boy version were unique. Playing a game released on the original Game Boy would result in experiencing that game with black sprites on a yellow-green background. However, if another fan replayed the same cartridge on a Game Boy Color, they would experience completely different visuals, with colors applied to every part of the game. Given these options, fans could experience the same game with different visuals tailored to their original system. The Game Boy's library included many games that still hold up today, and fans were excited by the prospect of experiencing them again after Nintendo's announcement.
By presenting fans the option to choose which Game Boy's visuals they wish to use, Nintendo delivers fans the nostalgia of playing classic titles with visuals that invoke their personal experience. Some of Nintendo's most popular characters and franchises are products of the original Game Boy, including Wario, Kirby, and Pokemon. As the popularity of these titles grew over time, fans experienced them in many different ways, depending on what Game Boy they played them on or which edition of the game they played. Pokémon is not yet available on Nintendo Switch Online, but Pokemon Trading Card Game for Game Boy was announced for a future update. If Nintendo Switch Online restricted games to their original visuals, fans who played on later versions of the Game Boy would be unable to mirror the experiences of their childhood. Filters offer a quick and easy solution for this large variability while delivering an experience tailored to a fan's unique memories.
Game Boy Filters Allow Fans New and Old To Tap Into Nostalgia
Given how popular some original Game Boy properties still are, with Kirby and Pokemon sequels released in 2022, there are sure to be fans that use Nintendo Switch Online to access older titles for the very first time. These fans have the unique opportunity to choose which version of the game's visuals they want to experience, allowing them to authentically tap into the "feel" of one of three Game Boy editions. With more Game Boy titles set to release on the Nintendo Switch Online service in the future, these filters will allow first-timers to experience over a decade of titles with the unique visuals of the era.
Nintendo's choice to allow fans to swap between the visuals of Game Boy, Game Boy Pocket, and Game Boy Color is great for nostalgia. Whether playing a game for the first time or the hundredth time, fans are given the opportunity to experience classic titles through the unique visual options available in the 90s. The list of Game Boy games coming to Nintendo Switch Online is sure to deliver a dose of nostalgia to many gamers, and players are surely hoping to see other fan-favorite Game Boy titles released on the service in the future.