Highlights

  • Nintendo Switch Online expands with three classic Game Boy titles for nostalgic fans, including Super Mario Land from 1989.
  • Game Boy's 35th anniversary is being celebrated with launch title releases on Switch Online, with Mario featured in all three games.

Nintendo has expanded the library of Switch Online membership by adding three more classic Game Boy titles: Alleyway, Baseball, and Super Mario Land. Unlike most other video game streaming services that focus on trending and new releases, Switch Online takes a different route by offering nostalgic, iconic games from older consoles at no extra cost. But fans seem to love this approach.

Since Mar10 Day, an annual celebration of all things Nintendo, the company’s flagship membership has had a busier schedule. In January, Switch Online added Golden Sun and Golden Sun: The Lost Age, which delighted fans across the globe. Now, Nintendo has even better news for its members: some of the best Game Boy games have joined the subscription as of May 14.

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Nintendo Switch Online is Getting 3 New SNES Games

Nintendo Switch Online subscribers are getting access to three Super Nintendo games on the service, including some that were previously Japan-only.

In a video announcement, Nintendo has revealed that Switch Online members can download three additional Game Boy games for free. The games are Alleyway, a memorable Breakout clone; Baseball, a reimagining of the NES game; and Super Mario Land, a classic Mario adventure known for introducing Princess Daisy. All these games are available on Nintendo Switch Online, with the subscription priced at $19.99 per year or $34.99 for the annual Family plan.

Nintendo Switch Online Games Added in May 2024

  • Alleyway (1989)
  • Baseball (1989)
  • Super Mario Land (1989)

For those curious, Super Mario Land is not only the first Game Boy title in the franchise, but it's also one of the oldest Mario games to feature a shooting mechanic. In two missions, Mario uses a weaponized aircraft, likely inspired by the popular side-scrolling shooter Gradius. Although the game was not directed by Mario’s legendary creator, Shigeru Miyamoto, it was intended to be the biggest title on the Game Boy. Nintendo gave the developers full creative freedom, resulting in memorable features like the aforementioned shooting missions and the new Sarasaland biome. However, Super Mario Land didn’t achieve the expected success, as Tetris surpassed its sales by a wide margin.

The Overlooked Hidden Theme in Switch Online’s New Titles

There is one overlooked detail that links Alleyway, Baseball, and Super Mario Land: all these games were among the Game Boy's launch titles. Nintendo seems to be aiming to reignite the joy of the first-gen Game Boy by offering its initial titles. And the entire May lineup of Switch Online celebrates the Game Boy's 35th anniversary with a thematic release. The handheld console was introduced in 1989, the same year these titles debuted. Additionally, keen fans might notice another theme: Mario. He appears in all three titles, piloting in Alleyway and making a cameo with Luigi in Baseball—all while saving the damsel in distress in Super Mario Land.