Feb9

Game Boy games added to Nintendo Switch Online, Game Boy Advance titles restricted to Expansion Pass - Pokémon TCG GB to be added in future update

NintendoDirect_2023Feb_GameBoy.jpg
Amongst the many surprising announcements during the Nintendo Direct presentation earlier today, Nintendo has announced that Game Boy and Game Boy Color titles are now available for Nintendo Switch Online subscribers. Subscribers for the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pass will also get access to games originally released on the Game Boy Advance.

NintendoDirect_2023Feb_TCG.png
While not amongst the initial set of games, the Direct presentation explicitly highlights the Pokémon Trading Card Game for the Game Boy Color as one of the titles that will be added to the service in future, and Nintendo of America's official website lists it as "coming soon". Given that the presentation also notes that compatible titles will support both local and online multiplayer, it's possible that the game's multiplayer features, including the Card Pop! function that is required for players to obtain the Phantom Cards Mew and Venusaur, will be fully functional. These features were disabled in the Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console release of the game.

At this stage, we have no further information on what other Pokémon titles may make the jump, though with Pokémon Stadium 1 and 2 already confirmed as coming to Nintendo Switch Online, we suspect that the first two generations of Pokémon main series titles could receive releases at some point. If so, these titles should presumably support online connectivity, including trade features, if only to allow players to readily complete their Pokédex. Depending on how the connectivity for these games is implemented, there could also be a chance that these will allow players to export Pokémon to Pokémon HOME, much as the Generation I Virtual Console titles on Nintendo 3DS allowed export to Pokémon Bank.

Unfortunately for fans who might be hoping for this service to bring translated releases of previously Japan exclusive Pokémon titles like Pokémon Card GB2: Here Comes Team GR!, the Japanese version of the Direct showed off several Japanese exclusive Game Boy and Game Boy Advance titles which were not included in the international presentation. Given the precedent of various Japan-only titles coming to the Japanese Nintendo Switch Online apps without releasing on the international apps, it seems unlikely that we'll receive translations of these games. Even without translations though, players worldwide would still be able to access these games by creating a Japanese account on their Switch to download the Japanese Nintendo Switch Online app, and then logging into it using their account subscribed to Nintendo Switch online.

Archaic Written by Archaic

Comments

Bolt Strike
Bolt Strike Feb 9, 2023
The lack of announcement for RBY and GSC is pretty strange. Saving it for the Pokemon Day Presents perhaps?
Greninjaman
Greninjaman Feb 9, 2023
The lack of announcement for RBY and GSC is pretty strange. Saving it for the Pokemon Day Presents perhaps?
That's assuming that they plan on doing that. I, for one, am not getting my hopes up about it.
Bolt Strike
Bolt Strike Feb 9, 2023
That's assuming that they plan on doing that. I, for one, am not getting my hopes up about it.

Plan on doing what? You think they won't put the main series games on NSO at all? I doubt it, they put them on VC on the 3DS, I don't see why they can't put them on NSO. This year would also be a great time for them if the theory about SV DLC is correct, then they won't have to compete with a new game.
Silktree
Silktree Feb 11, 2023
Releasing the Stadium games without RGBY and GSC would be absolutely criminal. They have no excuse anymore.

It's going to be the Pokemon Day announcement alongside the DLC.
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