Topic: Game Boy Player for the Switch?

This year is the 30th anniversary of the beloved revolutionary Game Boy and it got me wondering: should there be a Game Boy add-on adapter (like the SNES's Super Game Boy https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Game_Boy and the Gamecube's Game Boy Player https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_Boy_Player) had for the Switch? Sure, we now have the eShop where we can buy digital copies of past games in the Virtual Console but there are literally hundreds of GB, GBC, and GBA games out there that are still absolute gems to play, not to mention so many that were region exclusive at the time too!! Add an additional DS-3DS backwards compatibility and I know that it would sell like hot cakes! Plus imagine the kick you'd get playing original games (or your actual old game paks like me! 😅) on your tv with fancy options.

Doubtful.

But since you cherish the Gameboy line so much I recommend you keep an eye on the company called Analogue. They built the Super Nt and Mega Sg, consoles that run SNES/SFC/Genesis/Mega Drive games through custom hardware rather than emulation. Recently one of their trademarks passed for what looked like what will be new hardware for playing Gameboy games. Check them out.

https://www.analogue.co/

If anything they will put Gameboy games on the Switch Online service before creating an adapter.

Or.... you could get the GBA Consolizer...

@Magician Excellent point and thanks for the tip! I did actually wonder whether third party developers would have a go at this, since there's always a certain group that will try to imagineer these things, regardless of them being approved or supported by Nintendo or not👍🏾. Custom/modded hardware is increasingly common so it's always fun to see dreams come true @ThanosRexx, thanks for that😊

@Roronoa11 As much as I would love something like this - I really don't see it happening. Like maybe a 1% chance. Game Boy games on Switch online, or a Game Boy Classic are more likely - but since we haven't even really heard rumors about either, it seems unlikely we will even get that.

Game Boy and GBA games are at the top of my list for Switch re-release in some form but it seems like the "Nintendo wants to protect indie developers" notion has won out. Personally I think that's a load of crap and if indies can't stand on their own, they should be allowed to fail. Great indies like Stardew Valley, Wargroove, Hollow Knight and Celeste for example, would still have done well and have done well, on other platforms despite the pretense of classic games too...

@Heavyarms55 Yeah, I think the récent t 'renaissance' of indie developers is a throwback to the heyday when great games weren't always the big names and became sleeper hits. Nintendo kind of cut them loose halfway through the Wii/3DS era only to realise what another stupid mistake that was while Sony and Microsoft took them on. Now for the Switch Nintendo is playing it safe with the long game again (and rightly so). One of my personal all-time favourite indies of late is "Steamworld Heist".

@RedderRugfish There's no way ON Earth Nintendo would reproduce game cartridges, it's dead technology. Moreso, à lot more people own Game Boy/(colour)/DS-3DS cartridges than you realise so that, as well as retro shops or second-hand shops selling them AND online sites I.e eBay selling them, there would be absolutely no need to remake the games in physical form. The first and foremost point is the nostalgia factor so unless they're rare they'd prob feature on the Vic. I think

@Roronoa11 Nothing wrong with indies but I hate this idea of "We can't have a virtual console anymore because retro games hurt indie devs." Thing is, the indie devs actually making great games, aren't making lazy clones of retro games. And if the indie dev can't stand on it's own, then they should be allowed to flop. Had the Wii U not flopped and outstanding indie games like (just to name a few) Stardew Valley, Night in the Woods, Hollow Knight, Wargroove, Celeste, and the Steamworld games released on the Wii U, they still would have done well, despite being on the same console as classic releases, because those games stand strong as great games on their own. But if you are an indie developer and your game is just a watered down clone of A Link to the Past, then sure, maybe it will sell on a system where you can't play A Link to the Past - but it shouldn't. Not in my opinion any.

Back on topic, like @ThanosReXXX mentioned, there are some modern alternatives to the Super Game Boy and Game Boy Player, but my first choice would still be getting access to those titles in some form on Switch. My second choice however would be a super high quality clone system like Analogue made for the NES, SNES and Mega Drive. My 3rd choice would be an official Nintendo GBA mini with a collection of Game Boy, GB Color and GBA games built in - and, honestly, have it be hackable as easily as the other mini consoles have been. I don't like doing that sort of thing though and would only add games I actually own/fanmade homebrew/rom hacks.

@Roronoa11 You're welcome.

@Heavyarms55 In my opinion original hardware is still the best. And let's not forget: more affordable. Not everyone is willing or able to buy Analogue's hardware and besides that, it's often only available for limited periods. And for some, especially for dedicated collectors, the look of a system is also important, so they would not want to have a clone system, no matter how well it works.

These purists probably wouldn't want to have the GBA Consolizer either...
But for people that just want to play GBA games on a modern TV, it is probably the next best thing, and it uses original hardware, which is a bonus, when it comes to how games run compared to being emulated on other systems.

@Roronoa11 By the way: completely agreed on SteamWorld Heist. Although I do have to say that the grinding for leveling up can be tiresome at times, as is the finding out what or who works best when, especially if you only want to play a quick game or two. But it's still a great game regardless.

And if you like that game, you might also want to check out the other two SteamWorld games, which are also pretty good.

@ThanosReXXX I've got all the original hardware. I played it and loved it for years. Thousands of hours across Game Boy, GBA and the DS family. But the nostalgia goggles aren't strong enough. Going back to tiny dim or even not backlit screens just isn't comfortable to me anymore.

My dream clone is a bit larger, has a smartphone quality screen, and some of the general quality of life improvements and mods that fans have come up with over the years. Save states, built in speed up support, built in mini HDMI out, support for Bluetooth headphones and controllers and of course, support for all Game Boy, Color and GBA titles - original cartridges and Everdrives.

@Heavyarms55 Haha, no, I meant original hardware on a big screen, as in: how the GBA Consolizer does it, with upscaled graphics and added features. I probably should have made that a bit more clear...

As for clones: there's a couple of really good ones out there. If you're really interested and looking into them, then you might wanna read up on the following:

If you'd be interested in handhelds that can do more than just play games of a whole host of systems, then you'll want to check out the GPD Win 2 and the Pyra.

If you're only interested in playing games on them, then the GPD XD, the GCW Zero or the PocketGo are pretty good options.

I'm still holding out hope for some sort of switch 3ds player. Part of the reason why I was so hurt by the WiiU failure (so close to being the perfect (within reason for licensing) VC system)

@ThanosReXXX I've seen things like the GDP devices and they don't interest me much. I don't want a device full of illegally ripped roms from Chinese piracy sites and Android games. I have an Everdrive but only use it for romhacks, fan translations or games I already own but don't work properly anymore. I've seen a few clone GBAs but most of them do not support original cartridges and one that did, only supported GBA itself and not Game Boy or GB Color.

@Heavyarms55 The GPD isn't full of ROMS or anything. It actually comes in the box with only homebrew and some arcade conversions. Other than that, you'd have to find and download stuff yourself. But fair enough, if you're interested.

Well, then there's still the option left to use cartridge ripping devices. There's quite a few of them on the market, and they'll allow you to make ROM rips of your own cartridges. Don't know about the States or Japan, but in Europe, under the fair use policy, it is actually allowed to make a single copy of a music or game disc/cartridge that you own, as long as you don't use it for commercial benefit, such as selling, renting or public events display.

Other than that, something that might better tailor to your specific wishes, might be the Game Boy Advance Ultimate mod, giving it a back-lit screen and all kinds of other improvements:

More info: http://www.retromodding.com

@ThanosReXXX Yeah I've seen those modded GBAs, very cool and good options. They are probably the closest to what I would want that is currently available.

But don't bother trying to defend the GDP Win with me. I have zero interest in devices like that. To each their own, but I don't like them and don't even consider them worth considering for purchase. I've read a lot about them and just don't like them.

@Heavyarms55 Well, no offense, but I'm not trying to "defend" it. (and I already said fair enough if you're not interested) It's just that I've seen and read plenty of reviews, and most of these reviews are all highly positive about the device. And besides that, I also know of a user on here who owns the GPD Win, and who is VERY satisfied with it, so regardless of our personal opinions on the device and/or how you need to acquire the games for them (I'm guessing that's the main part you don't like about it), it's still a rather potent device, and definitely an option, objectively speaking, and that's really all I meant to point out, so I wasn't trying to win you over or anything.

But I'm also more of a purist, like you, so that's why I don't own one either. And I have a kind of a cost limit for handhelds that I won't cross. For the price of those devices, I could get a home console, something I'd rather buy instead...