Nintendo was rumored to bring Game Boy games to its Nintendo Switch Online subscription. The Switch Online catalog already has large libraries of NES and SNES titles for gamers who enjoy retro gaming. A leak has now confirmed the existence of working emulators for Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance games for Nintendo Switch Online.
So Nintendo"s official Game Boy Advance emulator for the Nintendo Switch just leaked. Now it"s just a matter of waiting for NSO to add GBA. pic.twitter.com/mEJcKrRtzL
— Trash_Bandatcoot (@trashbandatcoot) April 18, 2022
Files leaked onto 4chan confirm the Nintendo-developed GBA emulator codenamed "Sloop" and a Game Boy emulator called "Hiyoko". Both of these emulators for Switch Online have been developed by Nintendo of Europe"s NERD (Nintendo European Research & Development) team. The NERD team has been largely responsible for the majority of official emulators for Nintendo in recent years.
...called Sloop, and the 7z archive is called Hiyoko, which is a Game Boy emulator, with all Game Boy games being separate applications. These emulators are developed by NERD (Nintendo Europe Research & Development), and are both functional, albeit with a few bugs. (2/?) pic.twitter.com/RRUAVvz2BX
— Trash_Bandatcoot (@trashbandatcoot) April 18, 2022
In addition to the files, the leak also includes several screenshots of gameplay. These images confirm the Game Boy and Game Boy Advanced emulators for the Switch Online service are almost ready for general availability.
And here"s some screenshots of it actually working if anyone is curious lol. pic.twitter.com/RcAULaFX07
— Trash_Bandatcoot (@trashbandatcoot) April 18, 2022
The leaker also indicated that all Game Boy games are being treated as separate applications. Besides the images and the files, there was a video of the Game Boy (Advance) emulator supposedly running on the console. However, the account that posted it was quickly deleted.
It is important to note that Nintendo hasn’t confirmed or denied the existence or the future availability of emulators for the Game Boy and Game Boy Advanced emulators on the Switch Online service. Currently, the Expansion pack subscription tier on the platform offers access to emulators and games from the NES, SNES, Nintendo 64, and Sega Genesis catalogs.