Nintendo's Vanishing Classics
Nintendo recently added 15 Game Boy and Game Boy Advance games to Switch, but is removing 155 GB/GBA games across two other platforms' digital storefronts. Wii U and 3DS shops will be losing a combined 188 games, while Switch currently offers 126 NES and SNES games.
![Author profile image](https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1232792542166573060/l2wJN7f-_normal.jpg)
Stephen Totilo
Covering video games for Axios. Co-author of Axios Gaming newsletter (sign up for it here: https://t.co/cPLGqpJZ6C). Former @kotaku EiC. DM for Signal. he/him
![Header media for article](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FqTkZWLX0AA94Vs.jpg)
-
Nintendo's vanishing classics....
— Stephen Totilo (@stephentotilo) March 3, 2023
The company added 15 Game Boy and Game Boy Advance games to Switch last month.
But it's removing 155 GB/GBA games across two other platforms' digital storefronts later this month.https://t.co/uyHYptE6cs pic.twitter.com/RKZwGOlokO -
The Wii U eshop is also losing the ability to purchase:
— Stephen Totilo (@stephentotilo) March 3, 2023
- 94 NES games
- 51 SNES games
- 21 N64 games
- 31 Nintendo DS games
The 3DS shop will lose at least*:
- 42 NES games
- 23 SNES games
Switch currently offers:
- 64 NES games
- 62 SNES games
- 22 N64 games
- 0 DS games -
*My 3DS count for NES/SNES is likely low due to a quirk in easily confirming via the system's eshop.
— Stephen Totilo (@stephentotilo) March 3, 2023
3DS' Virtual Console section fails to list GB games added prior to March 2013. Shows just 45 of 81 pic.twitter.com/F53ADe7TeN -
TIP: If you have a 3DS and want to load it up with classic games from the eshop, you can't rely on that Virtual Console section to find them.
— Stephen Totilo (@stephentotilo) March 3, 2023
I recommend you cross-reference this list, which proved accurate when I was checking for Game Boy games:
https://t.co/Cg0o0aKxhV -
Nintendo may one day fill its Switch classics section with as many GB/GBA games as WiiU /3DS are losing
— Stephen Totilo (@stephentotilo) March 3, 2023
They announced another GBA game (Metroid Fusion) for Switch last night, after we ran this chart
But the system is 6. They're just getting to Game Boy, haven't touched DS -
One more data point:https://t.co/fRU3Yo5aSq
— Stephen Totilo (@stephentotilo) March 3, 2023