Nintendo Switch online update adds new Game Boy games

Key Takeaways

Nintendo Switch Online customers can enjoy the classic Game Boy title from 1995, Donkey Kong Land on the service.
Donkey Kong Land is a beloved 2D platformer inspired by the Donkey Kong Country trilogy, with 30 levels across four worlds.
Players can update the Game Boy app to access Donkey Kong Land and use Game Boy filters for a nostalgic experience.

Nintendo Switch Online customers get new games to play, like 1995 Game Boy titles Donkey Kong Land available for service now. The release of Donkey Kong Land on the Nintendo Switch Online service arrived a few days after the regular SNES Donkey Kong Country celebrated his 30th birthday.

Originally published by Nintendo and Rare in June 1995, Donkey Kong Land is a 2D platformer that takes inspiration from Donkey Kong Country trilogy. Considered one of the best titles of the Donkey Kong series, Donkey Kong Land also spawned a trilogy of its own, with two sequels launched in 1996 and 1997. Donkey Kong LandDonkey Kong and Diddy Kong task Cranky Kong with replenishing the Kongs' prized banana collection after Cranky's long-time nemesis, King K. Rool, agrees to steal the entire stash. Donkey Kong Land featuring 30 levels across four worlds.

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Even though the Switch Online service was updated in November, fans were given more content. Donkey Kong Land is available in the Game Boy app for Nintendo Switch Online customers to download. Users must connect their Switch console to the Internet, and the Game Boy app should update automatically. Alternatively, the application can be updated manually by opening the Options menu, navigating to Software Update, and selecting Update Online. After the download is complete, the system will check if the Nintendo Switch Online subscription is active. Nintendo released a short video about the game Donkey Kong Land to give the player a view of the application using the usual Game Boy filter. Game Boy Pocket and Game Boy Color filters can also be used to play Donkey Kong Land. The trailer showed the various worlds that Donkey and Diddy will travel to, including some that require riding animals.

Nintendo Switch Online adds Donkey Kong Land to its Game Boy roster

The arrival of Donkey Kong Land is just the latest in a slew of games developed by Rare for Nintendo's older platforms. Between the releases of Banjo-Tooie SY Perfect Dark on the Nintendo 64 app, players have seen some of Rare's work return to the Nintendo platform through the Switch subscription service. Even a different title Donkey Kong 64 remains elusive at the time of writing, it remains to be seen how the Switch Online service will close in 2024.

Between the releases of Donkey Kong Land in the Game Boy app, and the January release Donkey Kong Country is back in HDfans of Nintendo's monkey mascot have plenty of reason to celebrate. Only time will tell what the future holds for Donkey Kong series.