Kirby’s Star Stacker is finally here!
On May 23, 2025, the Game Boy – Nintendo Switch Online application got a brand-new update. With it, four new classic games have been added, and the games in question are: The Sword of Hope, GRADIUS THE INTERSTELLAR ASSAULT, Kirby’s Star Stacker, and Survival Kids. For a quick reminder as to what each title entails, we have the official game descriptions here, followed by the accompanying game trailer:
The Sword of Hope (KEMCO)
Released in: 1991
Number of Players: 1
The story of Prince Theo, who bears the mark of the chosen one.
This role-playing game was released for the Game Boy™ in 1991 and features Prince Theo as its protagonist, who was born with a dagger-shaped birthmark on his arm-the mark of the chosen one. As the chosen one, you must set out to find the Sword of Hope, which is said to have the power to defeat the darkness.
With it, you will save the land from the king, once good and mighty, but now possessed by evil. Press on using the magic and weapons at your disposal to defeat the creatures who block your path. Three commands will be essential for your adventure. LOOK allows you to inspect people and your surroundings to get information, and OPEN allows you to open treasure chests to find precious items. Using HIT carelessly may lead to someone getting angry with you-but sometimes it can yield unexpected results!
GRADIUS THE INTERSTELLAR ASSAULT (KONAMI)
Released in: 1992
Number of Players: 1
The odds of your survival are one million to one.
In this side-scrolling shooter, released for the Game Boy™ system in 1992, the battle is over, and the alien bile on your flight suit has dried. Your fingers twitch as if wrapped around the trigger of your ship’s guns. Suddenly, BLAM! Fire erupts on all sides.
A swarm of doomships is closing in! With the three available weapons-MISSILE, DOUBLE, and LASER-you’ll need to shape your attacks to each stage’s terrain and enemies. Just remember DOUBLE and LASER weapons can’t both be equipped at once!
Kirby’s Star Stacker (Nintendo)
Released in: 1997
Number of Players: 1 – 2
Join Kirby as he stacks the falling stars with help from his friends: Rick, Kine, and Coo, who look like a hamster, sunfish, and owl respectively. Watch out for King Dedede-he’s out to stop you! But with a few quick moves and a well-timed strategy, you can outwit him and move on to the next challenging level.
Kirby’s Star Stacker features pure puzzle fun for everyone. From above, blocks rain down constantly. From below, whole lines appear with unrelenting clock-like regularity. Sandwich the stars between Kirby’s pals and you’ll be on your way to a high score.
Survival Kids (KONAMI)
Released in: 1999
Number of Players: 1
Put your survival skills to the test!
In this survival-role-playing title released in 1999 on the Game Boy™ Color system, you play as the young child of a renowned explorer. A vicious storm hits while you’re on a cruise with your dad, and you’re left stranded on an uninhabited island.
Now, with no help in sight, the only one you can rely on is yourself! Search the island for food and water, and combine items to create the tools you need to survive. If you scour every corner of the island, you might find a way to escape!
Will you be diving into any of these games this weekend? Let us know!
About Game Boy – Nintendo Classics:
Play it loud with Game Boy – Nintendo Switch Online — With any Nintendo Switch Online membership, access a collection of Game Boy™ games to play anytime, anywhere! Face off against Wario in Super Mario Land™ 2 – 6 Golden Coins™ and thwart an intergalactic menace in Metroid™ II – Return of Samus™ as you revisit (or discover) these classics games.
Even more old-school fun — Enjoy a curated library of classic Game Boy titles as well as more than 100 total NES™ and Super NES™ classic games—including Super Mario Bros.™, Metroid, The Legend of Zelda™, Donkey Kong™, and more—all at no extra charge. Plus, you can compete (or cooperate) online with friends, share your screen, or even virtually pass the controller to another Nintendo Switch Online member, depending on the game.
Included games:
- Alleyway™
- Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare
- Baseball
- Blaster Master: Enemy Below
- BurgerTime Deluxe
- Castlevania Legends
- Dr. Mario™
- Game & Watch™ Gallery 3
- GARGOYLE’S QUEST
- Kirby’s Dream Land™
- Kirby’s Dream Land™ 2
- Kirby’s Tilt ‘N Tumble™
- Mario Golf™
- Mario Tennis™
- Metroid™ II – Return of Samus™
- Pokémon™ Trading Card Game™
- Quest for Camelot™
- Super Mario Land™
- Super Mario Land™ 2 – 6 Golden Coins™
- Tetris
- The Legend of Zelda™: Link’s Awakening DX™
- The Legend of Zelda™: Oracle of Ages™
- The Legend of Zelda™: Oracle of Seasons™
- Wario Land™ 3
Pick up and play — With Suspend Points, you can play, save, and jump back into the action whenever you have a few minutes—wherever you happen to be.
Rewind your game — Do-overs are built in! You can rewind your game by pressing and holding ZL + ZR if you make a mistake or just want to retry a section.
Play together locally* or online — Connect with friends online for co-op or competitive play. (Steps may differ based on the game.)
Pick your style — Choose from Game Boy, Game Boy Pocket, and Game Boy Color screen styles to play these games with your preferred flavor of retro flair.
Voice chat — You can also use voice chat to cheer on your friends via the Nintendo Switch Online smartphone app.
Persistent internet and compatible smartphone required to use app. Data charges may apply. Nintendo Account age 13+ required. Smartphone app features available in compatible games.
