4Chan is the source of many internet leaks regarding video game files, and today is no exception; a set of three zips were uploaded to anonfiles, containing something rather interesting. Allegedly, within the files was a Game Boy emulator called Hiyoko and a Game Boy Advance emulator called Sloop, both developed by Nintendo themselves, through their European research and development team. The emulators were in NSP format, and users that downloaded the files quickly got them to work on their own modded consoles, which function and play GBA and GB ROM files. A video of the Sloop and Hiyoko emulators can be seen below, courtesy of Twitter user RatgorlHunter.

Rewind added in pre-1.0, very sloopy pic.twitter.com/b5E8xyfPJq

— RatgorlHunter (@RatgorlHunter) April 18, 2022

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Pokemon Pinball: Ruby and Sapphire and Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3 were shown to be working through the emulators, with settings within them curiously offering random matchmaking features. Given the existence of these files, it's likely that we'll be seeing Game Boy and Game Boy Advance games added to Nintendo Switch Online's game lineup sometime in the future. For now, nothing is officially confirmed.

*Another important piece of tidbit*, this was dumped from a Switch console, and not taken from Nintendo's servers, so this is *unrelated* to the other 2020/2021 Nintendo leaks. I'll still consider this a leak of its own though, as no GB/GBA NSO has surfaced yet. pic.twitter.com/SMqgJLV737

— MaxiBash (@trashbandatcoot) April 18, 2022

 

[naddel81]

we already have mBGA. what more can this do?

 

[MikaDubbz]

I imagine this is where the Nintendo system services end with Switch Online though. As much as I'd love to see a GameCube service, I really don't believe that will ever be on the table, likewise for Wii. And then DS, 3DS, and Wii U just couldn't be faithfully recreated on the system to meet Nintendo's standards (unless maybe they released a second screen controller for the Switch just for such a thing, but yeah I don't see that happening either.)

So I wonder if anything else could happen for the Switch Online service. I mean I'd love to see TurboGrafx-16, but that would almost certainly require another increase to Online subscription price which I know no one would be in favor of. But maybe some other Sega platforms could join like Master System or Game Gear, and maybe Saturn.

 

[Mikemk]

we already have mBGA. what more can this do?

Run on unmodified switches and without piracy/original cartridges

 

[CeeDee]

I wonder what they'll do for a dedicated virtual console controller like the other 4 services have seen. This is my prediction:

View attachment 306694

I imagine it probably will be something similar, shaped exactly like the GBA, but naturally without a screen. Probably my most outlandish claim would be a built in accelerometer, I could see that not being included, but there were a handful of great GBC and GBA games that utilized gyro, so it certainly would have merit.

man if they'd charge $50+ for a GBA slab I'd rather them just let NSO members buy a Game Boy Advance Classic Edition or something

 

[MikaDubbz]

man if they'd charge $50+ for a GBA slab I'd rather them just let NSO members buy a Game Boy Advance Classic Edition or something

I mean they charge $50 for the N64 controller, and that thing sells out immediately. The thing isn't meant to be a replacement for an actual GBA, it would just be another controller designed exactly like the original, but wireless, just like all the other VC controllers they've given us so far, meant specifically for the system service it was designed after, but usable for other games on the Switch as well, if the amount of buttons allows for it.

 

[sley]

Online play will be very cool on GBA, I just hope that they include some filters because that low resolution screen on a TV simply doesn't look good. I bet GB and GBA will be split between the expansion and normal service.

 

[CeeDee]

I mean they charge $50 for the N64 controller, and that thing sells out immediately. The thing isn't meant to be a replacement for an actual GBA, it would just be another controller designed exactly like the original, but wireless, just like all the other VC controllers they've given us so far, meant specifically for the system service it was designed after, but usable for other games on the Switch as well, if the amount of buttons allows for it.

I'd believe they'd do something like that, I just think it'd be dumb

 

[Mikemk]

I mean they charge $50 for the N64 controller, and that thing sells out immediately.

Well, you can use it for PC emulators, so it's a great choice of controller even without being subscribed to NSO.

I'd believe they'd do something like that, I just think it'd be dumb

hopefully it would feature a screen the Switch streams gameplay to like the Wii U gamepad.

 

[MRJPGames]

Seems to be for DEV consoles only. Cannot install it onto retail hardware/emulator because "Invalid NCA magic", anyone know of a way to get this to work on retail hardware.

I mean it is just an emulator so it's not actually useful as the open source ones are likely better anyways, but still would be fun to poke around in the development version.

 

[zebrone]

Noo I want an nds/3ds emulator!!

 

[Xzi]

Hilarious but ultimately meaningless, given that Nintendo's official emulators rarely live up to established ones. And the biggest flaw still remains: you can't keep these games on your Switch permanently without hacking it.

 

[MikaDubbz]

Well, you can use it for PC emulators, so it's a great choice of controller even without being subscribed to NSO.

hopefully it would feature a screen the Switch streams gameplay to like the Wii U gamepad.

That seem so redundant. If you want to play the GBA games portably, just play the Switch in handheld mode, sure you wouldn't retain the exact GBA form factor, but that's remains true for any of the system services once you play in handheld mode. Plus building a screen into the controller, would needlessly add to the price of the controller.

 

[Glyptofane]

I'm not really in a position to go along with any more of these wasteful, temporary endeavors.

 

[Deleted member 323844]

Hilarious but ultimately meaningless, given that Nintendo's official emulators rarely live up to established ones. And the biggest flaw still remains: you can't keep these games on your Switch permanently without hacking it.

I recall when Ensata was leaked by an scene group. It only emulated one game, GoldenEye: Rogue Agent. But, to be fair, it was an SDK emulator, so it was expected.

 

[Marc_LFD]

Probably an excuse to increase the price even more.

 

[the_randomizer]

Interesting, wonder if M2 is involved like they did the Wii U GBA emulator.

 

[M7L7NK7]

So glad I got my Switch hacked.

Why? We've had emulators on Switch for years

 

[Bánh Mì]

Seems to be for DEV consoles only. Cannot install it onto retail hardware/emulator because "Invalid NCA magic", anyone know of a way to get this to work on retail hardware.

I mean it is just an emulator so it's not actually useful as the open source ones are likely better anyways, but still would be fun to poke around in the development version.

same. have no idea how to install those files.

 

[XDel]

I hope they release a classic GBA looking controller with motion controls built in for the few games that supported it.

 

[RatherSimple]

I’m sure any other open source emulator works better than Nintendo one.