Pokémon Trading Card Game, Stadium 2 Joining Nintendo Switch Online Library

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The Pokémon Trading Card Game, the 1998 digital version of the beloved TCG, is joining the Nintendo Switch Online’s Game Boy library alongside Pokémon Stadium 2.

Announced during the August Pokémon Presents event, The Pokémon Company finally announced one of its Game Boy games for Switch, and while it may not be the most-requested traditional titles, Pokémon TCG is still a fan-favourite.

Both games arrive on the service today, August 8. Users will need both Nintendo Switch Online and the Expansion Pack before they’re able to download the Pokémon Trading Card Game and Stadium 2, but all of this can be done from the Switch Online app on the console itself.

The traditional Pokémon games — Red, Blue, Yellow, Gold, Silver, and Crystal — were not mentioned during the event, though the addition of the Pokémon Trading Card Game will hopefully lead the way for more Game Boy titles in the future.

These games are more sought after than ever as Nintendo shut down the 3DS and Wii U eShops in March 2023, meaning the only way to play Pokémon Red, Gold, and so on is on their original Game Boy and Game Boy Color consoles.

Nintendo added the Game Boy collection to the service in February with Tetris, Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins, The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening DX, Gargoyle’s Quest, Game & Watch Gallery 3, Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare, Metroid II: Return of Samus, Wario Land 3, and Kirby’s Dream Land included at launch.

The original Pokémon Stadium arrived on Nintendo Switch Online in April, with both games joining other fan favourites such as The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Pokémon Snap, Star Fox 64, and more.

In our 9/10 review of the Trading Card Game from 2000, when Pokémon was still in its early days, IGN said: “If Nintendo keeps making Pokémon video games of this quality, those creatures aren’t going away anytime soon.”

The Pokémon Presents event also saw two Pokémon animated series announced alongside the addition of Scarlet and Violet Pokémon to Pokémon Go, and the release date for The Teal Mask expansion. Read about every announcement in IGN’s Everything Announced article.

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.