Avenging Spirit, Mole Mania and Pinball: Revenge of the 'Gator Join Nintendo Switch Online

Nintendo Switch Online's Game Boy library is getting three more games on October 27: Avenging Spirit, Mole Mania, and Pinball: Revenge of the 'Gator. It is a compact update, but it covers a surprisingly broad stretch of the original Game Boy's catalog. There is a supernatural action game built around possessing enemies, a puzzle-driven adventure about a mole searching for his family, and a classic portable pinball game designed for short, repeatable sessions.

The most striking addition is undoubtedly Avenging Spirit. It is a game that has long been difficult to acquire legitimately in physical form, particularly in North America. Its arrival through the standard Nintendo Switch Online membership gives subscribers an easy way to try a Game Boy curiosity that can otherwise carry a substantial collector's premium.

All three titles will be available through the base Nintendo Switch Online tier. That means players do not need the Expansion Pack to access them, provided they have an active membership and can use the Game Boy app included with the service. The update also expands a library that already gives subscribers access to Game Boy, Game Boy Color, NES, and Super NES games.

Avenging Spirit brings a rare Game Boy cult favorite back into reach

Originally known in Japan as Phantasm, Avenging Spirit has a premise that remains distinctive decades later. The player controls the ghost of a young man who has been killed, then uses possession to take over the bodies of other characters. Those possessed hosts offer different abilities and ways to approach the game's stages, turning the adventure into something more inventive than a conventional side-scroller.

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The goal is to use those temporary bodies to overcome enemies and obstacles while pursuing revenge and attempting to rescue the protagonist's girlfriend. In practical terms, its possession system gives the game its identity. Rather than relying on one fixed moveset from beginning to end, players can experiment with the strengths of the people, soldiers, monsters, and other characters they inhabit. It is an early example of a mechanical idea that still feels playful: changing your body changes the possibilities available to you.

The North American Game Boy release has become particularly notable among collectors. Its cover art, featuring a gangster-style figure carrying a Tommy gun, differs dramatically from the friendlier ghost-focused artwork used for the European and Japanese versions. That regional distinction has helped make the North American version especially recognizable, while scarcity has made it expensive.

Physical sales have reached well beyond ordinary retro-game prices. Some copies have sold for more than $1,000, while boxed PAL copies have also commanded prices around $800. As of October 2026, loose North American copies with manuals have been listed around $199. Collector prices naturally fluctuate depending on region, condition, completeness, and actual sold listings, but the broader point is clear: playing Avenging Spirit through Nintendo Switch Online is far more accessible than tracking down an original cartridge.

That accessibility matters for a game like this. High aftermarket values can preserve a game's mystique, but they can also leave its design inaccessible to the people most interested in playing it. A subscription-library appearance does not replace the appeal of original hardware or collecting, yet it gives a much wider audience the chance to evaluate the game on its own merits rather than its price tag.

Mole Mania offers puzzles, movement and enemy evasion

Mole Mania is the other major draw in this batch. It stars a mole named Muddy, who sets out to rescue his wife and children after they are taken away by farmers. The game blends overhead puzzle areas with side-view sequences, asking players to navigate compact stages full of hazards, enemies, blocks, switches, and environmental problems.

Much of its appeal comes from the way Muddy moves through spaces. He can burrow underground, reappear in useful positions, and push or roll objects across the playfield. Players use those objects for several purposes: creating cover, opening routes, handling puzzles, and dealing with enemies. The levels reward observation because a seemingly simple object can be a shield, a weapon, a movable platform, or the final piece needed to reach an exit.

Progress is structured around clearing screens and locating the bomb needed to leave a given area. That loop gives Mole Mania a deliberate rhythm. It is not simply about moving quickly from left to right; it is about understanding the layout, avoiding threats where possible, and figuring out how the game's objects interact. The compact Game Boy screen format suits that design well, with each area functioning as a concentrated puzzle box.

For collectors, Mole Mania is not on quite the same level as Avenging Spirit, but it can still be costly in desirable condition. Loose cartridges have sold for roughly $70, while complete boxed copies can reach around $199. Its Nintendo Switch Online arrival therefore offers both a convenient replay option for longtime fans and an inexpensive entry point for players who missed it during the Game Boy era.

It is also a welcome reminder that the Game Boy catalog was more varied than its most famous releases suggest. The system is remembered for landmark games and enormous franchises, but its library also contains inventive smaller adventures whose ideas are easy to overlook. Mole Mania has the kind of focused, level-by-level design that can make it especially comfortable to play in handheld-style bursts on Switch.

Pinball: Revenge of the 'Gator supplies an arcade-style palate cleanser

The third addition, Pinball: Revenge of the 'Gator, arrives with less collector drama but plenty of straightforward appeal. It is not a rare game, and loose cartridges can generally be found for only a few dollars. Even so, affordability does not make it a lesser fit for Nintendo Switch Online. The game represents the kind of uncomplicated, score-chasing portable experience that was a natural match for the Game Boy.

As its title suggests, the game is centered on a pinball table whose gator theme gives it a little personality. The objective is familiar: keep the ball in play, hit targets, build points, and chase higher scores. Pinball games are built on quick reactions, repetition, and the satisfaction of improving one run at a time, and those qualities remain ideal for a service where players can jump in and out of games at will.

Players who enjoy portable pinball games such as Kirby's Pinball Land or Pokémon Pinball may find Revenge of the 'Gator an appealing change of pace between longer sessions with the other two releases. It does not need a complicated setup or a lengthy introduction. A few minutes can be enough for a round, while the pursuit of a better score can easily pull players back for another attempt.

Its inclusion also makes the update feel more balanced. Avenging Spirit asks players to learn a possession-driven action game, while Mole Mania encourages patient puzzle solving. Pinball: Revenge of the 'Gator is the immediate, arcade-like option: simple to understand, difficult to master, and well suited to a short break.

A useful update for preservation and discovery

These three releases show one of the most valuable things a retro subscription library can do: put games with wildly different availability back into active circulation. Avenging Spirit is the headline because of its unusually high physical price, but the full set is stronger because it does not focus exclusively on scarcity. It combines a collector favorite, an inventive puzzle adventure, and an accessible score chaser.

For players who never owned a Game Boy, the update is a chance to explore three different design approaches from the handheld's era. For those who did grow up with the system, it offers a convenient route back to games that may have been lost, traded away, or made impractical to replace. And for collectors, the original cartridges retain their historical and physical appeal without being the only realistic way to experience the software.

Avenging Spirit, Mole Mania, and Pinball: Revenge of the 'Gator arrive in the Nintendo Switch Online Game Boy collection on October 27, 2026. The games are included with the standard Nintendo Switch Online membership tier, making this an especially worthwhile update for anyone looking to explore overlooked corners of the Game Boy library.