After years of rumors and fan speculation,Nintendofinally added Game Boy andGame Boy Advancetitles to their Nintendo Switch Online service. Nintendo Switch Online is a service that allows Switch owners to play their games online and offers free downloads of several classic Nintendo titles. Recently Nintendo enhanced this service with the “expansion pack” which offersSega Genesis,Nintendo 64, and now Game Boy Advance titles.
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The Game Boy Advance was Nintendo’s follow-up to the ultra-popular Game Boy system. The GBA went through several hardware iterations and is still remembered fondly by many gamers. Nintendo has only released six GBA titles for the service, but the ones released in the first wave are all high-quality.
6Kuru Kuru Kururin
The main goal of this puzzle game is to maneuver a slow-spinning stick through a series of labyrinth mazes. The gameplay is fun and addicting. It’s easy to see how someone could lose hours attempting to perfectly maneuver through all the courses.
Kuru Kuru Kururin never saw a North American release for the Game Boy Advance, however, it was available on the Wii U through their virtual console. It’s fun to see this title release in North America for a handheld. This game works perfectly on a portable device, and the simple concept is quickly expanded upon, so it never gets stale. This game is definitely worth your time if you are a Nintendo Switch Online plus Expansion Pack owner.
5Mario Kart Super Circuit
Mario Kart Super Circuit marks the first time theMario Kart franchisemade its way to a portable device. Super Circuit is a wonderful addition to the Switch Online service, but the game hasn’t aged as well as some of the other titles on our list.
It is really impressive to see what Nintendo was able to do with the GBA’s hardware back in 2001, even if there are better Mario Kart titles available on the Switch. After nearly a decade with Mario Kart 8, Super Circuit can feel shallow by comparison. It’s a fun nostalgia trip for those who remember the title, but it may put off some newcomers.
4Super Mario Advance 4 Super Mario Bros 3
The Super Mario Advance collection for the Game Boy Advance was a re-purposing of classic Mario titles for the handheld. Super Mario Advance 4 takes one of the all-time greats, Super Mario Bros 3, and brings it to the portable system. The game is a remake based on the version found inSuper Mario All-Starsand while it is an almost perfect game, there are better versions ofSuper Mario Bros 3already available on the Switch.
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No one can deny the absolute polish of Super Mario Bros 3, and the Advance title also includes an enhanced version of the originalMario Brosgame, before they were super. The problem with the advanced collection is that due to the size of the GBA’s screen, these games had to be slightly zoomed in. While this often doesn’t pose too big of a problem, it can be frustrating when you come across some blind jumps. We’re really happy to see Nintendo bring these titles to the GBA, but if you just want to play Super Mario Bros 3, the All-Stars collection found on the SNES may be your better option.
3Mario And Luigi Super-Star Saga
Mario and LuigiSuper-Star Saga is a game that feels perfectly at home on the Game Boy Advance. It’s a lighthearted RPG featuring the system’s favorite brothers and incorporates brilliant RPG mechanics into Mario’s world.
The game sets itself apart by being an easy entry into the RPG space. Role-Playing games likeFinal FantasyandGolden Sunwere popular on the Game Boy Advance but were not at all welcoming to newcomers. Mario and Luigi Super-Star Saga features easy-to-learn turn-based combat and forgoes any ultra-complicated lore dumps. It’s just pure bite-size fun that feels just as good to play on the Switch as it did on the GBA.
2Wario Ware Inc Mega Micro Games
Wario Ware Incwas a surprising title for the GBA. The yellow palette plumber had already become a main character through his Game Boy series, but the Wario Ware series decided to look into Wario’s more chaotic side
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The Wario Ware series has the player completing a random assortment of short 3 to 5-second mini-games in rapid succession. The games are almost always intuitive, giving the player hours of fun to be had. It is a great beginning to the series and a welcome addition to Nintendo Switch Online.
1The Legend Of Zelda The Minish Cap
The Legend of Zelda The Minish Cap isn’t just one of the best Game Boy Advance games, it’s maybe the best overhead Legend of Zelda game ever released. Nintendo nailed the top-down action of the Legend of Zelda series with its Super Nintendo entry and Minish Cap expands on those mechanics in meaningful ways.
The gimmick of Minish Cap is a talking hat that allows Link to shrink in size. This opens up new areas inside Hyrule and creates a sense of scale that works perfectly for the series. It’s great to see this adventure make its way to the Switch. We hope to see more of Link’s adventures make their way to the console, but few can reach the greatness of this stand-out GBA title.
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