The recent Nintendo Direct contained a couple of cool surprises for fans, one of which was that a selection of Game Boy Advance games are now playable on the Nintendo Switch Online subscription service via the Expansion Pack. Nintendo's Game Boy Advance was the follow-up to the legendary Game Boy, the handheld device that took the world by storm on its 1989 release. While the Advance never quite managed to match its older brother's popularity, it nevertheless had some much-loved titles of its own, and some of these have been made immediately available via Nintendo Switch Online's Expansion Pack following Nintendo's announcement.
With the promise of more titles to come, the GBA launch library for Nintendo Switch features three Mario titles, Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros 3, Mario Kart Super Circuit, and Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga. In addition, players can also rediscover the first installment of the Warioware series with Warioware Inc.: Mega Microgame$. Kuru Kuru Kururin, a unique puzzle game, is also included, and the collection is rounded off with The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap.
Game Boy Advance's Launch Library for NSO is Impressive
Fans of Super Mario have been well catered for with three games featuring the portly plumber. Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros 3 is a 2003 GBA remake of the original Super Mario Bros 3 which was released for the NES, and is widely considered to be one of the best 2D Mario games. The original Japanese and American release of the game made use of the e-Reader, an add-on device that could read data off special cards, in order for the player to unlock special items and new levels, but this feature was never released in Europe. Fans worldwide will be glad to know that the NSO version comes with the additional e-Reader levels included.
Mario Kart Super Circuit is the third installment in the Mario Kart series, and the first to be released for a handheld console. With over 20 original tracks to choose from, plus all the tracks featured in Super Mario Kart, plus several game modes and characters to select, Super Circuit proved to be a hit with fans and critics when it was originally released in 2001. It also made use of the Game Link Cable, which allowed four players to compete against each other, using only one cartridge. Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga is a turn-based RPG originally released in late 2003 which sets Mario and his brother off on a very different adventure than they are used to. While the turn-based genre wasn't necessarily one that fans would associate with Mario, the game proved a smash hit with critics and went on to spawn several sequels.
Warioware Inc.: Mega Microgame$ is the first entry in the Warioware series and puts the player in a series of unique mini games, some of which last only a few seconds, in a bizarre plot that sees Wario create his very own video game. Kuru Kuru Kururin is a unique puzzle game in which the player must control a spinning stick, navigating through several mazes without touching any walls. It's a simple but highly addictive concept, and most critics scored the game favorably after its release.
The Nintendo Direct also showed off new footage of the highly anticipated The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and fans of the Zelda franchise can also revisit The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap, which is the final GBA game playable at launch. This 2004 game sees Link able to shrink down in size after acquiring a magical talking cap. Like most Zelda titles, it was well-received by critics, and while not one of Link's most memorable adventures, it offers enough originality to tide fans over while they patiently wait for Tears of the Kingdom.
All of these Game Boy Advance titles are available to play now via the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack.
