Tag: Gba
News Nintendo Expands Switch Online's GBA Library With Two More Titles
Two Namco games join 'Nintendo Classics'
Nintendo has today announced it will be expanding its Switch Online + Expansion Pack service with two more games for the Game Boy Advance library. They include the Namco titles Mr. Driller 2 and Klonoa: Empire of Dreams, and they'll be arriving next week on 25th September 2025. The puzzle title Mr. Driller 2...
News Nintendo Adds Another Golden Sun Soundtrack To Nintendo Music
Listen to Camelot's RPG sequel
Nintendo's weekly update for the Nintendo Music app has arrived, and this time it adds the soundtrack from the RPG Golden Sun: The Lost Age. Nintendo and Camelot released this sequel on the Game Boy Advance in 2002/03. As for the album, it contains a whopping 94 tracks and has a runtime of 3 hours and 23 minutes. Here...
News Switch Online's GBA App Has Been Updated (Version 3.0.0)
New features, but no game update
Switch Online's 'Nintendo Classics' library has this week been expanded with Forsaken 64 and the Japan-only release, Magical Vacation. Although the GBA title hasn't been made available locally, the app here has received an update, bumping it up to Version 3.0.0. Firstly, the official banner and icon for this app...
News Brownie Brown's GBA Title 'Magical Vacation' Returns This Week (Japan)
Joining the 'Nintendo Classics' library tomorrow
Nintendo's Switch Online + Expansion Pack service in Japan is this week adding Brownie Brown's 2001 Game Boy Advance RPG, Magical Vacation. This Japanese exclusive will show up for the service on 4th September 2025. That's the same date as the release of Forsaken 64 on the mature N64 app locally. In...
Poll Box Art Brawl - Duel: WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$!
Vote!
Welcome, cover fans, to another edition of Box Art Brawl! Before we head into this week's match-up, let's have a quick reminder of what went down last weekend. It was a one-on-one face-off for the GBA's The Hobbit, which saw the gloomy North American/European cover go up against the colourful Japanese variant. Somewhat surprisingly to us, it...
Poll Box Art Brawl - Duel: The Hobbit (GBA)
This Ori That
Assemble your best team of warriors, kings, wizards and burglars, because it's time to embark on a Box Art Brawl adventure. But before Gandalf comes a-knocking, let's take a look at what went down last week, when we matched up two different covers for Blast Corps. In the battle of East and West, Japan came out on top, with the badass...
Poll Box Art Brawl: Disney's Magical Quest 3 Starring Mickey And Donald (GBA)
Oh boy!
Hello folks, and welcome to another edition of Box Art Brawl! Looking back at last week, we checked out Star Wars: Rogue Squadron for the N64, pitting North America and Europe against Japan. It wasn't even close either, with the western design winning with a resounding 89% of the vote. 89%! We quite like the Japanese design too... This...
News A Cancelled 'Animaniacs' GBA Game Has Been Rediscovered, And You Can Play It Now
Just hypnotic
If you were a kid who grew up in the '90s, you've probably watched more than a handful of episodes of Animaniacs. The Warner Bros.-produced cartoon ran from 1993 to 1998 and received well over 250 episodes. And, you can bet there were many video games out there to accompany Yakko, Wakko, and Dot's animated antics. In fact, there were...
Video Shantae Advance: Risky Revolution Extended Gameplay Trailer Revealed
The once-lost GBA chapter returns this Summer
It's been another week of action-packed showcases and to top it off, WayFoward gave fans another look at Shantae Advance: Risky Revolution. A new trailer was shared during the 'IndiaMania 2025' showcase, with extended gameplay footage on display. It highlights how this modern version of the revived GBA...
Random Hideo Kojima Remembers That Time He Used Unwanted Teddy Bear Tech To Make A GBA Vampire Game
UV not changed
Hideo Kojima has been out and about and doing interviews at the Sydney Film Festival as part of the build-up to the release of his upcoming, Australian-set sequel, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach. As shared by GamesRadar, the Metal Gear Solid director openly chatted about a who
Poll Box Art Brawl - Duel: Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
Tactical decision
Howdy partners! We are back with another edition of Box Art Brawl. Last week, we matched up a duo of delightful designs for Pikmin on GameCube, though the competition wasn't even close. The classic North American / European variant walked away with a commanding win, taking 74% and leaving the colourful Japanese design with the...
Review Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones (GBA) - The Series' Second Western Release Still Hits Hard
Worth fighting for
This review was originally published in March 2015. We're updating and republishing it to mark the arrival of the game in the Nintendo Switch Online Game Boy Advance library. While Fire Emblem is a franchise with a long history in Japan, its track record in the West is far more condensed; in fact, Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones...
News Nintendo Expands Switch Online's GBA Library With A Classic Fire Emblem
"You must always be ready for battle"
Nintendo has today released a brand new update for its Switch Online Game Boy Advance library. Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones has been added for Expansion Pack subscribers. Released on the GBA in 2005, this was the second series entry to launch in the West (the first, The Blazing Blade, launched in North...
News Konami Adds Incredibly Rare Slice Of GBA Ninja History To The Switch eShop
Welcome back, Ninja Five-O
The Switch has a growing library of Game Boy Advance titles and Konami has expanded this with its latest eShop release. It's the GBA action-platformer Ninja Five-O (also known as Ninja Cop). This Switch version was originally announced last month and you can download the title right now for USD $24.99 /
Review Wario Land 4 (GBA) - A Boisterous But Impeccably Designed Platformer
Quality over quantity
This review was originally published in May 2014. We're updating and republishing it to mark the game's arrival in the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack GBA library. Although Wario's core platforming series has been overshadowed for years by the surrealist microgames of WarioWare, his excellent platformers have the sort...
News Nintendo Expands Switch Online's GBA Library With Wario Land 4
The perfect Valentine's Day gift
Nintendo's been pretty consistent so far this year with the Switch Online game updates, and joining the service next week is the Game Boy Advance title Wario Land 4. This game originally made its debut on the handheld platform in 2001 and follows on from the first three games as well as the Virtual Boy entry. You...
Poll Box Art Brawl - Duel: The Lord Of The Rings: The Third Age (GBA)
Slim Pippins
My dear Bagginses and Boffins, Tooks and Brandybucks, Grubbs, Chubbs, Hornblowers, Bolgers, Bracegirdles and Proudfoots (Proudfeet!), welcome to another edition of Box Art Brawl! Before we get all Middle Earthy, let's quickly recap what went down last time, eh? Two covers from the NSO newbie Super Ninja Boy went head-to-head in last...
News Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection Trailer Introduces Online Play And Other New Features
"Additional titles will support online play after release"
We're now roughly a month out from the release of Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection on the Switch and Konami has this week released an "official trailer" showcasing what this new bundle has to offer. Once again, it will include 14 games - starting with the original Game Boy generation and...
News Rare Konami GBA Gem 'Ninja Five-O' Gets February Release Date
Ninja Five-Two
Konami has announced that GBA action platformer Ninja Five-O will be launching on Switch in just over a month's time, on 25th February 2025. Pre-orders are live on the eShop right now, priced at USD $24.99 / GBP £19.99 (or your regional equivalent). The physical version is being handled by Limi
Poll Box Art Brawl - Duel: Klonoa: Empire of Dreams (GBA)
Long live the Empire
Welcome to another edition of Box Art Brawl, folks! Last week, we took a look at Crash Nitro Kart for the GameCube, a sequel to Crash Team Racing that never quite managed to step out of its predecessor's shadow. North America sealed the deal this time with 53% of the vote, while EU managed 30% and Japan just 17% (bit awkward -...
Random Streamer Beats Pokémon's Most Difficult Challenge After 3,978 Attempts
Flareon achieves victory
Pokémon games have often been derided as being too easy for veteran players, which is why fan-made challenges such as Nuzlocke have become so popular over the years. There's one challenge, however, that's been described as the most difficult of them all, and it's taken streamer PointCrow a total of 3,978 resets over the...
News Every 'Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection' Game Boy, GBC And GBA Title Officially Confirmed
See the full list of games
Following a leak in November, Konami has now officially confirmed the full list of games in the Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection. As previously revealed - there'll be 14 titles in total, with games from across the Game Boy, Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance era. Here's the full rundown (via Gematsu): Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel...
Random Super Mario 64 GBA Project Showcases "Real Hardware" Demo
The source code will also be released
The Super Mario 64 GBA project by coder Joshua Barretto continues to advance, with the latest showcase displaying a demo of the game running on "real hardware". Yes, after ongoing demands from fans to see the game in action on an actual Game Boy Advance, Barretto has now uploaded video footage of this, while...
Rumour Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection "Full List Of Games" Apparently Leaked
"14 games included"
Following multiple official game reveals, it looks like the full list of titles included in Konami's Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection has possibly been leaked. As highlighted by Nintendeal on social media, the game's Switch box art appears to have been revealed ahead of schedule and it shows off the "14 games included". Here's...
Poll Box Art Brawl - Duel: Kirby: Nightmare In Dream Land (GBA)
When light faces dark
Another week, another edition of Box Art Brawl! Before we dive into this week's battle, let's see how things panned out last time. We looked at Double Dragon for the NES, and it was yet another close call. After over 1,600 votes from our dear readers, it was the Western design that took home the win with 53% of the vote. Well...
News Riviera: The Promised Land Remaster Gets Western Release Date On Switch
Sting's GBA RPG returns later this month
Dept. Heaven fans will have a chance to revisit the origins of Sting's unusual series this month as Riviera: The Promised Land is coming to Switch in North America and Europe on 28th November 2024 (thanks, Gematsu!). The remaster launched in Japan in February 2024, and back then,
Opinion No, Zelda: The Minish Cap's Worst Sidequest Isn't The Kinstones
Go figure
I've banged the Minish Cap drum so many times by this point that my adoration for Link's littlest adventure is old news. With today marking 20 years since this GBA gem landed in Europe, it felt too easy to sit down at my desk and gush over the tight six-dungeon structure, the brilliant puzzle design or the somehow still under-discussed...
Anniversary The Legend Of Zelda: The Minish Cap Turns 20 Today
Picori of the bunch
We're used to donning our finest party hats when a big birthday rolls around here at Nintendo Life, but today's celebration calls for a special piece of talking headwear. No cardboard cone will suffice today. We need something green, something intrusive, something with the spirit of an acclaimed mage trapped inside it... and with...
Random This Guy Found A Lost Pokémon Emerald Cartridge And Flew To Japan To 'Heal' It
And he documented the full journey on TikTok
If you cast your mind back a couple of years, you might recall a rather heartwarming story about a guy who stumbled across an "abandoned" copy of Nintendogs on a late-night train home and set out trying to find the lost pups' owner. It was a sweet tale told in five parts by content creator and Nintendo...
News F-Zero Climax Celebrates 20th Anniversary With Free Course
It made its debut on Switch Online last week
The recent Switch Online + Expansion Pack release F-Zero Climax is celebrating its 20th anniversary tomorrow. As part of this, former Nintendo employee Takaya Imamura (who worked on the GBA title and the F-Zero series) back in the day has shared a special code. This code which commemorates the...
News Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection Launching February 2025, Adds Three GBA Titles
More retro game reveals to come
Earlier this year in February, Konami announced it would be releasing the Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection for Switch. In the latest update, it's confirmed this retro package will arrive locally on 27th February 2025, with pre-orders now available at select retailers. Along with this, it's also revealed three Game Boy...
Guide Every Nintendo Switch Online Game Boy Advance (GBA) Game Ranked
All the GBA games, ranked by you
Updated with Mr. Driller 2 and Klonoa: Empire of Dreams following the September 2025 update. Remember, this is a dynamic, reader-ranked list based on each game's User Rating in our database. The order is therefore subject to real-time change as those ratings fluctuate. Enjoy! Nintendo Switch
Review F-Zero: GP Legend (GBA) - A Great Handheld Entry That Nails The Series' Spirit
Dare you to blink
This review was originally published in January 2015. We're updating and republishing it to mark the arrival of GP Legend (and Climax, which was never released in the West) in the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack GBA library. The F-Zero series has often dished out a steep challenge, and in GP Legend the uninitiated will be...
News Nintendo Expands Switch Online's GBA Library With Two More Titles
Two F-Zero games race onto the service today
Update [Fri 11th Oct, 2024 02:30 BST]: F-Zero: GP Legend and F-Zero Climax are now officially available to Switch Online + Expansion Pack tier subscribers. Enjoy! Original article [Wed 2nd Oct, 2024 05:00 BST]: Nintendo has announced it will expand the Switch Online service with two more Game Boy...
Poll Box Art Brawl - Duel: Mario Party Advance
A portable party
Hey everyone, welcome to this week's edition of Box Art Brawl! Last time, we saw three 3DS covers go head-to-head as we matched up the regional variants for Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask. Despite having all those options, it was Europe that walked away with a commanding win after taking 56% of the vote. North America...
Poll Box Art Brawl: Donkey Kong Country (GBA)
The Diddy one
We are back, back, back with another edition of Box Art Brawl! Last time, we matched up two different covers for Contra 4 on the DS, and it wasn't even close. The North American variant walked comfortably away with the win, taking 76% of the vote and leaving Japan with the remaining 24%. Oof. This week, we're swinging it back a...
News Pokémon Emerald ROM Hack Contains Redrawn Sprites From 130 Artists
Gotta redraw 'em all
To celebrate the 20th anniversary of Pokémon Emerald for the GBA, 130 artists have collabrated on a project to redraw the sprites for all 386 Pokémon included in the game (thanks, gamesradar). Not only that, but the revised sprites have been implmented into a fully playable ROM hack called Pokémon Emerald: Respirited, so you...
News Sonic Team Would "Love" To Remaster The Advance Series, Says Takashi Iizuka
But there are no plans for it at the moment
Like most Sonic fans, we here at Nintendo Life love the GBA's 'Advance' Series. We have fond memories of playing through the Advance trilogy (and even the tangentially related fighting RPG and pinball spinoffs) in the early 2000s, but bar the SonicN N-Gage port and a Virtual Console release in Japan, we...
Anniversary Pokémon FireRed And LeafGreen Turn 20 Years Old In The US
Fans would love to see them return
Try not to get too excited, but the official Pokémon social media account has this week acknowledged North America's 20th anniversary of Pokémon FireRed Version and LeafGreen Version. These Game Boy Advance titles originally released in September 2004 in this region, and were remakes of the original Pokémon...
News Konami Reveals More Game Boy Titles For Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection
Coming to Switch in 2024
In case you missed it, earlier this year Konami announced the Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection for the Nintendo Switch. At the start of this month, it also launched a new social media account for this collection and other Yu-Gi-Oh! themed 'retro games'. Now in another update, Konami has revealed more of the games coming to...
News Yu-Gi-Oh! Launches Retro Games Social Media Account For 'Early Days Collection'
It will also cover other "retro themed products"
Yu-Gi-Oh! is reviving its past with an official 'Yu-Gi-Oh! Retro Games' account launching on the social media platform 'X' today. This account will cover all things related to retro Yu-Gi-Oh! including the long-running trading card game as well as the upcoming Early Days Collection, which has been...
Poll Box Art Brawl: Duel - Astro Boy: Omega Factor
Let's Rocket!
We are back, back, back for another edition of Box Art Brawl! Last week, we took a look at a trio of Contra: Hard Corps covers for the Sega Genesis / Mega Drive. Despite three rather sweet designs (by our eye), the vote wasn't even close. You lovely lot crowned the North American variant the clear winner with 64% of the vote, leaving...
Poll Box Art Brawl: Zelda: A Link To The Past And Four Swords (GBA)
Portable magic
Welcome back to another edition Box Art Brawl! Last time, we were back with the Mega Man franchise to look at Mega Man Zero 3, the, uh, third entry in the Zero sub-series for GBA. As expected, the beautiful Japanese design won by a landslide, scoring 73% of the vote. The US variant bagged 17%, while the ghastly European design...
Review Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team (GBA) - Robust Roguelike Rescuing
Pokécrawler: Red
This review was originally published in February 2016. We're updating and republishing it to mark the game's arrival in the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack GBA library. It's also worth noting that a 2020 Switch remake of Red/Blue Rescue Team exists: Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX. As well as the regular series...
News Nintendo Expands Switch Online's GBA Library With Pokémon
Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team is now available
Update [Fri 9th Aug, 2024 02:05 BST]: Following last week's announcement, Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team is now available to Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscribers. To access this game, you'll need to have the Game Boy Advance app installed on your system. Nintendo has also released a...
Poll Box Art Brawl: Mega Man Zero 3
Third time's a charm
Welcome back to another edition Box Art Brawl! Last week's bout saw us chucking Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow for the Nintendo DS into the ring. The designs for this one were pretty similar, all told, but Europe ultimately lost out with its lack of supporting characters and, uh, copious stickers. North America and Japan bagged an...
News Xeno Crisis Scores A "Physical And Digital" GBA Release, Pre-Orders Live
Includes a "free ROM download"
Well, here's something you don't see every day! The arena shooter Xeno Crisis, which launched on the Switch eShop in 2019 (and has already been released on multiple retro platforms), is getting a "physical and digital" release for the Game Boy Advance in Q4 2024. Pr
Random Hideo Kojima Highlights The 21st Anniversary Of 'Boktai' On GBA
No sunlight that day, apparently
It's been a whopping 21 years since Boktai: The Sun is in Your Hand launched in Japan on 17th July 2003, and one person commemorating the anniversary is none other than producer and designer Hideo Kojima. Posting on social media, the auteur recalled that it was "raining hard" on the game's release day. This might be...
News Alternative Titles For Pokémon Ruby And Sapphire Reportedly Discovered
No, not Pokémon: Too Much Water
Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire launched over two decades ago on the Game Boy Advance, but according to a couple of Pokémon fans, the third-gen titles may have been called something completely different during development. As highlighted by farore.gba and wobb on social media (thanks, VGC), after looking through data...
Feature Legendary Starfy 101 - A Brief History Of TOSE's Adorable Platforming Star
Now playable on Nintendo Switch
With all three GBA Starfy games — which were originally released only in Japan — now available to play on Switch with a Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack subscription, we're updating and republishing this brief introduction to the little star which originally went live a whopping 15 years ago. Enjoy! Since...
