It's never a dull day when you're a Nintendo Switch owner, especially when you have a Nintendo Switch Online subscription. I love the fact that new games drop on the system on a regular basis, and there's so much choice that I physically have to drag myself away from Banjo-Tooie to go and check out new titles, some of which I've never played before.
As of today, three new games have arrived in the GBA Classics collection, one of which was never released outside of Japan. I like it when Nintendo do this, as these are the games that I would probably have never thought to download to check out myself, so it gives me a little insight into what I missed having never been able to speak Japanese or visited Japan.
The three GBA games, all of which you can play if you're an Expansion Pack subscriber, are:
- Monster Rancher Advance
- METAL SLUG ADVANCE
- Kururin Paradise
If you've never played Monster Rancher Advance, then you're in for a treat. It's a life sim game where you raise monsters and then take them into battle. The battles aren't like Pokémon, however, but more side-on, Mortal Kombat/Street Fighter-esque. The moves are pretty detailed too, and the game itself has that relaxed, addictive feel to it that made for the best GBA titles to kick back with when we were younger.
Three classic games are now available to play with Game Boy Advance – Nintendo Classics for #NintendoSwitchOnline + Expansion Pack members! ☑️ Monster Rancher Advance ☑️ METAL SLUG ADVANCE ☑️ Kururin Paradise https://t.co/GHxhuHwnMr
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) October 14, 2026
Metal Slug Advance needs no introduction - it's mad run-and-gun action from the very moment it begins, just like all the Metal Slug games. You don't need a degree in rocket science to enjoy these games; they're arcade action at their finest, and Metal Slug Advance gave fans a way to blow off some steam whenever, wherever on the portable purple powerhouse back in 2004.
Kururin Paradise is the Japanese game that never made it into Western gamers' hands. This is the first time we've ever been able to experience it on a Nintendo console.
You'll need to be an Expansion Pack subscriber to play GBA games. I pay around £30 a year for my subscription and get access to GBA, N64, Mega Drive, Virtual Boy, and GameCube games, as well as the consoles on the basic tier like the GBC/DMG, SNES, and NES. Head to Nintendo Switch Online to sign up if you haven't already!
