Nintendo has expanded its Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack tier with the addition of the critically acclaimed Game Boy Advance game Fire Emblem. This update introduces two separate tiers for Nintendo Switch Online services. While the base service provides online multiplayer and access to select retro NES, SNES, and Game Boy/Game Boy Color games, the Expansion Pack offers subscribers a much wider range of benefits.
Subscribers to the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack gain access to an extensive collection of retro games, including titles from the Nintendo 64, Sega Genesis, and Game Boy Advance libraries. Nintendo consistently updates the available games through its Switch Online services, and the latest update now grants gamers the opportunity to enjoy Fire Emblem.
Fire Emblem, also known as Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade, is now accessible to Switch gamers subscribed to the Switch Online Expansion Pack. This marks the first release of a Fire Emblem game in North America, serving as a prequel to Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade while also functioning as a standalone experience. The game received widespread critical acclaim and played a significant role in expanding the popularity of the Fire Emblem franchise beyond Japan.
With Fire Emblem, players outside of Japan were introduced to the signature elements that define the franchise. These include the strategic rock-paper-scissors combat system and the concept of permadeath. Utilizing the features of Nintendo Switch Online, players can create save states and even rewind their gameplay, providing a potential advantage for those experiencing the game through the service compared to those who played it on the Game Boy Advance.
Fire Emblem's inclusion in the Switch Online Expansion Pack lineup is highly anticipated, as it is widely regarded as one of the best Game Boy Advance games. However, there are still numerous other outstanding Game Boy Advance games that have yet to be added to the service. One such example is Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones, which was also released on the Game Boy Advance and would be a fantastic addition to the lineup.
Nintendo has been consistently adding Game Boy Advance games to the Switch Online Expansion Pack, indicating that there is a good chance that other popular titles from the handheld console will also be featured in the future. In the meantime, Fire Emblem will undoubtedly keep subscribers of the Switch Online Expansion Pack entertained and occupied.