Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack subscribers can now play three Game Boy Advance classics from the early 2000s on the Switch and its successor through the Game Boy Advance Online app. As of Oct. 14, the lineup includes Monster Rancher Advance, a creature-raising game; Metal Slug Advance, an action game; and Kururin Paradise, a puzzle game. The puzzle sequel is the unusual addition: it’s reaching the United States for the first time. The app is exclusive to Expansion Pack subscribers, so you’ll need the upgrade to access any of the three games.
Table of Contents
Monster Rancher Advance
First released in 2001, Monster Rancher Advance casts you as a breeder. You raise, train, and prepare each monster to fight and perform well in battle. More than 400 monsters are available to collect. You can get them by finding and entering special codes into the console.
Each monster has its own skills, moves, strengths, and weaknesses, so you’ll need a strategy that gives yours an advantage. Monster Rancher and Pokémon differ in key ways, but they also have a fair bit in common. At around 20 hours long, the game could keep you busy while you wait for the Mega Dimension DLC for Pokémon Z-A.
Metal Slug Advance
Metal Slug Advance is a fast-paced, side-scrolling action game that takes an hour or two to complete. Its short length makes it easy to replay next year. The game is also part of the Mega Slug Ultimate Collection, due next year for the franchise’s 30th anniversary, giving you a quick way to revisit the series while you wait.
Kururin Paradise
The most obscure addition is Kururin Paradise, a puzzle game and sequel to Kuru Kuru Kururin. It was shown at E3 2002, with a US release expected later that year. Like its predecessor, however, it never made the journey to the United States.
More than 20 years later, Kururin Paradise is now playable in the United States through Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack.
