Fire Emblem on GBA is coming to Nintendo Switch Online next week

The first Fire Emblem game released in the west is coming to Nintendo Switch Online next week.

The Game Boy Advance title, which was simply named Fire Emblem in the west because it was the first entry to launch outside of Japan, will be added to the Switch’s GBA library, which is available to Expansion Pack subscribers.

Known in Japan as Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade, the game is actually the seventh Fire Emblem in the series and the second on the GBA, but the first to get an English language release.

The game follows Lyn, Eliwood and Hector as they travel the land of Elibe in search of Eliwood’s missing father.

Like other games in the series, it’s a turn-based tactical RPG. It also features the permadeath the rest of the series is notorious for – if a player’s unit dies in battle, they’re dead forever and can’t be used again for the rest of the game. This would become optional in later entries.

The Japanese Switch Online service will also get the game’s predecessor, Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade, but since it was only ever released in Japan and is text-heavy it won’t be added to the app in the west.

The addition of Fire Emblem to Nintendo Switch Online brings the service’s total Game Boy Advance library up to 11 games. The full list is now as follows:

• Fire Emblem
• Kuru Kuru Kururin
• The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
• Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
• Mario Kart: Super Circuit
• Metroid Fusion
• Super Mario Advance
• Super Mario Advance 2: Super Mario World
• Super Mario Advance 3: Yoshi’s Island
• Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros 3
• WarioWare Inc: Mega Microgames

Nintendo has also confirmed that F-Zero: Maximum Velocity, Golden Sun and Kirby & The Amazing Mirror will be added to the service at some point.

NES, SNES, Game Boy and Game Boy Color games are available as part of the standard Switch Online subscription, which costs $19.99 / £17.99 / €19.99 for a 12-month individual membership.

However, to play Game Boy Advance games (as well as Mega Drive / Genesis and Nintendo 64 games), players need to have the Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription, which costs $49.99 / £34.99 / €39.99.