Nintendo has updated its Game Boy Advance library for Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack members, adding Monster Rancher Advance, Metal Slug Advance, and Kururin Paradise. The October 2026 update brings a puzzle debut alongside portable run-and-gun and monster-raising classics.
Subscribers paying for the premium tier can now access three additional retro titles directly through the dedicated app on both Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. The service, priced at $49.99 per year in the United States, grants access to multiple classic systems including Game Boy Advance, Nintendo 64, SEGA Genesis, and Virtual Boy classics.
October 2026 Additions to the Game Boy Advance Library
The latest drop introduces distinct gameplay styles from the early 2000s handheld era. Monster Rancher Advance brings Tecmo’s 2001 monster-raising simulation to modern hardware, letting players generate creatures using text passwords rather than physical discs and manage training schedules and tournament entries. This 2001 life-sim spin-off was originally released on November 29, 2001, and is part of a series where players can create monsters using text passwords and then raise them throughout the game by handling training activities, managing schedules, and entering tournaments.
Alongside it, SNK’s Metal Slug Advance adapts the classic run-and-gun arcade action for handheld play. Originally released on November 30, 2004, and developed by Noise Factory and published by SNK Playmore, the game follows new playable characters Walter Ryan and Tyra Elson. Unlike traditional arcade entries, this version trades the standard extra-life system for a health gauge and includes a collection of 100 cards that provide gameplay bonuses.
Kururin Paradise Arrives
The addition of Kururin Paradise, an Eighting-developed puzzle game published by Nintendo in 2002, allows players to experience the title. As the sequel to Kuru Kuru Kururin, the title challenges players to guide a constantly rotating aircraft through narrow corridors while rescuing family members. Guiding a perpetually revolving aircraft through mazes, Kururin is directed by the player to rescue relatives whom he believes were taken away by traveling magicians.
While a North American release was originally planned and shown at E3 in 2002, the localization was later canceled. The update introduces alternate paths unlocked via hidden keys and built-in single-player and multiplayer minigames.
Accessing the Expansion Pack Library on Switch and Switch 2
Players can find all three titles by opening the Game Boy Advance – Nintendo Classics application on their console after performing a quick update. Beyond the handheld library, the $49.99 annual subscription includes access to Nintendo 64, SEGA Genesis, and Virtual Boy libraries, while subscribers playing on Nintendo Switch 2 gain access to a separate selection of GameCube titles. Nintendo Switch 2 users additionally get to enjoy a lineup of distinct Nintendo GameCube titles, featuring F-ZERO GX, The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker, SoulCalibur 2, Super Mario Strikers, Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness, Super Mario Sunshine, Luigi’s Mansion, and Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance.
For households looking to share the cost, a Family Membership supports up to eight users for about $10 per person annually, covering the full suite of classic apps and features like rewind functionality.
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