In the latest look at retro game offerings on the Nintendo Switch, Iāve opted to take a different approach. You see, there arenāt quite so many distinct Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS ports on the Switch as some other consoles. I know, it surprised me too! So theyāre going to be sharing a list, much like how they shared a few years on retail shelves. While you can find plenty of great games from the Game Boy Advance in the Nintendo Switch Online app, weāre instead looking at those games that dare to exist in the wilds of the Switch eShop. Weāve got ten of our favorites here, four from the Game Boy Advance and six from the Nintendo DS. No particular order, of course. On with the show!
Weāll start off with a decent little shoot āem up, Steel Empire. While the original Genesis/Mega Drive version is the better game in my opinion, this isnāt a bad take at all. Worth playing just to compare with the other version, and itās certainly a breezier experience in some ways. Steel Empire is a pretty cool game no matter how you play it, and itās one that even those who donāt normally get into shooters tend to enjoy.
While the Mega Man X series started to flounder on home consoles, the true successor to the Mega Man crown was rising up on the Game Boy Advance. Mega Man Zero is the start of an excellent series of side-scrolling action games, and one that perhaps didnāt figure out how to present what it wanted to do in the smoothest way. Those rough edges would get sanded off as the series went on, but the first game is where you want to start. Feel free to continue on from there.
Yes, Iām double-dipping on Mega Man here. But I think itās warranted here, because Mega Man Zero and Mega Man Battle Network are very different kinds of games, and both are very good at what they do. This one is an RPG with a unique battle system that manages to incorporate a bit of action to go with the more strategic elements. The core concept of this whole virtual world existing inside of electronic devices is a clever one, and the game doesnāt do things halfway with it. The returns diminished harder on this series than they did with Zero, but thereās plenty of fun to be had here.
Another collection where youāll probably just want to run the whole board, but if I have to pick one best one itās clearly Aria of Sorrow. When Iām in the right mood, Iād rather play this than even the amazing Symphony of the Night. The soul collecting system encourages grinding, and the gameplay is so fun that I donāt even mind that. Throw in an unusual setting and some fun secrets and youāve got a real winner here. One of my favorite third-party Game Boy Advance games full-stop.
The original Shantae was something of a cult hit, but the low distribution numbers meant that relatively few people had a chance to play it. It was with the DSiWare release of Shantae: Riskyās Revenge that the Half-Genie Hero had a chance to make a bigger splash, and she certainly did that. Indeed, this established Shantae so well that she hasnāt missed a console generation since. This game kind of sits on a fuzzy line since it was sort of built from the ashes of a Game Boy Advance game that never released. Curiously, that game will be getting a release soon and might fit this list when it does.
Look, if youāre really bothered about the lists being imbalanced, you could (and maybe should) count this as a Game Boy Advance game. That is the console where it originated after all, it just wasnāt localized at that time. Anyway, you probably know Ace Attorney. Fun adventure games that blend on-location investigations with overly dramatic court scenes. Goofy humor, but rather good stories. This first game completely knocks it out of the park, and while I might prefer later installments I wouldnāt be able to argue against anyone who said this was the best.
From the creator of Ace Attorney, Ghost Trick is just as well-written but has its own cool gameplay hook. Youāre a ghost and need to use your abilities to save people, all with an eye to figuring out the truth behind your own untimely demise. This game is a complete wild ride and I recommend everyone play it from start to finish. It was a bit slept on in its original Nintendo DS form, and Iām glad to see Capcom hasnāt given up on it. Reward them for their tenacity.
The World Ends With You is, quite frankly, one of the top games on the Nintendo DS. Ideally, itās the place where you should play the game. Itās just so tightly built around that hardware and its capabilities that none of the ports have been able to get just right. Still, time marches on. The Switch version of this game will do just fine if you donāt want to dig up a working Nintendo DS, and you really should play it somewhere. Why not here? A great game in just about every possible way.
The Castlevania Dominus Collection just released not long ago, and it collects all of the Nintendo DS Castlevania games. This is another case where all of the games are worth playing, and Iām picking Dawn of Sorrow simply because having its gimmicky touch controls replaced with more fitting button controls makes for a significant improvement. But really, play all three of the Nintendo DS games in this collection. Theyāre all great in their own ways.
This is another franchise that in some ways canāt exist easily outside of the DS/3DS ecosystem. But Atlus made a good attempt here, and I think the results are playable enough. Each of the Etrian Odyssey games stands alone, and theyāre all pretty substantial RPGs. Etrian Odyssey III is the largest of the three, and while itās more than a little wooly, itās well-worth sinking your teeth into.
And thatās the list, friends. Are there any Game Boy Advance or Nintendo DS games you enjoy on the Switch? Feel free to sound off down in the comments and let us know what youāre thinking! Itās always interesting to hear the opinions of others on this kind of thing. As always, thanks for reading!
Game Boy Advance
Steel Empire (2004) ā Over Horizon X Steel Empire ($14.99)
Weāll start off with a decent little shoot āem up, Steel Empire. While the original Genesis/Mega Drive version is the better game in my opinion, this isnāt a bad take at all. Worth playing just to compare with the other version, and itās certainly a breezier experience in some ways. Steel Empire is a pretty cool game no matter how you play it, and itās one that even those who donāt normally get into shooters tend to enjoy.
Mega Man Zero ā Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection ($29.99)
While the Mega Man X series started to flounder on home consoles, the true successor to the Mega Man crown was rising up on the Game Boy Advance. Mega Man Zero is the start of an excellent series of side-scrolling action games, and one that perhaps didnāt figure out how to present what it wanted to do in the smoothest way. Those rough edges would get sanded off as the series went on, but the first game is where you want to start. Feel free to continue on from there.
Mega Man Battle Network ā Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection ($59.99)
Yes, Iām double-dipping on Mega Man here. But I think itās warranted here, because Mega Man Zero and Mega Man Battle Network are very different kinds of games, and both are very good at what they do. This one is an RPG with a unique battle system that manages to incorporate a bit of action to go with the more strategic elements. The core concept of this whole virtual world existing inside of electronic devices is a clever one, and the game doesnāt do things halfway with it. The returns diminished harder on this series than they did with Zero, but thereās plenty of fun to be had here.
Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow ā Castlevania Advance Collection ($19.99)
Another collection where youāll probably just want to run the whole board, but if I have to pick one best one itās clearly Aria of Sorrow. When Iām in the right mood, Iād rather play this than even the amazing Symphony of the Night. The soul collecting system encourages grinding, and the gameplay is so fun that I donāt even mind that. Throw in an unusual setting and some fun secrets and youāve got a real winner here. One of my favorite third-party Game Boy Advance games full-stop.
Nintendo DS
Shantae: Riskyās Revenge ā Directorās Cut ($9.99)
The original Shantae was something of a cult hit, but the low distribution numbers meant that relatively few people had a chance to play it. It was with the DSiWare release of Shantae: Riskyās Revenge that the Half-Genie Hero had a chance to make a bigger splash, and she certainly did that. Indeed, this established Shantae so well that she hasnāt missed a console generation since. This game kind of sits on a fuzzy line since it was sort of built from the ashes of a Game Boy Advance game that never released. Curiously, that game will be getting a release soon and might fit this list when it does.
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney ā Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy ($29.99)
Look, if youāre really bothered about the lists being imbalanced, you could (and maybe should) count this as a Game Boy Advance game. That is the console where it originated after all, it just wasnāt localized at that time. Anyway, you probably know Ace Attorney. Fun adventure games that blend on-location investigations with overly dramatic court scenes. Goofy humor, but rather good stories. This first game completely knocks it out of the park, and while I might prefer later installments I wouldnāt be able to argue against anyone who said this was the best.
Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective ($29.99)
From the creator of Ace Attorney, Ghost Trick is just as well-written but has its own cool gameplay hook. Youāre a ghost and need to use your abilities to save people, all with an eye to figuring out the truth behind your own untimely demise. This game is a complete wild ride and I recommend everyone play it from start to finish. It was a bit slept on in its original Nintendo DS form, and Iām glad to see Capcom hasnāt given up on it. Reward them for their tenacity.
The World Ends With You: Final Remix ($49.99)
The World Ends With You is, quite frankly, one of the top games on the Nintendo DS. Ideally, itās the place where you should play the game. Itās just so tightly built around that hardware and its capabilities that none of the ports have been able to get just right. Still, time marches on. The Switch version of this game will do just fine if you donāt want to dig up a working Nintendo DS, and you really should play it somewhere. Why not here? A great game in just about every possible way.
Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow ā Castlevania Dominus Collection ($24.99)
The Castlevania Dominus Collection just released not long ago, and it collects all of the Nintendo DS Castlevania games. This is another case where all of the games are worth playing, and Iām picking Dawn of Sorrow simply because having its gimmicky touch controls replaced with more fitting button controls makes for a significant improvement. But really, play all three of the Nintendo DS games in this collection. Theyāre all great in their own ways.
Etrian Odyssey III HD ā Etrian Odyssey Origins Collection ($79.99)
This is another franchise that in some ways canāt exist easily outside of the DS/3DS ecosystem. But Atlus made a good attempt here, and I think the results are playable enough. Each of the Etrian Odyssey games stands alone, and theyāre all pretty substantial RPGs. Etrian Odyssey III is the largest of the three, and while itās more than a little wooly, itās well-worth sinking your teeth into.
And thatās the list, friends. Are there any Game Boy Advance or Nintendo DS games you enjoy on the Switch? Feel free to sound off down in the comments and let us know what youāre thinking! Itās always interesting to hear the opinions of others on this kind of thing. As always, thanks for reading!
![[DK]](/data/avatars/s/57/57999.jpg?1720990206){kind=avatar}
