Starting September 25, Klonoa: Empire of Dreams and Mr. Driller 2 will expand the Nintendo Switch’s Game Boy Advance (GBA) library, introducing third-party titles to the GBA app for the first time.
Klonoa: Empire of Dreams, the fourth entry in the Klonoa series, follows the PS1 and PS2 mainline games and a Bandai WonderSwan spin-off. Set between the events of Klonoa and Klonoa 2, this side-scrolling platformer features Klonoa wielding his Wind Ring to grab and hurl large enemies as weapons. With the 2022 Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series remaster (available on Switch and other platforms) covering the first two games, Empire of Dreams bridges their stories for players.
Mr. Driller 2, a GBA adaptation of Namco’s 2000 arcade title, tasks players with digging underground by clearing colored blocks while maintaining oxygen levels. Clearing one block eliminates all connected blocks of the same color, but reckless moves can cause blocks to collapse, crushing the player.
These additions increase the Switch GBA library to 30 titles, with 27 available in the West. Japan-exclusive games (Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade, Mother 3, and Magical Vacation) remain untranslated due to their extensive Japanese text.
Access to NES, SNES, Game Boy, and Game Boy Color games comes with the standard Switch Online subscription ($19.99 / £17.99 / €19.99 for 12 months). However, GBA games, along with GameCube (on Switch 2), Mega Drive/Genesis, and Nintendo 64 titles, require the Switch Online + Expansion Pack ($49.99 / £34.99 / €39.99).
More Stories
Wizards of the Coast unveils a first look at Exodus combat and exploration gameplay
A Cyberpunk 2077-based card game raised nearly $8 million on Kickstarter within just a few hours
Resident Evil Requiem sets record-breaking sales pace for Capcom