Nintendo Switch Online continues to expand its library of classic games, giving subscribers more reasons to revisit some of the most memorable titles from older consoles. However, its latest Game Boy Advance additions have also highlighted a notable omission. Monster Rancher Advance, which arrived on the service on October 14, 2026, brings another monster-raising experience to Nintendo’s retro library, making the absence of the classic mainline Pokemon games increasingly difficult to overlook.
The timing is particularly interesting because Monster Rancher Advance offers an experience that should appeal to many of the same players who grew up with Nintendo’s monster-collecting franchise. While the two series have their own identities, both tap into the appeal of raising creatures and developing them over time. Nintendo has shown a willingness to preserve games built around that concept, yet several of the most recognizable GBA entries in the Pokemon franchise remain unavailable through its subscription service.
Monster Rancher Advance Makes Pokemon’s Absence More Noticeable
The arrival of Monster Rancher Advance is a welcome addition for fans of the series, but it also draws attention to a gap in Nintendo Switch Online’s GBA collection. Originally released in 2001, the game comes from an era when handheld titles offered plenty of opportunities to build teams, raise creatures, and work toward stronger competitors. Its inclusion gives modern players another way to experience that period of gaming without tracking down original hardware and cartridges.
However, the game’s reception makes the decision more interesting. IGN awarded Monster Rancher Advance a score of 6.5, suggesting that its inclusion is not necessarily a case of Nintendo prioritizing a universally acclaimed classic. Of course, that score alone does not determine whether a game deserves preservation, and reviews are only one measure of a title’s lasting appeal. Still, the addition shows that Nintendo Switch Online can make room for a relatively niche entry from a recognizable franchise, raising questions about why several much more prominent Pokemon games have yet to receive similar treatment.
The Classic Pokemon Games Are Still Missing
The Game Boy Advance era was an important period for Pokemon, producing several entries that remain popular with longtime fans. Pokemon Ruby and Pokemon Sapphire introduced players to the Hoenn region, while Pokemon Emerald expanded on those adventures. Meanwhile, Pokemon FireRed and Pokemon LeafGreen offered updated versions of the original Kanto journeys. Together, these games represent a substantial part of the franchise’s handheld history, and their absence leaves a noticeable hole in the GBA library.
Nintendo Switch Online does include Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team, so it would be inaccurate to say the service has no GBA Pokemon games whatsoever. However, the spin-off does not replace the experience of playing the mainline adventures. Those games feature different regions, collectible creatures, progression systems, and stories that many players would like to revisit on modern hardware. Their continued absence is particularly frustrating for subscribers who already pay for access to Nintendo’s growing collection of retro titles and would welcome a convenient way to play these older releases.
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Nintendo Switch Online Has Room for More Than the Biggest Hits
There is a reasonable argument for Nintendo to use its subscription library to preserve games that might otherwise be difficult to access. The appeal of a retro catalog is not limited to its biggest names. Lesser-known releases can benefit from renewed exposure, and adding a game such as Monster Rancher Advance gives players an opportunity to discover a series they might have missed during the GBA’s original lifespan. The same principle applies to other recent additions, including Metal Slug Advance and Kururin Paradise.
Nevertheless, the presence of these games makes the lack of classic Pokemon entries harder to explain away as a simple matter of space or variety. Nintendo is willing to add titles from different genres and franchises, including games with more modest critical receptions. That does not mean every omission is deliberate, nor does it establish why particular games have not been added. Licensing arrangements, release priorities, and other practical considerations can complicate decisions about older software. Even so, the expanding catalog makes it reasonable for subscribers to expect Nintendo to address some of its most conspicuous gaps.
Bringing Back Pokemon’s GBA Era Would Be a Major Win
Adding the classic GBA Pokemon games would offer more than a convenient dose of nostalgia. It would give longtime fans a straightforward way to revisit adventures that helped define the franchise, while introducing newer players to an important part of its history. The original releases also have their own appeal, separate from later remakes and re-releases like Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, making preservation on Nintendo’s subscription service a worthwhile prospect.
For now, Monster Rancher Advance serves as a reminder of what Nintendo Switch Online can offer when it reaches beyond the most obvious classics. Its addition is good news for fans of monster-raising games, even if it does not satisfy everyone looking for a particular GBA experience. But as the library continues to grow, the absence of Pokemon Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, FireRed, and LeafGreen becomes increasingly difficult to ignore. Nintendo does not need to add every classic immediately, but these five games would be a natural fit for a service built around revisiting the company’s handheld legacy.
- Released
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November 29, 2001
- ESRB
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E // Comic Mischief
- Developer(s)
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Tecmo
- Publisher(s)
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Tecmo
- Multiplayer
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Local Multiplayer
