Fire Emblem Surprise Drops on Switch Online
Exciting news! Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones is now available in the Nintendo Switch Online game library.
First launched on Game Boy Advance in 2004, this tactical RPG reached Western markets in 2005. The story follows twin royals Eirika and Ephraim as they reclaim their kingdom of Renais while unraveling the mystery behind a trusted ally's betrayal.
For many players, this marks their first chance to experience The Sacred Stones - not only was it originally released two decades ago, but it was only the second Fire Emblem title localized for Western audiences and the franchise's final GBA installment.
In our 2005 review, we gave Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones an 8.5/10, praising it as: "The perfect evolution of its predecessor, similar to Advance Wars 2's improvement over the original. While maintaining the core gameplay from 2003's GBA Fire Emblem, it delivers an entirely new narrative experience."
Nintendo Switch Online is the subscription service for Nintendo's hybrid console, offering multiplayer capabilities and access to classic games from NES, SNES, Game Boy, Nintendo 64, and (upon the Nintendo Switch 2 launch) GameCube titles. A 7-day free trial is available.
Regarding Nintendo's next console: The Nintendo Switch 2's planned June 5, 2025 release faced a brief delay in the US due to trade policy changes affecting import tariffs. Pre-orders now begin April 24, maintaining the $449.99 launch price.
Interested buyers can sign up via Nintendo for purchase notifications. Priority access will go to Nintendo Switch Online members with 12-month subscriptions and 50+ gameplay hours recorded by April 2, 2025.
