These are the first third-party titles for Game Boy Advance to land on the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack service.
Two new titles are joining the Game Boy Advance – Nintendo Classics app on the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion pack service this month. The games are Mr Driller 2 (2000) and Klonoa: Empire of Dreams (2001), both from Bandai Namco.
Significantly, to date only Nintendo-published games have been issued on the service. That makes these the first third-party GBA games on the Switch.
The synopsis for Klonoa: Empire of Dreams reads:
The ruler of a distant empire suffers from a serious case of sleepless nights. In his torment, Emperor Jillius passes a law forbidding his loyal subjects from ever dreaming again! One morning, our hero Klonoa and his friend Huepow find themselves in front of the emperor, charged with dreaming of adventure. As punishment for their crimes, they must defeat the four monsters that plague the lands. Play as Klonoa and take down enemies with the ever-trusty Wind Bullet. Solve puzzles and collect helpful items like stars as you jump your way through 40 incredible stages! Help Klonoa in his journey to redeem himself and find out just why dreams have become so taboo…
Meanwhile, Mr. Driller 2:
Join Susumu and Anna as a mysterious outbreak of Blocks threatens the world’s existence once more. Armed with a mighty drill, dig deep through multicolored blocks until you reach safety. Not all blocks will be breakable, so be careful that the blocks you break don’t cause others to fall on you or cut off your Air Supply! Scramble to grab air capsules for a recharge, and you’ll be just fine to reach your goal. How deep can you dig underground? Drill to your heart’s content in three modes: Mission Driller, Endless Driller, and Time Attack Driller!
New Game Boy Advance on Switch trailer
Both games are considered to be underrated, so are worth checking out when they land. Mr. Driller 2 and Klonoa: Empire of Dreams are playable with a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription from September 25, 2025.
And in case you missed it, Virtual Boy games are coming to Nintendo Switch, too.
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Christian Cawley is a writer and editor who covers consumer electronics, IT, and entertainment media. He has written for publications such as Computer Weekly, Linux Format, MakeUseOf.com, and Tech Radar.
He also produces podcasts, has a cigar box guitar, and of course, loves retro gaming.