Surprise! Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones has now been added to the Nintendo Switch Online library, offering fans a chance to revisit or discover this classic. Originally released on the Game Boy Advance in 2004, and arriving in the West in 2005, this game follows the story of twin heirs, Eirika and Ephraim, as they strive to liberate their kingdom of Renais and unravel the mystery behind their former ally's betrayal.
For many, this marks the first opportunity to experience The Sacred Stones. Released 20 years ago, it was only the second Fire Emblem game to make it outside Japan and the last to be developed for the GBA. Back in 2005, we gave Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones an impressive score of 8.5/10, praising it for building on the foundation laid by the original Fire Emblem. We noted: "Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones is to the original Fire Emblem just as Advance Wars 2 was to the original Advance Wars. It's only a letdown in the sense that all this game really offers is an entirely different storyline on top of the pre-existing gameplay built for the GBA Fire Emblem released in 2003."
Nintendo Switch Online is a subscription service that enhances your Nintendo Switch experience. It provides online multiplayer capabilities for connecting with friends, and a rich catalog of classic games from the NES, SNES, Game Boy, Nintendo 64, and soon, with the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2, the new GameCube libraries. New users can explore the service with a free seven-day trial.
Speaking of the much-anticipated Nintendo Switch 2, its release was initially planned for June 5, 2025, with a starting price of $449.99. However, due to delays in the Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order date caused by import tariffs and financial market fluctuations, pre-orders are now set to open on April 24, 2025, maintaining the same price point.
If you're eager to get your hands on the Nintendo Switch 2, you can register your interest with Nintendo. Pre-order invitations will be distributed via email on a first-come, first-served basis, giving priority to those with a 12-month Nintendo Switch Online membership and at least 50 hours of gameplay logged by April 2, 2025.
