Nintendo is expanding its retro catalog again, this time with Wario Land 4 arriving on the Game Boy Advance app for Nintendo Switch Online subscribers. The 2001 platformer is one of the GBA era’s most beloved oddballs, known for its snappy movement, expressive animation, and a structure that flips the usual “get to the end” formula on its head.
### A cult-classic GBA platformer returns
Originally released for the Game Boy Advance, Wario Land 4 puts Nintendo’s greedy anti-hero back in the spotlight on a treasure-hunting spree. Unlike the Mario games Wario once spun off from, this series leans into puzzle-platforming, momentum-based traversal, and stage gimmicks that reward experimentation.
The big hook is the game’s two-phase level design: you explore at your own pace to collect treasure and activate switches, then you trigger an escape sequence that turns the same stage into a timed dash back to the start. It’s a simple twist, but it makes each level feel like a mini heist—plan, loot, then run.
### Where it fits in Nintendo’s subscription strategy
Nintendo Switch Online’s expansion offerings have increasingly leaned on “anchor” additions—recognizable, high-quality classics that keep the library feeling active rather than purely archival. Wario Land 4 is a smart get for the GBA app because it’s both accessible to newcomers and nostalgia-rich for longtime Nintendo fans.
It also helps broaden the service’s identity beyond the usual headliners. Nintendo has no shortage of Mario and Zelda in its back catalog, but deeper cuts like Wario Land 4 highlight the company’s weirder, more experimental side—something players regularly ask for when discussing the value of the subscription.
### Why this matters for players
For subscribers, it’s another strong single-player game that still feels great in short sessions—perfect for handheld play. More broadly, each notable GBA drop strengthens the case that Nintendo wants Switch Online to function as an evergreen library, not just a perk, especially as players look ahead to what Nintendo’s next hardware cycle might bring.
Source: |
Source: Read the full article here