Metroid Fusion is now available on Nintendo Switch

One of the best games in Nintendo‘s cult-favourite Metroid franchise is officially making its debut on Nintendo Switch. Metroid Fusion for Game Boy Advance will be made available to players subscribed to the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack service on 9 March 2023.

Update 9 March 2023: Metroid Fusion is now available. The original story follows below.

Though every Metroid game carries an argument for being one of the best, Metroid Fusion is notable for being developed by much of the original team that created Super Metroid for Super Nintendo. Super Metroid is highly regarded, and cited as the original game that began to popularise what’s now commonly referred to as the ‘Metroidvania’ genre – which makes reference to the subsequent adoption of Metroid’s 2D exploration game design by Konami’s Castlevania series soon after.

Read: Every Game Boy Advance game we want on Nintendo Switch

Fusion was originally released in 2002, and simultaneously with Metroid Prime, the series’ first and critically-acclaimed foray into the first-person genre. Coincidentally, Metroid Prime Remastered was released in February 2023. The two original games could communicate with one another to unlock additional content.

The announcement of Metroid Fusion comes a month after the February 2023 Nintendo Direct, where the company launched both Metroid Prime Remastered, as well as the ability to access and play a small library of Game Boy and Game Boy Advance games, via the Nintendo Switch Online service.

Like the existing console libraries on the subscription service – which include the Nintendo 64, Sega Genesis, Super Nintendo, and Nintendo Entertainment System – it appears that the company will slowly add more titles over time, likely one a month. Metroid Fusion is the first additional Game Boy Advance game to be added.

The Game Boy Advance games currently available on the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack service include:

• Super Mario Advance 4
• WarioWare Inc: Mega Microgames
• Kuru Kuru Kururin
• Mario Kart: Super Circuit
• Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
• The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap

Following the release of Metroid Fusion, we can also expect to see Kirby and the Amazing Mirror, Fire Emblem, F-Zero: Maximum Sun, and Golden Sun in future.

Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscriptions cost USD $50 / AUD $60 for a 12-month period.