Skip to main content GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+ The Games, Movies, TV & Comics You Love Search GamesRadar+ View Profile Xbox Series X Nintendo Switch Nintendo Switch 2 Tabletop Gaming Toys & Collectibles Retro Gamer Newsletters Total Film Gaming Magazines Why subscribe? Subscribe from just £3 Takes you closer to the games, movies and TV you love Try a single issue or save on a subscription Issues delivered straight to your door or device From£9.99View Upcoming Switch 2 games Mario Kart World Donkey Kong Bananza The Duskbloods Strategy Games One of the best Fire Emblem games has been added to the pricey version of Nintendo Switch Online, bringing back an official way to play if you missed out on the Wii U release Catherine Lewis 22 April 2025 Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones is back on current hardware When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. (Image credit: Intelligent Systems) One of the best Fire Emblem games just got added to the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack service, finally bringing back an official way to play it after the previous go-to option disappeared along with the death of the Wii U eShop. Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones first released in 2004, and while it's the eighth installment in the tactical RPG series, it was only the second one to be released outside of Japan. It's a fan favorite to this day, with a likeable cast of characters including the two blue-haired protagonists, royal twins Eirika and Ephraim, and as one of the more forgiving Fire Emblem titles, it's one of the best games for beginners to the series. However, it's become very difficult to play via official means. Back in 2011, The Sacred Stones was offered for free as part of the 3DS Ambassador Program, for anyone who bought a 3DS in its first few months before its price drop, but wasn't made widely available until 2014 (or 2015 outside of Japan) when it arrived on the Wii U as a Virtual Console release. You may like I played The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker on Nintendo Switch 2, but it's a bittersweet reminder that we're not getting the game at its best GameCube classics finally arrive on Switch 2, including absolute hits like Zelda: The Wind Waker and cult classic collector's items like Pokemon XD and Chibi-Robo Fire Emblem™: The Sacred Stones – Game Boy Advance – Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack - YouTube Any early 3DS owners or those who grabbed the game on Wii U before the eShop shut down at the end of March 2023 are still able to play it on their respective previous-gen consoles, of course. However, if you missed out, then unless you're willing to jump onto eBay to grab a copy (which, as you'd expect, is getting increasingly more expensive, especially when boxed), you're probably out of luck. Or at least, that was the case before today. As a Game Boy Advance game, Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones is only available via the more expensive, expanded version of Nintendo Switch Online, which also includes Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis games. Even so, it's a welcome alternative compared to, well, pretty much no other official ways to play. For more games like Fire Emblem, be sure to check out our roundups of the best RPGs and best strategy games. Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. See more Nintendo Switch News Nintendo Switch Catherine Lewis Social Links Navigation News Writer I'm one of GamesRadar+'s news writers, who works alongside the rest of the news team to deliver cool gaming stories that we love. After spending more hours than I can count filling The University of Sheffield's student newspaper with Pokemon and indie game content, and picking up a degree in Journalism Studies, I started my career at GAMINGbible where I worked as a journalist for over a year and a half. I then became TechRadar Gaming's news writer, where I sourced stories and wrote about all sorts of intriguing topics. In my spare time, you're sure to find me on my Nintendo Switch or PS5 playing through story-driven RPGs like Xenoblade Chronicles and Persona 5 Royal, nuzlocking old Pokemon games, or going for a Victory Royale in Fortnite. You must confirm your public display name before commenting Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name. I played The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker on Nintendo Switch 2, but it's a bittersweet reminder that we're not getting the game at its best GameCube classics finally arrive on Switch 2, including absolute hits like Zelda: The Wind Waker and cult classic collector's items like Pokemon XD and Chibi-Robo The obscure SNES puzzler Nintendo originally distributed via satellite broadcast has just been released outside of Japan for the first time on Nintendo Switch Online Forget Pokemon Red and Blue, Nintendo's finally brought the secret best Game Boy game to Switch: an expanded version of Donkey Kong with 2425% more levels The best free Switch games to play right now My favorite Pokemon game has been trapped on one console for 15 years, and I desperately need Nintendo to let more people play it Latest in Strategy Games One of the best Fire Emblem games has been added to the pricey version of Nintendo Switch Online, bringing back an official way to play if you missed out on the Wii U release Star Wars Zero Company is inspired by the best parts of every era: Andor's "political intrigue," Rogue One's grit, and the OG trilogy's "mythic pulp adventure" Respawn and XCOM veterans' new strategy game Star Wars Zero Company looks like Fire Emblem: Clone Wars Edition, and it's coming to PC, PS5, and Xbox in 2026 XCOM veterans' Star Wars: Zero Company revealed 5 days early as "a single-player turn-based tactics game" with clone troopers and Mandalorians Warhammer's most overlooked strategy game was a "huge touchpoint" for Civilization 7's all-new narratives The world's "largest PC strategy game" has a novel idea – what if it was OK for people to leave? 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