Nintendo Switch Online finally lets Nintendo’s adorable Starfy shine on the world’s stage

polygon.com:

Nintendo Switch Online members who have upgraded to the subscription service’s premium Expansion Pack tier now have access to three Game Boy Advance games previously released only in Japan: Densetsu no Starfy, Densetsu no Starfy 2, and Densetsu no Starfy 3.

While Starfy has been the, uh, star of five games spanning the GBA and Nintendo DS eras, only one of his games — 2008’s The Legendary Starfy for DS — had been released outside of Japan until now. Starfy’s creators at developer Tose have said that Nintendo of America had at one point deemed the series “too Japanese” for Western audiences; some Nintendo Switch Online subscribers may agree when faced with the game’s dialogue, which is preserved in its native Japanese.

But the trio of Densetsu no Starfy GBA games is undeniably a boon for the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack service, giving Switch owners an opportunity to experience games they may have never played before. The Starfy games are adorable platformers, with an emphasis on swimming and special abilities. Densetsu no Starfy 3 brings a new playable character to the fore, Starfy’s sister Starly, and features a cameo from Wario.

The arrival of Starfy’s GBA trilogy follows the recent release of another Japan-only rarity on Nintendo Switch Online: 1986’s The Mystery of Atlantis, an NES platformer and maze game from Sunsoft. Mother 3, however? That’s still stuck in Japan.

Nintendo Switch Online costs $19.99 annually, and in addition to online multiplayer access, the service gives Switch owners a library of games from the original NES, Super NES, and Game Boy. Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack is the premium upgrade to Nintendo’s online subscription service, and offers a variety of expansions and downloadable content and access to a library of Game Boy Advance, Nintendo 64, and Sega Genesis games. Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack costs $49.99 annually for an individual user, and $79.99 annually for a family plan (for up to eight users).