The Nintendo Switch Game Everyone Wants Is Finally Out (But Only In Japan)

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The Nintendo Switch has been an exciting era for Nintendo exclusives, from new titles to the increasingly strong library of classics accessible through Nintendo Switch Online, but there's one gaping hole in availability that's been a source of fan frustration for years. and, respectively the second and first entries in the series, are both available through Nintendo Switch Online., however, has kept up its legacy of absence outside of Japan, leaving the trio painfully incomplete on the platform.

As noted by Nintendeal on X (formely Twitter0, the lack of a Switch release for is no longer a worldwide condition, with the Japanese edition of the February 21 Nintendo Direct revealing as a Nintendo Switch Online addition. It's not uncommon for there to be some differences between regional Directs, but this is a reveal that will rankle more than most. Although it's not surprising that it's come to the system in Japan, the fact that it's done so without a corresponding Western release is yet another indication that Nintendo still has no plans to take it global.

has a long history behind it, with a long period of development that was initially canceled before being reborn as a Game Boy Advance project. It ultimately released to critical acclaim in Japan, but despite years of fervent requests from fans, an official localization has never materialized. Impressively, it only took two years before a fan translation patch was made available for the game, which was met with a positive response and remains the only way to play the game in English.

There have never been many official details about why wasn't released outside of Japan, with the most concrete piece of information being former Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aimé's assertion to that it "." was originally a disappointment in North America, in part thanks to an unconventional advertising campaign that didn't convince many players to try it out, and the Game Boy Advance was late in its lifespan by the time that