Nintendo has released one additional game for the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack’s Nintendo GameCube – Nintendo Classics app. Let’s have a look!
Here’s what I thought of this game:
Nintendo GameCube – Nintendo Classics
| Game | Genre | # of Players | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance | Turn-Based Strategy-RPG | 1 | B |
tl;drFire Emblem: Path of Radiance is this series’ first 3D game, and while it’s a solid entry in the franchise, I think it lacks the retro charm of the Game Boy Advance games and the more nuanced gameplay of later entries in the series. However, if you enjoy Strategy-RPG games, this is absolutely well worth playing. | |||
Regular readers may have noticed, this is the lowest score I’ve given a Fire Emblem game, apart from the utterly archaic dated modern release of Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light. So what gives?
Simply put, I think the Game Boy Advance games that preceded Path of Radiance benefit from their straightforward simplicity and retro pixel art charm, while the newer games have a lot more nuance in their gameplay. Path of Radiance is unfortunately stuck between the two, not really having either of these positive qualities going for it.
However, that’s not to say it’s a bad game – this is still a solid, well-made Turn-Based Strategy-RPG, and it even touts some interesting features, such as its shapeshifting “Laguz” units.
There is one other noteworthy thing about this release – this is the first time Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance has been made available outside of its original release on GameCube, and copies of that release are notoriously one of the more expensive GameCube games in 2026, with used copies currently selling anywhere from $220 to $250. If you’re a Nintendo Switch 2 owner and fan of the Fire Emblem games, this is a rare opportunity to play an entry in the franchise that would otherwise be absurdly pricey to get ahold of.
In any case, this is a solid game, and a good addition to the GameCube app. This is a welcome addition to Nintendo Switch Online.
tl;dr – The Nintendo GameCube app on Nintendo Switch 2 gets Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance, the first 3D entry in Nintendo’s Turn-Based Strategy-RPG series. I think this game is dated compared to newer entries in the series, and lacks the retro charm of the Game Boy Advance Fire Emblem games, but this is nevertheless a solid Strategy-RPG, and one that’s hard to come by outside of this release, so it’s a very welcome addition to the GameCube app.
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