This is Nintendo Switch Online Review Crew, a show dedicated to going back in time to see what critics said about retro games when they first came out. Every week, we flip through the pages of Electronic Gaming Monthly, Computer & Video Games, Next Generation and dozens of classic magazines from all around the world, some of which even have a ridiculous one-thousand-point scale. But what happens when Nintendo announces new games, but there are no reviews to talk about? That's the conundrum we're faced with this week, thanks to the addition of not one, but three Densetsu no Starfy games that were previously only available in Japan. With no reviews to talk about, what are we going to do? I guess that's what we're about to find out now with this very different episode of Nintendo Switch Online Review Crew.


The first thing you need to know about Starfy is that he's neither a star nor a fish. The second thing you need to know is that he rules, and his games are legitimate classics that should have been released in the U.S. and Europe a long, LONG time ago. These three Densetsu no Starfy games are among the very best platformers released on the Game Boy Advance, and it's so exciting that millions of Switch owners now have a chance to discover the brilliance of this series. I may be disappointed that we don't have a lot of reviews to talk about, but literally nobody should be disappointed by this Nintendo Switch Online announcement.

First conceived in the mid-1990s, Starfy was built around the instructions to make a “floaty platformer” for Nintendo's aging Game Boy. However, as the developers debated making the lead everything from a jellyfish to Mario in a bubble, production was switched over to the Game Boy Color. It really wasn't until 2002 when the game would show up, now on the Game Boy Advance. It introduced the world to a starry hero who is great on dry land and even better underwater. With a dash, jump and spin attack, Starfy isn't all that different from the other platformers to come out of the 1990s, but the water theme allowed the developers to come up with some truly creative level designs that felt wholly different from Mario, Donkey Kong or even Nintendo's other floaty platforming hero – Kirby.

Although not the deepest platformer you'll play, Starfy has more going on than you might expect. This first installment gives us vehicles to drive, cool extras to unlock and even a story full of characters you'll need to help. Best of all, the unique levels and gameplay allow for some truly inventive and fun boss fights. This really is a delightful game that gives you everything you want out of a Nintendo platformer, and if you're only learning about Starfy for the first time this week, you're in for a real treat.

Unfortunately, because Densetsu no Starfy is only now being released in the U.S. and Europe, there aren't any English-language reviews. About the closest we come is Famitsu giving it a 7.5 out of 10. It's a shame that we don't have more reviews to look at, but don't let that hold you back from experiencing Starfy. This is a good start to a great series.

While the original Densetsu no Starfy may have taken more than a half-dozen years to finally hit store shelves, the same was not true for the sequel. Released one year later, Densetsu no Starfy 2 gives you everything you want out of a sequel. It's substantially bigger, with way more stages, including multiple levels inside of each of those worlds. If the first game was a proof of concept for the hero, this sequel shows Starfy coming out kicking and punching ... and also wall jumping and a whole host of other new abilities.

With a bigger story and far more levels, this really does feel like a proper Starfy sequel. It takes everything that was great about the first game and just shoots for the stars. But not like Starfy, because, officially, he's neither a star nor a fish. That's important. This sequel also goes a long way to expand on Starfy's friendship with a clam named Moe, who has a shockingly depressing backstory. There's also Ogura, the villain of the last game who is back for revenge. Couple that with a brand-new selection of mini-games, a picture book and even the ability to dress up our little hero, and you have one of the best platformers on the Game Boy Advance.

Once again, there are no English-language reviews for this 2003 sequel. French magazine Total Cube gave the game a 15 out of 20. Wait ... their scale went to 20? Using a translator, they concluded that “exploration is carried out gradually and you regularly acquire new powers to restart the rhythm of the action. There's not much else to say, other than the game improves on every aspect of its predecessor. If you want good, classic platforming, look no further.”

You saw a similar score from another French gaming mag, Joypad, who gave it a 7 out of 10 Once again, using the power of a translator, Joypad complained that “the levels are not very large, the enemies offer little resistance and everything is perhaps too accessible. Enough to delight the little ones and lightly amuse others.”

Obviously, I like the game more than a 7 out of 10, but at least that scale makes sense. I'm still trying to wrap my head around a 15 out of 20. I just can't with these magazines.

While it's not the final game in the Starfy franchise, this third installment does feel like the ending of a trilogy. It takes everything that worked about the first two games and added to the formula, giving us a brand-new female character name Starly, who, much like her brother, is neither a star nor a fish. She comes with her own set of moves, including crawling through tight spaces and jumping off the walls. There are also new vehicles to drive and a lot of fun bosses to battle, a real highlight of this series.

If you're somehow still not sold on the Starfy series, then let me introduce you to world 8. That's when, out of nowhere, Wario shows up to turn this Starfy sequel into his own game. Every single stage in that world has something to do with Wario, often in fun and inventive ways. And even beyond that, there's a playfulness to the stage designs in this game. This really is the Starfy team at their absolute best, which is probably why this is often regarded as the best game in the entire series. Throw in multiplayer support and a surprisingly emotional story (complete with an absolutely perfect ending), and what you have is a fitting finale for this Game Boy Advance trilogy.

Sadly, you're just going to have to take my word for that. When Famitsu reviewed the game, they gave it an average of 7.75 out of 10, which is a little better than the 7.5 out of 10 they gave the original. Thankfully, Starfy has been uncovered and rediscovered multiple times since its 2004 launch, with Nintendo Life giving the game a perfect score of 10 out of 10 in 2009 and Time Extension calling it one of the “Best GBA Games of All Time” in 2023.

Look, I get it, this is not the type of Review Crew episode you're used to, but we work with what we have. Even if all of the reviews for this series are either French or Japanese, this summer is the perfect time to dive into Starfy series. It has inventive level designs, cool boss fights and more charm than it knows what to do with. This is Game Boy Advance trilogy is one of the coolest new additions to the Nintendo Switch Online.