The Best of GBA Games
Hey everyone!
I'm getting back into my old School Gameboy-ing
It started with the Gameboy Color Front-light mod and now onto the GBA System
I wanna hear what you guys think are the best of the best GBA games! and maybe even a brief why?
(Don't worry to be fair I'll write one too when I'm outta work, just snuck in to get this topic started!)
Woooo!
~John
Comments
Fantasic RTS. Sweet in it's simplicity.
Golden Sun
Awesome RPG. Really shows off some GBA power.
Gunstar Super Heroes
This game arguably uses the GBA to it's max. Awesome, Contra-like shooter.
Mega Man Battle Network
I've only played the first in the series, but I was impressed. Mega Man RPG with unique battle system.
The west's first look at the already giant series from Japan. The very best Turn Based Strategy RPG game. Also pick up the sequel to it, Sacred Stones.
While it isn't an RTS it is a Turn Based Strategy game that is fantastic. Definitely a great game. Also, pick up the sequel to this one too.
One of my favorite Metroid games, more story involved than others in the past.
Sabre Wulf-unknown and is probably my favorite advance game
Mario Golf: I'm not even huge into golf games or rpg's but I loved this games, a good combination of both. Level up your characters and have them drive further, ect. Very fun game.
Zelda Fourswords (for Link to the Past, if nothing else)
Final Fantasy Tactics Advance was fun
FF Dawn of Souls I enjoyed as my first FF title. Haven't gotten around to the original yet.
My Faves were:
Zelda, Lttp Port and Minish Cap (Im prolly a little biased on this one), The Castlevania games (Circle of the moon, etc..) and Metroid Zero and Fusion.
The FF Dawn of souls was a great port and Golden Sun.
Zelda: The Minish Cap (It's Zelda!)
Castlevania: Circle of the Moon/Aria of Sorrow (I love the direction they went with the castlevania games. I like the DS ones even more)
Metroid: Fusion and Metroid: Zero Mission
Super Mario Advance series
F-Zero
Mario Kart Super Circuit
Pinobee (people hate on it a lot, it's a launch title.. but I liked it)
Pokemon Emerald
Final Fantasy: Dawn of Souls
Final Fantasy 4
Final Fantasy 5
Final Fantasy 6
Golden Sun
Golden Sun 2
Phantasy Star Collection
Metroid Fusion
Metroid Zero Mission
Mega Man Zero (entire series)
Mario Advance (entire series)
Fire Emblem, because it's freaking Fire Emblem.
Golden Sun (both games). I'm a huge fan of this series and I think the first two are exceptionally great games, especially the second. Dark Dawn, while not for the GBA, is a good game, but doesn't hold a candle to the first two. The series has clever puzzles that you must solve by using Psynergy, as well as mystical creatures called Djinn that you must collect to power up your characters and unleash cool-looking summons. I could go on, but that's the gist of it.
Also Metal Gun Slinger is a nice action plataformer, if you're into japanese games.
Ninja Five-O is killer. But killer expensive too.
Mario Tennis is a gem.
And the wario ware games are excellent to kill time.
Tactics Ogre is another great game if you're into JStrategy Rpgs.
GBA is quite the machine. I'm probably forgeting some gems that weren't mentioned.
Another nod to Fire Emblem as well. Was one of the first games of that style that I actually enjoyed.
Metroid Zero Mission because it doesn't mess with the mechanics that worked with the first 3 metroid games. but adds a bit of extra content and lots of secret areas.
get one of the f-zero games just because they're good games and cheap
mario kart
golden sun series.
Advance wars
any of the pokemon games (unless you just can't stand the thought of playing a pokemon game.)
Astro Boy : Omega Factor. one of those great games that just went under the radar.
Metroid: Fusion
I love Metroid
Castlevania: Circle of the Moon (easily my favorite, closest feeling to old school Castlevania, main characters are generic and bosses are odd but love the enemies and the basic challenging gameplay, also has a great soundtrack with familiar tunes, my only gripe is that it takes too long to get enemies to drop items such as health which is much needed, lots of time spent on leveling up)
Metroid: Zero Mission (awesome revamp of original story, took getting used to quickness of controls but once I did I was enjoying this one, also loved the second part of the game with emphasis on stealth)
Metroid: Fusion (a very worthy sequel, also very different kind of story with the whole X parasite thing)
Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow (don't own this one yet, but played on emulator, loved it, was one of the reasons for me wanting to start getting GBA games, and it didn't bother me much with the totally different story, also like being able to gain enemy powers, very balanced gameplay, likable cast)
Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance (this one is too much like Symphony of the Night, character looks too much like Alucard, also game was too big and confusing at first, but I like all of the interactivity with the many puzzles, probably my favorite part about it, also tons of cool bosses, but while game is more challenging than SotN, you can still dash through much of it without much effort, music is catchy but grainy sounding, graphics are okay but don't like art style, also story is typical)
Shaman King: Master of Spirits (fun Castlevania type action platformer, can gain some enemy powers, gameplay is very balanced with challenging stages, characters are strange but cool, music is very good, feels much like an SNES game)
Shaman King: Master of Spirits 2 (see first game, much the same with a little bit more)
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga (a surprise for me, wasn't sure on whether I'd get into this one or not, loved it the whole way through, it was fun and funny as well, nice humor and gameplay while similar to Mario RPG on the SNES I think this one was done much better, also looks and feels closer to how the platformers are, even so, its an RPG so I won't play it but once every several years or longer, but one time was enough to tell me its a keeper)
Kiry and the Amazing Mirror (great Kirby game, a whole sideview world to explore, very big, easy to get lost, very hard to find all items in the game, I had to map this one out, very challenging too)
F-Zero: GP Legend (Maximum Velocity was okay but somehow wasn't quite up to par with F-Zero on the SNES, GP Legend felt much closer to the original, offered more challenges and a huge roster of racers, played this one a ton when I first got it, mostly with trying to get all of the gold cups for the Zero Tests)
Superstar Saga is the best of the M&L series in my opinion, with Bowser's Inside Story being second. I've played the former countless times; the first year I played it, I beat it like three times. Because of that, I'm kinda sick of it for the time being.
2)Mario Kart .... had to play last ghost house on the GBA Player on Gamecube ..... because I couldn't make out all holes in the walls and kept falling off the track.
3-9)most of the Classic NES carts Zelda , Metroid , Excite Bike , Ice Climber , Castlevania, Dr Mario and Super Mario Bros were goo to have also
All the Castlevania games - It's Castlevania! =D
Mega Man Battle Network 1-3 - Nice spin on the franchise
Metroid Fusion and Zero Mission - Greatness
All the Legend of Zelda games - Awesomeness
All of the NES classic series minus Xevious - I wish they would have made more games for the classic series line.
Final Fantasy Dawn of Souls - playing upgraded versions of both classic games is a win in my book
Well, since all the top titles have been listed, as usual I will try to make some mediocre GBA titles seem great!
Sega Arcade Gallery: GBA renditions of Space Harrier, OutRun, and Hang-On, all in one pack! They are not arcade-perfect, but they all play and sound great. I really like the quirks found in these versions when sat next to some of the near perfect ports found on the Saturn. They are certainly respectable renditions and are great for on-the-go action.
Iridion II: A fantastic vertical shoot 'em up. It has some great graphical effects, as well as some top-notch tunes. I especially love the title screen where you can change the rhythyms and patterns of the instruments playing for the main theme. Of course, the gameplay is enjoyable as well, a must for shmups, obviously. To be honest, I was disappointed with the direction they took in the Nanostray series and feel this is the best formula in the overarching Iridion/Nanostray series.
Altered Beast (Defender of the Realm? I don't remember): An all new game, not a port of the arcade game. It actually does a really good job capturing the same basic gameplay of the original, while lengthening the game quite a bit. It's not AAA quality here, for sure, but if you remotely enjoyed the original Sega Altered Beast, you will more than likely enjoy this one.
Sonic Advance (sorry for listing all these Sega games, haha): Probably my favorite Sonic game in the last ten years or so (likewise with the port to the N-Gage). It's a solid Sonic title in its own right, where you can either blaze your way through the stages, or take your time by exploring and finding secrets and hidden bonus rounds. Also, having the variety of characters with their own abilities makes for some fun and interesting replayability.
Didn't see Konami Krazy Racers mentioned here, I liked thad one.
Also Metal Gun Slinger is a nice action plataformer, if you're into japanese games.
Ninja Five-O is killer. But killer expensive too.
Mario Tennis is a gem.
And the wario ware games are excellent to kill time.
Tactics Ogre is another great game if you're into JStrategy Rpgs.
GBA is quite the machine. I'm probably forgeting some gems that weren't mentioned.
I second the Knight of Lodis here, on the GBA they made some small changes that made for a HUGE improvement over the ps1 Tactics Ogre (namely having a pooled inventory for healing items and not having to spend a stupid amount of time in training mode).