Summary
Nintendo is a company that has always deliveredquality handheld consolesthat revolutionized the industry. While the original Game Boy was a technological marvel, the company managed to make another huge impact in 2001 when it released theGame Boy Advance. This new console was a big deal because it was capable of generating impressive 32-bit graphics on the go.
The Game Boy Advance is home to a huge catalog of incredible games of all genres, from its initial release in 2001 up to its discontinuation in 2008. Nintendo and many other companies released countless solid titles for this handheld, even after the more powerful and successful Nintendo DS was already out.
The launch year of the Game Boy Advance was filled to the brim with the usual suspects of a Nintendo handheld’s catalog, likeSuper Mario AdvanceorF-Zero: Maximum Velocity. But one of the most emblematic franchises of this console wouldn’t be released until August 2001, and that was the beloved first entry in theGolden Sunseries.
Developed by Camelot, this was a brand-new turn-based JRPG that was clearly inspired by the likes ofFinal FantasyandDragon Questbut still had its own unique personality. With its cast of colorful characters, satisfying mechanics, solid pseudo-3D graphics, and beautiful soundtrack, it didn’t take long forGolden Sunto become popular, and it would even see a release for its sequel a year later.
Many of Nintendo’s most iconic franchises thrived on the Game Boy Advance, andMetroidwas definitely one of them. Since Samus Aran had completely skipped the Nintendo 64, many fans were eager to play as her once again. This finally happened in 2002, with the release ofMetroid Fusion, whichnot only was a new entry in theMetroidfranchise but was also a continuation of Samus’ story fromSuper Metroid.
Players had to explore a giant space station while fighting the terrifying X Parasites, which meant that this game even hadsome horror elementsthat were quite engaging. WhileFusionmay be more linear than other games in this franchise, it still had the solid atmosphere, the dynamic combat, and the challenging bosses most fans were expecting. Samus' iconic comeback paved the way for more solid entries in the franchise during the following years.
2003 was another great year for RPGs on the Game Boy Advance, with solid releases likeFinal Fantasy Tactics AdvanceandPokemon Ruby & Sapphire. But the biggest surprise of the year was undoubtedlyMario & Luigi: Superstar Saga.TheMariofranchise was no stranger to the role-playing genre –with Paper Marioreleasing on the N64 a few years prior – but this was an entirely different game.
Superstar Sagafinally gave Luigi his rightful place alongside Mario in an RPG. While it had turn-based combat, its gameplay was more involved and depended on perfectly timed button presses, so it was more accessible to a younger audience. It offered gamers a colorful adventure with a lot ofhumor and funny characters, too.Superstar Sagawas both an amazing game and a solid start for the newMario & Luigiseries of handheld RPGs.
Kirbyis one of many Nintendo franchises that were better fitted for handhelds rather than home consoles, and the Game Boy Advance was no exception. While 2002’sNightmare In Dreamlandwas a lot of fun, this franchise’s next big evolution arrived in 2004 with the release ofThe Amazing Mirror.
ThisKirbygame stood out because, instead of featuring several linear levels, it actually had a huge interconnected layout that was easy to get lost in but satisfying to explore. This was completely new for the franchise, and it was very well received, especially because it also had some really creative new copy abilities, epic bosses, and an innovative multiplayer component.The Amazing Mirroris fondly remembered to this day as one of the most originalKirbytitles.
The Legend of Zeldais one of Nintendo’s most important and successful franchises, so every one of their systems has to have at least one or two titles released for it. The GBA already had 2002’sA Link to the Past and Four Swords, but that was mostly a remake. A brand-newLegend of Zeldagame wouldn’tgrace the handhelduntil 2004, with the release ofThe Minish Cap, and it was definitely.
Developed by Capcom and Flagship,The Minish Capis one of the best 2D games in theZeldafranchise, thriving on handheld systems in which doing 3D wasn’t as easy. This was a colorful adventure that had a lot of personality, especially when Link had to shrink down in order to meet up with the Picori. The items were really creative, the dungeons were a lot of fun, and even the main villain, Vaati, grew to become one of the most beloved antagonists in the franchise. This is a huge adventure in a small package that mostLegend of Zeldafans won’t want to miss.
By 2006, the Nintendo DS had already been out for over a year, so the number of releases on the Game Boy Advance was slowing down. Most of them were ports or licensed games, but there was one truly special project that was launched this year, and it was the brand-newPokemonspin-off:Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team.
Pokemonfinally delved into the dungeon crawling RPG genre, and it immediately became one of their mostsuccessful subseries of games, mainly because it gave longtime players the opportunity to actually play as a Pokemon. This was a fun and colorful adventure with solid mechanics and a cast of memorable characters. It even took perfect advantage of the newer Nintendo handheld, seeing asBlue Rescue Team, the other half of this dual package, was a Nintendo DS exclusive.
2Crash Of The Titans (2007)
Metascore: 65
By 2007, game releases on the Game Boy Advance were slowing down even more, but among a sea of cheap licensed games, there was one new game from an iconic IP that would put the handheld back in the spotlight. This was none other thanCrash of the Titans,the new entry in theCrash Bandicootfranchise, which used to be one of thebiggest icons of Sony’s PlayStation.
In reality,Crash of the Titanswas the handheld version of a 3D title for home consoles, but it was still a lot of fun. This was a 2D side scroller with elements of both a beat ‘em up and a platformer, and it worked quite well. It even implemented the mechanic of mind jacking enemies, just like its home console version, but with the inclusion of fun new Titans that were exclusive to the GBA port.
1Samurai Deeper Kyo
Metascore: N/A
The Game Boy Advance would finally be discontinued in 2008, and the last game that was officially released for it in North America wasSamurai Deeper Kyo, a licensed titlebased on a classic manga. This game was published in the West by Destineer to coincide with their re-release of the anime series box set.
Despite its extremely late release,Samurai Deeper Kyowas a surprisingly polished title with fast-paced action from an overhead point of view - thanks to its dynamic combat system - that also featured solid graphics and soundtrack. It was not a very long game, but it was a fun adventure while it lasted. Other Nintendo consoles had even worse final games, so the GBA ended on a relatively positive note.
