Bandai released 2 story based Digimon titles before this game much to the delight of fans and critics. And like so many other series including Crash Bandicoot, Toy Story, and even the furry guy at Number 66 in our list, they thought they might as well try to take Mario and co on at their own game!
The gameplay is more focused on destroying evil cretins rather than a storyline. Just head towards the exit on each level while using guns that have more power than a thousand cerebral bores strapped together.
Top 50 Game Boy Advance GBA Roms
This is kind of a 2-4-1 game as gameplay sometimes follows the plot of the hero and then switches to the heroine. They both have different attributes that make them better suited to certain situations as most RPG games do, so play wisely.
Kuru Kuru Kururin takes the 55th spot in this list of the best Gameboy Advance games of all time, an exciting puzzler that sees people navigating their way through curious labyrinths and colourful makers.
Like Wario Ware, players take part in fast-paced rhythmical mini games. They each have a Mario Party-style intro that teaches you what you need to do before starting, and the gameplay itself is so simple that a toddler could do it.
Play through the classic levels from the arcade game and experience four new levels. Take advantage of upgraded game mechanics and combat controls as well as insane weaponry that turn the heat up to 11!
What starts off as a trip out to buy a fish bowl for Mary Jane quickly turns into a free-for-all with Mysterio and his minions. This side-scrolling game is Marvel at its finest, with Mr Wallcrawler himself pulling out some epic moves along the way.
The graphics are surprisingly good for a Tennis game too. The series has that classic N64 game feel to it and features lush backgrounds and vibrant colours. Plus, the Story mode will have you hooked in seconds.
Metal Slug Advance reminds me strongly of a Chuck Norris game I once had for the iPhone. It plays very much the same as every other Metal Slug game, bar the fact that this offering looks better and works on a plane or a train.
As with many of the early Castlevania titles, Harmony of Dissonance follows a 2D side-scrolling style of gameplay. Ghoulish and ghastly enemies are ten-a-penny in this game, along with all of the demonic backgrounds and scenery that make these titles so great.
The colours are fantastic, the levels are easier to see, and the whole thing feels like a new game in its own right. If you loved the original Metroid title and want to play it on the bus or in the park, then this is one of the best Gameboy Advance games for you.
As with games such as Fire Emblem and Final Fantasy, the weapons and magic lists are just as exciting as the main game itself. There are lots of powerups and new abilities to obtain as you progress, providing you make it further than the training session, that is.
This game cartridge has a photometric light sensor in it that can pick up sunlight. When your weapons run out of charge, you can step outside your actual door and charge them back up again using the actual suns rays.
The game features tonnes of characters from the Astro Boy franchise and is jam-packed full of exciting gameplay elements that both fans of the series and newcomers to the pant-wearing-wonder will instantly love.
The game takes place between Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie (two of the best N64 games of all time!) and sees the evil hag Gruntilda heading back in time in a bid to try and stop the events from the first game ever happening.
Final Fantasy VI Advance is an epic quest from start to finish. It manages to cram everything that we love about the franchise; the monsters, the magic, the battles, and the bedlam, all into a portable game that we can play on the go.
The GBA port features some significant differences to the PS version of the game, including improved graphics and a new Japanese translation system that follows the nuances of the language a lot better.
The GBA version might not have fancy cut scenes or any videos to watch, but it beats the PS version hands down when it comes to playability and gamer experience, which is why it deserves a place in our list of the best Gameboy Advance games ever made!
Making a 2D game with an overhead perspective look as though the characters are actually jumping up halfpipes and ollieing off ledges is impressive, so this title more than deserves a place in our list of the best GameBoy Advance Games of all time.
Wario Ware Inc: Mega Microgames is one of the best GameBoy Advance games for kicking back after a long day and competing against yourself at impossibly unfathomable minigames that would be too dangerous to try and make sense of.
Nintendo has had mixed success with it comes to games following on from one another; the fabled Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie connection never came to be on the mighty N64, a fact that racked up a big bill every time I rang the Nintendo hotline about that blasted ice key (100% true story).
All of the usual suspects return as enemies to defeat, including Shy Guy who is moonlighting in a few games in this list. The inclusion of the Mario Bros. Arcade game (one of our best MAME games) is a nice touch too.
Mario Kart: Super Circuit had some great tracks and all of the usual suspects available as racers. The graphics were great, the gameplay was even better, and the fact that you could link up with your mates for 4-player action topped the whole thing off nicely.
While the Metroid-esque gameplay is a refreshing change of pace for the Kirby series and works well in some parts, it also fails in others. The Metroid games have backtracking as well, yes, but it's not nearly as frequent and annoying as it is in Kirby & The Amazing Mirror. The multiplayer features are optional, but the game was arguably designed around the multiple Kirby aspect and it's at its best with other people.
The characters, moves and music that made Street Fighter II great are all here and you can certainly have fun with this particular version. Of course much of what appeals with this game is available in the other versions of Street Fighter II and as well as multiplayer they have less awkward controls. The new artwork and stages (even if there wasn't anything wrong with the old ones) generally work well, but unless you have a strong desire to experience Super Combos and Akuma on GBA, it's hard to recommend this over other versions, even if it's a pleasant little port.
Mega Man Zero 2 does a great job of ironing out the wrinkles of its predecessor. With both audio and visual improvements, it also significantly reduces grinding, and provides the same brutal challenge in what feels like a much more fair way. Unlockable forms and EX Skills are also added to the mix, which gives the game an additional layer of replayability. It's a sequel done right, and it's no surprise that it's remembered so fondly all these years later.
As for Mother 3, I dont know if it reached #1 because of the ever-maddening push to localize it, or if people really believe its one of the best GBA games of all time. Probably a little of both? It is a really good game, regardless.
My personal favorite is Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga. I was in elementary school when it came out and I only got it because we couldn't find Grunty's Revenge anywhere. I have to say I'm glad it turned out that way because Superstar Saga became one of my favorite games of all time. In my opinion it's simply perfect.
GBA was just fantastic, so many incredible games there. Everything had so much content considering the limitations. Really glad to see Mother 3 top, I loved my time with it and honestly wish the translators would get a wee bit of credit because their translation is synonymous with the game.
@Muddy_4_Ever Agreed. It's the perfect length. I can play it in an afternoon and have an absolute blast. I also love the twist in the final chapter, and how that shakes up the gameplay. It definitely has my favorite last half-hour or so of any Metroid game.
This list came out pretty good. Glad to see Metroid so high, though I personally would've had Mega Man Zero 3 a lot higher, and Advance Wars and Fire Emblem in the top 10. Just goes to show how many great games this little thing has.
@MysticX Agreed! I think the first Mario Advance is the best Mario Advance game. Even though Mario Bros 2 was never my favourite 2D Mario on consoles, it made for the PERFECT handheld game! The lack of timer and typical risky platforming jumps etc made it so good for playing on the move where you couldn't always concentrate in a way that other 2D Mario's require.
I have most of these on my psp go. It's an emulation beast. With the 16gb I have more than enough to fit my entire childhoods gaming on it. Best of all I can play all the games I missed first time around.
I'm more surprised by how close A Link to the Past (& Four Swords) and The Minish Cap's rankings were on this list. 12th and 11th. I was expecting TMC to be a lot lower on this list, considering how underrated of a Zelda game it is.
Personally, I'd call any best of GBA list incomplete without Boktai, Broken Sword, Rogue Spear, and maybe some of the technically "impressive" or simple "3D" games like Ecks vs Sever 2, Doom 2, Duke Nukem, Kill.Switch, Payback, Driver 2... (just because, again, personally, I played these a lot because I had nothing else to play games on than Game Boys).
@e-love yeah I played Golden Sun several times through, but the first hour of each playthrough was just holding a + b in general, that at least made the text go "automatically" if I remember correctly (or maybe only in the second game). And it still took what seemed like forever I still know almost exactly what happens in that time, and I wouldn't do it again now despite really loving the games.
@BloodNinja SNES is pretty good. As is megadrive, NES, and master system. You chuck in the native ps1 emulator and it can't be beat. It's the gameboy varieties emulations I like the best. I had the various home consoles back in the day but I had never had a handheld until my psp go. There are sooo many awesome gameboy games. 2ff7e9595c
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