20 Best Game Boy Advance Games of All Time

foreign Boy advanced games for Nintendo switch online subscribers everyone is suddenly filled with Nostalgia for one of the best handheld consoles of all time with that in mind there's obviously no shortage of selections for the best GBA games ever released from a half dozen Mario titles to new Metroid and Pokemon hits to RPGs and dozens original Platformers the Gameboy Advance remains a jewel in Nintendo's Crown so many of these Game Boy Advance titles remain a blast to pick up and play even today whatever you're digging your GBA or SP out of the closet or you're finally getting into emulation don't say that we're in front of Nintendo we've got a salute of the best Game Boy Advance games ever to keep you busy just remember that this list is limited to games that were officially released outside of Japan so unfortunately you won't find stuff like mother free here so grab your screwdriver to check for fakes and bask in the backlit Glory of what do you mean it took them until the release of the SP to finally add some light to these things on Nintendo a bunch of Mall people Shigeru Miyamoto aimball person have mind suspicions number 20 Astro Boy Omega Factor Astro Boy Omega Factor reminds us that there were plenty of excellent GBA titles that flew relatively under the radar the legendary character created by manga giant Osama tazuka in 1952 wasn't as big as Mario or link by 2003 the year Omega Factor came to Game Boy Advance but this game proves the character could still be viable to Modern audiences without losing sight of creating a manga style world that captures these characters and universe perfectly Astro Boy Omega factor is mostly a platforming beat em up but there are a few decidedly entertaining Shoot Em Up levels thrown in for good measure there's nothing groundbreaking here but the presentation is perfect and just absolutely gorgeous and everything else that matters is well represented and well executed Astro Boy Omega factor is an appealing title whose charms can catch you by surprise especially when you can turn your arm into a laser cannon not enough of that in these modern games for me there's not enough of it number 19 Banjo-Kazooie grunty's Revenge Banjo-Kazooie more like banjo Kaz Hui ha ha yes it has been a while it has been a while set between two of the best N64 games ever made Banjo-Kazooie grunty's revenge is a relatively impressive achievement for the Game Boy Advance no one expected a game on par with the Duo's N64 hits but rare nonetheless went the distance Creator title that's one of the most enjoyable Platformers for the handheld variety's Revenge features villain Grand Tilda setting out to erase the events of the first game by kidnapping Kazooie and just generally being a huge pain in the ass like any good platform a villain should be the only sin for this game which boasted beautiful GBA Graphics plenty of personality and excellent mechanics is that it's just a little too short Banjo-Kazooie grunty's Revenge doesn't really require any knowledge of the previous titles though you just pick up the game and have fun then you go and play nuts and bolts and just be very confused number 18 final fun C6 advance Square always loved to bring back their classic Final Fantasy titles for various consoles since games like Final Fantasy 6 released ads free in the West in 1994 are among the best jrpgs ever made no one really has a problem with that especially when Final Fantasy 6 Advance brought some genuinely exciting additions to the party including two bonus Dungeons and additional summons however the heart and soul of everything that's great about Final Fantasy 6 is what made the GBA Edition another success for square players begin the Epic Story by controlling a young woman named Tara her mysterious past and powers are Apparent from the beginning but as we begin to follow her life as a mere tour of the government her story expands in numerous staggering ways this is an excellent jrpg that will still take quite a long time to explore fully plus is it really a Nintendo handheld if it doesn't have a banger Final Fantasy port number 17 Sonic Advance there was still a surreal novelty in seeing Sonic the Hedgehog on a Nintendo system in 2001 in the form of Sonic Advance the Dreamcast rest in peace had only been discontinued less than a year earlier but Sonic's Early Adventures for other systems started off strong enough with the release of Sonic Advance the free games released in the series for Nintendo's Flagship handheld the first one is still the best the game isn't much more than a simplified version of Sonic games on more powerful consoles and there's nothing really wrong with that in this case Sonic Advance gave players the ability to control a variety of characters besides Sonic maintain the optimal fast-paced platforming mechanics of the best Sonic titles and Visually packed a memorable Punch Sonic Advance proves that sometimes you can win everyone over by simply focusing on what works going faster never paying speeding tickets don't let them get you down kids number 16 Wario Land 4 with no other motivating factor Beyond animalistic read which is why we continue to pump these lists out that's a joke they're actually the highlight of our week Warrior landfall sets you off to explore a variety of lands to uncover a treasure hidden inside a pyramid like past Warrior land games this fourth entry has its own unique sense of humor this is particularly true in the character Design warriorland 4 is a straightforward platformer that should prove engaging for those who seek it out where the game differs from others is in what happens when Wario engages certain enemies on the screen unlike most Platformers you won't necessarily take damage for coming into contact with something some Christians game will actually transform Wario into a different form altogether adding a nice element of unique challenge to the already Stellar warriorland 4 but no matter what form he takes Warrior will always be baby number 15 Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 forcing a game as vast and complex as Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 to the much simpler Game Boy Advance surprisingly worked out well for everyone concerned obviously the game didn't feature everything found in the PS1 original including multiplayer and the ability to edit your own levels but there's far more here than you might suspect from Graphics to gameplay and even the inclusion of as much music as the developers could fit into that tiny little cartridge Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 was lauded then and now for feeling quite like a Mainline Tony Hawk title the simplified controls also meant just about anyone could pick up the game and have a great time and you could even still upgrade your wares over the course of the game Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 proved the GBA could actually do quite a lot even if we were deprived of hideously compressed versions of Goldfinger songs number 14 Kirby and the Amazing Mirror Kirby games often stand among the best for any given Nintendo console so it makes sense that Kirby and the Amazing Mirror shows up here for the best Game Boy Advance games broken up into several kirbys by the dark version of Meta Knight the game creates a truly unique and memorable playing experience it becomes your challenge to navigate the usual Kirby challenges and puzzles under these unique conditions you're going to have the usual Kirby Powers as well as a special Communications device so the game isn't too far removed from what you love about this amazing little series Kirby and the amazing American feel a just a little bit like a metroidvania game sometimes for being a relatively sandboxed-esque experience that in a complex fascinating maze that's filled with treasures and surprises but not many vampires and that's a shame The Amazing Mirror is a singular Kirby release in so many ways in however way you play it also any mirror is amazing as long as it's got you in it viewers Please Subscribe please number 13 Fire Emblem with 17 games in the main series alone Fire Emblem didn't actually start finding an audience outside of Japan until this 2003 release for The Game Boy Advance you might say but what about fire emblem Path of Radiance on the GameCube isn't that really the series's watershed moment well we say if more people played it it wouldn't be selling for 200 this tactical RPG which was finally given its proper name Fire Emblem the Blazing blade in the West in 2017 isn't lacking in Epic struggles High family drama and a deceptively simple combat system that gives way to something absorbing and complex Fire Emblem offers a wealth of characters combined with deep gameplay you have to become Adept at managing Your Heroes to a degree that emphasizes the Tactical side of things in no uncertain terms it's up to you to set forth the plans that will make you a hero or see all of your ambitious dreams of Glory go up in smoke there is also the Sacred Stones in the franchise for the GBA but the first Fire Emblem release for the system in the west is the one we still like the best number 12 Final Fantasy Tactics Advance by the way I'm saying advance so much in this script that I'm starting to feel like Irwin in attack Titan Final Fantasy Tactics was a bold concept from Square to combine the most beloved elements of their iconic jrpg series with tactical strategy elements the game was its own unique success on the PlayStation 1 and this 2003 release acts as a sort of spiritual sequel there's quite a bit here to distinguish the game from the PS1 classic but the same concept of commanding and managing massive armies against a sprawling story of political Intrigue and Magic remains four Final Fantasy Tactics Advance you're not just running a huge Army against other huge armies the job system and law system are just two ways in which Final Fantasy Tactics Advance immerses you in a world unlike any other the dedication to strong characters and a memorable elaborate storyline that marks the better Final Fantasy games can also be appreciated here number 11 Harvest Moon friends of Mineral Town it would be a mistake to dismiss Harvest Moon as another farming Sim while it's true that the game is pretty much exactly with a very basic story of a young character that's you given the opportunity to build and grow a form and something deeper and more satisfying to the Harvest Moon Series in particular Harvest Moon friends of Mineral Town has an appealing visual tone and pacing with a laid-back style of gameplay that can keep you occupied for dozens of hours more if it's a hardcore completionist type the art style alone will draw you in even if you're not someone who plays these types of games very often friends of Mineral Town makes it easy to get started and leaves quite a bit up to your own speed and interests just sit back and try not to worry about the slow inevitable heat death of the universe ah look there's some milk we like milk milk is good number 10 WarioWare Inc mega micro games it shouldn't really surprise you that WarioWare Inc mega micro games rests firmly in the top 10 best Game Boy Advance games emphasizing a pickup and play approach unlike anything else we could discuss worry where Inc offers dozens and dozens of very short mini games that can be played and devoured in a matter of seconds it's a weird detest of not only quick thinking but endurance as you can keep burning through these different tiny games as much as you want and that's the thing with WarioWare just about every little game in this title is a blast to play there's a mildly addictive element running beneath this that keeps you transfixed on the Frantic Madness and silliness unfolding in front of you don't be surprised if you look up after playing for a little while to discover several hours of past and your eyes have gone all weird like the Riddler's victims in Batman Forever number 9. Castlevania Arya of sorrow in 2003 Castlevania as a video game franchise remember that huh wow we're still firing on all cylinders Castlevania Aria of Sorrow is ample evidence of that with the action RPG platformer being just one of three terrific Castlevania games that were released during the lifespan of the Game Boy Advance everything you could possibly want from a Castlevania release in which you control Soma Cruz and his bid to be the one who finally destroys Dracula gosh could you imagine can be found here Arya of Sorrow is presented in pretty Splendid form as well the graphics and sound are impressively evocative of the best of the series with ample Challenge and a mechanically brilliant experience with the Tactical Soul system Castlevania Arya of Sorrow is a high Mark for the series on handheld game systems and is one of the best in the Game Boy advances Library Thanks for the Memories coming on me but it's about dang time we got a new game eh number eight Golden Sun the Lost age while there are two absolutely fantastic RPG experiences awaiting you with the golden sun series is we're giving a slight nod to the 2002 sequel Golden Sun the light age which picks up right after where the previous installment left off it features some more refined challenging puzzles for you to solve as you assume the rule of the antagonist from the last game the essentials of a good RPG are representing quite well with golden sun the Lost age the controls are pretty good as is the opportunity to have the game impacted to a certain degree by the choices your character makes in the narrative combat for the game is also pretty dang satisfying which makes an easy sell for those who don't play a lot of RPGs it's been a pretty long time since the sun shown on this game series let's scare no one I mean if we can get another one to switch game you know yeah number seven Super Mario Kart super Circuit fun fact you are not legally allowed to own a Game Boy Advance if you don't own a copy of this game everybody had it everybody the graphics may look a tiny bit dated in Super Mario Kart super Circuit especially compared to Double Dash on the GameCube but when the gameplay is this good with a ton of challenging memorable tracks to race on graphic quality should be a little less important super Circuit remains one of the most instantly playable titles in the gba's library as players of all experiences can pick up super Circa and find themselves hooked within minutes Super Mario Kart super Circuit delivers 20 distinct tracks with some being regarded nowadays as being among the best Mario kart tracks of all time the varying difficulty levels speak to that deeper playing experience and you of course can't forget that the multiplayer still whips some serious ass in this game even after more than 20 years number six Advanced Wars Advanced Wars proved to be a mildly surprising Smash Hit for Nintendo's gay boy advance with connections to a series that began years earlier on the famicom Advanced Wars effectively introduce turn-based tactical strategy to a Litany of young GBA players utilizing submarines tanks helicopters soldiers and other vehicles and weapons Advanced Wars offers a riveting management and strategy effort against a viciously clever opponent managing financial resources which included knowing when and where to make crucial repairs to your army is just one piece of a challenging consistently evolving puzzle being able to take advantage of a very enjoyable multiplayer offering makes Advanced Wars even better if you decide you love this game you'll be happy to know that Advanced Wars 2 black hole Rising keeps a good thing going number five Pokemon Emerald Ruby and Sapphire this entry for the best GBA games is technically free games but get emerald if you want a game that combines the other two pretty nicely but they all tell the same exhilarating Pokemon story while you could no longer bring along everything you had caught previously in earlier games Ruby and Sapphire used that space to do impressively different things with the series incorporating new features like Duo battles while offering new ways to enhance and evolve your Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire prude this point that the series could still innovate within the expectations of its audience the compulsory strategy and exploration inherent in these games was recaptured perfectly for the Game Boy Advance and stands as the best in a series of very good GBA Pokemon releases but make sure you get your wallet and screwdriver ready to buy boxed versions of these games these days though I mean number four Yoshi's Island Super Mario Advance 3. the Game Boy Advance proved with games like Yoshi's Island Super Mario Advance 3 that it could largely recreate the SNES experience in its own way the bright extremely colorful Graphics that made Super Mario World 2 Yoshi's Island a unique hit for the Super Nintendo in 1995 are largely intact here the gameplay for Super Mario Advance 3 also remains pretty much unchanged with the task still being to play as a variety of Yoshi's in their quest to protect baby Mario and reunite him with Baby Luigi oh the controls of the GBA are perfectly suited to this game with Yoshi's egg frying ability being one of the things about Yoshi's Island that makes it just so much fun to play the Super Mario Advance series was another success for the Game Boy Advance and Yoshi's Island is the best of them all number three Mario and Luigi Superstar Saga Mario and Luigi Superstar Saga offers a different sort of Mario experience we the game being another fine example of Mario and Luigi shining in a wide range of genres Superstar Saga combines a good sense of humor with beautiful designs and clever animations all of this is wrapped in turn-based gameplay with enough tweaks to keep it from getting too monotonous you'll want to keep playing simply because the dialogue is at times hilarious particularly between Mario and Luigi the Combos and special attacks the brothers pull off is another attraction to Mario and Luigi Superstar Saga that makes it one of the best GBA games of all time it would also rank pretty high on any given list of Mario games that are still quite simply just Timeless we wouldn't really say no to more of these now that Nintendo are firing up the Mario content Minds following the success of the movie would you number two The Legend of Zelda the Minish Cap Capcom and Nintendo collaborating on the Legend of Zelda the Minish Cap might sound like a fever dream now but it really happened multiple times actually with the two Oracle games topping our previous countdown for the Game Boy Color hey go watch that video it's pretty good Nintendo trusted Capcom we're creating an entertaining new Zelda game that would go its own way but not lose sight of what people love best about this series Capcom and Flagship met that challenge in spectacular fashion with a game that borrowed from its predecessors but also found new ways to challenge even the most dedicated of Zelda fans The Legend of Zelda the Minish Cap comes with the ability to shrink our iconic hero link to a size that suddenly turns a few steps in a sprawling world into a universe unto itself the Journey of diminished cap constantly keeps you on your toes with a satisfying conclusion to a perfect handheld Zelda game but for our list it has to play second fiddle to a certain Bounty Hunter No not Boba Fett no not dog though either it's Samus in number one Metroid Fusion Metroid Fusion C Samus exploring a vast frightening space station known as BSL or the components of solving puzzles blasting enemies and trying to survive in a hostile Labyrinth are here but Nintendo made it a point to throw some new ideas and dangers into the proceedings Metroid Fusion isn't just the normal battle for survival for Samus she's also got a parasite to contend with that soon forces her to become the very thing she hunts and despises and no it's not who developed Metroid Other M the story beats alone for the game are some of the best on the Game Boy Advance but you also get the most difficult and thrilling gameplay demands from Metroid itself and the genre overall Metroid Fusion is still an electrifying Challenge and it was a worthy successor to Super Metroid in every way there's something about it that will just remain pretty much forever Timeless as is the case with a lot of the games and what might just be our favorite Nintendo handheld of all time now that was our little listy poo for the best Game Boy Advance games on the Game Boy Advance yes what did you think of our list is there anything that was too high too low anything that we missed be sure to let us know down in the comments below we'll see you next week for the best DS games and thank you for watching foreign [Music]

Channel: Cultured Vultures

Views: 148,628

Keywords: gba, game boy advance games, best gba, game boy, metroid fusion

Id: cown5VRx4mY

Length: 20min 18sec (1218 seconds)

Published: Fri Sep 29 2023