GBA’s Best: Part 1

Back in 2004, Nintendo envisioned a strategy to balance three game systems. The Game Boy Advance was doing great, whereas the GameCube was ‘so-so’; this is when the ‘Third Pillar’, the Nintendo DS, was introduced. Who would’ve thought that this third pillar would grow to be massive, overtaking the GBA’s structure and becoming a great success itself!. As far as publishers and developers are concerned, the GBA is dead. There are, however, a ton of great titles for the handheld, and to commemorate such a great system we have compiled a list of the 30 best GBA titles. Many DS owners probably have a GBA lying around somewhere; not only that, but many of these titles offer great single-player experiences fully compatible with the DS. Come along as we go through the GBA’s Best, starting with 15 great titles.

Mario Advance Series: These remakes of classic Mario masterpieces were perfectly ported to the system, bringing Nintendo’s superb platforming designs for gaming on the go. Super Mario Bros. 2, 3, World, and Yoshi’s Island introduced a few to the glorious days of great Mario titles and scored tremendous financial success. All titles shared a neat multiplayer version of the classic Mario Bros., as well. There’s no Nintendo system with plenty of Mario love, and these GBA gems are the proof.


Zelda Series: Nintendo and Capcom brought two Zelda titles to the GBA; a remake of the SNES classic A Link to the Past (considered by many the best Zelda title), and a brand-new adventure subtitled The Minish Cap. The first title introduced a special secret dungeon and a neat multiplayer aspect, a first to the series, having players link up and both competing and collaborating in various levels. The Minish Cap, on the other hand, featured tons of Keystones to collect, side-quests to go through, and classic Zelda dungeons to enjoy. These great games deserve a spot on any GBA or DS collection.


Castlevania Series: The stellar gameplay of Castlevania slammed the GBA three times. Circle of the Moon was an excellent title for the system’s early months, Aria of Sorrow continued the trend (and received an equally great DS sequel known as Dawn of Sorrow), and Harmony of Dissonance kept things going, all three titles with fantastic 2D gameplay perfect for the system. A ‘Double Pack’ was also released, combining AoS and HoD for a robust package and a great value. Three great single-player titles that no handheld gamer should miss.

Pokémon Series: There’s little disagreement when declaring Pokémon Diamond / Pearl the best standard titles of the franchise, but two great Pokémon adventures are available for the Game Boy Advance. A brand-new pair of titles, Ruby and Sapphire, brought a new world and many new Pocket Monsters to collect and battle. These titles received the usual ‘Pokéxpansion’ in Pokémon Emerald, introducing a few extra bonuses. Also available are two great remakes of the classic Game Boy Pokémon titles, FireRed and LeafGreen, with updated graphics, sounds, and added features of the new generation of Pokémon games. Even for the single player aspect alone, these titles are great and feature a long quest with many things to do; add connectivity features for GBA users and the value skyrockets.

Golden Sun Series: As we await any signs of a third entry to the series, especially on DS, we can’t help our reminiscing of our Golden Sun adventures on the GBA. These two epic RPGs showcase a great story and great gameplay, with turn-based random battles and special summons via creatures known as Djinn. Add to that a great atmosphere and excellent graphics and sound, and you have a great franchise, favorite for many Nintendo role-playing enthusiasts. Even better; these robust adventures are perfect single-player titles for DS owners.

Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga: The popular and addictive battle system of Paper Mario received a great makeover for the Game Boy Advance. Mario & Luigi, the hero brothers of the Mushroom Kingdom, must pair up once again to rescue Princess Peach from evil. Using the A and B buttons to control each brother separately in combat, a very satisfying battle system was well developed and executed, including neat combo attacks and evasion moves. Add to this the hilarious dialogue and character animations, and you end with a true GBA classic for DS owners, especially if you enjoyed the sequel, Partners in Time.

Drill Dozer: Developed by the great team behind Pokémon, Drill Dozer was a fresh new IP for the GBA and was one of the few titles for the handheld to integrate rumble functionality. A well-executed system, revolving around the premise of drilling, puts you in control of Jill and her trusty drill, as you explore many levels, collecting items and defeating enemies and bosses in well-designed levels and areas. Released later on the system’s life and unfortunately heavily overlooked, Drill Dozer is a great title for anyone looking for a quality title with new concepts to enjoy.

We have only gotten started; check back here soon for the second part of our GBA’s Best articles!