Summary
Arriving in 2001 as the first 32-bit handheld console on the market, theGame Boy Advancewould succeed the legendary Game Boy and be the fastest-selling game console in North America at the time. Featuring a novel landscape format with shoulder buttons, the GBA would deliver a pantheon of 8 and 16-bit ports of previous generations' handheld formats. Classic platformers androle-playing gameshad never had such a capable portable gaming home.
There would also be developers bringing 3D titles to the GBA, including first-person shootersDoomandEck’s vs. Sever. Retrospectively, the GBA has come to be seen as a powerful piece of hardware, not only an outstanding port machine. The console has dozens of great games that hold up today, but some of them are remembered as all-time classics for a reason.
Updated Jul 04, 2025, by Alexandra O’Leary:The Game Boy Advance is known for many things. It was a revolutionary for Nintendo’s hand-held consoles, with a landscape screen that would be the basis for Nintendo’s most successful consoles, like the DS and the Switch. Because of its improved technology, a lot of fan-favorite games were ported to the Game Boy Advance, and the console is often known for games that weren’t GBA originals. But that doesn’t mean there weren’t plenty of popular and critically acclaimed titles released for it. If anything, the GBA was one of the more flexible and capable consoles around, responsible for bringing older classics to a new audience and creating a plethora of new games that would define the era.
WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgames!(known asWarioWare, Inc.: Minigame Maniain some regions) was the very first installment of the now cult classicWarioWareseries. Loved for its wacky collection of bright and silly mini-games,Mega Microgamesestablished the format thatWariois now best known for.
The game was absolutely adored by fans and critics alike, particularly because it was unlike any pre-existing game. Although mini-games weren’t a new idea,Mega Microgamesfeatured over 200 different ones that were imaginative and totally off-the-wall. From picking a nose to twirling pasta on a fork, the minigames were fast-paced and unpredictable, bringing a totally new life and style to theMariofranchise. With ten games in theWarioWareseries and countless titles re-released on modern consoles,Mega Microgameswas the beginning and a beloved series for gamers everywhere.
The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Capwas the only mainZeldagame to be developed for the Game Boy Advance, preceded byFour Swords Adventuredeveloped for the GameCube and succeeded byTwilight Princessfor the GameCube and Wii. It returned to the cartoonish style ofThe Wind Wakersince developers believed it suited the whimsical nature of the narrative.
AlthoughThe Minish Capisn’t one of the more popularZeldagames today, it still received very positive reviews from fans and critics alike. It was applauded for capturing the atmosphere and feeling of a classicZeldagame while embracing the capabilities of the Game Boy Advance and introducing new mechanics that kept it fresh.
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Sagais one of the earliestMarioRPGs and the first to feature both brothers in the title. That’s not where the originality stops for this game, however, since it introduced changes in tone and gameplay mechanics. The storyline is far more comedic and entertaining compared to previous installments, and the game places extra emphasis on timed button presses, unlike many RPGs that mainly only use turn-based combat.
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Sagaquickly became critically acclaimed, with players positively receiving its lighthearted nature and creative take on the RPG genre. It was alsothe introduction of Fawful, a villainous side-kick, who became an instant fan favorite - so much so, in fact, that he went on to become the main villain inMario & Luigi:Bowser’s Inside Story.
Upon release,Golden Sunwas heralded as the best original RPG to hit the Game Boy Advance. Because the console was well-known for its many RPG ports, an original title that lived up to the genre in every sense of the word was a breath of fresh air for critics and audiences alike.
It was the best-selling Game Boy Advance game for several months, and although it didn’t exactly revolutionize the genre, it absolutely nailed the RPG style with charm.Golden Sunis known for being engaging, creative, and totally captivating, making it a fan-favorite of the GBA and a staple of early-2000s RPGs.
One of the GBA’s launch titles in 2001 turned out to be one of its very best.Castlevania: Circle of the Moonis a brilliant entry in the series and an inspired platformer. Controlling Nathan Graves, the player must traverse Dracula’s castle to stop the dark lord from returning to full power. Famously, the title’s reception would be weakened by the GBA’s lack of a backlit screen at launch, but the game is one of the highlights oftheCastlevaniafranchise.
Returning to the 2D explorative formula ofSymphony of the Nightproved to be an outstanding success.Castlevaniawould receive two further GBA games of equal, if not better, quality.
Four years after breaking ground,Super Mario Worldwould receive a worthwhile sequel inYoshi’s Island.The game would receive a port in 2002 to the GBA withYoshi’s Island: Super Mario Advance 3. Using a unique mechanic, the player controls Yoshi as he must bring baby Mario back to Luigi. Although it was the first game of the series to use Yoshi as the central protagonist, the most memorable aspect isthe brilliantly hand-drawn art style.
Pushing the SNES hardware, the game would utilize the Super FX2 microchip to enable unique sprite-altering effects. This GBA port offers additional levels and is beset with some frame rate drops not found on the SNES original.
One of the greatest RPGsever made would make its way to the Game Boy Advance in 2006.Final Fantasy 6was the best-selling video game in Japan upon its initial 1994 release and won numerous awards from video game publications. In an industrial revolution meets steampunk setting, the player navigates 14 playable characters in a sprawling epic covering a rebellion against dictatorship, chemical warfare, and apocalyptic battles. The GBA release would include improvements in graphics, a faithful localization, and even added Espers.
The GBA game would not include the video motion cutscenes of the PlayStation release, but it is an outstanding port of a remarkably polished game and one of the best ever made.
Among numerous SNES ports and platformers, the GBA would also offer somebrilliant turn-based strategy gameswithAdvance Warsbeing the pick of the bunch. Continuing theFamicom Warsseries on the Game Boy Advance, this strategy title places the player in control of the Orange Star Army, taking the battle to the opposing Blue Moon nation and their forces. A genre so synonymous with PC gaming may have once been thought impossible to bring to a handheld format, butAdvance Warssucceeds with morish, thoughtful, and engrossing gameplay.
An equally celebrated sequel,Advance Wars 2: Black Hole Rising, would be released in 2004, and both games have been remade for the Nintendo Switch.
Considered by many the very best 2DMariogame and one of the greatest video games ever made,Super Mario Worldwould be ported to the GBA in 2002.Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2would be lauded by critics for capturing the feel of the SNES original in the handheld format. The 1991 classic is entirely intact here, with the only noticeable difference being a slightly lowered difficulty and Luigi added as a playable character.
A vibrant color palette and sunny soundtrack make this series’ introduction of Yoshi as memorable now as it was in 1991. One of the two launch games for the SNES in Japan, this is an all-time great first-party Nintendo game, and the GBA port is as good a way as any to experience it.
Released just a day before the groundbreakingMetroid Prime,Metroid Fusionwould bring the classic 2D explorative formula to the Game Boy Advance. In this side-scrolling title, players control Samus Aran as she encounters mysterious parasites known as X on the planet SR388. One of the GBA’s most graphically impressive titles,Metroid Fusionoffers one of the most atmospheric experiences on the handheld.
Though it would receive critique for its linearity and short length, the storytelling in thisMetroidtitle is among the best in the entire series. On its 2002 release,Metroid Fusionwould rack up numerous Game of the Year awards and was celebrated for perfecting every desirable element from the originalMetroidandSuper Metroid.
