Thinking about getting a Gameboy Advance for my

[EdwardKnoxII 0]

Since my birthday is this week I'm thinking about getting a gameboy advance as a gift, I'm thinking about getting the Sp one (that's the one that flips up and down right?)

 

So can anyone give me some advice on what games I should get with it? Or should I get another handheld system?

[BUTT 0]

Well, the DS plays GBA games but it's almost twice the price of the SP.

 

As for games, there are a lot of Super NES ports, but there are also some really good original games, such as:

 

Metroid Fusion

Metroid: Zero Mission (it's a remake of the NES Metroid but it has a lot of new stuff)

Zelda: The Minish Cap

Castlevania: Circle of the Moon

Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance

Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow

Mario Kart: Super Circuit

Mario & Luigi

Golden Sun

Golden Sun: The Lost Age

Advance Wars 1 & 2

Sonic Advance 1, 2 & 3

and there are many more I'm sure someone will be able to recommend.

[Guest CronoT]

Well, you appearently want to go "economy class;" there's nothing wrong with that. It depends entirely on your taste in games. We'd need to know what types of games like like first, before we can make any real recommendations.

 

What' your favorite type of game: action, adventure, sports, fighting, RPG's, simulations? Once you tell us what kind of games you like, we'll know what to tell you to get.

[EdwardKnoxII 0]

Well I'm mainly in the action/adventure games and shooting and fighting games. And old school games like Mario.

[AndrewTS 0]

The DS is still unproven and neither it or the PSP seem like must-haves, but there are a number of games on the horizon now that, if I didn't already have a SP, I would pick it up for those games and the current GBA games.

 

"Metroid Fusion

Metroid: Zero Mission (it's a remake of the NES Metroid but it has a lot of new stuff)"

 

IMO, they're both average at best. ZM starts to get really fun towards the end...but then it ends. It felt like the shortest Metroid game I've ever played. However, it's still worth playing through, and once you beat it you can play Classic Metroid. Next to the GBA CVs, which have changed things up in each installment, the GBA Metroids are at a standstill. Coming off two of the greatest video games ever (SotN and Super Metroid), CV fares better. I don't like Fusion. Releasing it around the same time as Prime really made it look awful.

 

Otherwise, a fine list. However, Sonic Advance 1 I felt wasn't as polished as the classic Sonics, and didn't play the others.

 

Astro Boy: The Omega Factor is a really good game. Try to think of it as a Mega Man game crossed with a beat 'em up, if that makes any sense.

 

If you like Puzzle games:

Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo

Puyo Pop

Wario Ware (insanely fun and addictive game, and you can unlock a full-version of Dr. Wario--the W-man's bootleg Dr. Mario; it's 1 player only, though. However, if you're only going to be playing 1P, I recommend it over the NES Classics Dr. Mario).

 

Yoshi's Island and Super Mario World are fine pick ups if you don't have the SNES games. If you do, pass. From what I understand, SMB3 obnoxiously uses the E-Reader to hide content you should be able to get with the game alone. If you have All Stars, pass on it.

 

Konami Krazy Racers is a great Mario Kart clone. Plus it's cheaper than Super Circuit (but harder to find).

 

Double Dragon Advance: Best version of the original Double Dragon around. New levels and enemies are included.

 

If you get the SP, there are also tons of great Game Boy Color and GB games I could recommend. *cough* Shantae, Xtreme Sports *cough*

 

Only get the NES Classics if you realize that you're only buying it to play a clone of the NES games. The same games are available at better values in many GBA/GBC/GB forms for most of them. For example, the Metroid that's a bonus in Zero Mission, or the Game Boy version of Donkey Kong, which smokes the original/NES versions 6 ways from Sunday.

 

As for fighters--perhaps the best ones I know of are per SFII Turbo Revival, Alpha 3, King of Fighters EX2 (EX is awful; stay far away), and Anya would probably recommend Tekken Advance but I never played it. Guilty Gear X is also fine, but looks extremely poor next to its console big brothers.

 

Stay the hell away from KoF EX1 (Neo Blood) and MK Advance.

[Guest CronoT]

Super Street Fighter II Turbo Revival has a crash bug in it that happens once you get Shin Akuma as a playable character. Other than that, it's an okay game.

 

Alpha 3 is decent, but doesn't have anywhere near the amount of stuff the PSOne version does, obviously.

 

I've always thought of Tekken as being extremely over-rated.

 

Metroid Fusion is a poor excuse of a sequel to a game as great as Super Metroid. Personally, I think of Metroid Prime as the true sequel to Super Metroid, and Metroid Fusion as a spin-off.

 

Super Mario World is an exact clone of the first, except for a few comestic differences. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, on the other hand, has six new stages, an extra special stage added to each level.

[Guest The Gecko]

I'm an RPG guy, so that's mainly all I can recommend. I had a thread like this a few months back and got some good recommendations, so feel free to trust these guys. I haven't played many games, but here are a few that I enjoyed:

 

Mario & Luigi Superstar Saga (a surprisingly good RPG)

Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls (remake of the two classic games - Excellent)

Legends of Zelda: A Link to the Past (not really an RPG, but its a classic)

Advance Wars 2 (I haven't played 1, but I heard its good if not better than the sequel)

[AndrewTS 0]

Metroid Fusion is a poor excuse of a sequel to a game as great as Super Metroid. Personally, I think of Metroid Prime as the true sequel to Super Metroid, and Metroid Fusion as a spin-off.

I'm not entirely shocked it wasn't as good. After all, Gumpei Yokio, the director of the classic Metroids, had died long before Fusion was made.

 

I am shocked that Retro, a team out of *Texas* without a lot of programming experience under their belt, did a better job of translating the gameplay to 3D than the Fusion team did of following up on it in 2D.

 

Other RPGs---

but perhaps Flik should give his 2 cents on 'em because they're not my bag anymore.

 

Lunar Legend: I've heard good reviews for it.

 

The Mega Man Battle Networks are quite good, but I have only played the first couple.

 

I hear the Demi-Kids (which are part of the MegaTen series, I think) are really good too.

 

There's Fire Emblem as well.

 

Harvest Moon has a good rep, if the content doesn't turn you off (a farming RPG).

 

Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories has a kinda "eh" battle system, but I know plenty of folks who like it.

 

Oh, and I order you and everyone you know to buy the first two Klonoa platformers on GBA, then we might get Klonoa Heroes, the RPG.

[Downhome 0]

Get a DS. It plays the GBA games, and there are some pretty good games out right now for the DS and many more to come. You might as well get one since it's not all that much more than a GBA SP, especially if you get a used DS like I did.

[Renegade 0]

Advance wars 2

Castlevania Aria of Sorrow

 

Head and shoulders above the rest of the other GBA games (excluding some ports).

[Use Your Illusion 0]

Get a DS. It plays the GBA games, and there are some pretty good games out right now for the DS and many more to come. You might as well get one since it's not all that much more than a GBA SP, especially if you get a used DS like I did.

What he said.

 

Other than that, Zelda: Four Swords is dreamy.

[Hawkius Maximus 0]

Speaking of portables. I'm in the same boat as Edward, in my case I got some money from financial aid and a wedding to goto to. So I'm picking up a GBA or a DS.

 

Can the DS play imports, or does it have a territorial lockout? I know the GBA can play any GBA game no matter what, but if the DS won't let me import Final Fire Pro and the greatness that is Management of Ring, then me no interested.

[EdwardKnoxII 0]

Thanks for the advice guys I've got two more questions. Is Tetris on the GBA and what flying shooting games are good? You know the kind were you flying a plane/spaceship.

[AndrewTS 0]

Thanks for the advice guys I've got two more questions. Is Tetris on the GBA and what flying shooting games are good? You know the kind were you flying a plane/spaceship.

Tetris Worlds is on GBA, so yes. It does include the classic Tetris.

 

Iridion II (pass on 1) is a decent flight shooter, but from what I hear Gradius Galaxies is the best. Darius R I hear is good, but import only. R-Type III is an awful port, so skip it.

 

I'm personally awaiting Sigma Star Saga, but it's only part shooter, so it may not be what you're looking for.

[Downhome 0]

Can the DS play imports, or does it have a territorial lockout?

The DS is region free also, just like the GBA. On a US DS, you can play games from anywhere in the world.

[tekcop 0]

Get Advance Wars 1 & 2. Two of the most addictive games I've ever played. I carry my DS with me everywhere now since buying AW2.

[Special K 0]

Do spring for the DS. Backlighting is essential.

 

Great games:

Tactics ogre is a ridiculously deep game that will probably give you morehours of fun than any other gameboy game.

 

Minish cap is great.

 

I'm actually not a huge fan of metroid fusion. It's one of the worst Metroid games, IMO. (It's still a capable game, of course)

 

Final Fantasy tactics Advance should be avoided. I'm one of the biggest fans of the original Final Fantasy tactics you'll find, and this game is not very good.

 

Astro boy is the SHIT. Any time you can get a Treasure game, do it. I still play Bangai-O occasionall, when I want to unleash hell from my 10-pixel mech.Fuck, now I want to play Radiant Silvergun, which I most likely will never be able to do.

 

Advance Wars is very good. Haven't played the sequel, I'd probably go with Fire Emblem over the first. Fire Emblem fuckin' rocks.

 

Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance is also very good. It's not Symphony of the Night, but it'll do.

[EdwardKnoxII 0]

Thanks for the advice. Today on my B-Day I got a black sp and two games. Tetris Worlds and Mario Pinball Land.

[Guest Skironox]

I also just got a Gameboy advance, but I didn't spring for a DS. I'm not huge on portable gaming and the library available for the advance is extensive enough to last me pretty much for my lifetime.

 

Games I got -

Castlevania - Harmony of Dissonance

Final Fantasy Dawn Of Souls

Metroid Fusion

Metroid Zero Mission

Zelda - Oracle of Ages/Seasons (Yes, it's Game boy color, but it's still good).

 

What really interested me was the capability of flash carts for the advance. I'm not planning on getting one for Freeloading Roms (Though I might try a few crappy games just to see how it works), but instead the capability of playing NES games on the go (Yeah, more ROMS, but that's different). If anyone has experience with a reliable cart it could help me out to list a few brands and sites I could get one from.

[Anya 0]

Anya would probably recommend Tekken Advance

Not really. It's kind of weak.

 

 

 

MK Advance is marvelous!

[AndrewTS 0]

Zelda - Oracle of Ages/Seasons (Yes, it's Game boy color, but it's still good).

Hell yeah.

 

Link's Awakening is a bit dated graphically, but it looks about the same as the Oracles--just less colorful.

 

Do you know if the link up features work on a GBA? I haven't gotten that far on my copy of Seasons yet.

 

But the DX version is better because it takes advance of the GBC's palette (also is more colorful on GBA).

 

Minish Cap is excellent, too.

 

In case you're not sure how it works--

 

Grey carts: Game Boy. A few of them take advantage of Super Game Boy/GBC, though. Donkey Kong and Metroid II look best on SGB. BTW, I recommend Donkey Kong. Pass on Metroid II though.

 

Black carts: These work with the original Game Boy or Game Boy Color. However, they looks best on the GBC or the GBA. These also work with the Super Game Boy, but don't usually look as good as on a GBC or GBA.

 

Clear carts: Those are Game Boy Color only. These won't work on a Super Game Boy or an original Game Boy.

 

All of them work on SP, though, but I believe it's important you know which ones are going to be in color, etc. Some of the Game Boy games--Link's Awakening, Wario Land II--have black-cart "DX" re-releases, to take advantage of Game Boy Color.

 

Oh--try Shantae for Game Boy Color. It could easily pass as a GBA game even though it's GBC.

 

MK Advance is marvelous!

 

[Anya 0]

Have you played it? Don't just go by what the press says. It could be really good....

[AndrewTS 0]

I've seen gameplay movies, filled with whiffing attacks, glitching animations, crap graphics and sound. That was enough.

 

From TRMK.org:

 

MK Advance Mini Review 

12:23 PM CST - Patrick McCarron

"Word is that this game is horrible." - Jeff Greeson - December 13th, 2001

 

After playing Mortal Kombat Advance for quite some time I have to agree with the above statement made by Jeff in the previous news posting. I have come to conclusion that not only is it horrible but it IS the worst translation of any Mortal Kombat title to any platform. I never played the Amiga versions of MK1 and MK2, but I am told they are good. However, I have played just about every other version of the game including all the previous portable versions of MK and the MK2 port to the PlayStation that never got released. Each port is fairly good in its own right and very fun to play despite their respective quirks.

MK Advance doesn't seem to meet the same standards that the other portable (or any other port for that matter) of Mortal Kombat to date. If Midway really needed to make a buck and rushed the development of this title, it certainly shows. It seems odd that it made it to shelves before the Tekken port to Game Boy Advance which is out in Japan already. The Tekken project was in the works since before E3 in May 2001, but at that time there were no plans for a port of MK to the GBA -- it was simply a dream of ours. A dream that, until recently, got crushed. So to get on with it here is my mini-review of Mortal Kombat Advance

SOUND: Probably the game's strongest suit, but it still has its flaws. The game music is limited by the GBA hardware, but the soundtrack is recognizable. The game has the voices of each character's name announced when winning and choosing a character as well as the names of the finishing moves (at least the ones I've seen so far). One obvious flaw is the fact that most (if not all) of the male characters have the voice of Sheeva when they jump and move around. Very strange... Rating: 6/10

GRAPHICS: The graphics of MKA are very plain, colorless and grainy. When compared to the original game you can clearly observe the differences -- especially the lack of color. I feel the character sprites could have been larger and the graphics could have been a whole lot better. Those of you that have played or seen the pictures of Super Street Fighter Turbo Revival can agree with me on how well the graphics of that game look and just come alive with color. I feel Virtucraft could have at least tried to improve the graphics a bit... Rating: 5/10

GAMEPLAY: The gameplay of this game is the total killer. This game is NOT Mortal Kombat at all. It doesn't feel like Mortal Kombat and certainly doesn't play like Mortal Kombat. The controls are very loose and unresponsive. Special moves take careful planning and tapping of the right buttons at the right time. The D, F moves wont even allow you to do D, DF, F to execute them. The physics and hitboxes of the characters are really weird, with some interesting results: my character's body lays on the ground and gets kicked against the edge of the screen when my opponent walked towards it, but didn't touch it. The computer also has the ability to just wail on you if it pleases, and you don't have many easy ways to break out of this if trapped in a corner.Rating: 2/10

Overall: Stay away from this game! Rent it if you'd like to see what I'm talking about, but don't risk purchasing it as it is not worth the money. I don't think any MK fan who plays this game can ever forgive Midway for the travesty they have committed upon us. I was once very excited to get my hands on MK Advance, but as time went by and I learned more about it I came to not really care for the game at all.Overall Rating: 4/10

[Anya 0]

The AI is so bad. It's funny how Scorpion will like flip out and do like a million teleports in a row.

[Guest Skironox]

Hell yeah.

 

Do you know if the link up features work on a GBA? I haven't gotten that far on my copy of Seasons yet.

I don't have any sort of Link cable, thus I wouldn't know either. I'm about 5 minutes into seasons so it'll be a while.

 

I had a Black game boy back in the dark ages, and I kept a few games (Links awakening is one of them, along with Super Mario Land II and Wario Land), so yeah, Link's Awakening was awesome. The desire for two more adventures like it was what prompted that buy.

 

Metroid II was at the same shop I got Fusion at, at twice the cost too, I guess that's what "classic" status is these days.

 

Shantae, eh? I'm not familiar with that one. I'll research it.

[AndrewTS 0]

Cool. Seasons/Ages thankfully are two totally different games, and it was announced Nintendo's going to do something like it for the new GC Zeldas.

 

Oh, and Minish Cap was made by plenty of the same people who did Seasons/Ages.

 

Shantae--platformer starring a cute little half-genie chick. Although it has its share of Adventure elements as well. She gains more attacks, she can morph into various animals, can teleport, etc. Lots of RPG elements, including towns to visit and so forth.

 

It's easy to just praise it on the basis of the graphics, but it plays very, very well too. The only complaint I have about it is that enemies respawn very close to you, so you have to be ready to defend at all times.

 

Another good one is Toki Tori. It's a platformer/puzzler where you control a pudgy little chick (of the poultry variety) as you try to recover the eggs of your brothers and sisters. Think of Humans/Dino Dudes.

 

Both are woefully underrated, so scope our the used Game Boy stuff at an EB or Gamestop and you might find them cheap. I've seen Shantae for $4.99 and Toki Tori for $8.99.

 

Plus, you could always emulate to be certain, since you can't rent old GBC games most places.

 

Metroid II was at the same shop I got Fusion at, at twice the cost too, I guess that's what "classic" status is these days.

 

I'd avoid that place. The average price for Metroid II I've seen was $12.99. I think it sucks though, so I wouldn't call it a classic, but plenty of people love it.

 

Try pawn shops. Many of them have video games there but not many people know it. So they'll let lots of stuff go cheap.

 

Be wary of bootlegs, though. I have a bootleg Seasons I kept because it plays just fine, but the GBA bootlegs I've come across don't save. They'll have a battery in them, oddly. The most common bootlegs seem to be SSF2 Turbo Revival, Kirby and the Amazing Mirror, and Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo.

 

Tips n' Tricks had a feature on how to tell bootleg GBA games from the real things. It depends a lot on the look, though. So I could post some tips from it but it'd be a little tricky.

 

If the Nintendo logo on the back of the cart doesn't look EXACTLY like the trademarked Nintendo logo, and instead looks like regular text, that's a dead giveaway. PAT.PEND. is squished together more than usual.

 

Game Boy/GBC bootlegs are much easier--usually a cheaper looking plastic, and "GAME" instead of the Game Boy logo on the front. Plus, my bootleg Seasons is in a grey cart.

[Guest Skironox]

$12.99 was the price of Fusion and Metroid II was $25, which is a total rip off I agree.

 

It's easy to just praise it on the basis of the graphics, but it plays very, very well too. The only complaint I have about it is that enemies respawn very close to you, so you have to be ready to defend at all times.

 

In the end, gameplay is all I care about. Probably the reason I like 2D games better than 3D games.

 

The bootlegs issue of not saving is one reason I'm hesitant on buying a flash cart, because a significant number of them have saving issues, either with batteries that die within a year or they use flash memory which needs to be played in the GBA every couple of days or all your saves go dead.

[AndrewTS 0]

Not a bad price for Fusion, actually.

 

Gamestop I thought had Metroid II for about $12.99--in the stores...

 

But on their website it's back-ordered for $24.99. Heh.

 

Of course, there's this:

http://half.ebay.com/cat/buy/prod.cgi?cpid...63&meta_id=null

 

A rant-view that's pretty close to how I feel about the game:

http://www.crunkgames.com/profiles/gb/met2/

 

You'll still find plenty of people who swear up and down it's good, and certainly it had its share of contributions to the series, but it doesn't do much for me. And FYI, I finished it, but not after constant wandering around through identical passages trying to find out what path I unlocked by killing the latest X number of critters.

 

Maybe good then, but when I tried it for the first time about 2 months before Fusion came out, I thought it was overrated.