The Game Boy Advance has gone from has-been, to fond memory, to desirable old-school console. The DS predecessor was essentially a Super Nintendo you could cram in your pocket, and its library of games is one of the strongest in portable gaming. With so many incredible games, narrowing down the list to the top 25 was a harrowing task, but these are the games that stood out and stand up against the test of time. Even if you might not agree with each game's specific placement within the top 25, we'll bet you'll be hard pressed to deny these titles' inclusion within the best games for the Game Boy Advance.For more modern Nintendo games, check out our list of the 25 best Nintendo Switch games, the 25 best Nintendo 3DS games, and if you’re looking to upgrade, here’s the best Nintendo Switch deals and bundles.
The 26 Best Game Boy Advance (GBA) Games of All Time. The 25 Best Nintendo 3DS Games of All Time. Game Boy Advance SP Accessories Game Dave - Duration.
- Total Nerd The Best Game Boy Advance RPGs. While many of these games were console exclusive, we're allowing non-exclusives to be a part of the list as well. Games on this list include Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga and Final Fantasy VI. Vote for your favorite video games below, and feel free to add any that you think deserve to be on the list.
- Hello and welcome to my top 10 Gameboy Advance RPGs list! Here we will be discussing the classics on this somewhat shortlived platform. Ranking The BEST Nintendo Switch Games! - Duration: 16.
25) Super Monkey Ball Jr.
Developer:Realism
Publisher: SEGA
Year Released: 2002
Though THQ gave the Game Boy Advance rendition the moniker 'junior,' there was nothing small about this portable product. The series began in the arcades and on the GameCube as a Marble Madness-inspired action game with tons of unlockable features and modes, and for the Game Boy Advance version the UK development studio Realism managed to squeak out every ounce of potential in the GBA's hardware to offer that same fun and frantic experience. The GBA version might not stand the test of time when compared to the rising power of other handhelds, but when it was released Super Monkey Ball Jr. managed to really show off what the system could do, and it's rare to see a third-party developer pour so much effort into so many game modes on the portable system. Though the development studio couldn't survive very long after Super Monkey Ball Jr.'s release, Realism went out with a bang with one of the finest console-to-handheld ports on the GBA.
24) Golden Sun
Developer: Camelot
Publisher: Nintendo
Year Released: 2001
One of the first 'hyped' games on the Game Boy Advance, Camelot -- who had been making much of its money with Golf and Tennis games on the Nintendo 64 and Game Boy -- returned to its RPG roots with an original adventure that could give Square's teams a run for their money. This game pushed amazing visuals, a dynamic soundtrack, and a complex story, and even though it focused on the archaic 'random turn-based battles' mechanic for half of its gameplay, it was still a fulfilling console-style experience on such a small system. Its sequel, Golden Sun: The Lost Age, tweaked and streamlined a bit, and actually enabled data transfers from the first game in the series...but it was the original release that made the biggest impact for Game Boy Advance gamers.
23) Ninja Five-O
Developer: Hudson
Publisher:Konami
Year Released: 2003
A bad name with even worse box-art, Ninja Five-O hit the scene with a collective shrug by the gaming population. And then, suddenly, people started playing the game within. It's a completely old-school inspired action design that melds such classics as Capcom's Bionic Commando, Sega's Shinobi, and Namco's Rolling Thunder, and what's more it's incredibly fun and challenging -- a side-scrolling arcade-style game that could only really thrive these days on the 2D-happy Game Boy Advance platform. It's one of the toughest games to find in the used cartridge market; finding it won't make you rich, though. It's only valuable in the 'awesome gameplay' sense...and in this case, it's worth its weight in gold.
22) Mario vs. Donkey Kong
Developer: NST
Publisher: Nintendo
Year Released: 2004
Way back in the black and white Game Boy days Nintendo updated its classic Donkey Kong arcade design with a contemporary design that fleshed out the barrel-jumping, hammer-whacking mechanics into a huge assortment of full-screen puzzle games. That concept was the basis for this NST-developed production. The added power of the Game Boy Advance not just enhanced the visuals, but the team managed to squeeze in a bunch of new puzzle ideas in the update. It's a great game that fits the Game Boy Advance's pick-up-and-play environment since players could whip out the system, solve a puzzle, and put it away for later.
21) Harvest Moon: Friends of Mineral Town
Developer: Marvelous
Publisher:Natsume
Year Released: 2003
You would think that hoeing the fields, milking the cows, and other menial tasks would make for an unbelievably boring videogame experience, but Natsume's Harvest Moon series manages to suck gamers into its economic-focused gameplay. 'Addictive as crack' would not be a strong enough term for this game, and the Game Boy Advance version works extraordinarily well because you can take the experience with you. The goal is to live a full life on the farm, and you'll find hours upon hours just drifting away as you try to reach that mark. If you'd rather play as a girl, Natsume released Harvest Moon: More Friends of Mineral Town with slight tweaks to the translation and gameplay, and it was also a foundation for the Nintendo DS version of Harvest Moon, but its the original game that made the big splash.
20) Legend of Zelda: Minish Cap
Developer: Flagship
Publisher: Nintendo
Year Released: 2005
Every Nintendo system needs a Legend of Zelda game. It's almost the law or something. It took the Game Boy Advance several years before a development team hunkered down to create an original adventure for the portable system, and the one that was created was an incredibly fun and charming adventure that brought back a lot of the familiar 2D overhead game mechanics established in past games on the Super NES, NES, and Game Boy. The inclusion of the ability to shrink and grow was explored to some really good results, giving Link and players the ability to explore a world that would have normally gone unnoticed at the character's feet. There's a huge world to explore when you're the size of a bug, and the designers pushed some great ideas in this adventure.
19) Mario Kart Super Circuit
Developer: Intelligent Systems
Publisher: Nintendo
Year Released: 2001
Mario Kart Super Circuit was, literally, the premiere game for the Game Boy Advance. Though the game took several months after the launch of the system to be released, it was the game Nintendo spotlighted at the debut of the hardware. It was the game that showed gamers that the Game Boy Advance had the ability to bring Super NES experiences to a portable, and in a way that blew away the visuals and audio of the 16-bit console. The game mechanics of Mario Kart were tweaked for Super Circuit, but the heart of the Super NES game was clearly here. The designers even exploited the GBA's single cartridge multiplayer function so that four players could hit some classic SNES courses without the need to buy a copy of the game. And after the competition? They went out and bought a copy anyway. Awesome work.
18) Metroid Fusion
Developer: Intelligent System
Publisher: Nintendo
Year Released: 2002
By the time of Metroid Fusion's development, the franchise had already been snagged by the GameCube as the ultimate first-person adventure. But for those who really wanted to go back to the roots of the series, and that's the void Metroid Fusion fills -- the game is a throwback to the gameplay mechanics of the classic Metroid, Super Metroid, and Metroid II, but it moves the story forward and gives Samus a sleek new look. It was an incredibly fun adventure with the traditional 'Metroid Twist.'
17) Super Mario Advance 2: Super Mario World
Developer: NintendoPublisher: Nintendo