The Game Boy Advance was a major hit for Nintendo. The portable system sold more than 81 million units, making it one of the best-selling consoles of all time. With such a massive playerbase, it’s no wonder that the GBA had dozens of great games launch over its lifespan. However, a few of the best games on the system have been forgotten by fans these days. These games might not be all-timers for most, but they’re still awesome portable games.
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Here are five great Game Boy Advance games you might’ve forgotten.
5) The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Fans of The Lord of the Rings had plenty of great options in the 2000s. One of the most popular choices was the hack-and-slash film adaptations that came to consoles alongside the movies. Those games are solid, but the Game Boy Advance port might be even better. In some ways, this isometric Gauntlet-like felt like playing Diablo 2 on the go. Of course, it’s not quite as fully featured as that, but it was a blast to blaze through Middle-earth while on a long car trip.
The GBA version does switch the view, but it doesn’t lose too much of what makes the console version of Return of the King so good. Importantly, you can play as one of eight characters, each of which has its own specific skillset. Plus, the GBA version added the ability to etch runes into your weapons, giving them even more combat utility. Toss in multiplayer via the Game Boy link function, and you have one of the best Lord of the Rings games ever.
4) Car Battler Joe
Just look at that title. Do I really need to say anything else? Well, if you need more convincing, developer Ancient put together a solid vehicular combat game with Car Battler Joe. Controlling a youngster trying to make it to the top of the car combat heap, you’ll have a ball fighting through the hectic gameplay while marveling at the Mode 7 graphics.
However, the car combat is only half of the battle. See, Car Battler Joe also incorporates RPG gameplay. There’s quite a bit of depth in picking which cars you’re going to use for each fight, and you’ll need to track down spare parts to keep your vehicle up and running. Sure, the story isn’t much to write home about, but it’s Car Battler Joe has such a great concept that it’s a little strange we’ve never seen anyone take another stab at it. Still, it’s a great game that deserves more love.
3) Ninja Five-O
Ninja Five-O has the team at Hudson Soft behind it, so you know it’s going to be a banger. The studio’s GBA catalog is mostly Bomberman, Mario Party, and Beyblade games, but when Konami had them work on this action-platformer, they pulled out all the stops. You control a ninja named Joe Osugi as he fights against a group of terrorists. Think of it like a mix between games like Ninja Gaiden and Bionic Commando, and you’ll have a decent idea of what to expect.
Tight controls, a wild story, and a great look should’ve been more than enough for Ninja Five-O to find success. To its credit, the game did pick up plenty of awards from critics in 2003, but players just didn’t show up. Part of that might’ve been the developer’s fault, as it’s impossible to find a cartridge these days because of how rare they are. Thankfully, Ninja Five-O was recently released on modern consoles, so you don’t have to shell out $1,000+ on eBay for a GBA Copy.
2) Drill Dozer
When people think about developer Game Freak, they instantly think about Pokรฉmon. The developer’s greatest creation has become one of the biggest media properties in existence, and it has always had a huge presence on the mobile marketplace. However, when Game Freak is given room to stretch its legs beyond Pokรฉmon, they almost always impress.
Drill Dozer is one such game. Players jump into the shoes of Jill and her mech for this action-heavy platformer. Using the mech’s drill, you’ll need to solve puzzles, open pathways, and fight off enemies. It’s an inventive GBA game that fans and critics showed up for, heaping praise onto Game Freak for proving they were more than the Pokรฉmon company. Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough to ever get a Drill Dozer a sequel. Game Freak did make Giga Wrecker, which is a spiritual sequel, but it’d be great to see Jill make a big comeback someday.
1) Astro Boy: Omega Factor
Omega Factor was developed by Treasure, which was in the middle of a heater during the early 2000s. Before this, the developer had put out games like Sin and Punishment, Ikaruga, and Wario World. With that in mind, it shouldn’t be a huge surprise that they took a popular anime license and made one of the best beat ’em ups on the Game Boy Advance.
This adaptation of Astro Boy featured gorgeous pixel art, massive attacks, and some fun, Metroidvania-like elements. See, each NPC you meet joins your Omega Factor, which can then be used to either upgrade Astro Boy‘s stats or unlock hidden areas in a level. It’s not exactly like the classic Metroidvanias you love, but it adds that extra bit of spice and replayability to the mix. Sure, a few of the levels can feel a little repetitive, and there is some slowdown against a few of the larger bosses, but this is a must-play GBA game, especially if you’re an action fan.
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