It’s been 20 years since theGame Boy Advancehit the stores, adding a landscape view format to the already successful Game Boy Color. Home of some of the best remakes ever made by Nintendo, the Game Boy Advance allowed a new generation to play certain classics for the first time. At the same time, during the short three years where the Game Boy Advance was the primary portable on the market, the console became home to some of the best titles of franchises such asMetroidandCastlevania. So now that Game Boy titles arereportedly coming to the Nintendo Switch, it’s time to revisit some of our most cherished memories from a long-gone childhood and list the 15 best Game Boy Advance games of all time.
The following list features 15 amazing Game Boy Advance games, and while it does attempt to rank all these games, it should be read more as a recommendation guide, as every title on this selection deserves to be revisited by fans. Also, we are leaving the remakes on the bottom for the simple reason that we want to highlight how original and unique some of the Game Boy Advance titles were. So, without further ado, let’s dive into the best Game Boy Advance games of all time, hoping that we’ll soon be able to replay them on our Nintendo Switch. Don’t forget to pack some extra AA batteries, as we have a long journey through memory lane.
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15. Yoshi’s Island: Super Mario Advance 3
WhileSuper Mario Worldstill holds up as the definitive 2DMarioadventure, there’s a lot to love aboutSuper Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island. Initially released for the Super Nintendo in 1995, the game was reworked to fit the Game Boy Advance in 2002. While the soundtrack had to be downsized to fit the portable console,Yoshi’s Island: Super Mario Advance 3is a fantastic remake that tweaks some levels to balance the game difficulty while also adding secret challenges that were not present in the original release. And while the game plays completely different from the originalSuper Mario World, Yoshi’s adventure to bring Baby Mario home is one of the most creative 2D adventures ever made by Nintendo and deserves more love than it gets.
14. Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3
TheSuper Mario Advanceseriesportedall major hits of theSuper Mariofranchise to the Game Boy Advance, includingSuper Mario Bros. 3. Initially released for the NES in 1988,Super Mario Bros. 3got upgraded graphics and sounds for the 1993’s Super Nintendo collectionSuper Mario All-Stars. It’s this improved version that got released on the Game Boy Advance in 2003, with e-Reader support that allowed players to scan unique cards to gain access to new levels and power-ups. One of the power-ups introduced bySuper Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3was the boomerang that would become a staple in the franchise afterSuper Mario 3D Land. The Game Boy Advance release ofSuper Mario Bros. 3is the definitive version of the game, a classic thatmany still consider superior toSuper Mario World.
13. Metroid: Zero Mission
While most Game Boy Advance remakes add a few features on top of a classic game without changing too much about it,Metroid: Zero Missionis a complete reimagining of the franchise’s first game. While 1986’sMetroidis an important game that deserves a lot of respect, the franchise was still limited by the technology of the NES at the time.Zero Mission, then, brings out the potential of the original game by introducing faster combat, more responsive controls, and the same genius level design.Zero Missionimproves the firstMetroidin every possible aspect, allowing players to enjoy Samus Aran’s first adventure without the constraints of the 8-bit generation.
12. Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2
Super Mario Worldbecame a standard for 2D platformers after being released on the Super Nintendo in 1990. However, the Game Boy Advance port of the game improves the original experience by giving meaning to the game’s collectibles and increasing the replayability by changing how Luigi works. While Mario and Luigi only had different colors in the original game,Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2makes Mario’s brother jump higher while giving him less traction. Playing with Mario or Luigi changes how the game’s pacing works, and every power-up was also redesigned so both characters would behave differently. While the originalSuper Mario Worldstill holds as a fantastic game, the Game Boy Advance remake shows that we can add a new spin to an older title, making it even better.
11. Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen
While technology evolved,Pokémonplayers faced an issue: new consoles could not connect to older consoles. That meant thatPokémon RubyandSapphire, Game Boy Advance exclusives, could not trade Pokémon with previous generations.Pokémon FireRedandLeafGreenwere the firstPokémonremakes in history, created to solve this issue by allowing new players to revisit the original storyline while offering complete compatibility with more recent games. New types, creatures, moves, and gameplay mechanics from newer generations were added to the classics. However, the game still maintains its original plot and challenges, making it a prettier and more polished version of two titles that started the Poké-fever. WhileRubyandSapphirechanged the Pokémon universe forever by making each creature unique, the games are still too short. The introduction of the remakes allowed for more trades, combats, and exploration, starting the tradition of revisiting older titles in the franchise that we now see on the Nintendo DS and Nintendo Switch.
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10. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past & Four Swords
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Pastis arguably the best 2DZeldagame ever made, so it’s easy to understand how a port of the Super Nintendo classic became a hit in the Game Boy Advance. However, the release ofA Link to the Pastalso included a multiplayer-onlyZeldaadventure that had its own story and challenges.Four Swordswas such a great idea that the game would be remade as a solo release on the Nintendo DS and got a sequel on the Nintendo GameCube. So, besides including one of the bestZeldagames ever made, the Game Boy Advance version ofA Link to the Pastalso breathed fresh air into the franchise, showing how a multiplayer mode could fit perfectly the classicdungeon-crawlingexperience.
9. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2
TheTony Hawkseries reached its peak when the second title was released on the PlayStation in 2000. Trying to bank on the game’s success,publisherActivision decided to portTony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2everywhere, including the Game Boy Advance. To make the 3D game fit the portable console,developerVicarious Visions locked the game into anisometric cameraand enlarged the levels, allowing for incredibly precise control even with the small screen of the Game Boy Advance. More than a port, the Game Boy Advance version ofTony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2is a statement of how creative developers can get while trying to make a gaming experience feel good in different systems.
8. Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories
Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memorieswas released on the Game Boy Advance when the franchise still made enough sense and you didn’t need hundreds of hours in discussion forums to follow the main plotline. A direct sequel to the first game,Chain of Memoriesis the first spin-off of theKingdom Heartsfranchise, developed to bridge the first two main installments. While the firstKingdom Heartshad a real-time combat system,Chain of Memoriesintroduced a card system that allowed for complex combat while still taking into consideration the technological limitation of the Game Boy Advance.Chain of Memoriesis also remembered as one of the best-looking games on the Game Boy Advance, thanks to the pre-recorded cutscenes that didn’t need a lot of processing power.
7. Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
Inspired by the success ofPaper Marioon the Nintendo 64,Mario & Luigi: Superstar Sagakickstarted an RPG franchise on the Game Boy Advance, featuring our two favorite Italian plumbers.Superstar Sagareuses the concise battle system created byPaper Mario, in which results are predictable and timing is as important as strategy.Superstar Sagaalso adds many interactions between the two brothers to make the combat more complex.Paper Mariowould, unfortunately, deviate from its RPG origins after the second title. SoMario and Luigibecame the primary RPG experience of theSuper Mariouniverse, and it all started in the Game Boy Advance.
6. Mario Kart: Super Circuit
No Nintendo console could be successful without a greatMario Karttitle.Mario Kart: Super Circuitdidn’t introduce new power-ups or mechanics. Instead, it focused on using the perfected karting mechanics of previous titles to focus on some of the best original levels in the franchise.Super Circuitalso allowed players to unlock circuits from the original Super NintendoMario Kartgame, a move so well received by fans that every other game in the franchise also delivered a few classic courses. The graphics ofSuper Circuitdidn’t age so well, but the game still plays like a charm, making it worth revisiting nowadays.
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