The Game Boy Advance boasts a huge library of games with an impressive number of S-tier entries. The updated graphics, bolder colors, and enhanced capabilities it offered over its predecessor represented a giant leap in the possibilities of handheld gaming, while also marking the end of the true 2D pixilated era.
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Because pretty much everything that came out after the GBA used either partial or full 3D graphics, the handheld stands as an almost anachronistic member of its generation, and as such some of the best games released for it never had a clear path to carry forward onto subsequent systems. However, a ton of those games still hold up today, and there are plenty of fans out there who would absolutely love to see them make an appearance in the modern era whether through a remaster or a whole new entry.
8Astro Boy: Omega Factor
This entry from one ofthe oldest manga/anime franchisesout there was a fairly surprising success for the Game Boy Advance.Astro Boyis not necessarily an IP that’s going to cause American fans to line up in droves on release day, but the game is just plain good and that’s kind of all that matters.
The thrilling pace to this expertly executed side-scroller is not unlikeCuphead, which of course is a big enough success today to have earned an army of fans and even its own Netflix show. There’s no reason why a revampedAstro Boy: Omega Factorcouldn’t connect with that very same fanbase. And if they really like it, well then there are three whole shows and 23 volumes of manga to dig into.
7Advance Wars
Yes, there’s a remaster of the first twoAdvance Warsgames sitting in a warehouse somewhere out there right now, and nobody knows when it’ll see the light of day, but that doesn’t change the fact that there are plenty of fans who would lose it over a brand new entry into the series.
Considering how snugly its format seems like it would fit into an online setting, a new take on these simple but wildly addictive strategy games should be a no-brainer. And even before legitimate online play was feasible for a handheld,Advance Warsjust sort of seemed like the kind of game that could becomea solid franchise for Nintendo(Andy seems like he’d be a lot more fun onSuper Smash Bros.than Wii Fit Trainer, doesn’t he?) and yet it never made it past the Nintendo DS. The series deserves better.
6Pokemon Fire Red/Leaf Green
A remake of a remake might sound a bit insane, but there’s a method to the madness. Updating the original Pokemon games with bright new colors, better looking graphics, and tons of new content was a masterful yet fairly simple move on Nintendo’s part, so why not just do it twice?
There are plenty of fans out there who have grown up with the Pokemon series and are beginning to note a distinct lack of innovation, an increase in hand-holding, and a general targeting of a much younger demographic in the new Pokemon releases. It’s doubtful that a whole new series dedicated to OG fans is on the menu, but a heartfelt remake of that original journey through Kanto may be enough to sate the restless 30-something masses and then some.
5Ninja Five-O
Ninja Five-Ois one of the more curious titles in Game Boy Advance history. It’s a fairly unusual side-scrolling action game from Konami that got stellar reviews yet didn’t have great sales and wound up becoming one of the rarest games around. Today fans might have to pay a few hundred dollars just for a loose cartridge, and they’d likely have to pay thousands for a mint in box copy.
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Because of its exceptional rarity, not too many people have (legally) gotten the chance to play this fun and challenging title. It would be pretty clever (yet unfortunately highly unlikely) of Konami to either come up with a remaster or create a straight-up sequel and package it with the original.
4Golden Sun
The number ofgreat RPGs made for the Game Boy Advanceis truly impressive. Whether they were ports likeBreath of Fire 2andFinal Fantasy 6, sequels to popular RPG franchises likeLufia: Ruins of LoreandKingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, or just brand-new titles likeGolden Sun, this was the ultimate handheld for roleplaying fans.
The original entry ofGolden Sunis simply one of the best Game Boy Advance games there are, and its sequel may have been even better, so it’s rather baffling that the series just kind of evaporated after that. JRPGs are still going strong, so why leave this series an eternalGame Boy Advance exclusive?
3Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
This extremely enjoyable offshoot ofSuper Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Starsdoesn’t just throw a Mario skin over the classic JRPG formula and call it a day. It offers a bunch of interesting mechanics blended into the provenMario RPGgameplay and then adds in a colorful world full of unique characters with a memorable sense of humor.
Mario andhis faithful sidekickLuigi’s RPG adventure went on to become a solid series in its own right, with five quality titles and two remakes under its belt before developer AlphaDream declared bankruptcy and effectively pulled the plug on it for good. But although the odds of a modern update have long seemed bleak, Nintendo did file a trademark forMario & Luigiin January of 2020, leaving the door ever so slightly ajar for a comeback.
2Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
Capcom has never failed with a Zelda entry, andThe Minish Capis probably their shining achievement, yet it seems as if the developer/franchise pairing and the mini masterpieces they gave birth to are doomed to fade into obscurity as the years go by.
Well, there have been swirling rumors about anOracle of Ages/Oracle of Seasonsremake for a while now, but those are still just rumors as of right now, and there’s been no real talk about dusting the amazingMinish Capoff and blessing fans with a trip down memory lane. It seems like one of the easiest titles for Nintendo to revisit and there’s no doubt they’d rake in a ton of cash with it, so what gives?
1Dragon Ball Z: The Legacy Of Goku II
There area ton ofDragon Ballgamesout there, but very few of them have the simplicity and charm of theLegacy of Gokuseries. Well, maybe not the original one, but pretty much every problem with that one was cleared up by its two sequels:Legacy of Goku IIandBuu’s Fury.
These simple but super fun action RPGs let fans take the reins and live outthe entire storyline ofDragon Ball Zin a colorful world of tiny cool-looking sprites. So many games from this franchise try too hard and do too much, but this one kept it incredibly simple and that’s what makes it stand out. It’s easy to imagine that a brand-new version with similar but updated graphics that runs through the entire story of theDragon Ballfranchise simply couldn’t miss.
