The GameBoy Advance is one of the most popular handhelds in the video game landscape. This little guy came out back in 2001, and took the handheld market by storm. Even now, in 2024, many Nintendo, and even non-Nintendo fans look back at the console in a positive light. This handheld just had so many killer apps that made it a must-buy for any gaming fan of that generation.
The GameBoy Advance had more games than you can count. There were two major reasons why this handheld was so popular. It had tons of original games on it that were incredible, and it also had tons of ports of older games on it that were incredible. These games range from different genres, like action, and adventure, all the way to RPGs. That’s what this article will focus on, some of the best RPGs the GameBoy Advance has to offer.
Dragon Ball Z: Buu’s Fury
Were you expecting a Dragon Ball Z game to pop up on this list? The GameBoy Advance had tons of licensed games, all of varying quality, but this game topped them all. There were loads of Dragon Ball Z games on the GameBoy Advance, but this one is easily the best one. Buu’s Fury is actually the third game in the “Legacy of Goku” series. This series was an action RPG franchise on the system.
These games followed the plot of the DBZ anime and were just full of charm. They had tons of content, side quests, and memorable moments from the anime. Buu’s Fury is the choice here, because it perfected the RPG leveling, had oodles and oodles of side content, and was just a DBZ and GameBoy Advance fan’s dream game. Definitely check it out if you’re an anime fan.
Final Fantasy VI Advance
Remember how earlier, there was a mention of ports? This is the only port on this list, but it’s too good to not mention. Final Fantasy VI is already one of the greatest RPGs ever made. It was released back in the 1990s on the SNES. It was re-released on the GameBoy Advance, and it is such a great way to play the game. This game has a legendary story, tons of content, and a great battle system with compelling characters.
What more could you want from an RPG? All packed into the GameBoy Advance as well. It’s the perfect handheld RPG. In the GameBoy Advance, new content was added, a new translation was given to the script, and some slight graphical facelifts were given. It’s still the same masterpiece that it was before though. It’s a shame, because all of the Final Fantasy games on the GameBoy Advance have incredible ports, but they are worth an arm and a leg nowadays. If you have them, consider yourself lucky.
Castlevania Aria of Sorrow
Castlevania. Such a cozy series for this writer. On the GameBoy Advance, there were four games in the series. A port of the first entry, and three original games. These games all had their own strengths and weaknesses, but the final game, Aria of Sorrow, is easily the best. Why? This game followed the formula the legendary “Symphony of the Night” started in the 1990s, and just ran with it.
The exploring, the level progression, the new abilities. All of it. This game is just a perfect handheld game. It’s really replayable and has so many interesting and well-made moving parts to it. That pretty much sums up this console in a nutshell. The GameBoy Advance had a lot going on, but at its core, it was a fun handheld with some killer games. Even in 2024, the RPGs on this console still rock.
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