Best GBA Games From Each Year Of The Console’s Life

Nintendo has a long history of creating excellent handheld gaming consoles that have changed the video game world. The original Game Boy was groundbreaking, but in 2001, Nintendo made another significant leap with the Game Boy Advance. This console was special because it brought impressive 32-bit graphics to portable gaming.

The Game Boy Advance, released in 2001 and discontinued in 2008, boasts a massive library of fantastic games covering every imaginable genre. Nintendo and numerous other developers continued to create great titles for the handheld even after the more advanced Nintendo DS had launched.

For clarity, we’re using the year a Game Boy Advance game was originally released worldwide, and that’s usually Japan. We’re also limiting our coverage to games released up to and including 2007, as no new GBA titles came out in 2008.

Golden Sun (2001)

One Of The Greatest Handheld RPGs Of All Time

When the Game Boy Advance first launched, it featured familiar Nintendo handheld games like Super Mario Advance and F-Zero: Maximum Velocity. However, one of the console’s most memorable franchises, the first Golden Sun game, didn’t arrive until August 2001.

I remember when Golden Sun first came out – it was a totally fresh turn-based RPG made by Camelot. You could definitely see the influence of classics like Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest, but it wasn’t just a copy. It had its own thing going on! The characters were really vibrant, the gameplay felt great, the graphics were surprisingly good for the time with that pseudo-3D look, and the music was beautiful. It quickly became a hit, and we didn’t even have to wait long for a sequel!

Honorable Mentions: Other Great 2001 GBA Games

Advance Wars – A landmark tactical RPG and a great entry-level game.
Castlevania: Circle of the Moon – An early example of the GBA’s capabilities.
F-Zero: Maximum Velocity – Impressive speed on a handheld.
Mario Kart: Super Circuit – A great portable Mario Kart reminiscent of the original SNES version.
Super Mario Advance – A great remake of Super Mario Bros. 2.
Wario Land 4 – Arguably the best all-around Wario Land game, making it one of the best platformers on the GBA.

Metroid Fusion (2002)

A Top-Tier Metroid Game

Nintendo’s Game Boy Advance was home to many of its most beloved games, and Metroid was a prime example. Fans had been waiting a long time to play as Samus Aran, as she hadn’t appeared on the Nintendo 64. Their wait ended in 2002 with the release of Metroid Fusion, a new game that continued the story from Super Metroid and brought Samus back into action.

Players navigated a massive space station, battling frightening X Parasites, which added a surprising horror element to the game. Though Fusion is more straightforward than some other Metroid titles, it still delivered the immersive atmosphere, fast-paced combat, and tough boss fights that fans loved. This successful return for Samus helped revitalize the series and led to stronger games in the years to come.

Honorable Mentions: Other Great 2002 GBA Games

Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance – Similar to Circle of the Moon, but better.
Golden Sun: The Lost Age – Just as brilliant as its predecessor.
Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land – An awesome remake of Kirby’s Adventure
Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire – A big step up from the previous generation.
Sonic Advance 2 – Sonic had a great run on the GBA, and the first sequel is probably the best of the trilogy.

Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga (2003)

The Best Mario & Luigi Game, And One Of The Franchise’s Greatest RPGs

2003 offered a strong lineup of RPGs for the Game Boy Advance, including popular titles like Final Fantasy Tactics Advance and Pokemon Ruby & Sapphire. But the year’s biggest standout was definitely Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga. While the Mario franchise had touched on RPG elements before, with Paper Mario on the N64, Superstar Saga was a completely new experience.

With Superstar Saga, Luigi finally got his chance to star in an RPG alongside Mario. Though it used turn-based battles, the gameplay was more engaging thanks to timed button presses, making it easier for younger players to enjoy. The game was a vibrant and humorous adventure filled with funny characters. Superstar Saga was a fantastic game and a strong beginning for the Mario & Luigi series on handheld consoles.

Honorable Mentions: Other Great 2003 GBA Games

Advance Wars 2: Black Hole Rising – Refined its predecessor, creating a timeless handheld strategy game.
Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow – Another GBA triumph for Castlevania, and one of the best games in the franchise.
Final Fantasy Tactics Advance – Translated the PS1 experience really well.
WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgames! – Microgames done to near-perfection.

The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap (2004)

An Underrated Zelda Masterpiece

As a Zelda fan, I always expect a new game on every Nintendo system, and the GBA was no exception. They’d already put out A Link to the Past and Four Swords back in 2002, but that felt more like a remake. It wasn’t until 2004 that we finally got a totally new Legend of Zelda adventure on the handheld – The Minish Cap, and it was awesome!

Created by Capcom and Flagship, The Minish Cap is a standout 2D game in the Zelda series, particularly well-suited for handheld consoles where creating 3D games was more challenging. This game is a vibrant and charming adventure, especially memorable for Link’s ability to shrink in size with the help of the Picori. It features imaginative items, enjoyable dungeons, and a compelling villain in Vaati, who has become a fan favorite. Despite its relatively small size, The Minish Cap offers a grand adventure that most Legend of Zelda fans will love.

Honorable Mentions: Other Great 2004 GBA Games

Kirby & the Amazing Mirror – Great evolution of Kirby formula.
Mario Golf: Advance Tour – Way better than a golf game has any right to be.
Metroid: Zero Mission – Example of a perfect remake.
Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen – Another example of a perfect remake.

Mega Man Battle Network 6: Cybeast Falzar (2005)

Arguably The Best Entry In The GBA-Exclusive Franchise

This selection is really a recognition of the entire Mega Man Battle Network series, which was a key part of the Game Boy Advance’s history. While all the games are enjoyable, Battle Network 3 and 6 are considered the strongest, with 6 offering a fantastic conclusion to this special and exciting action RPG series.

This series combines card-based battles with strategic positioning, creating gameplay that’s easy to pick up but hard to put down. It features engaging deck-building and tells stories that are more complex than typical Mega Man games. Surprisingly, these games still hold up today, and you can enjoy them even without the updated collection.

Honorable Mentions: Other Great 2005 GBA Games

Drill Dozer – A criminally overlooked gem from Game Freak.
Final Fantasy IV Advance – Not the best version of FF4, but still very good.
Mario Tennis: Power Tour – Way better than a tennis game has any right to be.

Mother 3 (2006)

The Last GBA Masterpiece

By 2006, the Game Boy Advance was becoming outdated, as the Nintendo DS had already been available for over a year. Because it wasn’t the most popular console anymore, fewer new games were being released for it, and nothing from 2006 matched the quality of its earlier classics. However, Mother 3 was released in Japan that year, and it’s considered one of the best role-playing games ever made.

I almost left out Mother 3 because it wasn’t officially released outside of Japan, but it’s easily the most significant and enjoyable game for the Game Boy Advance from 2006.

Mother 3 took the role-playing game format to the next level with its innovative rhythm-based battles, a deeply moving and well-crafted story, and beautiful pixel art that still looks fantastic today. The Mother series has greatly influenced the indie game community, and this third installment feels remarkably modern – you could easily mistake it for a game released in 2015.

Honorable Mentions: Other Great 2006 GBA Games

Final Fantasy VI Advance – A brilliant version of a brilliant JRPG.
Yggdra Union – A respected cult classic that is a must-play for strategy fans, although they would be better served checking out the modern versions rather than the GBA original.

TMNT (2007)

A Very Solid Hack ‘Em Up Game

By 2007, fewer and fewer games were being released for the Game Boy Advance. However, amidst a lot of low-quality licensed games, a new title featuring the popular Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) arrived and briefly brought attention back to the handheld console. This TMNT game continued the series’ tradition of making excellent beat ’em up action games.

The GBA version of TMNT shares similarities with Shredder’s Revenge, blending action-packed combat with the classic structure of beat ’em up games. While it’s not essential to play, it’s surprisingly good, and many would argue it’s even better than the console versions.

2026-01-27 03:42