Nintendo’s Game Boy Advance brought something of a renaissance to the Japanese strategy market, as it was a handheld that housed several established JRPGs and inspired a litany of new strategy IPs. Due to the system’s limitations, slower-paced, less graphically intense games were preferred on the Advance, which created an explosion of turn-based games filled with expressive sprite work suited to the handheld’s strengths.
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There are a bevy of strategy games playable on the GBA right now. Each of these picks provides a different experience for the type of strategy experience a gamer could be seeking; from turn-based to RTS, each selection covers the biggest hits during the GBA’s five-year lifespan.
8
Tactics Ogre: The Knight Of Lodis
The Most Traditional Strategy JRPG Of All
- Released
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May 7, 2002
- Franchise
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Tactics Ogre
Tactics Ogre is a long-running strategy series that found a home on the GBA. The Knight of Lodis functions as a prequel to the rest of the series. It was the developer Quest Corporation’s last game before they were acquired by SquareSoft (now Square Enix). Curiously, the devs were made to work on Final Fantasy Tactics, meaning much of Tactics Advance’s DNA can be found in the gameplay of Knight. In fact, most modern tactics games owe their origins to Ogre.
The gameplay is extremely traditional since Tactics Ogre was the first strategy RPG of its kind. Strategy consists of managing a unit’s position and SP/MP and deciding upon the best time to coordinate an attack. This one is recommended for strategy RPG enthusiasts.
7
Advance Wars
Intelligent Systems’ Colorful War Series
- Released
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September 10, 2001
- Franchise
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Advance Wars
Cult classic Advance Wars was released on the GBA in 2001. Players assume the role of Orange Star COs Andy, Max, and Sami protecting their country after a foreign invasion of their lands. Despite the subject matter, Advance Wars is chipper in tone, thanks to its charming, vivid sprites that help units stand out on the field.
The gameplay is turn-based and is about managing the economy to create more units and overwhelm the opponent. A victor is decided when somebody’s base is captured, or an army is wiped off the map. The game has a wealth of replayability, including a 20-hour campaign, a war-room map selection, and a level editor. Its sequel, Black Hole Rising, was released two years later, innovating further on the series.
6
Mech Platoon
A Real-Time Strategy Game With Plenty Of Mech Action
Mech Platoon
- Released
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November 28, 2001
Taking inspiration from the likes of StarCraft, it is undoubtedly one of the most ambitious games released on the console, by virtue of making the strategy real-time instead of turn-based. As a result, the game had to make several compromises with its sound and gameplay features – forgoing the fog of war found in the RTS genre and capping the unit limit to a slim 30.
However, for those looking for a novel, unique experience on the GBA, Mech Platoon is the perfect fit.
5
Final Fantasy Tactics Advance
Square Enix’s Diamond In The Rough
- Released
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September 8, 2003
- Developer(s)
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Square Product Development Division 4
Despite not being an official numbered entry, Final Fantasy Tactics Advance is a beloved entry in the series. Set in the fictional world of Ivalice, the game’s legacy is so enduring that Final Fantasy 12 made the conscious decision to return to Ivalice since Advance’s world-building was so well realized.
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Along with an iconic cast and world, Tactics sports one of the most open-ended strategy games on the market, co-opting the job system from Final Fantasy 4 and integrating it into the game. This means every unit is extremely customizable as one of 34 jobs can be assigned to them. To this day, there has been no reboot or port, but rumors continue to circulate. This is a must-play for Final Fantasy fans.
4
Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade
Intelligent Systems First Handheld Fire Emblem
The Binding Blade was the first of what came to be a trilogy of Intelligent Systems GBA role-playing strategy games. It features hot-tempered red-headed protagonist Roy, who is better known in the West for his role in Smash Bros than his role in this game. Binding Blade is considered the most unbalanced of the trilogy due to its weak unit list. For example, Roy cannot be promoted until near the end of the game, whilst most enemy units are a promoted class halfway through.
The Binding Blade was never officially localized for the West, so English speakers looking for a truly authentic experience on the GBA will have to make do with the Japanese text. Fortunately, Fire Emblem’s sister games did receive an official translation and are more readily available.
3
Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade
The Most Beginner-Friendly Fire Emblem
- Released
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November 3, 2003
The Blazing Blade came out just a year after Binding Blade in 2003. Unlike most Fire Emblem games which take an anthology approach in their sequels, a la Final Fantasy, Blazing Blade is a prequel to Binding Blade, taking place in the same world.
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Gamers play as a trio of royals; Lyn, Hector, and Eliwood – Roy’s father from the previous game. Lyn’s story features an extensive, integrated tutorial that takes players through the game’s mechanics. The tutorial, along with the stronger units, is why Blazing Blade is considered the most ‘beginner-friendly’ of the series, making this the perfect jumping-on point for gamers looking to get into Fire Emblem.
2
Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
Fire Emblem’s Most Forgiving Entry
Rounding off the Fire Emblem GBA trilogy is The Sacred Stones. The third entry breaks free of its previous setting, taking players to an entirely new world; the continent of Magvel. Gamers play as dual protagonists, Eirika and Ephraim; royal twins with a deep bond.
Sacred Stones is structured in an open-world approach, allowing players to grind and redo fights on an open map, an idea that Fire Emblem Awakening would bring back ten years after Stones’ release. Thanks to the open map structure, fans agree it makes for one of the easiest Fire Emblem games in the series, sanding off the game’s harsher edges that make up its identity. For those looking for a more relaxed, casual Fire Emblem experience, this game is highly recommended.
1
Mega Man Battle Network 6: Cybeast Falzar
A Unique Deck-Building Strategy Game
Mega Man Battle Network 6
- Released
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June 13, 2006
- Franchise
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Mega Man
- Developer(s)
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Capcom Production Studio 2
In Capcom’s spin-off of its ever-popular Mega Man series, players inhabit the life of Lan Hikari who assumes the avatar of MegaMan.exe, who lives in an internet-virtual world, trying to stop the schemes of net-hackers. The series is extremely unique by strategy game standards – originally pitched as a Pokémon-like; the gameplay evolved into a deck-builder with real-time strategy elements that no other franchise has aped.
The gameplay was refined with each subsequent entry, making Mega Man Battle Network 6 the go-to for most fans. Due to the game’s unique nature, it retains a devoted esports scene, meaning owning a GBA is a must if fans want to partake in the culture.
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