Best GBA Games to Play for Their Stories

The handheld gaming scene was fairly standard until 2001 when the Game Boy Advance launched and changed the entire scene. Handheld platforms were compelling, but the GBA wasn’t just a portable gaming machine. It was a handheld Super Nintendo, a massively exciting prospect that led to the creation of some of the most incredible games ever made. As the GBA was able to run games that felt like classic SNES games, a console noted for games with outstanding stories to tell, it was only natural that the Game Boy Advance would follow suit.

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The Game Boy Advance had some of the best RPGs of its era in its library. These are the best you can play on the console.

Whether it was an epic RPG with a huge, sprawling story about adventure and destiny or a quirky adventure brought to life by the console’s impressive sprite and scaling abilities, the Game Boy Advance was the gold standard for handhelds during the 2000s. Many of the games still hold up today and have been ported to the Nintendo Switch Online service, proving the longevity of these incredible titles. These games have been ranked based on their writing, dialogue, and story structure.

6

The Legend Of Zelda: The Minish Cap

Link Visits The World Of The Picori In This Classic Zelda Adventure

Systems

Released

January 10, 2005

ESRB

E For Everyone Due To Mild Fantasy Violence

Publisher(s)

Nintendo

The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap was developed by Capcom, who had already proven themselves capable with the franchise with Oracle of Ages and Seasons, and proved to be just as incredible as any of the Nintendo-developed games in the series. The Minish Cap sees Link shrink down to the world of the Picori, where a wizard named Vaati has destroyed a fabled blade destined to slay evil and turned Zelda to stone, sending the Hero of Time on a grand adventure to stop him.

The most fascinating part of The Minish Cap is that instead of Ganon, Link’s longtime rival, it features Vaati as its main protagonist and is far better off for it. Link’s pursuit of Vaati through the charming world of the Picori is a treat, as the cunning wizard proves himself to be one of the most resourceful antagonists in the series, elevating the story of The Minish Cap into a standout entry in the franchise. The Minish Cap is currently available on Nintendo Switch Online.

5

Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga

Delightful Adventure Sees Mario And Luigi Search For Peach’s Stolen Voice

Systems

Released

November 17, 2003

ESRB

e

Developer(s)

AlphaDream

Although Mario is most noted for his incredible platforming adventures, his spin-off adventures have sometimes been just as good, if not better. One of the most fascinating pairings over the years has been the crossover between Nintendo’s flagship character and the RPG genre, a fascinating union that led to the GBA release of Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga in 2003. Following Mario and Luigi as they go on an adventure to save Princess Peach’s stolen voice, Superstar Saga is a delightful story about friendship that is still one of the best GBA games ever made.

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Superstar Saga continues the tradition started in previous Mario RPGs, with a charming script that focuses on the brothers and their self-aware silliness. The dialogue is witty and expertly written, as each encounter that Mario and Luigi have with a goofy NPC or boss is filled with heart and humor. This delightful GBA RPG was remade for the 3DS in 2017, but the original version of the game is currently available on Nintendo Switch Online.

4

Golden Sun

Traditional RPG Stuns On Game Boy Advance

Golden Sun

Systems

Released

November 12, 2001

ESRB

e

Publisher(s)

Nintendo

Camelot Software Planning has been a long-term partner of Nintendo ever since they developed Mario Golf for the N64, which spawned a massive line of spin-off sports titles for the iconic plumber. But while Camelot is well-known for these sports games, their most cherished effort to date has been Golden Sun, the epic role-playing game that chronicles the adventures of Isaac and his friends as they attempt to stop an ancient, evil magic from destroying the land.

Golden Sun follows traditional RPG beats from the classics, featuring a cast of young warriors on a quest to stop an ancient evil, but it’s the way that the game handles its character interactions and dialogue that really helps it stand out. The chemistry between the party members is excellent, and the escalation of the threat from being localized to Isaac’s village into a world-ending disaster feels honest and earned. Golden Sun is currently available on Nintendo Switch Online.

3

Metroid: Zero Mission

The NES Classic Gets A Brilliant Makeover

Action-Adventure

Metroidvania

Systems

Released

February 9, 2004

ESRB

e

Developer(s)

Nintendo

Conceived as a way to make sure that the classic form of the franchise wasn’t forgotten, especially in the wake of Prime’s massive critical and financial success, Metroid: Zero Mission is a full remake of the original NES game that perfectly recaptured the spirit and wonder of Samus Aran’s legendary debut. With Zero Mission, Nintendo largely kept the plot the same as the NES game but expanded on Samus’ origins and utilized lore elements that had been introduced in Metroid Prime.

It was an altogether brilliant move, as it filled in a lot of gaps between the first Metroid game and Samus’ appearance in Prime, which takes place roughly three years later. Nintendo also made heavy alterations to the game’s conclusion, which sees Samus stripped of her gear and upgrades, having to escape from a Space Pirate ambush only in her Zero Suit. This incredible finale included even more of Samus’ backstory and connection to the Chozo, cementing it as one of the most important stories in Metroid history. Zero Mission is currently available on Nintendo Switch Online.

2

Metroid Fusion

Haunting Collision Between Samus And SA-X

Action-Adventure

Platformer

Shooter

Systems

Released

November 17, 2002

ESRB

e

Developer(s)

Nintendo R&D1

Launching the very same day as Metroid Prime in the year 2003, this absolutely fabulous GBA adventure game sees Samus Aran return to the planet SR388, one of the most crucial planets in the franchise’s mythology. Tying deep into the lore surrounding a baby Metroid and Samus’ trauma over its loss, Metroid Fusion tells a harrowing tale of survival and grief, as she is infected by the mysterious X parasite, which uses the husk of a discarded Varia Suit to become one of the most terrifying villains in franchise history.

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Playing on the themes of paranoia and isolation, Metroid Fusion is Samus’ most chilling adventure yet, as her desperate quest to hide from the immensely powerful SA-X leads to some of the game’s most intense showdowns. Samus spends a large portion of Fusion looking inside herself, lamenting on her failing to protect the baby Metroid, and is one of the franchise’s most compelling stories. Metroid Fusion was made available on Nintendo Switch Online in 2023.

1

Mother 3

The Emotional Conclusion To Shigesato Itoi’s Incredible RPG Series

Systems

Released

April 20, 2006

ESRB

e

Publisher(s)

Nintendo

Drawing from a series of novels by Hungarian author Agota Kristof, Mother creator Shigesato Itoi conceived the third entry of his quirky RPG series as an expansive, multi-chapter story with several playable characters and a world that changed significantly over the course of the experience. And while it went through a series of delays, console changes, and even cancelations, the basic skeleton of Mother 3’s surreal fairy tale story remained intact and has become one of the most significant video games of all time.

Following twins Klaus and Lucas, Mother 3 expertly balances its humor and witty dialogue with an overwhelming sense of emotion and nostalgia, as their adventure to save Nowhere Islands from the Pigmask Army features an absolutely incredible amount of heart and charm. Mother 3 took everything that EarthBound did right and improved on it, as it continued the franchise’s examination of the brevity of childhood, growing older, and the fragile nature of human life. Mother 3 is still without a Western release, but it is available on the Japanese version of Nintendo Switch Online and is also available via a spectacular fan translation.

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