The Game Boy Advance brought a whole host of new games to the roster of already amazing Game Boy games. Not only that, but it had better graphics, and the Game Boy Advance SP brought a backlit screen and more portability, with it being a flip-screen console.
While it is a fantastic console, many games were released for the GBA that have since been forgotten. This article sheds light on those that you may have missed out on.
20. Klonoa: Empire of Dreams
Klonoa is already not that well-known of a franchise, but the GBA game in the series is one of the most forgotten. Klonoa: Empire of Dreams has all the classic makings of a Klonoa game, with the same cute mechanics and enemies that you see in Klonoa: Door to Phantomile.
It’s just as vibrant and colorful as the other entries in the series, and as a fun spinoff of the main story, Klonoa: Empire of Dreams is worth giving a go.
19. Astro Boy: Omega Factor
Astro Boy is an iconic franchise from Japan in a very popular manga. Along with the manga came movies and, of course, video games. This game comes with some fantastic visuals and great animations. However, the only downside of this game is that it gets repetitive sometimes. That being said, it’s absolutely still worth playing through.
18. Lady Sia
Playing as a strong female protagonist, Lady Sia is a traditional platformer with lots of intense action and adventuring moments throughout the game. With the world split into four, there are four bosses to fight and many levels to complete. The combat never gets tiring, as she has a multitude of abilities to use when she needs it, keeping the game fresh and fun to play.
17. Summon Night: Swordcraft Story 2
If you’re a fan of action or RPGs, this game is for you. Combining the two genres to make a fun top-down game where you defeat enemies and use different abilities to traverse the vast world. There are plenty of puzzles to solve, too, if you’re looking for a bit of a challenge to go with the game.
Summon Night: Swordcraft Story 2 is beautifully colored and has such a vibrant world with great graphics, giving it a more refined feel than the game that came before it.
16. Sword of Mana
If you’re a fan of Final Fantasy, you’re bound to like Sword of Mana. Coming as a remake of the first game in the Mana series, this game has great combat elements and fantastic graphics. That being said, compared to the second remake it received much later down the line, this game has a few faults in the AI and a bit of a lackluster story. That said, I found this game very fun when I was younger, and I still think it’s worth playing.
15. Metal Slug Advance
Metal Slug is a great franchise, with Metal Slug Advance being quite an underrated Game Boy Advance game. If you like run and gun games, this game is perfect. While run-and-gun games are a dying breed, this game is true to the genre and is so worth playing.
It comes with a new, improved UI and a new card-collecting game within Metal Slug Advance. Why not give it a go?
14. The Urbz: Sims in the City
One of my all-time favorite Game Boy Advance games, The Urbz: Sims in the City, is incredibly fun and a great timesink. Whether you play it for ten minutes or ten hours, there is so much to do in the game. This game is criminally underrated. From minigames to quests to complete and fun dialogue options with all of the NPCs, there is a lot to love about this game.
It’s the perfect cozy experience!
13. Tomb Raider: The Prophecy
Tomb Raider: The Prophecy is quite an eerie game, and the background noises that you hear when playing this game are enough to leave you on edge as you work through the various levels and complete puzzles so that you can proceed. Working similarly to other Tomb Raider games, there are, of course, med kits, weaponry galore, and pesky wolves to get rid of. What’s not to love?
12. Tekken Advance
For all the fighting game fans, Tekken Advance is a great handheld fighting game with iconic characters from the Tekken franchise. While the story isn’t canon, it follows on from the storyline of Tekken 3 and even incorporates the sprites from the third installment.
Of course, since it’s on a handheld console, the inputs were made much simpler. That said, it is still an entertaining game and can get quite intense in the battles.
11. Lord of the Rings: The Third Age
Even if you aren’t a die-hard Lord of the Rings fan, you may enjoy this RPG game that is a vague adaptation of the film trilogy. The game comes with open-world exploration alongside turn-based combat, bringing the best of both worlds together in this underrated Game Boy Advance game.
If you enjoy Final Fantasy, you may find yourself really enjoying this game, too.
10. Bookworm
If you’re a fan of word games, such as crosswords or word searches, you may enjoy the puzzler that is Bookworm. Connecting letters on a board to make words, you have to make sure you use the letters closest to exploding on the board to ensure your survival. It can get pretty intense, but this game is a ton of fun!
9. Kirby & the Amazing Mirror
An underrated game for the Game Boy Advance, Kirby & the Amazing Mirror is an adorable platformer game where you have to traverse this Metroidvania-like game and make your way through the mirror world. Of course, some enemies will need to be defeated, puzzles to complete, and much more in this cutesy game.
8. Chuchu Rocket!
While this game received positive reviews, it is often forgotten when people think of the Game Boy Advance. ChuChu Rocket is an intense puzzle game where you have to guide mice named ChuChus to safety while avoiding cats (known as KapuKapus) by using your rockets to help them amid their frantic panic.
It can be difficult, and one for the older players, as the puzzles can get very tricky and fast.
7. Tactics Ogre: The Knight of Lodis
A tactical RPG, Tactics Ogre: The Knight of Lodis isn’t the most popular in the franchise and often goes unmentioned. With a high skill ceiling and intense difficulty in battles, this game will have you considering your moves carefully to succeed in this mission-based game. With a great battle system and complex narrative, there isn’t much to dislike about this game. If you’re looking for a challenge, give this game a try.
6. Onimusha Tactics
Another tactical RPG that makes it onto the list, Onimusha Tactics, is a fantastic game and a spinoff of the main series, Onimusha. It doesn’t have any of the main story from the franchise but instead consists of its own side story. If you’re a fan of Fire Emblem, you’ll want to give this game a shot. With a ¾ camera view of the battlefield and intense battles where you earn XP to make your characters stronger, Onimusha Tactics is a great game with a variety of weapon choices to use.
5. Crash Bandicoot Fusion
Not one of the most popular Crash Bandicoot games, this title marries Crash Bandicoot’s play style with Spyro the Dragon’s. It revolves heavily around minigames and various gameplay mechanics, such as using a Jet Pack or diving through a tube. Crash Bandicoot gets to experience Spyro’s world, while Spyro Fusion gets to experience Crash’s world.
Crash Bandicoot Fusion is revolutionary and allows players to use the Game Link Cable to compete in multiplayer battles and trade the cards collected throughout the game.
4. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
While many critics saw this game as a flop, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a lot of fun and stays true to the 2005 movie. It’s an incredibly fun platformer game. You work your way through the game similarly to how the movie plays out, from buying the golden ticket to making your way through the factory and having to complete puzzles to progress. With voice acting for the dialogue and a vibrant background, this game can be fun for younger audiences.
3. Bratz Forever Diamondz
Bratz Forever Diamondz is often the Bratz game that isn’t spoken about, with Bratz Rock Angelz coming out on top. That being said, this game is a ton of fun as you complete tasks for the magazine and additional tasks around the city.
While the game can be quite short, it’s a lot of fun to be able to play dress-up, as well as get to talk to some of the lovable characters in Bratz: Forever Diamondz. It’s really worth a play if you want something simple but fun to sink your teeth into.
2. Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga
There are many Mario games in the Mario franchise, from spinoffs to main-line story games. Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga is an underrated Game Boy Advance game with a turn-based battle system. If you’re a fan of that, then you’re bound to enjoy this comedic and whimsical experience.
With all of the traditional elements of a Mario game, including fighting enemies and obtaining items and gear, it turns the franchise on its head by incorporating a turn-based battle system.
1. Final Fantasy Tactics Advance
Final Fantasy has a lot of games within the franchise, including spinoffs and live-service games. Final Fantasy Tactics Advance utilizes an isometric battlefield with turn-based combat and missions to be completed.
Not only that, but there’s an extensive Job system where players can choose the classes the character utilizes, the items they equip, and their abilities. This game allows for a lot of variety and will enable you to pick the perfect team to traverse through the game.
That concludes our list of underrated Game Boy Advance games. Are there any on this list that you consider underrated?
