Our most wanted Game Boy Advance Games on the Nintendo 3DS

We know some of them, but whats going to fill in the gaps?

Sneaky Nintendo! They went and announced two more Game Boy Advance games since we started this article so we’d picked 5 games that we want to see when in reality there’s only 3 more spots left! Some of our picks were even picked by Nintendo in the most recent reveal – but we won’t hold that against them. When we started Vooks, the Game Boy Advance was just a couple years old and to some of us it’s one of our favourite consoles. Some of us want these games to share with others who may have never played them and some of the picks are purely selfish. Let’s take a look.

Phantom Ganon

A somewhat maligned addition to the Zelda series but one that still gets the fundamental gameplay right. Vaati is a fan favourite (not one of mine funnily enough) and new items like the Gust Jar and the Mole Claws are good fun to use.

I could never get past Kraid in the original NES version. It was before my time and it’s just too difficult for me. The GBA version gives me a second chance to experience the story of the original Metroid as well as adding some more back story after the main story is finished.

Fire Emblem

A fun little strategy/RPG game in which the consequences of your mistakes are felt a bit more than in most (if you lose a member of your team, you almost always cannot use them anymore until the end). A story driven turn based strategy game that provides a nice alternative to those who mightn’t like Advance Wars.

I hear this and the sequel are among the best RPGs on the system and up amongst the best RPGs. My favourite platform for the RPG is the handheld so it’ll be great to tear into this one.

Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga

Bowser’s Inside Story was the first one I played in this series and it had me in stitches. The gameplay was also awesome but people swear that the first is the best, so I definitely want to try it out.

Super Mario Advance 4 (Super Mario Bros 3)

It’s the best Mario Bros game released on the GBA, do I need to say more?

Final Fantasy VI Advance

My reasons for wanting this is actually a pretty selfish one, as, well, it’s hard to say but, I’ve never actually played Final Fantasy VI and I’ve always wanted to. What better way to play it than on my 3DS, right?

The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap OR The Legend of Zelda: A Link To The Past

This might also come as a shock to people, but I’ve always preferred The Minish Cap to A Link To The Past for some reason, I just prefer it. Either way, though, I would be thankful to have any kind of Zelda that isn’t Link’s Awakening on my 3DS.

Metroid: Zero Mission

Metroid Fusion is great, but Metroid Zero Mission is the game that really made me fall in love with the older Metroid titles. Fusion was good and quite story driven but just too linear, whereas Zero Mission just felt right for me, so I’d love to relive this for myself somehow, and hopefully this can be done through the 3DS, especially since my terrible bootleg cartridge has since crashed and no longer saves.

Any Pokemon Title

Once again, another very selfish request as I completely missed out on the GBA era Pokemon titles, and would love to actually experience these titles for once. Sure, I could track down an old cartrdige, but digital distribution is the way of the future, right?

Kirby102

Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga

This game started it all for the series, which then led to sequels of Partners in Time and Bowser’s Inside Story. The story is hilarious and the battle system is what stands out from the typical turn-based battle system in most RPGs.

Mario Tennis: Power Tour

Knowing that Camelot created this game, there’s no hesitation that this game is bound to be fun. With an almost complete RPG system incorporated into a tennis game, many hours have been sunk into this game from its engaging tennis matches, training minigames and much more. Don’t worry if you have no idea how to play tennis, this game practically explains the whole sport to you! Fun and learning at the same time!

Kirby and the Amazing Mirror

Kirby games in general are fun and can be somewhat challenging for completionists. This GBA game is no stranger to its many levels and abilities, also there are FOUR KIRBYS here to cooperate! This also has the ’Smash’ ability, which incorporates all the B moves from Super Smash Bros. Melee into Kirby’s moveset, which is a nice addition.

Mother 3

In an attempt to bring this game outside of Japan, a group of modders in the community have translated it themselves. Even Nintendo themselves have recognised this project and let it come to be. Not having played the English version yet, all I know is that it’s an interesting battle system and an epic plot too. Lucas is in this one! (he’s in Super Smash Bros. Brawl as well) – This is to say if Nintendo will put the patched English version on the eShop, that’s a whole different story.

Rhythm Tengoku

With a DS release available now (titled Rhythm Heaven) and an upcoming Wii release, this game brought so much enjoyment for me. From the simplistic control scheme to the catchy tunes, I still keep coming back to it. Unfortunately only being released in Japan, I have many doubts that it will be localised for us.

Those with a Japanese 3DS and should it be this list, YOU MUST GET THIS GAME. (Plus, the language barrier wouldn’t hinder your progress at all, it’s just trial and error most of the time.)

This was one of the games I played before I ever had a Game Boy Advance, why? Because I wanted it so much I played it before Christmas when I got my Game Boy Advance. Sneaking into my parents room, stealing some batteries from the remote and unpacking the system playing it and then putting it all back together. I never did finish that last mission, I’d love another crack at it.

Never heard of this one? It’s one of the few non-Pokemon games that Game Freak has developed and sadly without a bloody Pokemon on the cover, it got all but ignored with a release of the game only in America and Japan. This great platformer was one of the only Advance games to use a rumble cartridge but too much won’t be lost without it. More people need to play this one.

Another shameful moment here, I haven’t finished this great Zelda title. It’s a great game but I was so frustrated at the final boss I never got around to just finishing it off. I could dig out the cartridge and have a go at it, but might wait and play it again from the start.

As big Golf fan and a big Golden Sun fan these are two of my favourite things ever combined into one game. Camelot hit gold here with a game that was even better than the Gamecube version that it linked up to. Nintendo simply don’t have sports games this good anymore.

A launch title for the Game Boy Advance and possibly even bettered by the other F-Zero games on the system later in its life but it’s still a classic. If the world needs one thing, it’s more F-Zero games.