Game Boy gems you should be playing

I’ve recently become involved in the Game Boy modding scene and I’ve come to realize that there are actually some really great 16-bit games on the GBA. These titles are shorter experiences than on the consoles of the time, but in terms of quality I would argue they are actually better than their console cousins. This list goes through some GBA games that are great experiences, but that might have gone under the radar when they released.

There were literally hundreds of licensed games on the GBA and while at first glance none of them stand out, if you take a deeper look there are a few hidden gems. Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith is one of those hidden gems. The game is a beat’em up in the same vein as Streets of Rage or Golden Axe. It excels in its animation and style when it comes to combat. There are also light RPG elements, and branching paths. Unlockable moves and a diverse enemy roster make this game an unusually high quality licensed game.

In Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, it’s just so fun to hack droids arms off as Obi Wan, or Anakin. The combat is smooth, and looks really cool. You definitely feel like a Jedi as you mow down hordes of enemies. There’s also a nice difficulty curve, and you’ll soon master the game, especially if you get hooked, like I did. This game is definitely on the good side of the Force.

Another licensed game you may say, well yes, but this game was criminally underrated upon release, and I feel people may have avoided it because of bad reviews in magazines like GamesMaster and Nintendo Official Magazine from all the way back in 2002. This game is a solid little Diablo clone. It has multiple playable characters, diverse creatures such as orcs, goblins, and trolls, and great graphics for the system. On top of this, there’s a great loot system, and fair difficulty spikes.

It was hard to choose between the Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King for this list (just look at GameLuster, after all), but I decided to go with the former, because it’s the game that I know better. Both of these Lord of the Rings games on GBA are great mini action RPGs that you can take with you on the go. Graphically impressive and loyal to the source material, they will have you engrossed for upwards of ten hours.

No GBA games list can be complete without a pinball game. Pinball is just such an addictive experience, that in my mind, it’s as essential as Tetris. Pinball of the Dead is technically a House of the Dead game (yes, the Sega light-gun series), and the graphics and sound stay faithful to the series.

This version has a wealth of modes, and saves your high scores. When playing, there’s a part of the game where gun sights move over a zombie and you have to time your press of the A button right to fire a shot. Doing this multiplies your points. There’s not much else to say. This a good pinball game, and rivals the more popular Pokemon Pinball: Ruby and Sapphire as the best GBA pinball game.

Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance released in 2001 on the GBA to tie in with the GameCube, PS2, and Xbox releases. The GBA version is a solid action RPG, similar to The Lord of the Rings game. It includes a loot system, nice 16-bit graphics, and a leveling up system. It’s the kind of game that you can get yourself really engrossed in, and forget about the troubles of real life. Feeling stressed? Then just boot up Baldur’s Gate on the GBA, kill some huge spiders, level up, and feel like you’ve accomplished something.

With the recent release of Baldur’s Gate 3, the series is on everyone’s minds again, and Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance has the same essence as the recently released PC version. So, in a way, this GBA version is like playing a demake of Baldur’s Gate 3. This is an experience that you can only have on GBA.

I’m going to finish off with a game that is an update to one of the most popular puzzle games that has appeared on handheld (or console). I’m referring to the Tetris series. The Game Boy Advance version, Tetris Advance, was a Japan exclusive. However, I’m reliably informed that Tetris Advance is the best version on the platform (apparently the other, more widely available Tetris on GBA messes with the gameplay formula). What I can say of Tetris Advance, is that the presentation is great, you can play the game even if you don’t understand Japanese, and the game has a save feature (which the original Game Boy version didn’t have, so we can finally save high scores!).

What else is there to say about Tetris Advance? It’s an addictive experience, and the music is cool. Speaking of the music, the style and themes are definitely different to other Tetris games, and it is addictive to earn the jingles that play when you match a few rows at the same time.

There’s a wealth of modes, including a Time Attack mode, a Challenge mode, and a Multiplayer mode. This generally feels like a modern, premium version of Tetris. If you’re ever stranded on a desert island, this is the GBA game that you’d want to have on you (probably along with Pokemon and Zelda).

What fond memories did you have with these gems? Which GBA games do you think we overlooked? Let us know in the comments and on our social media!