TheGame Boy Advanceturns twenty this year. In the heat of its time, developers put out some terrific software for the handheld. It was kind of like a beefed up Super Nintendo in terms of the graphical capabilities. That’s why a lot of games from that era were ported over likeBreath of FireandFinal Fantasy VI.
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There were also a lot of weird ports that seemingly didn’t make sense. Most of them were less than stellar afterthoughts compared to their console counterparts. Let’s take a look at some of these games with a few in here that are surprisingly good and perhaps even better than the console versions.
10Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban
The main console versions of this game were puzzle platformers. This GBA port on the other hand is an RPG framed like a clone ofGolden Sun. The reviews for all versions of these games are about thesame on Metacritic, 60s to 70s, so it’s not like this is a standout star comparatively. Still, it is interesting to see this series attempt to make a turn-based RPG.
9The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night
There is a large gap between the console versions of this game, which had a 60 as a high for Wii with the rest being below that, and the GBA version. That got an 80 on Metacritic because it tried something new and interesting for this series. It islike a Metroidvaniain other words. It’s a 2D action platformer wherein powers will help open up new pathways although it’s not in one big overlaying castle or something like that.
8Max Payne
This year marks the 20th anniversary of theMax Payneseries. It will celebrate the PC and console releases at least. Oddly enough this GBA port would not launch until 2003.
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It‘s not attempting anything different for a genre either. The game is still a bloody shooter with slow-mo time and everything. Why it got the late port for the family friendly Nintendo portable is a mystery.
7The Scorpion King: Sword Of Osiris
The highest reviewed console version of this gamewas on GameCubewith a 49 on Metacritic. The GBA version, developed by WayForward ofShantaefame, got a 72. It’s a traditional action platformer that is not anything outstanding but it is well liked. This might just be because the sprite for The Rock’s character has literal rippling muscles and flowing hair. It is a sight to be seen.
6Splinter Cell
Most might not remember this butSplinter Cellwas an Xbox original exclusive for a year. A year later, in 2003, it was ported to other consoles including the GBA. It remained a stealth action game but was placed in 2D instead. With the big sprites of the characters, it made for an odd sneaking game due to a slow control scheme. However, at the time it was generally well reviewed with a 77 on Metacritic.
5The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age
This was one of the first original games that tried to branch off from the main narrative of the films. It was a traditional turn-based RPG that copied heavily fromFinal Fantasy X. The GBA port was also an RPG, but a tactical one instead much likeFire Emblem. Actually, it was also like a MOBA in that characters and enemies got placed in their own lanes.
4Dragon Quest Characters: Torneko No Daibouken 2 Advance
Torneko: The Last Hopewas released in 2000 for the PS1. It is the second spinoff toDragon Quest IVstarring Torneko, from that game, and it is a roguelike. The first premiered in 1993 on the SNES which wasonly in Japanand was the start of theMystery Dungeonseries. Also only in Japan was this GBA port released a year later which was changed toDragon Quest Characters: Torneko no Daibouken 2 Advance.
3TMNT
This was a tie-in game to the 2007 CG reboot film. The console version was a hack and slash action ranging in the 60s on Metacritic. This GBA got an 80 and is a more traditional 2D brawler like the classic Konami games.
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As a fun fact, it was developed by a team at Ubisoft who would also work on theScott Pilgrimgame. The DNA between the two is clear. Parts of that team then would go forth to create the studio of Tribute.
2Peter Jackson’s King Kong: The Official Game Of The Movie
This game was heavily advertised as a big deal for the Xbox 360’s launch in 2005. Most versions of the game, except the DS, were well received in the 80s on Metacritic. Whether that number holds up now is debatable but it was at least special for its time. The GBA version strangely wasn’taggregated on Metacriticbut based on feedback it seems that gamers dug this too. It’s kind of likeThe Legend of ZeldaandTomb Raidercombined.
1DOOM
DOOMlaunched all the way back in 1993 on PCs. It has since been ported to too many consoles to count. So it actually shouldn’t be that surprisingly to learn that it made its way onto the GBA in 2001. While it did get good reviews at the time, 81 on Metacritic, it is a bit curious as to why it did so well. It’s a technical achievement to get it to run on the hardware but it’s also a blocky mess by today’s standards.
NEXT:The 10 Best Exclusives On The Game Boy Advance (According To Metacritic)
