Top 10 GB/GBC/GBA games

[toptenmaterial]

I'd like to compile a Top 10 list of everyone's favorite Game Boy, Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance games (basically anything that runs on the GBA). I'll start with these:

 

Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance (GBA)

Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow (GBA)

Super Mario Deluxe (GBC)

Super Mario Land (GB)

Tetris (GB)

Treasure Planet (GBA)

Shadowgate Classic (GB)

Super Mario Advance (GBA)

The Legend of Zelda: Classic NES Series (GBA)

Namco Museum

[Rex Dart]

Oh damn, tough list. Lots to consider. Not gonna name any down-ports of popular SNES/NES games, because I have an NES and SNES to play 'em on.

 

 

Link's Awakening/DX (GB/C)

Super Mario Land 2 (GB)

Super Mario Land 3 (GB)

Mario's Picross (GB)

Kwirk (GB)

Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance (GBA)

Kirby's Dreamland 2 (GB)

Mr Driller Ace (GBA)

Wai Wai Racing / Konami Krazy Racers (GBA)

Ninja 5-0 (GBA)

Guru Logic Champ (GBA)

KOF EX2 (GBA)

Megaman Battle Network (GBA)

 

No particular order, remove any three you don't like (there's 13). Honorable mention to the stupidly-named launch title "Tang Tang", for being a decent reworking of Solomon's Key.

[Reaperman]

Tetris (GB)

Tactics Ogre: Knight of Lodis (GBA)

Dragon Warrior Monsters (GBC)

Metroid Fusion (GBA)

Mario's Picross (GB)

Racing Gears Advance (GBA)

Moto Racer Advance (GBA)

Gunstar Super Heroes (GBA)

Final Fantasy VI (GBA)

Wario Ware: Twisted! (GBA)

 

It's hard to get it down to just ten when each system has dozens of good games. A lot really has to be left out.

And I'm sure that I've forgotten a lot, and will have to come up with another list after I finish kicking myself over this one.

 

Oh and a note on the OP's list, your top two games come in the Castlevania double-pack on gba, so you could free up another spot that way.

Edited March 4, 2011 by Reaperman

[toptenmaterial]

You are right! In fact, I was introduced to Castlevania through the double pack.

[high voltage]

Good games on those handhelds:

 

GB Donkey Kong

GB Boulder Dash

GB Castlevania Legends

GB Daedalian Opus

GB Boxxle

GB Mr. Do!

GBc The Fish Files

GBc Sabrina Spooked

GBA Qwak

GBA Lady Sia

[BrianC]

I'm going to do three lists since the systems are pretty different, especially with GBA:

 

GB:

Donkey Kong

Castlevania II Belmont's Revenge

Mega Man III

Legend of Zelda Link's Awakening

Great Greed

Tetris

Pocket Puyo Puyo Tsuu

Nemesis

Metroid II

Kirby's Dreamland 2

 

GBC:

Wario Land 3

Shantae

Dragon Warrior III

Xtreme Sports

Toki Tori

Mario Golf

Pokemon Gold/Silver

Survival Kids

Super Mario Bros DX

Game and Watch Gallery 3

 

GBA:

Mario and Luigi

Wario Land 4

Racing Gears Advance

Astro Boy Omega Factor

Boulderdash EX

Super Robot Tasien Original Generation 2

Kururin Paradise

Mr. Driller A

Final Fantasy V

Riviera

Edited March 6, 2011 by BrianC

[DickNixonArisen]

What, no Kid Icarus: of myths and monsters?

[+atari2600land]

1. Tetris - GB

2. Super Mario Land 2 - GB

3. Donkey Kong Country - GBA

4. Super Mario Advance 4 - GBA

5. Mario Kart: Super Circuit - GBA

6. Super Mario Land - GB

7. SMB DX - GBC

8. Mario Golf - GBC

9. Super Mario Advance 3 - GBA

10. Donkey Kong Country - GBC (an "A" for Effort)

[duncantoml]

1. Activision Anthology (GBA)

2. Pinball of the Dead (GBA)

3. Mr Do! (GB)

4. Miner 2049'er (GB)

5. Dig Dug (GB)

6. Donkey Kong (GB)

7. Ms. Pac-Man Maze Madness (GBA)

8. Elevator Action (GB)

9. Kirby's Star Stacker

10. Arcade Classic 1 Missile commond/Astroids (GB)

[BrianC]

doh. Forgot to put Aria of Sorrow and Advance Wars on the GBA list (probably instead of Boulderdash and Wario Land 4).

[toptenmaterial]

Just got advance wars 2 in the mail, haven't played it yet. Aria is awesome, so is HoD, two of gaming's best!

[Rex Dart]

I loved Harmony/White Night... People crapped on it for being short (compared to the playstation game), but I loved the variety in the weapon & magic combos you could put together.

[toptenmaterial]

I do agree with those who call HoD the sequel to SotN. To me the platforming is just completely addicting. Going deeper into the castle (especially the luminous cavern) is like decending into hell! I'm also glad that it's not balls-to-the-wall hard like most CV's. IGA said in an interview that he lowered the difficulty level to attract new players to the franchise, which is exactly what happened with me! In terms of Nintendo I think that HoD is right up there with Zelda and SMB3... a timeless classic.

[Reaperman]

I'm more of a Circle of the Moon fan on GBA, myself. (am I the only one?) The rest of the Castlevanias on the system were made of day-glo colors.

[toptenmaterial]

CotM is just so damn hard! I would go through a ridiculously hard boss fight, and since you don't get the orb I would just end up getting killed by a bat or some shit on my way to the save room.

[BrianC]

I loved Harmony/White Night... People crapped on it for being short (compared to the playstation game), but I loved the variety in the weapon & magic combos you could put together.

 

I don't remember too many complaints about it being short. Most of the complaints I have seen were about the music, the mirror area not being as good as the one in SoTN (I liked how it was done myself), the difficulty, and terrible bosses. I like the game quite a bit, but many of the bosses are a joke and the game gets to a point where enemies do very little damage too fast.

[DickNixonArisen]

I prefer the DS CV's, but it's all good. Probably all around my second-favorite series in gaming behind LoZ; the only two franchises that are auto-buys for me. Got 'em all.

 

Bleh though even judgment was an autobuy new; should have restrained myself

[toptenmaterial]

^^ did you like lords of shadow? i couldn't get into it.

[DickNixonArisen]

Oh, yeah. Didn't try it, don't have a 360; lords of shadow makes me almost want one though.

[+wood_jl]

ADVANCE WARS

 

That can be the best GBA game x9.

It's worth having the Game Boy Player (not to mention GBA) for this title alone.

 

#10 is Advance Wars 2.

 

 

The Konami Arcade Greatest Hits is excellent - it's better than the DS version.

The Namco Museum (not 50th Anniv) has a better (more convenient) Galaga (I have all version of this)

Activision Classics - stuff like Megamania and Dragster are perfect on GBA

 

 

Now, I know these 2 racing titles I'm about to plug have old names. The names have been used on so many games, they're stale.

 

But on the GBA, these 2 games play *very* similar, and that is to say they both play excellent. I'm talking about **REAL** 3D RACING on the GBA, done well!

I know there is cheesy/chunky 3D racing on the GBA - and this is much better.

 

Top Gear Rally

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXrhQkNOKqM

 

Monster Truck Madness GBA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pfTZr7vXcM

Edited March 10, 2011 by wood_jl

[Reaperman]

I know there is cheesy/chunky 3D racing on the GBA - and this is much better.

Ah, you mean games like V-Rally 3 and Hot Wheels Stunt Track Challenge? I still consider them very good, but rarely find myself in the mood for them. GBA had a lot of good racing games for some reason.

Edited March 10, 2011 by Reaperman

[DickNixonArisen]

GBA had some kind of oddball RPG's too...

 

yggdra union, riviera: the promised land, the tales one, golden sun, the ARPG mana (sword of mana?), couple others

[Rex Dart]

^ Funky port of Lunar, Battle Network series...

[DickNixonArisen]

oh yeah, lunar.. bought it, never plugged it in. Also: sigma star saga; highly rated supposedly but kind of a letdown for me even though I love RPG's and sidescrolling shooters with a frightening, insane, unquenchable passion?

[BrianC]

Also: sigma star saga; highly rated supposedly but kind of a letdown for me even though I love RPG's and sidescrolling shooters with a frightening, insane, unquenchable passion?

 

It was hyped quite a bit, but I don't think it rated too well with reviewers. From what I remember, it got mixed ratings and many places, even the ones that did rate it highly, said it is flawed.