Matt Giguere’s Top 25 GBA Games

Ed. note: Thanks again to “Giggysan” for joining on GOTG’s GBA Top 25 episode. The following list are his personal top games for the system.

1. Metroid Fusion 

It’s weird to think 20 years ago the Metroidvania genre was barely a blip on the gaming landscape, containing just a handful of titles. Metroid Fusion (along with Zero Mission and the Castlevania GBA series) helped solidify the genre while also extolling the virtues of making them portable handheld experiences. Today, it still ranks as one of the best, both in part to the game’s pacing and the risks taken to its own framework. 

2. Fire Emblem

Released decades after the series made its debut in Japan, the Fire Emblem series is another shining example of breathing new life into the turn-based strategy genre. While bringing strategy games to a handheld can be a hit or miss experience, the nature of enacting a plan and then waiting on your next turn makes it easy to either sit down and grind out for a couple of sessions, or take a pause and think about how to deal with the situation. It may have taken 7 games in the series to get here, but it was worth the wait. 

3. Advance Wars

Another Famicom release that never saw localization until well after it was relevant. No surprise here that the same turn-based formula as Fire Emblem plays extremely well as a portable game. Capturing buildings and recruiting an army makes this more in line with a turned-based Command and Conquer than the static builds of Fire Emblem. The setting of Advance Wars may be more modern focused, but the graphical palate is bright and colorful, adding a bit more whimsy to a genre that is usually more dower or an outright parody of warfare. 

4. WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$!

A great example of how to make extremely quick pick-up-and-play games for a handheld device. WarioWare’s only fault of this is making the mirco games too much fun to play that it almost defeats the purpose of quick moments of gameplay for a handheld system. The overall aesthetic is more distinct than what was presented on the GameCube a few years later, playing more into scenarios of the cast of characters than being set in an office elevator. 

5. Gunstar Super Heroes

One of the later releases in the GBA library, Gunstar feels like it just came and went in the conversation. With only two games in the series, it can be hard to leave a lasting impact. GSH manages to bring the fury of the original Sega Genesis action shooter while adding some breadth to the formula such as being able to choose three different weapons and a variety of level scenarios. It is very much a Treasure type game that does some small fascinating things here and there to keep the player on their toes.

6. Castlevainia: Aria of Sorrow
7. Golden Sun
8. Wario Land 4
9. Final Fantasy Tactics Advance
10. Metroid Zero Mission
11. Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance  
12. The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
13. Final Fantasy V
14. Sword of Mana
15. Castlevania: Circle of the Moon
16. Mega Man Zero
17. Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls
18. Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
19. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2
20. DK: King of Swing
21. Mario Kart: Super Circuit
22. Lunar Legend
23. Super Mario Advance
24. Iridion 3D
25. F-Zero