Rare and hard to find????

[Gadfly2317]

I've noticed inventories of new GBA games drying up, shelf space shrinking, and a lot of stuff is hard to find used.

Handheld afficionado Aylmer recommended Space Invaders GBA to me "if you can find it." Finally did find a used one, and I'm blown away by how cool it is. . .I woulda never tried it or even read about it without a recommendation. They really took the formula and ran with it. . . it's been living in my Micro the last couple days.

Another one I've been having a hard time finding is Warioware Twisted, and finally got that. Pretty much, the way handheld games are on both GBA and DS, it seems like they've gotten really good at estimating sell-through and don't produce too many copies, so there aren't that many bargain-bin deals on good games anymore. Like how Phoenix Wright, Trauma Center, and Lost in Blue are all damned hard to find.

To cut this short, I'm just looking for recommendations on killer GBA titles I should try to get. I'm late to the GBA/handheld thing and I'd really like to pad my GBA library while I can still find stuff. I've got some of the big stuff like Advance Wars, Metroid, Castlevania, Zelda, Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, Super Mario 3. . .but what else is great? Any under-the-radar stuff? The only niche stuff I have is Iridion II, Gunstar, Rebelstar Tactical Command. . .

Is there some great Yoshi Platformer that was adapted to the GBA? I know I've heard there's some great Yoshi platformer, but I've never played it.

[Renzatic Gear]

Is there some great Yoshi Platformer that was adapted to the GBA? I know I've heard there's some great Yoshi platformer, but I've never played it.

You mean Yoshi's Island? The bar none defacto greatest Mario game ever made (it's officially Mario World 2)? I can't believe I'm hearing you...YOU of all people...saying you've never played Yoshi's Island. I don't think I'll ever look at you the same again, Gad.

Seriously, man. You really need to go out and find it. As much as I like New SMB on the DS, it falls short of the glory that was Yoshi's Island. It's the most creative, most visually stunning (I love the art style, specially in the caves), and by far the most entertaining of all the Mario series. Considering it's a series that filled to the brim with nothing but fun as hell games, that really is saying something.

Go for it, Gadfly. Touch Fuzzy. Get Dizzy. You really owe it to yourself to find a copy.

Beyond that I'd recommend Golden Sun 1 & 2. They're pretty interesting games, and really show off what the GBA was capable of back in the day.

[Aylmer]

I've noticed inventories of new GBA games drying up, shelf space shrinking, and a lot of stuff is hard to find used.

Handheld afficionado Aylmer recommended Space Invaders GBA to me "if you can find it." Finally did find a used one, and I'm blown away by how cool it is. . .I woulda never tried it or even read about it without a recommendation. They really took the formula and ran with it. . . it's been living in my Micro the last couple days.

Another one I've been having a hard time finding is Warioware Twisted, and finally got that. Pretty much, the way handheld games are on both GBA and DS, it seems like they've gotten really good at estimating sell-through and don't produce too many copies, so there aren't that many bargain-bin deals on good games anymore. Like how Phoenix Wright, Trauma Center, and Lost in Blue are all damned hard to find.

To cut this short, I'm just looking for recommendations on killer GBA titles I should try to get. I'm late to the GBA/handheld thing and I'd really like to pad my GBA library while I can still find stuff. I've got some of the big stuff like Advance Wars, Metroid, Castlevania, Zelda, Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, Super Mario 3. . .but what else is great? Any under-the-radar stuff? The only niche stuff I have is Iridion II, Gunstar, Rebelstar Tactical Command. . .

Is there some great Yoshi Platformer that was adapted to the GBA? I know I've heard there's some great Yoshi platformer, but I've never played it.

Here's one: Cima: The Enemy, won an award at E3 2003, but never was properly marketed and distributed. It is one of the most unique and addictive RPGs on any platform, handheld or otherwise. The world has been invaded by trans-dimensional aliens who feed off of human hope. In a world where the main mode of travel is by rail, you are a gate guardian that rides the rails protecting passengers. Humans are helpless against the aliens ability to dimensionally warp the train, but gate guardians can and must shepherd the train passengers through the aliens world and back into their own once the warping occurs. Thus the hope of making it back to their own world keeps the humans alive, while feeding the aliens. Gameplay is about directing your humans, each of whom has special abilities, through the dungeons to accomplish certain tasks (puzzles), ala Pikmin. This game is deep and intense, and mind twisting.

Super Collapse II is awesome, as is Bookworm (a word game), which should get the Game of the Decade Award for Playing On The Can. And then, there's Muppet Pinball Mayhem. It is the one and only GBA pinball game that truly mimics a real world pinball table. Options? Three or five balls per play! Up to four players multiplayer by passing the GBA around! Great table design and graphics..if you can handle the muppets. Also in the pinball vein, Hardcore Pinball, the best physics and realism, hands down. Sword of Mana, unbelievably under rated and under played RPG. Denki Blocks, great non-time intensive, non-action puzzler.

to name a few :)

[Gadfly2317]

Thanks guys; that's what i was needing. If anyone else has any GBA recommondations, I'm all ears.

[Aylmer]

Thanks guys; that's what i was needing. If anyone else has any GBA recommondations, I'm all ears.

two more, both have gamecube versions, and in both cases, the handheld versions trump the full sized ones. mario golf, even if you hate golf like i do, get it. it's rpg golf, awesome strategizing, well polished. and zoocube, so original, so addictive...once you get past the poorly written manual. when you finally get the hang of rotating the cube on the three axes, it rocks!

[Renzatic Gear]

Sword of Mana was decent, but I'd recommend the original Final Fantasy Adventure for the GB over it.

I'm not too sure if the Micro can play old GB and GBC games, but if it can try and find Gargoyles Quest and Zelda: Link's Awakening. They're really oldschool, but they'll give you hours of fun if you can get into them.

[Aylmer]

Sword of Mana was decent, but I'd recommend the original Final Fantasy Adventure for the GB over it.

I'm not too sure if the Micro can play old GB and GBC games, but if it can try and find Gargoyles Quest and Zelda: Link's Awakening. They're really oldschool, but they'll give you hours of fun if you can get into them.

unfortunately, the micro and the ds cannot play gbc and gb games. that is why i did not recommend Shantae to gaddy. It is truly unique, in that it's a gbc cart, but with special circuitry that can be read by the original gba which enhances graphics and opens up new levels, and it's an awesome action/rpg to boot.

[Brendon]

Astro Boy - Omega factor, Guardian Heroes Advance and Gunstar super heroes (or future heroes, either way, I can't find it) Are all Treasure games and the equal of their older 2D catalouge.

[Gadfly2317]

I'm not too sure if the Micro can play old GB and GBC games, but if it can try and find Gargoyles Quest and Zelda: Link's Awakening. They're really oldschool, but they'll give you hours of fun if you can get into them.

I played Link's Awakening on the Gameboy Pocket; that one and Tetris were the only games I ever bought for the system. I'm just not hardcore enough, or have enough time and motivation, to go back and play those older games. As much as I preach gameplay over graphics, I can't get past how rudimentary the old GB games are, and never really cared for them.

mario golf, even if you hate golf like i do, get it. it's rpg golf, awesome strategizing, well polished. The game store I go to has a used copy of that. I never even considered it; I figured it was just a 2-d strippy version of the regular Mario Golf that I played on N64 and GC. I don't play real golf, but I love electronic versions of golf. . .in fact, the only EA sports game I bought this gen was Tiger Woods Golf, though I prefer Mario Golf and Hot Shots Golf on PsP. RPG Golf? Hard to visualize, but I'm sold on giving it a try.

Astro Boy - Omega factor, Guardian Heroes Advance Those are all going on the list. Ikaruga was one of my fave 'cube games, and I got Gunstar Super Heros recently from a VGR friend. Treasure rules. Now that you mention it, I remember Astro Boy winning handheld game of the year at some website. I wish I'd have gotten into handheld a little sooner so I wouldn't have to be trying to track down all these gems now.

[trebor]

Fire Emblem - which I'm sure you could have already guessed I would mention. :p

[Gadfly2317]

You mean Yoshi's Island? The bar none defacto greatest Mario game ever made (it's officially Mario World 2)? I can't believe I'm hearing you...YOU of all people...saying you've never played Yoshi's Island. I don't think I'll ever look at you the same again, Gad.

OK, now that I found a copy of Yoshi's Island for GBA, it jogged my memory. I have played the game before. . .I rented it for the SNES back when it was new, but somehow managed to forget it. I all I can say in my defense is that it was college and I partied alot.

[Renzatic Gear]

As long as you play it, all is forgiven. ;)

I'm gonna try and track down a copy of my own come tomorrow. I used to have it back when I had an SP, but sold it off like a complete and total jackass to get some game I ended up not even liking.

[Gadfly2317]

Of the games you guys recommended, I'm currently totally hooked by two that have been living in my pocket: Space Invaders and Mario Golf.

First, Space Invaders. . . it is totally Space Invaders, but with upgraded weapons, boss battles, bonus stages. . . the way you use the weapons upgrades to efficiently clear a stage is almost like a puzzle game. I never would have believed plain old Space Invaders could have been spiffed up so nicely and still retain its character.

Mario Golf, like Aylmer said is an RPG/Golf game. And so far there isn't even Mario in it, barely even Mushroom Kingdom. Seems like they just called it Mario Golf to sell, because this is one of the most original and deep golf games I've played. It's cool how you walk around, talk to people, all kinds of mini-games and variations, shops, different driving ranges and putting coaches/tests. . .and the whole club and your house with the trophies. I mean, this game is going to live in my GBA for a good long while. All those other games I picked up. . . acorns for a rainy day.

[Aylmer]

Of the games you guys recommended, I'm currently totally hooked by two that have been living in my pocket: Space Invaders and Mario Golf.

First, Space Invaders. . . it is totally Space Invaders, but with upgraded weapons, boss battles, bonus stages. . . the way you use the weapons upgrades to efficiently clear a stage is almost like a puzzle game. I never would have believed plain old Space Invaders could have been spiffed up so nicely and still retain its character.

Mario Golf, like Aylmer said is an RPG/Golf game. And so far there isn't even Mario in it, barely even Mushroom Kingdom. Seems like they just called it Mario Golf to sell, because this is one of the most original and deep golf games I've played. It's cool how you walk around, talk to people, all kinds of mini-games and variations, shops, different driving ranges and putting coaches/tests. . .and the whole club and your house with the trophies. I mean, this game is going to live in my GBA for a good long while. All those other games I picked up. . . acorns for a rainy day.

I know this sounds insane, but you should really try to hunt down Muppet Pinball Madness. It is simply the best pinball game ever for the GBA.

Part of the appeal of real pinball tables is the almost zen like trance the visuals will put you in. Especially if your mind is in an altered state. And, I am here to tell you that Muppet Pinball is the most visually stunning game on the GBA. Period. The game is electronic acid, I am not shyting you.

I am in the process of culling GBA games for sale, and truth be told, some of the earlier titles don't look all that great on a backlit display. In fact, I'm selling Pinball of the Dead for that very reason.

But Muppet Pinball looks cosmic on a backlit display. Eye candy truly off the scale. So what if it's muppet music and hensen saying "wokka wokka" all the time. turn the frikkin' sound down and listen to your favorite tunes via another device.

The fact that it's up to four players with one machine (now THAT'S pinball emulation), three or five balls per game, and you can pass the GBA around while you're passing other things around...and believe me, anyone who sees that game on a backlit GBA, Micro or DS is going to cream their pants, especially in a darkened room...

Muppet Pinball was released in 2002, and you might have trouble finding it, but it's well worth the hunt. So very psychedelic.

[Gadfly2317]

I'll make a point of tracking the game down. Muppet sounds probably won't bother me. . . Jim Henson is cool. I especially liked Fraggle Rock.

Psychedelic Muppet Pinball. I hope I can find it.