We also refrained from adding Pokémon; it’s a given that we would love to see them, but transferring and trading Pokémon in-game with Save States gets messy, at least from Nintendo’s perspective. We may see a magnificent solution with those particular entries, although we think so more we’ll probably see remakes of Pokémon instead of re-releases.
Enough with the fences! Let’s take a look at 21 GBA gems we’d love to revisit via Nintendo Switch Online.
Metroid: Zero Mission is an excellent remake of the original Metroid from 2004 and a game that is in the conversation for ‘best remake evs’ (if that conversation is being held with a teenager in the 2010s). Zero Mission tells the story of the first entry, but with far more appealing visuals and gameplay inspired by Super Metroid. With save rooms and loads of new items, areas and mini-bosses, this is the way to experience Samus’ first mission. I’m sorry, zero-st mission.
If it came to a duel, there are Nintendo Life staffers who would actually take this over the SNES game. It’s so good.
Vicarious Visions has managed to distill the essence of a full-sized Tony Hawk title into a stunning isometric version that feels tight, responsive and very not the mandatory port for the downgraded handheld you might have expected. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 on the GBA is truly one of our favorite entries in the entire series, with great music and fantastic visuals. And Spider-Man.
What’s not to love?
This Treasure-developed variant of the classic Osamu Tezuka character really looked the part in the GBA’s library — fitting given the property’s prestige and adoration from manga and anime fans around the world. Unlike Treasure’s usual output, Astro Boy: The Omega Factor is more of a platform beat ’em up than a run-and-gunner (with a few joke-style stages thrown in for good measure). It successfully combines the traditional manga-style presentation of characters in dialogue portraits with more rounded 3D characters and action backgrounds. It’s a real winner; licensed game that matches the source material.
Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land is a worthy remake of Kirby’s first home console adventure, and since it just celebrated its 30th anniversary, this would be a nice tribute to the little pink guy after a stellar 12 months between 2022 and 2023. Although what he offers is a bit basic compared to what the more modern Kirby titles have to offer, it’s still very playable, and there are little creative moments where the game occasionally shines. As with virtually every other game featuring Kirbster, its lovely, colorful visuals make it an extremely charming experience, one that will be most appreciated by players looking for only a very light challenge.
Of course, Kirby & the Amazing Mirror is a great entry and one is available, but this is the one that we really I want to see.
Gunstar Super Heroes (or Gunstar Future Heroes in Europe) is a continuation that justifies the prestige of the name in which ‘Super’ is clumsily inserted. The gameplay and controls of Treasure’s 1993 Mega Drive classic have been tweaked to work better on a laptop, but the result is just as compelling, even if it’s on the side and doesn’t include co-op gameplay. When it comes to running and shooting, Gunstar Heroes is up there with the best. And this sequel is very good — one might even say super.
Or future if you are European and want to be unpleasant.
Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire is an enjoyable entry-level pinball game designed to appeal to the widest possible audience. Its colorful, charming visuals look great, and the sheer number of Pokémon available to catch and evolve means that if you’re looking for a long-running type of game to get into, you’ll have plenty to keep you busy. This is a perfect little game for short play sessions and will fill a Pokémon void just in case Pokémon Emerald doesn’t jump into NSO.
In the decades since the shocking first appearance of Sega’s mascot on Nintendo’s handheld, it’s fair to say that not every team working on a 2D Sonic game has managed to discover the delicate sense of inertia and solid physics that characterized the classic 16-bit titles. Sonic Advance is one such example that exactly gets it. Developer Dimps maintains the classic feel and terrain design that made the originals special, while adding fresh elements that prevent you from feeling like you’re retreading old ideas. Vibrant images, charming animation, great sound; add multiplayer to the mix — as well as the Gamecube-bound Tiny Chao Garden — and Sonic Advance is a platforming treat up there with the best hedgehog.
While rumors of a Final Fantasy Tactics remaster have been swirling for some time now, Nintendo has already gotten a taste of what Final Fantasy Tactics has to offer in the form of Final Fantasy Tactics Advance. Leveling up your clan, finding the best weapons, and trying to outsmart your enemies makes for endlessly enjoyable combat, and there are enough variables in location, laws, and opponent abilities to keep things from getting too repetitive. Even when the battles become easy with the OP clan, they remain fun. It can be difficult to find what you’re looking for among the many menu screens, but once you know where to look Final Fantasy Tactics Advance will keep you engaged and entertained for a long time. Beautiful.
Maybe the announcement that Sega is apparently working on a reboot got the better of us, but we love us some Jet Grind/Set. On the Dreamcast, Jet Grind Radio exuded more style than should be legally allowed. A lot of what made that game special survived the jump to the GBA, but of course the obvious hardware limitations required a few tweaks here and there. That being said, Vicarious Visions — the studio that did such a fantastic job translating Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater series to the GBA — probably couldn’t have done a much better job adapting it for the small screen. Once you get used to its quirks, you’ll find a crazy, fantastical gem of a game.
For many series, the words “side story” are considered a convenient excuse to throw out a half-baked rehash of a popular title – but Tactics of the Ogre it was never like other series. This GBA-exclusive entry into the long-term Battle of the Ogres The saga is as richly detailed and politically intricate as any you could name, and beneath that already fully outlined surface lurks a whole host of secret characters and special endings just waiting to be discovered.
The third game in the Wario microgame series, WarioWare Twisted! it never found its way to Europe, but its gyro sensor added a new element to the manic formula established two games ago and made it one of the highlights of Wario’s back catalog. Thanks to that in-carriage sensor, it’s not a game you’d want to plug into the Game Boy Player on your GameCube, but the basic bitesize gameplay holds up just as well today as it did in the mid-2000s. Let’s Twist again.
