Best Game Boy Advance Game?

[jgenotte]

I plan on getting my young (12 years old) brother-in-law a GBA game for xmas as he getting the actual GBA from his parents. What game should I get him (no RPGs)? Any help here would be appreciated.

[Zubiac666]

I think he'd love the new "Double Dragon Advance"
he is 12 so I guess he's more in fast action games (like I did with 12) so here are some others:
Contra <------but BEWARE damn hard
Gekido (great side scrolling beat em up)
Sega Arcade gallery (can't go wrong with space harrier and co)
Sega Smash Pack
Metroid Fusion
Final Fight one (just great)
Pinobee (colorful Jump'n Run with good gfx....I like it)
CT Special Forces 1+2 (awesome)
Pocky and Rocky with Pecky
Ninja Cop (one of the best action games on gba)
The Castlevanias
Bruce Lee
The Marios
Jacky Chan Adventure (also a great side scrolling beat em up)

...and hundrets more

too bad gba games are SO expensive :(
don't get it really

[Jive3D]

For a 12 year old?

You can't go wrong with

Super Mario Advance 3: Yoshi's Island
Crash Nitro Kart (excellent racing game)
Kirby's Nightmare in Dreamland

there are plenty of quality games for GBA, but thoese 3 have a lot of depth, they are NOT RPGs and have a very good difficulty level (not too hard, or easy).

[Mayhem]

No mention of Wario Ware? Easy to learn and play, hard to master, probably best GBA game this year :)

[Ed Oscuro]

Can't go bad with Metroid Fusion. AoS gets a bit "deep" (compared to MF's silly plot, that's not hard) but I'd consider purchasing it; the only problem here is there's a good deal of gore in that one. Still a beautiful game, though, and will keep the guy playing for a long time.

Contra Advance is a lame (but not bad) port of Contra III...feel free to get it if he won't be able to play the game any other way, of course.

[Jive3D]

In my opinion, Metroid Fusion is awesome. probably the BEST GBA game to date, but if the 12 year old is a casual gamer, he/she might get stuck as the game gets kinda tough some times. that fight with the spider in the end is hard as hell!!!

Wario ware is okay and kinda funny for gaming vets, but I doubt that it would be that entertaining for a 12 year old, hardly kept my attention after the first time through it. I just dont think its worth more than15 bucks.

[Ed Oscuro]

If only Metroid Zero would come out...unfortunately, we have to wait until February 9th.

[PDorr3]

Mario Kart is a very enjoyable game, F-Zero if he likes racing, definitly any of the mario advance games (try to go for advance 4, mario 3 is awsome), or even the Zelda game if hes into that. Since most of my GBA games are RPG's that all I can offer as advice.

[Querjek]

Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga
RPG+Platform+Action/Adventure
Great game!

[calthaer]

If he's never played Super Mario World I would recommend SMAdvance 2 (isn't that the one that's SMW?).

If he's never played Zelda: Link to the Past you should get that one.

I'm pretty curious as to how Pokemon Ruby / Sapphire are. Are those games any good? I know they're technically RPGs but I haven't ever picked them up (largely in protest to the fact that a lot of the features are apparently in e-Reader cards).

I personally think that Zelda: Oracle of Ages / Seasons are the best GB games I own - better than almost any of my GBA games. I'm waiting for River City Ransom, though.

[Dire 51]

I say Gradius Galaxies. However, seeing that's he's twelve and lives in this modern day and age, he may not even know what a shooter is, let alone a Gradius game. You're probably better off with some of the other suggestions in that case.

[Achika]

Kirby Nightmare in Dreamland
Metroid Fusion
Castlevania: Circle of the Moon
Zelda
SMA2: Super Mario World (or SMA 4: Super Mario 3)

Personally, I'd stick with getting him the Mario's though. I think that's the 'perfect' game for his age/gamer status.

[Isometric_Bacon]

I'd say Advance Wars 2.

It's easily got some of the best replay value on the GBA, so it will ensure that he won't get bored too quickly with the game. It also promotes actual planning and thinking through your attacks intelligently, and like Chess, it somewhat stimulates the mind rather than a simple generic platformer. He may not be the type for it though, but it's pretty much easily accessible to anyone, young or old.

[Starcade]

Metroid Fusion
Castlevania: CoTM
Castlevania: HoD
Pokemon Ruby/Sapphire