Those of us with an original DS or DS lite have probably been focusing solely on DS games lately. It’s understandable. It seems like there’s are at least five new, great games released for the DS each month.

But the GBA slot deserves some appreciation as well. After all, the Game Boy Advance also had a fantastic run with many memorable titles released. It doesn’t seem right to leave the slot empty all the time.

So to honor the GBA, and perhaps make the DSi owners a bit envious, Gamertell is looking back at some game series with multiple Game Boy Advance entries that are a perfect fit for on the go play, and maybe even give DS games a run for their money.

Pokemon

The four Pokemon GBA games are lengthy, addictive RPGs. The story is fairly similar in each game, but the fact that each one has new pokemon to collect and a new area to explore draws players in every time. Pokemon Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald are all pretty much the same game, players travel around the island of Hoenn, capturing pokemon, defeating Gym Leaders, stopping team Aqua or Magma and eventually beating the Elite Four. Pokemon Fire Red and Leaf Green are remakes of the original Pokemon Red and Blue.

The best part is, you can load collected pokemon from any of the GBA games to Pokemon Diamond, Pearl or Platinum and use them in your DS game thanks to the GBA slot and DS Pal Park.

Super Mario Advance

If you love the classic Super Mario games, you can play them any time thanks to GBA ports. Super Mario Advance is an enhanced port of Super Mario Bros. 2 for the NES, Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2 is an enhanced port of Super Mario World for the SNES, Yoshi’s Island: Super Mario Advance 3 is a port of Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island with additional content and Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 is an enhanced port of Super Mario Bros. 3. Mario fans are covered, if their DS has a GBA slot.

Final Fantasy

Final Fantasy is always a system seller, and the availability of GBA Final Fantasy related games are enough to make any fan happy. First, there are ports of

, II, IV, V and VI available, with I and II being available on one cartridge. Plus, there’s the strategic RPG Final Fantasy Tactics Advance. They’re classic games that fans of the series love to replay.

The Legend of Zelda

Legend of Zelda is one of Nintendo’s biggest sellers, and the GBA was home to two games in the series. A port of the SNES game The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is available, as is an original adventure called The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap. Both offer classic, 2D Zelda gameplay.

Castlevania

The GBA took the Castlevania series into both the past and the future, with Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance and Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow. Harmony of Dissonance is more traditional, following Juste Belmont, Simon Belmont’s grandson, as he goes to save his friends and defeat Dracula. Aria of Sorrow flashes forward to 2035, where Soma Cruz is fighting to keep people from taking up Dracula’s powers.

Fire Emblem

Although one of the GBA Fire Emblem games didn’t make it out of Japan, the other two did. And those two games, Fire Emblem and Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones helped introduced the series to the outside world. Both are challenging, strategic RPGs set in a fantasy world, where characters can become friends if they fight alongside one another.

Golden Sun

Golden Sun and its sequel, Golden Sun: The Lost Age make up what could be the best known, GBA-exclusive RPG from Nintendo and Camelot. The story begins in Golden Sun, and after that game is completed a code/password can be input into Golden Sun: The Lost Age to continue the story with the character levels and items from the original game. It’s well worth playing.

Harvest Moon

Harvest Moon games are a relaxing and familiar life simulation. It’s a comforting series, and the GBA had two games. Harvest Moon: Friends of Mineral Town is the boy’s version of the game, with a male lead, and Harvest Moon: More Friends of Mineral Town is the girl’s version with a female lead. Like the Pokemon GBA games, both Harvest Moon GBA games can connect with Harvest Moon DS or Harvest Moon DS Cute, unlocking new bachelor or bachelorette characters.

Mega Man Battle Network

With the Mega Man Battle Network games, Capcom took the series in a whole new direction and turned it into an RPG with a whole new storyline. The gamble turned out to be a success, and there are six entries in the Mega Man Battle Network series. Starting with Mega Man Battle Network 3, each entry had two different versions released, so really there are 10 GBA games available. (I’d recommend the first two.)

Advance Wars

Advance Wars marked the first game in the Famicom Wars series to be released outside of Japan, and since then the series has developed a loyal following. The first two worldwide releases were Advance Wars and Advance Wars 2: Black Hole Rising for the GBA, and both become classics.

Tell me what you guys think. Dont agree with the list? Then post your top 10.

DISCUSSSS

Don't forget Guitar Hero, completely useless on the DSi.

All that are missing from that list is Super Robot Taisen and Summon Night.

I agree for the most part, replace Mega Man Battle Network with Mega Man Zero and replace Harvest Moon with Sonic Advance and you have my list.

I agree with everything except battle network. That game is just bad. Should be replaced w Klonoa.

Yea, one reason why if I buy another DS again it will be the DS Lite. I can't go without a GBA slot. I should have modded my original GBA (maybe I should have bought a GBA SP, but too late now since DS/DS Lite) to have a backlight but oh well. I'll just settle for a DS Lite. Those are all pretty damn good series. I am still having trouble with my Castlevania game (Circle of the Moon). I'm stuck on that big evil girl character. She just slaughters me with her moves that take up most of the screen (like a beam or something). I need to get back and beat that game sometime. Love the Advance Wars games. Only played 2 and the first DS version. They were pretty classic though and I beat the shit out of them. I probably should try and pick up the FE games that are on the GBA.

Some individual games that I recommend for GBA are - Super Street Figther Alpha 3, Tactics Ogre, Metal Slug Advance, MotoGP and Contra Advance: The Alien Wars EX.

add metroid: zero mission, metroid: fusion and mario and luigi superstar saga

just posting so i can look up this thread later to find good gba games

so many great GBA games, hope Nintendo makes a revival of sorts either on the VC or an upcoming DSi Virtual Handheld

I thought MMBN1 was really unenjoyable and really boring. 2 and 3 were amazing though.

Good list by the way