Summary
- The Game Boy Advance featured numerous spin-off games, like WarioWare, Inc., showcasing Microgames hosted by Wario.
- Mega Man Battle Network 3 brought tactical RPG combat and a unique twist to the Mega Man franchise.
- Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team allowed players to play as Pokemon instead of trainers, offering a roguelike dungeon experience.
Each model in Nintendo’s Game Boy lineup was putting up some stiff competition throughout the late '80s and '90s, offering great graphics with some stylish and comfortable designs, all at an attractive price point.
How Nintendo Handhelds Evolved from Game Boy to Switch
Nintendo has comfortably dominated the handheld market for decades, but it has not done so without a long and rich history spanning from the 1980s.
The Game Boy’s last big model revision and release were their Advance models, offering some big upgrades, as well as backwards compatibility. Despite lacking the capabilities of the big consoles, the Game Boy Advance still got some crazy-good handheld spin-offs of its own over the years.
6 WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgames! (2003)
Wario's Classic Spin-Off Series On The GBA
- Released
- May 26, 2003
- ESRB
- Everyone // Comic Mischief
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo R&D1
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
- Multiplayer
- Local Multiplayer
- Franchise
- Super Mario
- Number of Players
- 1-2
- Nintendo Switch Release Date
- February 8, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Action
While brothers Mario & Luigi usually take the spotlight for the ever-popular series, Wario finally got his time to shine with the WarioWare subseries. Of course, the beloved collection of spin-offs eventually made its way to Nintendo's newest Game Boy model as well.
The History of WarioWare
WarioWare: Move It continues a very quirky set of games starring Wario and his friends dealing with games they make or adventures they go on.
WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgames! Stepped away from the franchise's usual platformer gameplay in 2003. Instead, the game has the player working through a variety of "microgames" hosted by the titular character himself. Titles that are filled with minigames aren't usually the most sought-after, but this is one of the few exceptions. Having over 200 of these microgames across nine different stages, coupled with the wacky comedy of Wario, makes this spin-off collection of microgames a really fun experience, and a great way for the character to make his mark on the GBA.
5 Mega Man Battle Network 3 (2003)
The Legendary Platformer Goes Tactical
Mega Man Battle Network 3
- Released
- June 24, 2003
- ESRB
- e
- Developer(s)
- Capcom Production Studio 2
- Genre(s)
- RPG, Tactical
The widely known Mega Man games are usually regarded for their solid 2D platforming gameplay, but their collection of Mega Man Battle Network spin-offs brought a unique twist to the games with their strategy-focused gameplay.
Like the previous spin-offs, Mega Man Battle Network 3 takes place in an alternate reality to that of the mainline games. Seeing players working to stop an evil group from taking over "the Net" and the world itself. With its focus on real-time, tactical RPG combat, it brought a fresh feeling to the series, and while it wasn't the first or the last in the subseries, it has been touted as one of the best spin-off games for the GBA with all of its content.
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Outside of the mainline games, there are loads of other adventures that take place in the Mega Man universe in various spin-off series.
4 Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team (2006)
Play As A Pokemon Instead Of A Trainer
Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team
- Released
- September 18, 2006
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E For Everyone Due To Mild Cartoon Violence
- Genre(s)
- Roguelike
With games like Pokemon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald, the GBA had some of the series' greatest mainline titles. As for its spin-offs, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team was yet another great addition.
Pokemon Red Rescue Team: Best Starter Pokemon
Players have a list of many Pokemon they can play as and choose their partner from in Pokemon Red Rescue Team; here are the best options.
Instead of being the trainer this time around, players are mysteriously transformed into a Pokemon themselves, as they traverse randomized dungeons with their team of other Pokemon friends they rescue along the way. The formula remains mostly true to the other Mystery Dungeon titles, with more roguelike-focused gameplay, making it a fresh addition to the GBA's roster of Pokemon titles.
3 Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga (2003)
Mario & Luigi Rescue Princess Peach. Yet Again...
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
- Released
- November 17, 2003
WHERE TO PLAY
The Mario franchise might be one of the most recognized names in the world of platforming games, but the series has branched out to many other genres to offer even more unique ways to experience the iconic cast of characters.
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The Switch 2 is home to a ton of fun and memorable Mario games, including a few that have received significant upgrades.
This time around, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga takes the series into the realm of RPGs on the Game Boy Advance. Much like the previous Paper Mario and Super Mario RPG, it centers around turn-based combat with various foes throughout the Beanbean Kingdom. As usual, Mario and Luigi are venturing to save Princess Peach from the Beanish witch Cackletta. While it’s the usual formulaic plot, bringing back Mario’s turn-based RPG mechanics to the GBA was a welcome addition and a fantastic spin-off for the franchise.
2 Tactics Ogre: The Knight of Lodis (2002)
A Beautiful & Well-Crafted TRPG
- Released
- May 7, 2002
- ESRB
- t
- Publisher(s)
- Atlus
- Franchise
- Tactics Ogre
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Tactical RPG
Being a prequel to the original game from 1995, Tactics Ogre: The Knight of Lodis serves as the GBA’s first and only spin-off for the larger Ogre Battle series of games.
The aim of the tie-in game was to have a gameplay experience and visuals similar to the original, but provide a smaller, more approachable storyline, and they certainly delivered in those aspects. Featuring the series’ same well-crafted and strategic combat, the story follows a Lodis soldier named Alphonse, as he unravels the truth behind his own country's oppression of the neighboring land of Ovis. The plot is deep, while still being easy to follow, with nice pacing across its many levels, making it one of the best TRPG spin-offs the GBA has to offer.
1 Final Fantasy Tactics Advance (2003)
The PS1 Classic, Reimagined For The GBA
Final Fantasy Tactics Advance
- Released
- September 8, 2003
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- e
- Genre(s)
- Tactical RPG
Despite sharing the same name as the PS1 original, Final Fantasy Tactics Advance is actually a spin-off, featuring its own entirely unique experience and a variety of other changes. As their titles suggest, they share the same turn-based, tactical mechanics, but the plot is quite different for this GBA spin-off.
Final Fantasy Tactics Advance surrounds three different characters, Marche, Ritz, and Mewt, as they battle their way through a dream-like version of Ivalice. Meeting many new faces along the way who can also be brought into the player's party, with their own stats and assigned jobs as usual. Just like the mainline title it was based on, the spin-off received high praise, going on to win Handheld Game of the Year at DICE in 2004.
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The Game Boy Advance saw a number of remarkable RPG releases that to this day remain trapped on the handheld console.