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Topic: The GameBoy Advance & GBC Thread

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10-zx

This is a thread made to compliment the GameCube/N64 equivalent. It is also a thread made to honor the 6th/5th generation of Nintendo's handheld consoles. This thread's purpose is self explanatory. Go ahead and leave a post on your console of choice.

Check out the main thread!

https://www.nintendolife.com/forums/retro/the_nintendo_gamecube

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One of the best sounds in the world.

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Vinny

To give a little insight on the consoles: The GBA was originally going to launch in 1995 as the 16 bit Project Atlantis, but Nintendo wasn't content with its performance and ended up cancelling it. To fill the void, Nintendo released the GBC since the GB hardware was already getting obsolete. That's why the gap between releases was so long (Original GB: 1989; GBC: 1998).
The GBC was the step-gap console to hold over while the GBA wasn't released. Even so, there were many great exclusive games for it.

  • The Oracle games were excelent games developed by Capcom (I think I like Seasons better than Link's Awakening)
  • Metal Gear: Ghost Babel: Great music, stealth, good story, tense atmosphere. Even as portable game everything worked so well. IGN was impressed when this game came out and gave it a 10/10.
  • Wario Land 3 brought a more non-linear approach to the series, with some nice metroidvania-like exploration. It also looks better than WL2, since it only runs on the GBC.
  • Shantae was one of the last GBC games and pushed the hardware to the limits with colorful, detailed graphics and an excellent soundtrack. The beginning of a much loved series.

The GBA was the first Nintendo console I've ever owned. I owned both the original version and the backlight SP. I remember thinking about getting the micro once but the DS was clearly the better option at the time.

Hard to not compare it with the SNES, both had similar 2D graphics and shoulder buttons. If you stop to think that the Nokia 3310 was released not much before and had just a B&W screen and that snake game, the GBA was actually advanced for its time.

In terms of games, the GBA nailed it. 3 Castlevanias, M&L:Superstar Saga, Zelda: The Minish Cap, 2 Kirby's, 2 Metroids, Wario Land 4, the Sonic Advance games, Megaman Zero, WarioWare, and a lot more I can't remember right now. Those were different times, there was no mobile competition and they just kept pumping out great games.

The hardware was good too. The graphics were comparable to the SNES and there were some cool pseudo 3D effects, like the ones in F-Zero and WL4. The sound chip was decent but it could have been better (I think this may be the weakest point of the console). Of course, that's not to say there weren't great soundtracks!

The original GBA had an excellent grip. One of the best portables to hold in your hands imo, but the lack of light was hell. Castlevania: Circle of Moon has very dark graphics on top of it all, it's like they did it on purpose.

The SP was really compact. The screen was a huge improvement, but the controls felt cramped. The lack of a headphone jack was weird, I know the motherboard was small but they couldn't stick one somewhere there?

My post ended up being much longer than I thought. The GBA was a very special console to me, I'm always enthusiastic when talking about it.

Edited on by Vinny

This blue eye perceives all things conjoined. The past, the future, and the present. Everything flows and all is connected. This eye is not merely seen reality. It is touching the truth. Open the eye of truth... There is nothing to fear.

PSN: mrgomes2004

Fiyaball

Don't forget the DKC ports, those were amazing. I have fond memories of 2/3 GBA and 1 GBC.

Fiyaball

roy130390

Right now I'm playing "Donkey Kong" for the original game boy on my 3ds. It was a hidden gem I didn't knew about until a few weeks. It's amazing how beautiful the sprites look, enemy variety, level design and all the moves Mario has, making him way more acrobatic than any other of his games on the NES or Super Nintendo. Here's a video if you want to know what I'm talking about: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHEwbZ8k68I

Switch Friend Code: SW-3916-4876-1970

Socar

One thing that I love about the GBA is its pixel art. Its so breathtaking and so vibrant!

I don't like the mono volume init though because I couldn't hear so much of the system even with the SP.

Still, it has games that I still need to get and games that I will always cherish in my heart!

The GB line is the best ever alongside the DS and 3DS of course!

After so long...I'm back. Don't ask why

Nintendo Network ID: ArtwarkSwark | Twitter:

10-zx

@roy130390 @Socar People, this thread isn't for the regular GameBoy. It was strictly created for the GameBoy Advance and GameBoy Color. As in, any games released for the GBA and GBC. Nothing from 1989 - 1997.

Mainly GameBoy Advance though.

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Socar

@Porpoise Where did I ever mention anything about GB except the GB line? I meant the entire GB series as a whole......

After so long...I'm back. Don't ask why

Nintendo Network ID: ArtwarkSwark | Twitter:

10-zx

@Socar The GB line. Yes all of it as a whole is fantastic, but this thread is specially toward the later iterations. My only problem with the comment is "The GB line", which is a bit strict, I know, but that's the just the kind of person I am. I'm sorry.

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10-zx

Bumped in order to keep this thread alive.

Come on people, keep this thing going. Leave your marks!

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Luna_110

I had both the GBC and a GBA SP. They were both fantastic, but I admit, the GBA is my favourite console. With the SP, it was fantastic not having to depend on AA batteries (my mother hated that we used so much batteries for the GBC, since they were so expensive), and the retroiluminated screen was fantastic for staying up way past bedtime.

But the best thing was the game catalogue, you had every genre you wanted there. My favourite were FE7, both Golden Sun games, Pokemon FR/LG and both Mario Tennis and Golf.

The DS and 3DS are nice, but for me, they haven't been able to recapture the magic of the GBA.

I have a chronic lack of time, for everything.

Now playing: Okami HD, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

Switch Friend Code: SW-8536-9884-6679 | 3DS Friend Code: 0877-2091-1186 | Nintendo Network ID: Luna_cs

DefHalan

Is it weird that I think the best GBC game is Dragon Ball Z Legendary Super Warriors?

Second best was probably Pokemon Trading Card Game.

People keep saying the Xbox One doesn't have Backwards Compatibility.
I don't think they know what Backwards Compatibility means...

3DS Friend Code: 2621-2786-9784 | Nintendo Network ID: DefHalan

roy130390

@DefHalan I never heard of it until now. I checked a youtube review and it does look quite good, I'd really like to play it if it comes to 3DS VC , wich I doubt.

Switch Friend Code: SW-3916-4876-1970

KingMike

Because the GBC was, as stated, basically a stopgap console, I didn't have very many games for it originally (compared to my many original GB games).
I had Dragon Warriors Monsters 1 (pretty bad, got repetitive fast. so I didn't buy DWM2 to find out later they're better, like I hear they have an actual story and dungeons), and Dragon Warrior 1+2 and 3 and Lufia 3. And Oracle of Seasons.
Later wishing I had gotten the Gen 2 Pokemon games. But well, I played Gen 1... and I'm sure I wasn't alone in thinking that was an okay game but just okay, so a bit hard to get hyped for the sequel.

Now, GBA, the real successor to GB, was much better supported and so I had a lot more games.

I do recall GBC having too many license games (for a system only supported for like 2 1/2 years). Which is why I passed up Shantae when it was first released. When I saw it on the shelf at the store, I assumed it had to be just another crappy license I hadn't heard of. How wrong I was.

KingMike

CanisWolfred

Fiyaball wrote:

Don't forget the DKC ports, those were amazing. I have fond memories of 2/3 GBA and 1 GBC.

Heck yeah, those were all good ports (DKC1 had a better save system, so I could actually get past those mine cart levels; and DKC3 had additional features & content, from what I'm told. At the very least, I had a much better time with it than I expected).

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Fiyaball

CanisWolfred wrote:

Heck yeah, those were all good ports (DKC1 had a better save system, so I could actually get past those mine cart levels; and DKC3 had additional features & content, from what I'm told. At the very least, I had a much better time with it than I expected).

Yeah, the DKC3 port added an entire WORLD to go through, so it adds a lot more replay value than the snes port. The GBC version of 1 added some bonus minigames and photos to collect. 1 GBA did too, but I find it to be not as good. 2 GBA added a new collectible and some minigames, along with diddy's dash, a fun time attack mode. (Something like this was in 1 too, but I find 2's time attack to be a lot more enjoyable, mainly due to the levels being more fun to speedrun)

Fiyaball

Vinny

The soundtrack for DKC3 GBA completely new, made by David Wise (DKC3 was the only game in the trilogy he didn't compose for originally). The SNES original had a darker OST while Wise's version was more atmospheric. I personally like both versions.

This blue eye perceives all things conjoined. The past, the future, and the present. Everything flows and all is connected. This eye is not merely seen reality. It is touching the truth. Open the eye of truth... There is nothing to fear.

PSN: mrgomes2004

Fiyaball

Vinny wrote:

The soundtrack for DKC3 GBA completely new, made by David Wise (DKC3 was the only game in the trilogy he didn't compose for originally). The SNES original had a darker OST while Wise's version was more atmospheric. I personally like both versions.

The SNES soundtrack also is much quieter. (the N3DS VC release is, at least) I have trouble hearing it even when I have the volume turned up all the way.

Fiyaball

10-zx

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10-zx

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