Features

• Assume control of a diverse and powerful army of soldiers loyal to your cause
• Persuade powerful enemy heroes to leave their evil armies and join your growing cause
• For 1-4 players over link cable
• Marshall your forces and draw your steel -- the legendary Fire Emblem roleplaying games have arrived on the GBA
• Defend against usurpers and assassins as you aid young lords on their quest against evil

Reviews (118)

Best GBA RPG Ever!
For those of you who were disappointed over Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls, this game will let you have peace in your heart.Although it is not made by SquareEnix, it still shares some of the elements of FF:Tactics Advance.While the story is as far out as the FF series, it still retains a lot of the plot twists and suspense that the other games have.

For of you who haven't had the chance to play any of these games allow me to introduce it to you.Intelligent Systems, the people behind Advanced Wars and Paper Mario, have released an RPG based off the Japanese series Fire Emblem after Super Smash Bros. Melee introduced Marth & Roy and the people begged for it to be released (including me).This game is not like SSBM in any regards, its totally different.You play on a grid where you move your units around and attack your opponents.

I am a big fan of grid based combat, so I went and bought this game as soon as I could.It has so many great elements to make a game good.The thing that might shock other people, as it did me, as that as soon as one of the characters dies, they're gone for good, unless of course you want to restart the level.This adds a huge amount of stratergy to the game.Some of the characters that are weak would normally make me care less if they died, but in this game, they give you their background, and each has their own dying phrase.The other thing is, your ending will be changed a little if any character dies.

The sound is spectacular, some of the best orchastrated music I've heard on a handheld.Conversations can drag on a little sometimes, but that can be ignored by the music and the excellent storyline.

It starts out as your basic fairy tale about a girl finding out she's a princess and so on.But then later the game takes on a much darker tone, which I don't want to spoil for those who haven't played the game.Oh, and the other nice feature is the ability for your weapons to have 'health.'Its similar to that of Dark Cloud's system, but different.If you use a weapon too much, it'll break.THe other neat feature is the extra chapters that can be obtained in various ways.

So overall, the game is pretty awesome.I suggest that to everyone who has a gba, to pick this one up even if they hate these games.

PROS
- Excellent Storyline
- Great stratergy elements
- The Battle System works extremely well
- The music is some of the best on a handheld

CONS
- Dialogue can drag on sometimes, but it isn't too bad.
- The Tutorial is extremely annoying, but if you skip it, you miss part of the storyline.
- Losing a character and starting the level all over can be quite annoying when you get to longer levels.

Yawn. Been done and done heaps better.
Remember Shining Force I and II? Remember? Those turn based top-down view rpgs on the Sega Mega Drive with cool characters, heaps of cool magic and detailed combat animations?

Well those were classic sega games that came out a full DECADE ago. Compared to those strategy rpgs of yore, Fire Emblem (this the 7th in the series) makes NO PROGRESS WHATSOEVER.

It has lacklustre character designs, an overly wordy plot, a simplistic and boring combat system, a lack of difficulty and an annoying "support" feature which is somehow the developers attempt at adding replay value to this game.

Overall, to the utter newbie whose only prior experience with these kind of games was with Advance Wars(which is arguably a better game than this one), Fire Emblem might seem like a solid choice. I agree, it IS a solid choice. It is also, however, a throwback of a game. A disappointing retread of gameplay that has been done bigger and better(on lower end systems I might add).

How to begin? I will make a short comparison between this game and Shining Force II, which many of you have already played. Let me remind you that:

*SFII had more exciting animations. In Fire Emblem, most of the art went to the character portraits. When it comes to the top-down graphics in battle, as well as the battle animations themselves, this game looks extremely poor for a GBA game.

*SFII had more varied character designs.FE's characters might look "pretty", but are pretty much all same-ish anime fare, color-coded hair and all.

*SFII had HEAPS more: weapons, armours, spells, items. It was much more varied. Compared to this, all FE has going for it is a nice little "weapon triangle" system and your token herbs and potions. Not very exciting. In SFII you could cast spells like gigantic lightning storms which affect entire areas. In FE the magic works just like a weapon. You attack one square at a time. BO-Ring.

*SFII had BETWEEN-COMBAT exploration. In FE, it's pretty much battle after battle. Consequently the plot is FORCED to be told in huge CHUNKS pre and post-battle. Not very immersive.

*SFII was fun and worth replaying. Just go try it. In FE however, any semblance of replayability is in the form of placing different units next to each other and wait turn after turn in hope of getting new support combos. Wheee.

It seems abit ridiculous for me to compare this hand-held game with a console game, but bear in mind that the console game in question came out more than 10 years before this. The game boy advance is both graphically and performance wise better than the Mega Drive in every respect. Why can't Intelligent Sys. make a game that fully utilises its potential?

An Intelligent Nod
I have yet to play Advance Wars 1 or 2, Intelligent Systems' modern war/strategy series for the GBA, but I can venture an educated guess that Fire Emblem shares a lot in common with it.Fire Emblem is a strategy RPG reminiscent of the Shining Force series for the Genesis, but it's been forever for me to make detailed comparisons of the two. Fans of Shining Force, Ogre Battle, and/or Advance Wars will probably find a lot to like.

Fire Emblem will be fairly easy for those experienced in these kinds of games.Most of the challenge presents itself in keeping your combatants alive, because if they are killed during battle, you won't be getting a chance to get them back.Not even a chance to revive them from defeat (unlike, for example, the popular Final Fantasy Tactics, where you had up to three turns to revive a fallen comrade).This can present a problem if you don't use tight and well-thought out tactics, because the enemy will always jump at the opportunity to kill the weakest party members within range.Fortunately, there's an ability to "rescue" other members, and even pass them off to others in your group.Anyway, I think it's pretty neat that you can't get them back.It adds an urgent dynamic to the game and forces you to really think your moves through.After the first part of the game, it even tells what the characters who didn't make it to the end went on to do with their lives.Some followed the party (although injured and unable to fight), while others went their separate ways.

In battle, it is prudent that you search out the most advantageous terrain (forests, forts) and engage from there.Also, weapon selection is an important factor, as certain weapons are good against some, bad against others.Rounding out the standard and borrowed strategy-RPG elements is the class system, albeit a limited one (nothing on the scale of an FFT or Tactics Ogre; more like Shining Force).Your units can advance in class with a specific item after reaching level 10.

One thing worth mentioning in Fire Emblem is that enemy forces, on some battlefields, are concealed within fog or darkness.The limited visibility adds another layer of danger to the combat, which can be partially alleviated with some items.However, this element only somewhat succeeds.I wonder if the developers could have made it where the limited visibility worked both ways, where the enemy had no way of knowing where you are, and would occasionally stumble into a big pack of your units (I wonder, but I think I know the answer to that one).More importantly, a stealth element is missing in the game, perhaps the ability to sneak up on an enemy without them knowing about your approach.

So, what drives all this fighting in Fire Emblem?The first part of the game has you controlling Lyn, a young woman from the Plains of Sacae, whose family was murdered by bandits, and who is of royal lineage in a far off Kingdom.Her journey takes her to the castle in search of her ailing Grandfather, in order to stop his vengeful brother from usurping the throne.But we find out that this is just a small part of a bigger scheme.Big surprise, huh?The story is ok, and the characters are ok, and the dialogue and writing might be the strongest aspect.However, there's nothing remotely profound or emotional in the melodramatic delivery of the game's story, but that's the norm for video games. Oh well.Instead, you end up developing an attachment to the characters for how well they fight in battle, cheering them on during encounters and hoping they don't get killed. The game succeeds in this.

A Final Fantasy Tactics this is not.It's not dynamic or deep enough in both its gameplay and story and sentiment.However, I'd argue that it's slightly better than Final Fantasy Tactics Advance for the GBA.Both games are derivative of what has come, but Fire Emblem's not stepping backwards--only nodding to the past.

Very good strategy/rpg title for the GBA/DS
This game is an excellent strategy title for your Gameboy and will give you dozens of hours of gameply. (My first go through the game was over 24 hours total)

The characters are all pretty much interesting in this game and there are tons of them to pick and choose on missions. The variety of the units and their personalities are what make this game so enjoyable.

And if a unit dies then its dead. No 1-ups or resurrection in this game. If your character dies then be prepared to never see them again.
This really keeps you on your toes as wounded units need rescuers and backup.
However, this can be a pain to play a mission for over an hour then have the boss kill them in one hit, thus causing you to start the level over again...

All in all this is simple to learn, yet highly entertaining game. Pick it up if youre missing some a challenging and engrossing strategy game.

Saved games reset - *sigh*
A fun strategy game overall, but has a major flaw - I can't stand any game that does not let you save anytime you want.I know this game allows you to save at anytime, but the game auto saves for you at the last turn, so that when you die you cannot revert to where you originally saved.I know the designers of Fire Emblem did this so to make the game more challenging or "realistic", so that players can't "cheat" by playing from that save point over and over again, but it actually makes the game more annoying and frustrating.If you character dies, by lets say a way to powerful and out of balanced mini boss attacking you and killing you with one shot, you have to start the whole stupid level over again.

Otherwise, this game would have received 5 stars - trust me, you'll get frustrated and annoyed the 100th time you main character dies, and you are forced to play the level over again. ... Read more

Product Description

In the multiplayer game, Four Swords, between two to four players take on the roles of young adventurers who answer a challenge from the Triforce. They must brave the dangers of multiple dungeons in a quest to find the Master Sword. Their strength will be tested by fierce monsters, their wisdom tested by complex puzzles, and their courage tested by having to cooperate with each other to overcome obstacles. ... Read more

Features

• Talk to all sorts of people and creatures to gain information about how to move forward in his quest.
• Fight enemies and battle through dangerous and complicated dungeons to recover key objects that open new areas.
• Wield swords throw bombs, perform dash attacks, lift and throw, and push and pull objects; acquire items that give additional abilities.
• In Four Swords, face puzzles that require the cooperation of two or more players to solve. They can exchange items, but they also will be competing to pick up as many Rupees as they can to increase their individual scores. It's a unique blend of cooperation and backstabbing.

Reviews (124)

A Great Game
I've always loved A Link To The Past.It's not too easy but not too hard.The graphics are good and it has a nice storyline to it.It's just fun!I only have one complaint about this game for the GBA (and it's a big one):
This version of the game comes with a new game, The Four Swords.The only problem is that it's a MULTIPLAYER GAME!I know multiplayer games are enjoyable for some people, but not everybody knows someone else who also has this game, so many of us are not even able to play the game, which sucks, because from pictures I've seen, it looks like a lot of fun.There should ALWAYS be a single player option!
Okay, I'm done whining now.

Jake Klingelhofer Gives this game two thumbs up!
This is a GREAT game. It takes a while to beat but is very fun and not very hard. it isn't really easy like Zelda: the Minish Cap, but not insanely hard like Zelda: the Wind Waker. A fun continous game with good music, good characters, and it's GREAT
all around. ON a scale from 1 to 10, i would give this game a 11!

Bugger Zelda, revive "Battle Of Olympus"
Zelda was a copy of Battle Of Olympus IMO. Both games very simmaler, and if you like Zelda you'd love B.O.O.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
The Legend of Zelda: Link to the Past on Game Boy Advance is an identical port of the classic SNES game of the same name. What separates these brilliant Zelda adventures other than the Game Boy Advance's version being portable is that the GBA version also includes a Capcom-developed multiplayer game entitled Four Swords.

In Four Swords, up to four players can play together for a mix of cooperation and competition, solving puzzles, gathering Rupees and trading items. Fans of the Zelda series receive two great games for the price of one in this must-own GBA title.

On the surface, it looks like Nintendo went the cheap way out by simply converting the admittedly outstanding Super NES adventure The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past to the Game Boy Advance as the system's first official Zelda product, pretty much pixel-for-pixel in graphics and note-for-note in sound. It's a fantastic game in its own right, but the GBA has proven time and again that it has significantly more potential in capabilities than the Super NES ever did, and a conversion of an early generation 16-bit title hardly impresses on a technical scale. But put that thinking aside, because the developers didn't just put out a simple port for Zelda fans; the secondary selling point of the game cartridge, The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords is a deep, thoroughly designed, and absolutely fun multiplayer experience that's based around the established Zelda gameplay mechanics. It's here that the cartridge really shines, and makes the purchase of the game an absolute necessity for Zelda fanatics and GBA owners alike.

All Zelda fans should know exactly what they're getting into with the Game Boy Advance conversion of A Link to the Past. The original game released back in 1993 for the Super NES is still revered as one of the best games released in the series, even among the more recent 3D releases on the Nintendo 64 system. The game takes place way early in the admittedly wonky Legend of Zelda chronology. As the elfish adventurer Link, players head off into the huge overworld to rescue the princess Zelda from the castle dungeon; as players save her from the lock-down, they learn that an evil wizard Agahnim has put the land under a cursed spell, and it's up to Link to grab the Master Sword and break it. But anyone who is familiar with the story, or Legend of Zelda games in general know that this is only the beginning of the adventure...
The Game Boy Advance game is a 100% accurate port of the Super NES game, right down to the pixel. The GBA game uses all of the original art assets from the game released in 1993 for its graphics, which admittedly look a bit dated to today's standards and what the GBA can actually pull off. But it remains extremely faithful to the original, which will definitely please videogame purists; any slight alteration of the original game and you could definitely hear all the fanboy comparisons to the original SNES version. The only real changes in gameplay are alterations on where certain non-essential objects are located; a tree that always dropped a rupee gem when rammed now unleashes a fairy, which eliminates the exploitation of unlimited funds from the original game. And, of course, the screen resolution means that the GBA has to scroll a bit more than the Super NES version did, but the original SNES game didn't require any real long-distance action, so this "cropping" does not hinder gameplay at all.

And while the music isn't quite as "crisp" on the GBA system, the handheld hardware does a wonderful job pulling off all the audio from the classic. But, just as Nintendo couldn't leave the past Super Mario games alone, the company insisted on adding to the sound effects by giving Link grunts, shouts, and yells, lifted from the samples used in the previous N64 adventures. It would have been a decent inclusion had it been used sparingly, but man, it gets annoying when every slash of the sword results in an audible grunt from Link. Every single one. It's cool that Link now lets out a yelp when he falls off a ledge or bites the big one, but a shout every single time he uses his sword? Yes, after about five hours into the quest your mind may grow used to this sound effect, but as it stands, the developers should have gone easy on the Link yelps.

But it's the gameplay that matters, and even today Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past holds its own as one of the best-designed action-adventure games ever created. For those not quite familiar with the way the Zelda design works, A Link to the Past features a huge overworld with several dungeons in which players will have to shove boxes, trigger switches, and destroy enemies in order to progress to the end where a very large boss creature sits and waits to crush Link into a pulp. These dungeons are pretty much the core of the Zelda gameplay, and it's these areas that give the game most its challenge. Each dungeon (there are at least a dozen of them in A Link to the Past are both extremely fun and, in many cases, extremely frustrating...but in an amusing sort of way. This game was the first Zelda game to utilize alternate-world travel; players will have to hop back and forth between the light and dark world to solve puzzles and get through certain challenges. There are times that, yes, you'll get stuck, so taking a step back to figure out the best (and usually only) course of action in the specific area is definitely encouraged. When all is said and done, A Link to the Past is a lengthy 20 to 30 hour adventure for folks who don't remember every little element from the SNES version. Those with the upper hand with prior knowledge of the classic adventure can probably breeze through it in a dozen. But whether you're a newbie or veteran, you haven't seen anything yet.

The secondary game option, Four Swords is an absolute must-play. Anyone who puts this cartridge away after completing A Link to the Past will be missing out on one of the best system link games ever created, and it's this mode that will set the watermark for what the GBA's game link support can pull off. Four Swords isn't a simple rehash of A Link to the Past's graphic engine in a multiplayer deathmatch, no sir. This is a completely separate game development that shares only the cartridge in which A Link to the Past sits. Four Swords occurs during the same time structure as the upcoming Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker for the GameCube, which explains the completely changed character sprite structure of Four Swords. In the game, players must rescue Zelda from the clutches of the evil wind sorceror Vaati. But the challenges ahead are impossible for a single adventurer; to assist Link in his quest to rescue the princess, fairies use the power of the Four Swords to duplicate the hero...four times the Link. Silly premise, I know, but all you have to know is that each player controls a different colored Link.


The Four Swords is essentially broken up into four different areas, each with its own network of dungeons. The first dungeon is an expansive tutorial area that explains the varying items and how they work in the other three different areas. The level design Four Swords varies between standard Zelda fare to absolutely brilliant use of cooperative gameplay mechanics; this isn't a simple Gauntlet clone. Game designers have worked in many of the ideas from past Zelda games, from triggering pressure switches to shoving statues and lifting boulders. But many elements must be done in unison with one, two, or three other Links. Massive boulders blocking the way, for example, require all Links to work together to lift and move off to the side. Some creatures can only be destroyed if two players work together -- one cool creature in particular must be pulled apart to eliminate, with a Link on either side yanking in opposite directions. There are several items in the game that must be utilized to get through, and players can only hold and utilize one item at a time; whatever item they were holding at the time they picked up a different item is dropped in place of the new item. Magnet Gloves can get players across chasms if they aim at a magnetic block...and they can even grab onto distant Links by latching onto their magnetic Shields, pulling them across the hole as well. And the Gnat Hat is an interesting addition, as players who wear the hat will shrink to the size of a bug (basically a couple of pixels tall on-screen) in order to pass through tiny tunnels or across bridges and platforms that a normal Link couldn't fit. The game's full of all sorts of objects that require solo as well as cooperative techniques to get through the extensive challenges. What's more, the game design is intelligent enough to only offer dungeon designs with the amount of players in the network in mind. So, even though the game allows for up to four players to cooperate and compete in the dungeons, the designers realized that this wouldn't always be the case; if only two or three players are in the current network, it will only put forth challenges that only two players need to cooperate...which means, no four-player puzzle elements will enter into play.
This mode is where most of the development time obviously went, because everything about it, from the graphics, sound, gameplay, and interface, are done superbly. This multiplayer mode even incorporates extras that are earned in A Link to the Past; if a special sword technique is earned in the main single-player adventure, it can be used by that player in Four Swords. And those that complete the entire Four Swords adventure can unlock original dungeons and mini-quests in A Link to the Past, unique to the GBA game. So, if the fantastic multiplayer gameplay isn't enough encouragement, the extra quests in the single player adventure should seal the deal.

The link support is near flawless; it keeps track of all four players in the chain no matter how far back or ahead of the pack they go, and it also allows for a decent number of enemies to appear on-screen at once. The action will slow down on occasion when rupees spill onto the screen in a large amount, but from a technical standpoint occasional slowdown in a four player chain during not-so-intense moments is perfectly acceptable. It's an amazingly fun multiplayer experience, even if it tries the patience of everyone in the network chain. Everyone will be yelling at each other from not working together, or accidentally knocking someone off the ledge, or stealing each other's rupees. Even though players will be working together to complete the dungeons, ultimately, they're working against each other to earn the most rupees to collect the level's medallions. And as chaotic as that sounds, this element is one of the many reasons that makes Four Swords such an awesome mode that should not be missed by anyone.

Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is definitely one of, if not the finest games released on the GBA. While some Zelda fans might be a bit bummed that Nintendo didn't offer Game Boy Advance owners something new to sink their teeth into, they have to realize that the company did do exactly that. Yes, the main package is simply the same Super NES game repackaged for play on the Game Boy Advance, but in all honesty that's only half the package. And offering one of the greatest action adventures in portable form isn't exactly a downside, either.

Four Swords is Nintendo's way of giving gamers something completely new and different in the Zelda environment, and it's one hell of a good time in each play through. This mode is an adventure in itself; it just requires the effort of grabbing one, two, or three other friends to join in the quest. And that's the only real downside to this mode: trying to get a party together to take advantage of this thoroughly-designed experience. It is a slight shame that Nintendo didn't offer just a sliver of Four Swords as a single-cartridge multiplayer mode, even if it was just to offer a scaled-back demo version of the entire Four Swords adventure...but considering how good this entire package is, it won't be hard to find players with a copy of their own.

comment
I don't own this game and i have never played it (though i might buy it) i just wanted to point out that in one reviw someone did not know anyone with the gam it doesn't solve your cable problem but you only need one game pack to play multi player on GBA (note this only applys when your using other GBAs no other GBs will work) ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Originally released in 1981 by Konami, the Frogger arcade game isconsidered an all-time classic. Since then the property has been transferred toseveral owners, many of which tarnished the Frogger tradition. Now, backin Konami's hands, the little green fellow brings back everything people lovedabout the original arcade game, but with a modern twist.

Frogger's Adventures: Temple of the Frog pits Frogger against the evilMr. D, who has stolen the mystical elements that nourish the hero's marsh.Frogger must make his way through 15 levels spanning six environments in orderto find the elements. After every few levels, he must engage in a boss fight.Like in the arcade original, Frogger spends most of his time hopping left,right, up, and forward, but in this version he must deal with more than movingcars and snapping crocodiles. The game's levels feature all sorts of perils,such as mazelike conveyer belts, spiked floors, and crumbling platforms. Thereare also 32 different types of enemies standing in his way. Among the fewdownsides of the game are its short length, the lack of variety-adding options,and the fact that the coin system that allows you to reach the last level iseasy to fool.

This is a great example of how to properly update a classic. The simple gameplayof the original Frogger is intact, but the developers have added cleverlevels, bright graphics, and modern game mechanics to the mix. This game is sureto please longtime Frogger fans, as well as create some new ones.--Raymond M. Padilla

Pros:

• Easy-to-learn gameplay
• Levels add a new twist to classic Frogger moves
• Four in-game save slots

• Lack of options
• A bit short
• Coin system is easy to cheat

Features

• Jump, glide and tongue-flick through 15+ levels in 5 different environments.
• A cartoonish action/platform game with an element of puzzle solving, Frogger expands on simple, yet addictive gameplay to catch players of all ages.

Reviews (36)

I HATE THIS GAME
This game is so stupid! I would leave it in the trash! Luigi's mansion is better.

LOVED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I LOVED THIS GAME SOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH! It is origianol, interesting and really really fun! It has 5 cute little worlds, and 15 levels. It gets really hard over time, but as soon as you get familiar with all of the controls and enimies, it isn't as hard as it seems. A little hint: On parts of the 2nd earth element level, move fast! Don't think, move fast! It helps! I finished the game in about a week, and my favorite places were the sea world and temple levels. Buy this game now, it totally rocks!

PLEASE....
it sux. never get it. u just hop around getting smashed by things. i played it once and hated it. im srry for the ppl who have it!!!

too easy and not original
this game is too easy and im a twelve year old, its not original and doesnt have the kind of thrill and excitement its just k nothing special,if i were u i wouldnt waste my money and would by super mario advance games instead, theyre much better

The Most Fun Frogger Yet
I thought this game was very fun.The first level is easy ,but once people try the second level they think it is hard.(Most of the levels have the same type of moves so once you get the hang of it its not so hard.)the temple is the best part in my opinion.The graphics are also pretty good,and the music is great.Some people say that the game is impossible to beat, but that's not true.I've beaten the game the whole way through until the end credits.Overall I thought this game was challenging,addictive,and very fun! ... Read more

Product Description

While planning the perfect vacation on Dinosaur Island, things go awry for Mario and Luigi when they learn that Princess Peach has been kidnapped again by the ever-diabolical Bowser. Being chivalrous plumbers, Mario and Luigi set out on a massive adventure to rescue their long-time friend. To reach their goal, they'll have to crush Bowser's evil Koopalings and solve some of the most challenging puzzles they've ever faced. ... Read more

Features

• Platform: Game Boy Advance
• ESRB Rating: Everyone
• Genre: Action/Adventure

Reviews (251)

Polishing a classic
There's pretty much a debate on the best Super Mario game: Super Mario 3, Super Mario World or Yoshi's Island(but you control Yoshi instead). Some might say Mario 64 but the lack of gameplay moves doesn't hold a candle to the many gameplay mechanics each one of the 3 provide. So we delve into one of them: Super Mario World.

Story: What little story there is. As usual, Princess Peach gets kidnapped(I swear that b**** needs bodyguards or take up karate or something). So it's up to Mario to save the day as he traverses worlds in caves, the chocolate level, underwater and in the air.

Graphics: This is Super Nintendo graphics so granted these aren't stunning anymore. But it does have a nice vibrancy to it and the variety of the levels adds some nice changes to the scenery without being too repetitive.

Sound/Music: I often call Nintendo good support music. Besides the Mario theme, nothing is really hummable yet it doesn't feel out of place. They added some voices for Mario and Luigi which as usual get annoying.

Gameplay: I remember playing this on the SNES and I was so happy I cleared all 96 stages, got the Star Road finished, the secret areas and everything. Now I have to do it again, ugh. All the levels are here with some minor tweaks.

It was this one I believe they introduced one of Mario's famous sidekicks: Yoshi, the green dinosaur who likes to eat anything and s**t it out and makes eggs that he can fling at people(only in Yoshi's Island and maybe some others). He also turned into a different colored Yoshi depending on what he ate. So red turtles gave him abilities to shoot fireballs while one enabled him to fly and another gave a slight earthquake quality when he bounced.

Mario 3 wins in turns of transforming Mario. In 3, he had the tanooki suit(that raccoon), the frog suit, that shoe, not to mention the fire flower and the leaf, capable of making him fly. With this one he gets the fire flower and the feather, giving him a yellow Superman cape where he can fly. It's different than the leaf cause that just made him soar straight up while here you can fly across. He can glide down by just holding the button while in 3 you had to repeatedly hit it.

The Mario Advance ports are great for us old school gamers who remembers playing Chrono Trigger, Uniracers and Final Fantasy III(officially VI but that's another story). Don't forget about Mario 3 and Yoshi's Island too.

This is an old classic, but it cannot overshadow Mario Bro 3
The game is good and then some. There is so much to do, you may never do it all.
The story is that Peach is not in the witness protection program and gets kidnapped once again. You and Luigi must save her.
On the map you can alternate between Luigi and Mario just by a press of a button. All in all, it does not matter. The game is no harder or easier. Luigi has a better jump but is slower than Mario.
In the levels your goal is to get to the end without dying. The twist in this game is that any red dot on the map means there is more than one exit. And many of them are hard to find. Upon finding them, you are able to gain access to a different path on the map.
This is a must. You will see dotted lines everywhere in a certain color. What you must do is find a certain special exit and you get to go to a block palace. They will fill in the lines with blocks that match the colors. Now these blocks give you access to new places and sometimes save your life.
Running around in the levels, you get four different powerups and they vary from mushroom to stars. If you had Mario before, you know what they do. The new addition is Yoshi. He can add an extra hit to your life and eat enemies and more! Plus, by special exits, you can go to star world. Beating a level there the right way will give you access to a new yoshi. Some will turn enemies eaten into fire while others can fly when they have any enemy in their mouth. They appear at random
The bosses can be brutal. Each boss either has three or four hits. You must find the special way to beat them. This will be easy, but causes you to keep readjusting throughout the game.
You may never do everything.
You need help to do everything. So buy a strategy guide.

Best Game EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!
For a gamer like me, that is, someone who likes basic yet chalenging games, this is a must.Its fun never wears away, because there's always something new to do.Play either as Mario, who is fast but a bad jumper, or Luigi who jumps far and high.I love this game!!!!!!!!

My all time favorite Mario game.
This game is the greatest Mario game I have ever played. All the Mario's seem to have gone down hill to me since this 4th installment. But now that this classic SNES game has been revived and upgraded to the GBA, its back, and even better then ever!

There is a few differences between this and the SNES version, but they just make this version better!!! Theres a few new halfway markers, theres 5 Yoshi coins to collect on each stage, and when your found them all you get princess coins... but everything is still there and just as much fun as ever. I only wish I could program some add ons into it somehow.

Super Mario, Super Good
Super Mario world is the best gameboy game I have ever played!
The levels are hard, but no so hard that you stay on one level for a month. Some of the levels, are a bit frustrating though. Some examples would be the "big green goop balls",The boos, and the big boo who are in some ghost houses. They are impossible to defeat and you cannot touch them without losing your special ability or life! Also,there are some enemys not mentioned on the "Denizens of Dinosoar Land" paper, like the "skeleton birds". I think the music for this game is good, but others might say it's cheesy. It's fun to ride "Mr. Dinosoar"a.k.a Yoshi, but the controls are hard to learn for him, and regular Mario/Luigi. It might be easier for some people, because I am a person who likes to not read instruction booklets. Some of the graphics are funny, like when you do a run jump your belly comes forward, and if you collect a certain item you inflate like a balloon, and when Luigi jumps, h wiggles his feet! You can "cheat" on certain levels by using a cape to fly across the sky of the level, avoiding most enemies. ... Read more

Features

• Race against time as you steer Polly in a Bumper Boat around the lake
• Three levels of difficulty make the games fun to play again and again
• For 1 or 2 players
• Polly Pocket water park adventure game where players race to earn tickets
• Play 6 exciting mini games

Reviews (6)

Great Beginner Game!
I bought this game for my 7 year old when she got her 1st Gameboy System and she loves it! I would not reccomend this for any child who is a long term player but this is an absolutely perfect game for the kids to start to recognize the buttons and get used to the system itself!

Fun Runs Out Quickly
This is NOT a long-term game.The levels (depsite being "easy", "medium" or "hard") are either riduculously simple or painfully difficult.For any child over 5 or 6, it will loose it's appeal VERY quickly.

The only long-term fun is to see how many tickets can be collected, but the rewards for collecting tickets (the water slide) is probably the most boring game on it.As a mom, I can say that this was not a game I would have bought if we had tested it first.

OK, NOW WHERE'S THE FUN?
Well it's ok for like the first 15 minutes but then it's like where did the fun go. I'm 11 and I thought it might be fun but after I played it I realized it wasn't too fun. It's ok for like 4-8 year olds. So if you're buying for someone in that age group, Good Job. They will probally like it.

Polly gameboy
I bought this for my 6 year old daughter who loves Polly. This game is very good because it requires very little reading and has Easy, Medium and Hard levels to choose from. She can play it without my assistance which makes it wonderful for parents and she "loves it." It is also pretty fun for parents. This was the first game we ever played on a gameboy so we are definately beginners so hopefully long time players will like it as well.

I made a huge mistake by putting it on my wishlist
I'm 13 and I have to admit i absolutely love polly pocket. I put this game on my christmas wishlist and recieved it. The mini games are cute and fun but i beat the game in 35 minutes. This game is great but definately for a younger age group of 3-7! Don't make the same mistake I did unless ur buying this for a younger girl. ... Read more

Product Description

Lizzie McGuire: On the Go! is more than just a game. You can play the exciting arcade game "When Cheerleaders Attack" and you and your friends can have fun with exciting games like, Gordo's Gunk, Dots 'n Boxes, Box Bash, Memory, Droppers and Hangman. ... Read more

Features

• When Cheerleaders Attack arcade game with more than 15 levels of action
• More than 20 games and activities to choose from
• PDA function keeps track of friends' contact information, important dates, horoscopes, and biorhythms
• Music from the award-winning show
• Single and multiplayer gameplay

Reviews (21)

Coolest game ever!!!!!
This game is the best game ever!!! It has many different games. You have to play a game called "When cheerleaders attack". It is really fun! Using that game, you can unlock different games. This is more than a game, its an adress book, a brain teaser and a whole lot more!

I have played this game for a long time and I am still not tired of it!

lizzie your'e a lifesaver
I had just finnished this really hard game that i used all my allowance to buy but this game was cheap enough to buy its fabulous!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love it but ..............................................
It's fun but Lizzie walks so slow! It's hard to beat the timed game.

lizzie is fun
I bought this game for my 4 and 6 year old and they love it!!!Many hours of fun.It does not seem to get old.

Uhm, no
Here is a simple word for you people:this game was in Seanbaby's column in EGM.If that didn't convince you not to buy this game, then go ahead and buy it and learn your lesson the hard way. ... Read more

Features

• Choose from one of four characters - Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, or the new character Cream, each with their own signature moves.
• New environments ranging from space age metal labyrinths to an incredible music masterpiece, each with multiple paths to explore!
• Link up Game Boy Advance systems using the Game Link Cable and experience the action with up to four people.
• Connect your Game Boy Advance to your Nintendo GameCube and visit the new Chao Garden - raise Chaos and watch them compete in the Super High Jump!

Reviews (69)

Great game but with frustrating problems.
While not necessarily raising the bar in my opinion the way "Sonic Battle" did for me, "Sonic Advance 2" is nonetheless another home run for the legendary Sonic video game franchise.

The play pattern is virtually the same as it's classic Sega Genesis ancestors: Dr. Eggman (previously known as Robotnik) is once again causing havoc with his megalomaniac schemes of taking over the entire world by building another 'death egg' (God, everything he builds is named after eggs) spaceship by wielding the power of the legendary chaos emeralds. Even worse is that Sonic's friends have been captured by Eggman and held hostage.

As a result, in the beginning, Sonic is the only available player but as one beats the boss machine at the end of the stages, more characters are unlocked and the game begins to branch into different versions of itself. My favorite is a tie between Tails and Cream.

The problem with this game though is a frustrating part. Although not completely, I've found it almost downright impossible to find all seven special rings in order to access the special stages at the end of each regular stage. (I've managed to get to special stage one after "Leaf Forest" but that's it) The last six regular stages make it like looking for a needle in a haystack.

Otehr than that, this is a very good Sonic Adventure game and is another good addition to the Sonic Legacy. With the frustrating Special Stage requirements, I guess they didn't call it "Sonic Advance" for nothing. :/ :)

This is stupid. I reconmmend you play Sonic Mega Collection
I cannot say much about this game, but enough to steer you clear.
The story is that Dr. Eggman is making trouble again. That is it. There are no story telling elements witin the game.
The object of the game is to get from point A to point B. If you run fast enough in one direction for enough time, you will create a sonic boom and go supersonic. Which needs to happen more often.
Within the levels are emblems. You need a certain amount to go to special stage and get a emerald. Let me tell you, it is so hard to actually collect the emblems, I have never been to special stage. The emeralds unlock the final boss.
The characters are varied by skills and stats.
Cheese can attack from a distance.
Knuckles can punch.
Amy has a hammer.
Sonic is fast.
Tails can fly.

Whoopie.
Now I can go through the whole game with just Cream and Cheese and not break a sweat. There is a diffculty imbalance here.

This game is too imbalanced to be fun.

Now go play Sonic Mega Collection my groupies!!!!


if you exist......

Even more zoom than previous Sonic games
If you have played the great classic Genesis Sonic games and the first Sonic Advance and just expect more of the same, think again.This game is even more about total speed getting from point A to point B than the previous games, with level design all its own.The levels are designed so that, if you want to, most of the time you can just hold down left or right and watch Sonic (or one of the other characters) ZOOM - until you are slowed down and have to decide how to proceed.Don't get me wrong, the levels are huge, with many paths for Sonic to take and a lot of stuff for the floatier characters (Tails and Cream) to explore.But everything, from each level's racing-style opening to the delightful fast-driving Eggman-vehicle bosses, and especially the level design, is all about speed.

You can probably dash through the first four levels on your first game, but from zone five onward the difficulty level, both in the levels and against the (I have to mention them again) speedy frenzied moving bosses, increases steadily every zone.The game is just difficult enough to keep me from zapping right through it, which is a good thing and keeps me coming back.I completed the first Sonic Advance the first day but have not beaten this one yet.I also have explored plenty and have not yet found a single chaos emerald, but I am sure they are there.This and the difficulty curve all keep me interested.

Another thing I like are the three action buttons.There is a jump button (essential), an attack button (with different effects depending on your character, including a ground pound that breaks floors and can aid in exploration for Sonic), and a 'trick' button, with high-speed effects that vary by situation.What's so good is that only the jump button is necessary, but if you are fast enough and want more variety you can make the game feel much deeper by using one or both of the other buttons in just the right situations.

I don't know just how long this game will keep my interest, but on the second day I have had it, MAN is it fun.It's all about speed.

sonic2
sonic2 is a great game:) but is way to easy, you zip through each level just like that. i'll admit, it had some pretty good stunts, and bosses, and would keep you entertained in the car for 2 huors, sinceitakes you that amount of time to beat it. the only bad thing i say about this game, is the last boss. he is way to easy!!! i hope they make all the bosses a little harder, next game!!! bye:)

Good For Sonic Fans
Sonic Advance 2 is an okay good game. I've never played the 1st Sonic Advance game though, so I don't know if #2 is a big improvement or not. Well, you start off with Sonic, and get Cream, Tails, and Knuckles later by just progressing through the game (the order I put them in is the order you get them). You get Amy by unlocking her with all of Knuckle's emeralds, you get the Tiny Chao Garden with all of Sonic's emeralds, the Sound Test with all of Cream's emeralds, and Boss Time Attack with all of Tail's emeralds. If you don't want to unlock the things, I suggest forget buying this game. If want the game and just don't want to unlock, get a Gameshark/Codebreaker/Action Replay. For those who want the game, have fun and good luck! ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Pokémon Crystal is to Pokémon Gold and Silver what Pokémon Yellow is toPokémon Red and Blue. It features severalminor upgrades from its predecessors, but in essence it's still the same game.The classic Pokémon formula of adventuring, collecting, and battling isat a series best with Crystal. This is one of the best and most addictiverole-playing games for the Game Boy Color.

The most notable feature is theselectable female trainer who has her own set of animations and backgrounds.This is a great option for female Pokémon fans who were previously stuckplaying the game as a male character. There are also subtle improvements to thecell phone system, HM moves, and prebattle animations. Rival trainers' phonecalls are now more plentiful and pragmatic. HM moves, which are requiredthroughout the game, are available at the push of a button--you'll no longerhave to navigate menus to use these moves. Lastly, seeing a Pokémon's newanimation makes encountering new creatures more fun than before.

If youhaven't played Gold or Silver yet, Crystal is definitelythe way to go. If you've played those previous games, Crystal has onlyenough new features to justify a purchase from Pokémon fanatics. Thisgame is compatible with the link cable, Game Boy printer, and PokémonPikachu 2. It's playable on Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance only, and can beplayed on a television using Pokémon Stadium 2 and a Transfer Pak.--Raymond M. Padilla

Pros:

• New female trainer
• Prebattle animations are cute
• Lots of subtle improvements

• Too similar to Gold and Silver
• Mobile phone features not in the U.S. version

Reviews (254)

Crystal ?, You betcha!
After the new gold and silver, Pokemon Crystal might be one of the greatest games Pokemon created. Unlike all of the revisions and new versions of Pokemon, You might want something better. What crystal allows you to do is that it is the only game to capture 90-95% of johto Pokemon wild.More things is that crystal was the first pokemon game that allows you to choose if you are a boy or a girl. You can make Pokemon hold items.You can also play in real time. After 150 Pokemon, you might think there is more. Well there is!! Crystal also includes 2 dirfferent types of Pokemon, steel and Dark. It was also the first to have these types. Bad things about crystal also means it seem to be a long game that might take forever! But can you handel 16 gym leaders through the game? However, the greatest thing Crystal can do is that you can get legendary Pokemon before the game. the badest thing for crystal is that you need to trade 27 out of 250 poke'mon.That's the number doubled of red blue or yellow!!

In all, this is a great game for long trips inside a airplane or a car.

This is really Awesome!
I like the crystal, gold, and silver line better than all the rest of the pokemon games. 1.) you have to get 16 badges, which include Jhoto, the new world and Kanto, the old world. Kanto is 4x harder too. 2) no more annoying legendary birds! 3.) eevee gets 2 new evolutions, Espeon (the best one) and Umbreon (the average one.) you can be a girl too!

My All Time Favorite
For people who have started to read my reviews I am a all time gamer, and this is my all time favorite game. This game is LOADED with stuff to do, figure out puzzles, capture pokemon, win battles and more! Here are the good and bad in my opinion:
Good
-Loaded with stuff takes a while to play (a good thing)
-So many pokemon to catch and raise
-The battles bring out the true trainer in you
-The pokemon now make noises and move when summoned
-You can choose gender
Bad
-Sometimes you can get very stuck
-Some of the puzzles need the game guide to figure out in my opinion
-The graphics aren't as good nowdays
Note that all the pokemon games are good and that I think this game appeals to all ages.

I wish people would stop writing bad reviews about Pokemon
I have grown up with Pokemon. My whole life has been spent growing up on Anime and Manga. So, I feel at home playing these games, but, this review is for G/S/C, yes all 3 of them. THESE GAMES ROCK!!! If you get bored by this game, you probably are, well, picky. Yep, picky. I mean, if you, like I, are a true Pokemon veteran, you would know that it is Nintendo and Gamefreak's duty to create a third Pokemon game that includes more than its predecessors. All Pokemon games are deeper than they look, you just have to play them long enough. Sometimes, if you train and put effort into these games, you will be satisfied and weirdly enough, attached to your Pokemon. I keep a special case full of all of my favorite GB/GBC/GBA games, and these are in it. So, who cares if Crystal is the same as G/S, these games are good enough that you can change the course of everything. So, if you are an RPG fan or a fan of the show, or anybody who plays video games (well actually, I'd say most video gamers are people who have grown up around them, so, if you didn't, this is not for you) this is the game for you. And now, for my trademark ending *Peace Out*.

"I had to see the city with my own eyes" Tidus, Final Fantasy X
P.S. There is no GB/GBC/GBA game better than the Pokemon games (ROCK ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

This is the best pokemon game
This is really the best pokemoin game, nothin' to do with Blue/Red versions, it has more things to do than Silver and gold, The story is the same, but there's some differences.
a) New female trainer (Named Jenny, Mariah, Kelis or Blu)
b) New puzzles and chambers at the Ruins of Alf
c) Suicune is easier to catch
d) When you reach to certain point in the game an ol' man gives you an egg that may contain a shiny pokemon like the red Gyarados, something like a yellow Marrill
e) More detailed graphics
d) New battle tower, ubicated near of Olivine City
Overall, the story doesn't change at all, but there's more things to do, Another thing that like me is the time.
You can set the clock as the real time. It's very important, beacause you can get pokemons only at night, or day
I wish Ruby and Saphire had a clock... ... Read more

Product Description

Nintendo (AGB P AZWE) WarioWare GBA ... Read more

Reviews (79)

Best GBA game of all time
When I first got the game, it was all I could play. 200+ 5 second games that you have to figure out how to do while playing them. What could be more fun? My favorite genres are 9-volt's Nintendo and Orbulon's I.Q. games. I highly recommend this game to anyone with a gba.

Hungry eye hi yeah
Well it seems obvious that this the game of all time... I had to laugh when I read the minimal amount of 1-2 star ratings (only about 4 out of 77) anyways this goes and shows the very idea of video games, they are pointless!Video games are pointless, there is no such thing as a "serious" game, all games to the very core of thier being are a waste of time.This game is great as in it is a light game that doesn't take forever to beat (ITS CALLED REPLAY VALUE GUYS, REPLAY VALUE) yes you will "beat" the game pretty easily, that doesn't mean it's over, you can play them even more.The concept is sound and the game is funny (unless you have a dignified sense of humour or your just too serious to laugh at something goofy) I think the funniest part is where that monkey is throwing the bananas at the cop cars, FUN-E!As I was saying this is a light game it is just to have fun with, there is no engrossing story line and what not.So if your playing a game for story line and character development (read you are a nerd) then please skip this game, it will be too "easy" for your advanced gaming (spare me!).This is one of the few breaths of fresh air I have seen in gaming in a long while, though video games are making more and more money every year they are losing focus.Ummm so yeah, this game is fun (E) and entertaining, if your a nerd you won't like it sooooooo this is a game for the "casual" gamer (read non-nerd) and cool people who don't read gaming magazines all day and have deep conversations about Final Fantasy.The end.

The best reason to buy gameboy.
The gameboy is a cool concept of taking games anywhere but most of the games for it are either intensive action arcade games or long RPG or strategy games.This is a game that makes the gameboy do what it was designed for.Plug in wario ware and play for five minutes, you'll have a blast and you'll advance to unlocking more of the minigames.Makes it so that you can use your gameboy while you're standing in line at the bank.

Great if you have A.D.D.
This game is really lots of mini games rolled into one.It's a solid original concept.Some of the games make you laugh so hard you nearly wet yourself when you see them for the first time (i.e. finger in the nose) and some can be quasi infuriating at first.I beat the game pretty fast though so I could only give it 3 stars even though thats the only knock on this game.

Excellent in all directions!
This game is addictive, fun, funny, action and loads more! THERE IS A PLOT. The plot is that a new game is released and you have to defeat to put wario in buisness, But it doesn't end there it keeps going! I've had it for 1 1/2 years and stil play it a lot!
You have to buy it if you have a gameboy advance!!!!! ... Read more

Features

• The first and only way to experience complete Quidditch matches
• Play as any one of four Hogwarts Houses
• Play all the Quidditch positions and execute all the high-flying moves
• Play as characters from the books, including Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy, and more
• For 1 player

Reviews (9)

Good Choice for Harry Potter fan.
I was really excited when I got this game. I love the books and don't mind playing games either. I'm not a game freak who plays constantly, just on trips and stuff. This game is really fun, it catches the Quidditch spirit in everyone. In this game you can be any of the seven players. There isn't much difference between the keeper and chasers they all just fly around and you can't tell them apart. This game is really nice and a good choice for any Harry Potter fan who has dreamed of being out there playing with the quaffle or chasing down the snitch. This game is really easy to catch on to. At low levels it is really easy. You can dominate even if you've only played a little bit. However, the firebolt level keeps even the master in check. If I were you, I would get this game.

Not a bad game, but they could have done better
i think that this is by far the best of the potter games, altho i haven't tried out the new prisoner of azkaban game. i do have to say that i love the books, and i am a very causual gamer. I play this game loads, and i really do enjoy it. in contradiction with one of the reviews i just read, i find it terribly easy to score over 150 pts in a game before the snitch chase, and the world cup games get harder as you go on. overall i think it's brilliant.

What are you all talking about?
I've been reading reviews for this game, and I had thought I had a guarenteed great game in my hand after i bought it. I guess I thought wrong. I am about 14 years old and have read the potter books and like them alot. THis game is very disapointing. SOme of you might be familiar with the scoring system in quidditch: 10 pts. for each time the quaffle (main playing ball) goes through one of the goal-like hoops, and 150 pts. for when the seeker catches that darn golden snitch. Now, I say they either change the rules of quidditch, or make a sequal to the game. I dont think they can go back and change all those books. To me, all this game is is flying around tossing the quaffle back and forth, until the time comes to try and catch the snitch before the other team does. The game works it out so that when there are enough steals, special moves and passes during a game, it automatically goes right to the catching of the snitch. I feel the quaffle part of this game is completly pointless because the way the game makes it, whoever catches the snitch wins. It almost never get to you scoring 150 points with the quaffle before the hunt for the snitch is on, so why even have the quaffle play in it. Basically, this game just comes down to the 1 minute hunt for the snitch at the end.

If you are a collector of harry potter memorabilia, Go ahead and get the game. Other than that, spend your money on a good game like Metroid Zero Mission or Super dodge ball advance

THE BESTgame ever!!!!!!!!!
I've only played this once but it is sooooooooo cool!The graphics are alot batter then the old ones.I am sooooooooo geting this.If your a Harry Potter fan I think you should too.

Awesome Game!!!!!!!!!!(Even if ur not a Harry Potter Freak)
This is a really cool game and I was so happy when Draco was on the cover. He has finnaly been given the attention he deserves! You can play as the four Hogwarts houses and then you can move on to the Quiditch world cup. You can also play as two players. I always beat my brother. ... Read more

Product Description

Advance Wars 2, the sequel to the AIAS 2001 Handheld Game of the Year, expands on the original title with even more strategic action and all-new features that take the game to the next level. Sturm, the leader of the Black Hole Army, has created a new base of operations, and now hes set his sights on Cosmo Land. It's up to you to unite the armies ... Read more

Features

• Tactical war game set in cool sci-fi world
• Real-time strategy action challenges you to use new units and terrain wisely
• Take control of new Commanding Officer powers & weapons like the Neotank
• Customizable Map Editor lets players create exciting & dangerous new battle maps
• For 1 or 2 players

Reviews (65)

My best game
If you have been given the chance to buy this game may I ask what you are waiting for?Hmmmmmm?Well...BUY IT NOW!I got this game when it came out,that was...when?Well anyway since then and now this has been my best game (sorry mario party) and I think it always will be.How do I like it?Well thats easy
1vs2
team battle (I'm on my own)
my co: Grit
1st com: Eagle
2nd com: Adder
Map: my design map 'jungle'
weather: random
funds: 2000
My record: completed in 13 days (you should see my map!)
Sorry about that anyway this game is good value and is a real head scratcher.Bye yall and bye bye Sturm HAHAHA!

Cool And rocking the world
This game is so good you can can totally take it out. You can chosse where to attack. Witha brain and a conquest of winning this game is for yuo.

Bar none the best Gameboy strategy game
Want to cut to the chase and start kicking butt?Drop the lame RPGs (the gameboy RPGs stink) and let the battles begin.There are tons of maps, more COs, improved enemies and special powers, and the campaign is tough but fun.You'll need your thinking cap for this one... the strategies seem simple until you get the snot beat out of you a few times, then you realize the subtle skills and tactics you need to fight your way to the top.I can play this one over and over and over and over and not get bored.

Worth $40 if you love strategy and tactics
The cartoon style appeals to me very much, it is absolutely gorgeous and you can save everything, anytime, and you can customize a lot.
I played about 10 maps, and played the campaign about 70% until it became too hard for me. The maps are very well thought of, and most have some "spark of genius" inside them that you need to discover in order to win the battle.
The game is IDEAL if you go by train to work, shoot a few units down and there you are!

The Best Strategy Game For GBA I've Ever Played
This game is aewsome. You follow the mission objectives (usually destroy your opponent), build powerful armies, and conquer your world back. The map designer is a great feature in this game for you have almost no limits. The backround music is cool, the graphics are aewsome, and the different units are so unique.

This is one of the few games you'll never get bored of. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

The story of Golden Sun: The Lost Age picks up right near the end of the first game. Golden Sun veterans will be surprised to learn that The Lost Age is played from the point of view of the party being chased as they try to light the remaining two lighthouses, which will unlock the power of alchemy for the world--or will it instead unlock the world's destruction?

Also, players who have finished the first game can transfer their party into the The Lost Age, either through the separately sold game link cable or through a password. ... Read more

Features

• Continue the adventure you started in Golden Sun, or start out fresh as a new player. Golden Sun: The Lost Age presents the perfect starting point for players who have never experienced Golden Sun, and for players who have, it expands immensely on the adventures of the original game.
• Transfer your characters from Golden Sun with all their items, abilities, and Djinn to unlock more secrets. Use up to eight characters in combat, doubling your party size and adding depth to an already complex and compelling battle and magic system.
• Astounding graphics and impressive summon effects surpass anything seen before on a handheld game system. New magical abilities offer even more ways to battle and to solve challenging and elaborate puzzles.
• Link up with a friend to pit your parties against one another in a two-player duel.

Reviews (118)

this is a good game
This is a good game! First of all, this is a good game^_^ Second of all this is a good game THen if you pass the game this is a good game and also if beat a boss it turns out to be a good game ^_^ good gam e ggood game GOOD GAMEEEEEEE!!!!! AHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The best RPG ever made, ''PERIOD'' !
When I first bought this game I thought that this would be another stupid role playing game after the failure of Final Fantasy Tactics Advance. But then as soon as I turned on the game boy advance the Music, graphics, complexity, and sheer size just completely blew me away. Even the story was better than I have ever seen on any other RPG. Then they brought out a second one which had the best summons out there. If I had to compare any other games to the two Goldens it would be Final Fantasy #7 and FF 1&2 as well as Fire Emblem. The only problems, toooo much talking ( as with all RPG's ), limitations ( like trying to trip over a fellow villager which is best left to Fable ), you can't attack an enemy that you have selected but died before your guy could attack it, and I have heard of people liking to change the plot but why would you want to because the plot is that good. The advantages: phynergy (magic) is more than attack and you can't beat the game with out it, and the summons are the best in the business.

superb japanese atmosphere
This game is worth at least $30 (i got an original secondhand for about e14) and is a must have. It sets the standard for the GBA games. You really do need a walkthrough at a few points - I did, and haven't even finished the game (did about 60%) The puzzles are great and breathe that old 80's sokoban style. Absolutely amazing and lovely for older gamers.

One more thing: Buy all the Feathers in the shops, using them puts an end to the random encounters "Monsters won't attack you so often" it says. So much for that complaint!

Awesome!
I seriously believe there is not enough good that can be said about these games.They are the prime examples of good gaming, not only for the system, but also as an RPG.No game for the system has been able to surpass them in quality since the release of each, and likely, no game ever will.They're not just good GBA games; they're great video games, period.

There are dozens of aspects of the game that would make a good game cool; but the fact that there are so many, makes these amazing games extraordinary.I tend to prefer real time combat to turn based, but out of all the turn based I've ever played, this is easily the best.Not only is there the progressively interesting psynergy, and not only are there releases from various weapons, and not only are there the djinn, collected over the course of the game, with their own, unique releases, but there are also the spectacular summons and combo summons (introduced in The Lost Age) that can be used with stand-by djinn, which, alone, puts these games ahead by leaps and bounds in terms of graphics, over any other game for the system.And all of these contributions make combat far more strategic and engaging.

My absolute favorite aspect of these games are the dungeons.I've grown tired of the RPG where, upon entering a dungeon, the only difficultly comes from the overly incessant monster attacks and the boss battle which, traditionally, comes at the end.In Golden Sun and The Lost Age, monster attacks are on a more limited basis--meaning they don't get boring fast, like other RPGs.But the real challenge in the dungeons are the complex puzzles, most of which require the use of various psynergy.And the psynergy (magic) system is very intelligently taught to the player as the game progresses, as to recognize when a specific psynergetic power is required.It's the only RPG I've ever played where magic isn't just a convenience; it's a necessity.And while many of the puzzles are hard, they're fun, and all the more satisfying when the solution is achieved.It's one of the few games I've played that required serious thinking on the part of the player, as opposed to mindless, repetitive combat.It's one of the few I've played where I actually looked *forward* to the dungeons--and even some of the boss battles.(My favorite dungeons include all four lighthouses, the Elemental Rocks in The Lost Age, and the Ankohl Ruins, which requires the use of my personal favorite psynergy--sand.)

My only gripes for the game include the fact that I'm a little tired of the standard RPG that's from the point of view of a male protagonist, as well as a minor flaw such as the fact that, when in battle, a character is assigned to attack a monster but the monster is killed before they can attack, the character automatically goes into defense mode, and the turn is wasted.

Overall, I would seriously recommend this to anyone who's ever been an RPG fan, and agree with the statement that it is worth buying a GB soley for Golden Sun and The Lost Age.And while you can start with The Lost Age, I would recommend starting with the first one, simply so that you can appreciate the awe and splendor of both games together.

On the downside, I almost wish I hadn't played these games first.Because now, nothing else I ever play will even compare.

Is this an RPG or a puzzle solving game?
The running around solving puzzles by pushing logs, rocks around, and freezing water puddles, etc, dominates more than 80% of the game play.The story is almost pushed aside and practically neglected as the primary objective of the game.The puzzles are fun in their own ways however. ... Read more

Reviews (51)

May be quite possibly the best Castlevania ever...
While the past two GBA Castlevania's were good, this one is leaps and bounds ahead of them.

The Soul system of this game is brilliant and is quite addicting. However, getting the souls of every monster in this game can be quite time consuming. Though, one expensive ring does make this task much easier...

And the main character, Soma, just looks downright cool.
Plus the dozens of swords, hammers, spears, and even guns he can get all behave differently and are unique. No two weapons look or act the same.
And its just plain fun to swing a sword twice the size of your main character. :)

The challenge in this game can be a bit high in some areas but never leaves you frustrated.

Add to the fact that this game has hidden final bosses, hidden areas, a special arena mode which earns you rare and awesome weapons, a hidden playable character, and a mode which allows you to restart the game with all your items intact makes this game a gem and a real joy to play. Also, there is a special Hard mode which can earn you rare items like Deaths Scythe and a werewolf killing Silver Gun.

All in all, this game plain old rocks and will give you plenty of enjoyment and fun for your money. Pick it up, you wont be sorry.

Every bit as good, and better, than Symphony of the Night!
For people who fell in love with Castelvania: Symphony of the Night for the PSX, prepare to be dazzled yet again by Aria of Sorrow! The Soul system is easy and fun to use, the locales you'll explore in the castle are beautiful, the music is awesome, and plays as smoothly as you could ask.

If you are a big fan of Castlevania, this is THE Castlevania to pick up. If you aren't a big fan of Castlevania, then this is still the one game you should run out and buy! I couldn't recommend it any higher.

If HoD was the Test...This is the Result.
Iga's second game on the GBA, Aria of Sorrow, triumphs over Harmony of Dissonance, and while it's nothing revolutionary, it presents a few fresh ideas, and manages to be a satisfying and engaging adventure, if lacking in some areas.

Soma Cruz, a high school exchange student studying in Japan, is making his way to his friend's shrine, when he loses consciousness. What's going on? Right off the bat, Aria of Sorrow scores points for *actually* having a very fresh and interesting story.

Continuing the tradition started by Circle of the Moon, AoS has a new gameplay addition, called the Soul Steal System. Soma has the power to take the souls of monsters that he defeats. This factors into the game in that it's a necessity to have Souls to get further into the Castle, and the powers of some can also aid in defeating certain enemies, or raising your attributes. There are a great many souls, as there as over 100 enemies in AoS, and some include using a massive axe gained by obtaining the soul of the Red Minotaur, or summoning the Familiar Alastor, which kind of is a less cool copy of the Sword Familiar in SotN. Unfortunately, a lot of the Souls will go unused, as some are simply pointless, such as the Killer Doll's, or the Zombie Soldier. It's too much trouble to have to constantly switch back and forth to utilize all of the Souls to their full extent, so once you find a good one, such as the Lightning Doll's, you'll probably stick with that one for a long time until you find a better one.It's an interesting idea, but again suffers from Iga's desire to have myriads of options for the sake of amount, not for the sake of functionality.

Dracula's Castle looks absolutely stunning. This game is many steps above Harmony of Dissonance's neon-like and static, boring backgrounds. Notice the Castle Corridor's slightly broken walls which expose swarms of bats and a brightly glowing moon and clouds, or the foreboding Top Floor's sinister architecture, with the pillars engulfed in flames; this game is a visual treat. The artistic beauty of this game shines all over, with places like the Floating Gardens and its flowing sea of clouds in the higher structures. Stop and take a look while you're in the Underground Waterway to admire the brilliant speckles of light reflecting on the overhanging surfaces above the water, and the faintly luminescent rock formations in the immediate and far background. There are little details like this all over, and it's a feast for the eyes. Soma looks more graceful than the floaty and stiffly animated Juste. The animation of his jacket is just great, and every move he makes looks much more believable. Another area in which Aria of Sorrow succeeds in terms of graphics is its huge number of enemies, which total over 100. The great thing about them all is that they're all interesting, and some are actually quite aggressive, like the Rubicant Demons. This is very welcome, when I compare it to the poor direction Harmony was going with its repetitive and goofy looking monsters, which all seemed to want to be killed. However, AoS still struggles with having boring enemy death animations, which mostly consist of the beast bursting into flames and disappearing. Still, the sheer diversity of their designs and habits overshadow this little problem.

Considering the Castle's layout this time compared to HoD's, I found it to be noticeably improved, though still lacking, when compared to CotM. The good parts? First of all, there are no pointless little blocks in your way (Like HoD's Skull Key Doors) that make you needlessly backtrack to get somewhere else. AoS also sports eight Teleporter Rooms, as opposed to HoD's few, making getting around easier. Castlevania has never seemed so populated with enemies, and the decent amount of actual platforming, such as a certain huge room in the Underground Waterway, is a blessing when I compare it to HoD's insulting overuse of completely straight, nearly empty corridors and unpleasant, redundant vertical corridors. However, there is nothing in the design on the structures in the rooms that is truly hard. Perhaps truly involving in a few instances, but nothing that will ever really make you sweat due to the pressure of intensity, and that's where AoS really could have stood to improve itself. Iga's games still rely too heavily on the major obstacles only coming from the enemies, and not from the actual environment, as well.

This time, since the main character is not a Belmont (and is not restricted to using a whip), the player is treated to a huge array of weapons to use. Some can be found in secret rooms in the castle, others can be bought at the shop near the Castle's Corridor, and still others can be obtained by defeating enemies or beating the Boss Rush Mode under a certain time.Most of the weapons in this game are interestingly designed, though I guess the designers got a little lazy in some areas (The Kaladbolg Sword looks exactly the same as the Burtang Sword, except with a red outline). Regardless, I found it to be much more fun than simply finding a bunch of whip add-ons which really didn't contribute much to your fighting (*cough*HoD*cough*). Ranging from the stylish Valmanway sword to the popular Claimh Solais, you'll have lots of fun collecting and using all of these items, since mixing up your weapons actually makes a difference in this game. Have low HP and encounter a Flame Demon? Switch up your current sword for Rahab's Sword, which has elemental properties for more than double the damage of which you would have done if you had not switched. You'll even get a gun later on, to reflect the sign of the times, but it's very weak.

Sound-wise, and compositional-wise, this game also runs rings around Harmony of Dissonance's mainly forgettable and sometimes depressing soundtrack. It sports more songs than CotM's, though whether they're on the same level of the masterfully done ones in that game is left up to you. I personally still prefer CotM's much more. Sound-wise, AoS just goes to show that great graphics don't bring down a game's music quality, as the sound composers of HoD said. Michiru Yamane, composer of games' soundtracks, such as Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, and partial contributor to HoD, finally has joined in on the soundtrack for most of the songs, I believe, if not all. The Castle Corridor's theme has a good pace and is memorable, though definitely not in the same league as "Awakening" or "Dracula's Castle."The Chapel has a suitably urgent and powerful beat to it, and the arranged version is divine (unfortunately, it's available on a Japanese-only soundtrack, as are the arranged versions for the Castle Corridor and Top Floor). The Arena's action-based theme is very catchy, as is the Top Floor's "dance-sonata" tune. The Clock Tower level of the Castlevania series is famous, partially due to almost always having one of the most memorable songs of the soundtracks played there. AoS is no different; starting off quietly, it projects a feeling of seclusion and airiness, and then descends in to a much more intense tune and erratic flow, to go along with one traversing deeper into the structure. However, AoS also sports a ridiculous amount of merely adequate or simply forgettable songs, which is inexcusable for a series such as Castlevania. Examples include the Inner Quarters' theme, which is rather too reserved and uninteresting, and the music for the Dance Hall is simply silly sounding, which makes me wonder what the composer was thinking when they were wondering what kind of mood they wanted to create with their composition. As far as the soundtrack goes, there are a few great, though not incredible, pieces, and a lot of merely "decent" pieces. There are a TON of voice samples and sound effects. Succubae slur devilish erotic words as you come near them, and demons scream in rage as they try to spear you with their tridents. There is a lot of personality behind all these sounds, and it's where AoS's sound truly succeeds.

Control is spot on. Whereas in HoD you felt like your character was very either too stiff or too airy, Soma controls almost like a human Alucard. Jumping and maneuvering in the air are flawless, and when you get hurt, you know it was because you messed up, not because the control sucked. It's more along the likes of its GBA brother, CotM, only more fluid in some ways, and a little less heavy. You ALWAYS feel like you have complete control over your character, and that's truly something that stands out in AoS.

Aria of Sorrow is actually the first Castlevania game where you can get Level 99 without taking your whole life to do it. Whereas HoD basically lost all reason to fight any enemies when you got to level 50 because most monsters gave 1 EXP by then, AoS's experience-reward system never changes (a.k.a., if an enemy gives 250 experience the first time around, it won't give 10 experience points the next time, due to you being a higher level), and therefore, the fun and purpose of fighting enemies remains intact. Enemies will also drop weapons and armor that can't be bought at the shop. In addition, it also helps for the Boss Rush Mode if you're at a high level. AoS scores again the RPG-Leveling aspect.

AoS has probably the highest replay value of all the 3 GBA Castlevania games. When you beat the game for the first time, you can restart on Hard Mode, and additional modes become accessible, as well as a secret character. Boss Rush Mode actually rewards you for good times with very cool items.Plus, there are almost certainly things you missed your first time through that you'll experience your second time around, or maybe your third, or more! AoS is, without a doubt, a replayable game that won't be put on the shelf after you've beaten it and left to collect dust.

Final Score (Not an average): 8.5/10

Great game.My favorite Castlevania yet.
I have known about the series ever since the NES was out (I think Castlevania 2 was the second game I played, right after Zelda).It's one of those series I'd always rent a game from if I ever saw a new one out.To this day, I still consider Castlevania 4 (for the Super Nintendo) a classic.Sadly, these days my opinion of the series is not so cheery.Part of this may be because I'm more able to tell how bad a game is before I play it just by checking the internet.Even then... I didn't like Circle of the Moon, and it got rave reviews.

But enough history.Aria of Sorrow is a truely exceptional game.Everything I didn't like about Circle of the Moon (which was a lot) was fixed here.The visuals are clearer, the controls are solid, and the gameplay is more balenced.Despite certain qualms I have over elements that shift the difficulty toward easy a little (like health healing potions), the game is still difficult without being cheap, perhaps with the exception of hard mode, but they don't call it "hard mode" without reason (not to mention it's entirely optional).

For anyone not familiar with the series, there are two types of gameplay standards in the series.One is stage based gameplay (think Contra, or even Mario), which some of the older games in the series have.The other, which this one utilizes, is what some like to call "Metroid-vania."This basically means you can explore this huge castle and backtrack to different areas at will.However, that's not exactly as derivative as it sounds (in fact, Castlevania 2 used this format, so it's been used a long time ago).This game uses it in a sort of an Action RPG-esque method.This does mean your character levels up throughout the game, though this does provide one minor weakness in the game.Areas you went through at the beginning will become VERY easy should you come across them again later in the game.This is not much of a problem, since you'll basically be looking for a different area to go to anyway, and that new area will almost certainly be loaded with challenge.Bosses are particularly rough and very fun

Well, lets go to one of my favorite additions to this game.Weapons.Unlike previous Castlevania games, the main character isn't restricted to a whip (he also isn't a Belmont, so that would explain why he has no whip).This isn't new, as Castlevania: Symphony of the Night also had this.However, Symphony of the Night had a rather basic weapons set (mostly swords), and basic weapon dynamics.This game has a full arsenal.You have anything from knives and swords, to lances, hammers, and even guns (the game takes place several decades after 2000AD, so this isn't out of place)!Not only that, the soul system gives you several abilities you can snatch from enemies, at times, to use.Most of these are in the form of secondary weapons that use Magic (MP), which does recharge over time.The customization is great, so you'll undoubtibly be able to find several ways to customize your character to be ready for more fighting.

Overall, this game is easily recommended to any fan of Action games (with a dash of RPG), and is certainly recommended for any Castlevania fan.If you do buy it, I recommend you look through an FAQ after you finish it.Chances are, you may not have finished it as much as you think.;)

(P.S.I didn't play Harmony of Dissonance, so I can only compare it to Circle of the Moon).

One of the best GBA games ever made.
Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow is one of the better Castlevania games to hit the GBA.Fans of the all time best "Symphony of the Night" will absolutely LOVE this title.

Aria of Sorrow does the best it can to mix in the best of the old with the best of the new.Aria of Sorrow borrows TONS of elements from Symphony of the Night and anyone who enjoyed that one will love this.

Aria of Sorrow begins in the year 2035 with Soma Cruz and his childhood friend Mina in Japan.Suddenly an eclipse opens up and they find themselves in Dracula's castle.Surprisingly enough, it really looks no different than it did in say... 1797 (Symphony of the Night). It bears a strong resemblence and any Castlevania fan will notice all the different places (Libraries, Catacombs and the like).

Gameplay in Aria of Sorrow is very close to SOTN in several ways.Your character resembles Alucard in the way he looks and walks.Perhaps what separates this from the past two GBA releases is that your main character doesn't use the whip as his primary weapon.Actually, you don't really have a primary weapon.You can use, Swords, Daggers, Axes, Javelins, whip swords and more!Its fun to experiment with all the different weapons to see what fits you best.The strongest weapon may not always be the best.

Since, Symphony of the Night, Castlevania has gone into an RPG style character building stage.This is for the better and Aria of Sorrow is no different than the past games.As you kill enemies you'll eventually level up.It doesn't require too much to level up (at least not as much as it takes in Circle of the Moon).

Aria of Sorrow also has well balanced difficulty.It's harder than Harmony of Dissonance but easier than Circle of the Moon.Aria also throws in a unique twist.You can now absorb enemies souls at random.When you kill an enemy you may or may not get their ability.There are over 100 enemies meaning that the game even has more abilities to unearth than the DSS System allowed you to in Circle of the Moon! Most souls cost MP and that brings me to my first con.The game has a lot of souls but for whatever reason they cost A TON OF MP to use.Granted your MP regenerates but it regenerates REALLY slowly.

The game also presents lots of bonuses.You can unlock a sound test and a hidden character to play through the game as.There's also a boss rush mode and perhaps whats best is that you can link up with a friend and trade souls!Perhaps one bonus I would've really enjoyed would've been if they'd brought back the ability to play as different "Jobs" like in Circle of the Moon. But its still a really cool experience and the game has lots of replay value.

Visually, Aria of Sorrow is BEAUTIFUL!Your protagonist stands out in a crowd and the screen isn't so dark.One of the better looking GBA games that truly stands up to what the GBA is capable of.

I wish I could say the sound surpasses all else.Castlevania is known for having good soundtracks.The music is WAY better than the godawful soundtrack of Harmony of Dissonance, but it can't hold a candle up to the far superior soundtrack presented in Circle of the Moon.The sound effects are incredible and fun to listen too.

But Aria of Sorrow is not without fault.The most noteworthy con in Aria of Sorrow is that this game is short!It'll only take you 5-6 hours your first time through.The second is that while its harder than Harmony of Dissonance, its still rather easy for any Castlevania veteran.

Overall, Aria of Sorrow is an INCREDIBLE game. I still think "Circle of the Moon" is the best GBA release and its no contest that "Symphony of the Night" is the all time best but Aria of Sorrow comes AWFULLY close to being as good as those two.

The Good
+AWESOME Gameplay, collecting Souls is creative
+Good Soundtrack
+Large Castle to explore
+Much more "free" than other Castlevania games (you're not limited to one type of weapon)
+Lots of Secrets
+Konami is smart to model this game after "Symphony of the Night".If you liked that game then you OWE it to yourself to pick this up.

The Bad
-Still a little too easy
-Souls cost a little too much MP
-Too Short ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

One of two new Zelda games for the Game Boy Color, TheLegend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages is geared towards the cerebralgamer, with its heavy focus on puzzle solving. The Triforce has alertedLink to trouble in the land of Labrynna, where the evil sorceress Veranhas possessed Nayru, the Oracle of Ages. Veran travels back in time,setting up events that lead to a world where evil dominates. It's up toyou to help Link stop Veran and set things straight.

Game mechanics and menus are similar to those found inLink'sAwakening, also for the Game Boy. As in almost every Zeldagame, you have to traverse eight dungeons and find eight key items. Theharp of time is vital to your quest--it's required to manipulate eventsand stop Veran's rewriting of history.

Although this game is extremely enjoyable on its own, you'll want touse it in conjunction with its sister title:Oracle ofSeasons. After you complete one game, you'll be given apassword that lets you begin with all your items, statistics, andprogress intact in the other. Certain characters will appear only byplaying both games. By using a link cable, players can trade items.Game Boy Advance users will find a store that's exclusive to them.

While this is an excellent game, it might be too complicated foryounger gamers or those looking for mindless fun. --Raymond M.Padilla

Pros:

• Dozens of crafty puzzles
• Great as a standalone; outstanding in conjunction with its sistergame
• Nice bonuses for Game Boy Advance owners

• Lots of reused sound effects from previous Zelda games
• Longtime gamers might find the story and level design contrived
• Be prepared for many puzzle-induced headaches

Reviews (103)

Best game ever
This game is awesome beyond all of the zelda series.It has a excellent story line and is perfect,.

Legend of Zelda:Oracle of Ages.......
One thing I absolutely despise about alot of Gameboy games, anymore, is how you have to buy them in twos just to be able to finish them. Such is the case with Legend of Zelda:Oracle of Ages & Oracle Seasons.Originally planned as a trilogy, this two-part adventure is exceptionally good which is why I highly recommend that you add them to your collection.
It all begins in Oracle of Ages. Veran(The Sorceress of Shadows) kidnaps Nayru(The Oracle of Ages). Because Link feels directly responsible for her kidnapping(as you find out while playing the game), he sets out to find her and save her. With the Harp of Ages, he travels between the past and present meeting familiar faces (some of which you'll recognize from Ocarina of Time)in his effort to make things right. That's when the storyline deepens and the fun truly begins. Rest assured, though, he's not alone in this one. Along the way, he enlists the help of Moosh, Dimitri, and Ricky.
Out of two games, in my opinion- this is the harder game of the two...but the most rewarding. I think Capcom did an outstanding job with their first effort in the Zelda series and I hope Nintendo continue to let them develop future installments for the Gameboy and the Gameboy Advance.
Again, I highly recommend you add these games to your collection. They're awesome.

The series just get better with every new game!!!!
I like Ages because it has lots of puzzles. I love puzzles better than fighting, so I chose this game as a favorite beacuse the storyline is really clear and has great sounds and graphics. I'm not saying Seasons is bad, though. The best part in when you link up, because you really get more out of your games. I would recommend Ages to anyone that loves puzzles.

ZELDA ROCKS
I have ALWAYS LOVED Zelda, and this is one of thebest of their games so far! I couldn't stop playing it!

Zelda almighty
It is surprising how every new Zelda game is fresh and distinct in its own ways, yet still maintains the Zelda charm. Oracle of Ages does just that. It takes the tried and true system of Link's Awakening and adds new gameplay, weapons, abilities, and increasingly clever (and often times difficult) puzzles. Come to think of it, this is probably the best Zelda on Game Boy. It's a little easier than Oracle of Seasons, which is good, and it has much more zest to it than Link's Awakening did. Of course, it has its problems AS A GAME BOY GAME, but the Zelda Game Boy series seems almost entirely separate from other consoles. And in that sense, Oracle of Ages is a must have. Ideal for those long, weary vacations. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Chessmaster is a good introduction to the rules of chess, as wellas a useful tool for experienced players looking to improve their games. Asplayers continue, they'll learn more advanced strategies and tactics while theirskill levels increase. The game also features a tutorial mode to acclimate newchess players to the basics of the game; 150 famous recorded games; sixopponents; 10 chess sets; scalable gameplay for chess players of all skilllevels; and a two-player mode via the Game Boy Advance link cable. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Great for what it is.
Cons: the menus could be a bit more intuitive, and it does play at a high level for someone who isn't a pretty serious chess player (even the weakest players on the weakest setting).

Pros: challenging to good players and people trying to improve their game.I'm not beating it very often, but I am getting rid of bad playing habits.Once you get used to the menus, there really is a lot to this program:different AI opponents with various playing styles, tutorial stuff, and a few hundred classic games to review along with some chess history, and it saves your game if you need to put it down.

I also like playing chess on my GBA and can get in a couple of games a day just by carrying it in my pocket and taking it out when I'm not doing anything (waiting in line).Also nice to have a chess computer that I know isn't going to break.

Good little chess game
I like this game but there is room for improvement. First, the AI is really tough--even the lowest level opponents are probably too tough for the casual gamer. Second, the chess tutor section is pretty poorly done, in my opinion. Good points about the game include the graphics and the play control. It also lets you redo all the moves of a game, which is good for learning.

It needs a manual or game guide
Fun but hard to figure out how to get to earn chess sets. It needs an instruction manual

The GBA chess game for serious enthusiasts.
Chessmaster for the GBA is a better choice for real enthusiasts
than Virtual Kasparov.It was released several months later, and its obvious than Kasparov and its obvious that this game fixed some of the shortcomings.

Some very important features this game includes:
A true save feature instead of Kasparov's antiquated password system.
Ability to undo moves.Helpful for when you want to experiment strategies or simply make a silly mistake.
150 classic matches from real masters.its takes a few seconds to load, but gives a fantastic lesson in strategy as a game actually unfolds.
Ability to choose different pieces.A bunch of them are useless (like dog theme pieces) but several are excellent to play with and give nice options.
Tutorials on moves, strategies and notation.I find the notation tutorial to be especailly helpful for players who want to learn more detailed strategies from books and other sources.Great job including this!

I do agree with some of the other comments ofr this game..the difficulty is a bit high for novice players or children who aren't the next Bobby Fischer, but for enthusiasts who want a chess challenge at thier fingertips this is great.There isalso a comment that selecting pieces takes several clicks to register.I never encountered this problem, the game plays just fine.

A strong Chess program for the GBA
I have both Virtual Kasparov (VK) and ChessMaster (CM).I wish I could combine the best features of both.

First off, CM plays at a much higher level.Whereas most of the VK personalities make occasional blunders, very few of those in CM do.This means that you really have to earn your wins against CM.Youngsters and novices (below say 1300 ELO) are likely to get walloped by most of the CM characters.
Also on the plus side:CM reports the moves in standard algebraic notation (VK does not) and allows infinite undo and redo.CM also contains a large library of famous games for review.
On the minus side, as the previous reviewer comments, I find I frequently have to press the arrow keys several times before CM acknowledges my move (and then frequently shoots past the piece I'm trying to pick up).This is quite annoying.
Also, CM does not automatically record the board position (VK does, which is useful when your batteries suddenly run out).CM also expects only a single user (VK records board positions and preferences for up to three different users).
Choose CM if you're a strong chessplayer or are looking for a real challenge.Choose VK for youngsters or novices. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Featuring a new adventure that's filled with numerous enhancements andinnovations, this long-awaited sequel to Pokémon Red, Blue,and Yellow greatly improves upon the series' winning formula, and makesfor an even more insanely addictive and wholly absorbing gaming experience.

Like Pokémon Gold--which essentially is the same story, with minorgameplay variations--Pokémon Silver casts players in the familiarrole of a young Pokémon Trainer who's out to collect as many differentkinds of Pokémon as possible. As in previous games, gameplay consistsmostly of exploration (completing various quests in the process) andPokémon battles, which employ a unique battle system that's like acomplex twist on rock-paper-scissors.

But, despite the similarities, it's quite apparent that PokémonSilver is a whole new ball game from the start. The game is played out inreal time, with the current time and day of the week (recorded by an internalclock) having a direct impact on gameplay elements, such as what Pokémonyou'll find in the wild, and when certain events occur and characters appear.

While there are too many new and improved features in PokémonSilver to list here, among the highlights are 100 new Pokémon(including two new types), new evolution processes (including breeding), and amore streamlined game interface that has better-organized menus and buttonshortcuts.

Although it's easier to progress in Pokémon Silver than in theprevious games, the sheer amount of fun and game time that's involved isdaunting. You'd be hard-pressed to find a better value than this one. --JoeHon

Pros:

• Insanely addictive and wholly absorbing gaming experience
• Time and day of week impact gameplay directly
• Bevy of new features and hidden secrets
• Improved graphics and more streamlined game interface

• Minor compatibility issues when using Game Link with previous versions

Reviews (157)

Pokemon Silver
This game is really fun!It has a varity of objectives.There
is a lot of cool Pokemon.You even get a cellphone.There is a huge area in this game.If you like long games this game is for you.

i'm confuseddddd?!@>@
is this game like the other versions,yellow,red,and silver?+the other ones,is it the same game or not?!>@#

Answers to above reveiw.
You dont need a dragon pokemon for the 8th badge. When you beat clair, she asks you to get the dragon fang, located in the dragon cave above the gym. you need surf and whirlpool to get to it. upon grabbing it, she will give you the badge. If you want a dragon pokemon, you can either fish for it in that same cave (use super rod) or buy it from game corner like i did early on.You get a dragonite by evolving dragonair at level 50 i think, but its not worth it, it just learns the same moves and gains more weaknesses. To beat the guy in radio tower, i assume you mean the fake director, just use strong pokemon. you see lance again as the champion when you defeat the elite four. beat him and you end the game and enter the hall of fame. You mean the waterfall? easy use the hm move waterfall on it and youll climb it. If you mean Lt.Surge in vermillion city, after beating the elite four, go to professor elm after he calls youand get ss ticket, then use it to sail to kanto from olivine city. then once there use cut on the bush next to the gym and enter to fight him.7 badges is good, but try and get all 8 then beat the game and continue to kanto. This is true, but it takes days to train a pokemon that much, and by lv.50 you have to be battling the elite 4's pokemon or it will gain 1 level every couple days because it isnt getting enough exp. If your pokemon are this low by now use the duplicate cheat explained later on. Having the bike is good, but by then you should have every hm, but shouldnt be able to use waterfall until beating the 8th gym.You can win without a dragon pokemon, their just more effective. Try using gyrados's dragon rage. itll help.You dont actully need one. Clefairy can, but dont use them up. You only get a few.OK. To duplicate have the item you want to duplicate held by a pokemon, which will also get duplicated.go to any pokemon center, walk to in front of the pc, save, go to bills pc and deposit that pokemon then change the box, except when it gets to the screen saying SAVING... DONT TURN OFF. turn off the power. turn it back on and you should have the pokemon in your party and the box. Its been duplicated. If you have further questions, e-mail taylorsteele@shaw.ca. your welcome.

I NEED ANSWERS!!!!!!!!!
OK first how and where do you get a Dragon POKE'MON for the 8th gym badge!!Two..how do you get a Dragonite!!! 3..how do you beat TEAM ROCKET in the Radio Tower!! Oh yeah... do i get to see lance (the guy who helps you beat team rocket by the Lake of Rage), do i get to see him again!???! 4.. how do get past the raging waters in the first cave you walk into to KAHNTO!! and how do you get to gym leader 9!! RIGHT NOW I HAVE ONLY THE FIRST 7 BADGES. MY TOP POKE'MON CYNDAQUIL IS AT LEVEL 47!! I HEARED THAT IT CAN GO TO LEVEL 100!! I NEED ANSWERS!!! PLEASE!!!
MY SECOND TOP POKE'MON IS A RED GYRADOS AT LEVEL 32~ I HAVE SURF, FLY,THE BIKE AS MY TRANSPORTATION.I AM STUCK AT THE GYM LEADER #8.I CAN'T EVEN FACE HER!! I NEED A DRAGON POKE'MON!! WHICH POKE'MON CAN USE MOONSTONE!! ME AND MY 8 YEAR OLD COUSIN REALLY NEED HELP AND ANSWERS!! PLEASE!!

The best game in the series
Pokemon 2 (Gold and Silver versions.) The second installment in the Game Boy Pokemon RPG series.

Nintendo's Pokemon franchise became a massive success in its native Japan relatively quickly. Although it took the franchise a little longer to catch on in America, it finally did catch on, and when it did, it took the nation by storm. Pokemon games and products sold like crazy, despite the fact that the franchise was virtually unrecognized in America at its time of release. Finally in the late summer/early fall of 2000, the second games in the series got an American release. How does Pokemon 2 measure up? Read on for my review.

PROS:
-THIS GAME GIVES YOU MORE OF THE SAME MONSTER CATCHING AND BATTLING ACTION THAT YOU HAVE GROWN TO LOVE IN THE FIRST GAME. To put it simply, if you liked the first game, it's quite unlikely that you won't like this one.
-THE GAME GRAPHICS ARE DRASTICALLY IMPROVED OVER THOSE OF THE PREDECESSOR TITLES. In this game, the graphics are not only improved, but the game is also optimized to make usage of Game Boy Color and Super Game Boy enhancements.
-IT'S NOT JUST A REHASH OF THE FIRST GAMES. Although the game uses the same general formulas, the game is entirely new, and the world is much larger this time around. Beat the game, and you can even go to the continent where the original game took place!
-NINTENDO DESIGNED THIS GAME WITH PLAYER CONVENIENCE IN MIND. Remember how in the first game you had to go through all those menus just to use an item (like your bike or fishing pole?) Well, in this game, you can set the select button to use an item! This really comes in handy and speeds up the general flow of the game.
-TONS OF NEW CREATURES AND ABILITIES. The original games had roughly a hundred and fifty-one creatures, and these games give you roughly a hundred new ones! This is too cool.
-THE GAME HAS AN INTERNAL CLOCK THAT KEEPS TRACK OF THE TIME OF DAY AND THE DAY OF THE WEEK. Different events happen at different times of the day and on different days. This makes the game all the more appealing.
-YOU CAN TRADE WITH ALL OTHER POKEMON RPG GAMES THAT PREDATED THE GAME BOY ADVANCE ONES. This will make it easy to get your hands on certain creatures from the old games. In fact, some the old creatures DO NOT appear in these games, so you're gonna have to do some trading to complete your Pokedex.
-THE GAME INTRODUCES THE CONCEPT OF BREEDING POKEMON. If you get a male and a female Pokemon together at the Daycare center, they just might lay an egg! This concept is necessary to get many of the new "baby" Pokemon in the game.
-THE GAME INTRODUCES TWO NEW POKEMON TYPES - DARK AND STEEL. Adding in the new types means you're going to have to rethink your gaming strategies - or create new ones entirely! The new types only add to the overall fun of the game.

CONS:
-MINOR COMPATIBILITY ISSUES WHEN TRADING WITH OLDER GAMES. For example, you can't send the new Pokemon species into your older game, nor can you send old species that have new moves. This is bound to get on your nerves, believe me.
-THE MYSTERY GIFT CONCEPT IS FLAWED. If you and a friend own a Game Boy Color, you can use Mystery Gift with your infrared ports to each get a random item, once a day. The only problem is that this requires a Game Boy COLOR - The Game Boy Advance doesn't have an infrared port!

OVERALL:
Pokemon 2 is, to date (as of July 4, 2004), the best game in the Pokemon series. In my mind, these games are even better than the new Game Boy Advance games, Ruby and Sapphire. If you can find one of these Pokemon 2 games in your local used games store, they are well worth picking up. Pokemon games aren't likely to get a whole lot better than these ones. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Golden Sun is the first original role-playing game for the GameBoy Advance to appear in the U.S. And despite perhaps a too-familiar story line,Golden Sun's jaw-dropping graphics, deep magic system, and uniquemultiplayer arena mode truly show that the Game Boy Advance is capable of aserious RPG.

Game developer Camelot (which also made the legendary Shining Force series forthe Sega Genesis, and, more recently,Mario Golf andMario Tennis for theNintendo 64) designed Golden Sun from the ground up to take advantage ofthe GBA's horsepower, and it shows. Sharp, vivid landscapes, detailed towns anddungeons, and awesome weather effects--it looks like a Super Nintendo game withsome extra zing squeezed onto a handheld system. Fans of Secret of Manaor Chrono Trigger will appreciate the feel of this game.

But the game's greatest strength is its magic system. Your characters each havetheir own latent psychic abilities based on one of the four elements of alchemy(earth, water, wind, and fire). The characters will be called upon to use theirindividual forms of telepathy and telekinesis to solve various puzzles in thegame. Also, you can collect Djinn (elemental spirits) and link them to yourcharacters. Not only can these Djinn be summoned in battle, they can alsobolster or hinder your characters' latent psychic abilities, give them specialattacks, and even change your characters' class. This system is similar toFinal Fantasy VIII's guardian system, though far more intuitive and easyto master.

Golden Sun employs a basic turn-based battle system, but it has amazingspell and fighting techniques that really take advantage of the GBA'stechnology. The game achieves a nice balance between flashy attacks and thebrevity of these same attacks--a lesson the makers of other RPGs should learn.Battles are beautifully and quickly fought, and don't overtax the gamer.

The game also has an addictive arena mode in which players can fight monstersthey've already encountered in the game. Players can also link up with anotherGBA (this feature requires another Golden Sun cartridge) and fightagainst another party. While it's not true a multiplayer option, it adds a greatreplay value to the game.

Golden Sun's weakest point, however, is its standard-issue story. Inessence: boy wakes up amidst disaster, meets stalwart friends, and rises to thechallenge to save the day (all while living up to the image of his dear departedfather). The story is a little stale, but the mechanics of the game transcendthis flaw and bring the gamer into a state of handheld nirvana. --BryanKarsh

Pros:

• Vivid graphics
• Deep, intuitive magic system
• Addictive multiplayer arena mode

• A plot straight out of "RPG Story Lines 101"

Reviews (463)

Good...but too short
I know they're leaving room for a sequal, but I finished in about a week of real time, and I didn't play that much.Plus, since you're stuck in Lalivero after you beat the final battle, there's no replay value.Although it left me eagerly awaiting the second one, it also left me feeling a little cheated.However, overall, this is an awesome game.The storyline didn't bother me, because the number of sideplots the ever-altruistic Isaac and crew feel the need to indulge in kept things varied and fun.Overall, I highly recommend this game, but if you're getting it, buy Lost Age at the same time, or you'll be really mad when you finish.Me?I'm promising myself Lost Age as a reward after I finish Finals Week, and I'm counting the days.

Amazing game
This game is one of the best games I have ever played.

Music 4.5/5 pretty good music

Graphcs 5/5 amazing graphics the summons are awsome

GamePlay 5/5 very fun game

Overall 4.7/5

Overall

Any RPG loving GBA owner should buy this.
Created by a little know developer called Camelot (they made some Mario Golf and Mario Tennis games, as well as Shining Force before they joined Nintendo), Golden Sun is one of the GBA's more exceptional games.

Golden Sun has one major achievement it had for the GBA.It pushed the limits of the system in terms of graphics.While the visuals for wandering around seem rather easy for the system to create, the battles are a spectacular achievement.Even though the characters and enemies are shown as animated sprites.The sprites themselves are not much to write home about, but regardless they are quite convincing and suit the battle setup more than you might expect.The battle screen is sort of a "quasi-3D" setup.The background and sprites are 2D, but they are executed in such a manner that they look 3D.Not only that, battle effects, such as spells and simple attacks, add wonderfully to the setup.The only real problem I can see is that some spell effects slow down the framerates (how fast or smoothly it runs) noticably, but it's all handled so well that it doesn't even seem like a glitch, and out of sheer irony it adds to the effect of some of the spells.

The sound is a mixed bag.The music score part is excellent.Everything from the main menu music, to town themes, and the grand world map music is great both technically and melodically.If any songs do get on your nerves, they either won't last long or are done in such a way that you can tune them out while playing.Sound effects, however, are very standard.A lot of them are recycled so much that it's practically mind numbing.However, none of it seems completely out of place, and there isn't much that will hurt your ears, so that's something to be happy for.

The gameplay itself only has one real flaw in my opinion.The battles are too easy.With the exception of most of the boss battles, regular battles tend to be so easy that the thought of using the run option will never occur to you (they also go so quick that there's not really a time issue involved either).There's also an issue where, if you set all of your characters to attack one enemy and that enemy is destroyed, the characters that attack him later have their attack wasted.This really isn't too much of an issue, though, and Camelot was smart enough to make the character automatically defend if that should happen (which means damage to that character would be halved... though I think that only refers to physical damage).

The story has gotten a lot of bad press in my opinion.However, it should be noted that if you play this game, the story alone may persuade you to buy the next game, GS: The Lost Age (which is already out).While that's not particularly a bad thing, as the combination of the two stories is really awesome, just be aware of the extra expense that may cost for your wallet.Also, it should be noted that this game is a bit on the short side (roughly 20-25 hours), but that's still not much of an issue in my view (just so you know, the second game in the series is roughly 40-45 hours long, so that one is lengthier).

All in all, the game is quite fun.However, there are a few quirks that I mentioned above that may get on some people's nerves, so just know what you're getting into.

an ok game.
This game is ok. People are complaining that you need a stratergy gide to get through it...erm...isn't that what online walkthroughs are for? All you have to do is type "Golden Sun walkthrough" into
google and you'll come up with who know's how many walkthroughs.
Anywho, about the game. Battling is fun enough, because you can use psynergy, Djinn, or just attack with weapons.
Psynergy is effectivly magic, and Djinn are pokemon like creatures who effect the types of psynergy your characters can use.
Plot 3/5
pretty standard plot: rescueing the world from a great evil.

Graphics 5/5
I usually stick to the original nintendo (yes yes, i know you think I should get a life) so these graphics look absolutly GREAT to me.

Music 4/5 Nice music...what can i really say about music? Not much...i really don't pay attention...

Characters 5/5 I happen to like the characters...your basic goodey-goodeys, its nice to laugh at Garet...

Challange 2/5 This game is NOT hard. If you're looking for a challange, this is not it. If you're looking for something to kick back to, I would think of this. Although the ocasional online walkthrough is nessary, you can usually figure most of it out by yourself.

Overall a pretty decent game. Maybe a step down from say Zelda, but overall an ok game...there isn't much else to say.

A great RPG for the GBA
This is so far the best RPG I've tried for the GameBoy Advance system.It has a wonderful story, great graphics and sound, and plenty of puzzles!This game has a fairly intuitive interface, and will provide several hours of entertainment.Some of the nicer features are: the ability to save anywhere in the game (except during story arcs), fast paced combat, and a variety of ways to customize your characters.This game is a must for any RPG fan with a GBA! ... Read more

Features

• Based on the Disney animated feature film
• Platform side-scrolling game
• Interact with characters from the movie
• Fun puzzles to solve
• For 1 player

Reviews (5)

A good fun game
My 5 1/2 yr old loves this game.It saves your progress so you can go back and replay previous levels.There are some challenging areas for her and that makes it more fun. I don't play many of her games, but this one is fun.

Brother Bear
I think this game is cute but it is too easy!I think the graphics are pretty good though.NOT good for an advanced gamer.

Fun for whole family
Our family is new to Gameboy and video games.We have trouble knowing what games are good or not.Of all that we've tried, this has by far been our favorite.Ages 4 to 35 in our family all enjoy it.The cartidge stores up to four players' games (no passwords!).You play as Kenai and Koda, both individually and as a team, working through levels roughly along the timeline of the movie.The early levels are pretty easy, meant mainly as tutorials, but later levels are tricky.Although you might reach the end of the game, you can return to any previous levels to try to find all three tokens in each.There is no violence, and the puzzles are fun to work out.Advanced gamers may be bored, but it's great for families and new gamers.

Brother Bear
i saved up my pocket money for awhile and decided to get this game.i think its ok,but it is way too easy!i finished it in probably about an hour and a half.if you are a more advanced gamer,you probably will not care for ths game. i think its cute,and the graphics are pretty good,but would recommend this for someone younger.

Fun Game
Interesting Game...not too confusing. Rather fun. Some levels are difficult then easy. When you get the hang of it the game gets quite cool! If you like the movie then you'll love the game! ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Game & Watch portable games were before the time of Game Boy, but are available again in both classic and updated versions in this Game & Watch Gallery 4 anthology for Game Boy Advance and previous installments for Game Boy Color. This anthology contains remakes of Donkey Kong 3, Mario Cement Factory, Rainshower, Boxing, and Fire Attack. Players can choose to play the games in an emulation of the original monochrome LCD display or in updated color versions designed for the GBA. ... Read more

Reviews (21)

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MARIO!!!!!!
WOW!! This is a good game and has a looooooot of games!!!! I like this game!!!

good game
I don't own this game,but i have played it before and I'd say a 4 out of 5 stars,sure you start out as easy but as you advance,u unlock more games new and old and harder settings such as meduim,hard and if you think you can handle it,super hard...yes there are four settings instead of one.

I personally love the little sounds and music this game has to offer,and a game gets harder as you progress.

If you think this game is for kiddies...then I'd have to say your wrong ;)

Ripofffor the old folks who played it and are now rich
This is just a money ripper aimed at kids from the 80's who have played these.Some of them are now rich, feel nostalgic about their childhood, and must get this game.The ones don't have much money still buy it by only eating once a day for about a week.

I liked it.........For a while
I will admit that I enjoyed this game for around a week or so. The gameplay was repititous, and took alot more time than I would take to finish the levels. I still play it on and off, although I paid $40 for the dang thing(wish I would have checked amazon.com before making that splurge)

Just got this game !!!
I really loved the Game and Watch of the yesteryears.So it was exciting that they have this for the Gameboy.But the only thing is that I don't know how to save the high scores or get the stars to unlock the other games.The instruction of the game tells me that all I have to do is to press start during the game and to turn off the unit.Nothing happens.
I don't know if I bought a defective game or something.
Please help. ... Read more