Product Description

This title is now shipping and will not be received any earlier than the street date of 05/01/05.Emerald takes place over land and sea and pits you against the Team Aqua and Team Magma from Saphire and Ruby. This time around, Pokemon will show off their moves prior to battle, perhaps as a sort of taunt. Nintendo also added some new options to the game. A new Battle Frontier area has you play through seven big battles. The Battle Dome places you in a tour ... Read more

Features

• For use on the GameBoy Advance or the GameBoy DS

Reviews (24)

Pokemon Emerald
Pokemon Emerald is pretty fun, but when you beat the game, there's not much more to do. It has some strategy involved, so that makes it kind of educational, but not really. I also never see a Game Boy Advance game break, so that makes it durable. So overall, it's a great game. The free tin is good, too.

David
NJ
10 years old

wow wow wow wow wow
for all you pokemon lovers out there this is the altemate thing for you.

Awesome!, even with the knowledge of Ruby and Sapphire!
Hi, I am really excited about this game it just brings the Hoenn region to life and installs new tactics for creating as better gameplay experience. I plasyed this at one of the game stores and have not yet bought it yet, but that game has moved to the top of my list for games to buy!

Sincerely, Terrence mcgee

This game..is awesome! Much better than Ruby and Sapphire!
This game is much more funner and challenging. After you defeat the elite four, you can go to the Battle Frontier. The Battle Frontier is absolutley awesome! Over all, I will give this game a 9.3 outta 10! Thank you nintendo for making this game so much better! For those who don't have the game, you will love it! It's much more advanced than boring old Ruby or Sapphire. IT'S much more FUNNER! And it's only a measily little price of 35 bucks. That's a pretty good deal! So get the game today! It's AWESOME!!!!

Very Few Flaws
This game, overall, was very good. I believe that even those who have Ruby or Sapphire would like this game. One reason is the new Battle Frontier. this leaves you a major challenge once the core of the game has been completed. There are also many plot changes that make this game, overall, a good buy. ... Read more

Product Description

This latest entry in the series takes place in the continent of Magi Varl. Demons once populated the continent, but mankind gained piece by sealing the evil forces with five magic stones. Time passed, and the stones became the heirlooms of royal families whose kingdoms divide the present-day continent. The story of Seima no Kouseki begins as the most powerful of these kingdoms, the Grad Empire, begins to invade the remainder of Magi Varl. The Lunes Kingdom, a neighboring kingdom to the Grad Empi ... Read more

Features

• Execute your attack! Plan your strategy to take advantage of your strengths and exploit your enemys weaknesses. Guide your soldiers carefully, because if they fall in battle, theyre gone forever!
• Field dozens of soldiers on the field, from the familiar pegasus knights and cavaliers to brand-new units like the mage knights, who wield both weapons and wizardry in battle.
• Discover new ways to improve your army! Take on all-new monster battles and the Tower of Valni, with floor after floor of challenging fights, to gain the experience your soldiers need to master their skills.
• As your soldiers increase in skill, youll be able to choose between multiple classes to customize your army and master your perfect strategy! Will your cavalier become a paladin, or will he sacrifice speed for power and become a great knight? The choice is yours!

Reviews (6)

Better than the first
Fire Emblem was one of the best games on the gba.Final Fantasy Tactics advance was another one.What this game does is take elements from both of them and combines them into one of the best handheld games ever.The first fire emblem was an extremely challenging game.This one is too, but now you can roam the map and join in skirmishis as in ffta.The character upgrade choices also make it superior to the first game.

Better Sequel to a Great Game
It is a time of peace, suddenly, your country of Renais is attacked by your ally, Grado.They are after the Sacred Stone, but why would they want the very thing that sealed the Demon King away centuries ago?

Welcome back to the realm of Fire Emblem.This installment had nothing to do with the other game (which is a little disappointing) but it still is as good as the first.So, what's new this time around, well first off, there's a difficulty selection available from the start (you had to unlock it in the first).There's beginner, which explains the game and has a tutorial, normal, for those of us who played through the first one and know much of the controls, and difficult, for those who want a challenge.

I got to say that I'm glad that they've added this feature so we don't have to listen to the idiotic tutorial (its good to look at it if your a beginner, but its still annoying).Anyway, the core of this game is essentially the same with some added features.

These added features include that of choosing what you want your character to turn into.For example, in the first game, thieves could only become an assassin.However, in this game you have a choice of an assassin, which is a killing machine (if you have the Killing Edge equipped), or become a Rougue, which is a thief who doesn't need lockpicks to open doors and chests.This adds a lot to the game too.

The other neat feature is the ability to walk on the world map and choose where you want to go.This system, I would compare it to that of FF Tactics Advance because you can run into monsters who are also new to the series.

There's also a Tower of Valni that is like an endurance round.You can leave whenever you want to, and its not required that you go there.

The storyline this time around is predictable but still can be classified as good.I mean I figured from the start what was going to happen, and most of your predictions will come true.

My favorite thing about this game are the main characters, Eirika and Ephraim.They are twins but seem to be complete opposites.Eirika is the peace loving princess who hates war, and Ephraim is the one who runs off trying to find pride in fighting.

So, should you pick up this game?Yes, if you liked the first one, but wanted more or if you haven't played the first.No, if you are tired of the gameplay from the first game because all you are going to get is the recycled form of the original.

PROS
- Good game with good stratergy ideas
- You have the choice to choose if you want the tutorial
- The added walk on the map feature is very useful
- The ability to choose what your unit will become

CONS
- The story is way too predictable
- A lot of this game is recycled from the old game (can be good or bad)

I haven't seen this yet
i haven't seen this game yet, but i'm sure that pigs are cool. you may find that this looks kqueer, but you know that it's true. just sayin hi to all those solar hills sons in this world

As a game, Sacred Stones is average. as a sequal, its a joke
Basically, what we have here is the same game.
Seriously. Intelli Sys recycled like 60% of the content from FE1(7 in jpn)? The only "new" things here are what you'd already expect in a sequel anyway: a new plot and new character designs.

Why would anyone pay full price to play exactly the same game all over again? It boggles the mind. On the pc we have what are called "expansion packs". This "sequel" does nothing new what the previous game hasn't already done. And the previous one, which I've reviewed, wasn't that impressive either.

In short, go ahead and buy this if you liked the first one and want more of the same. If the previous Fire Emblem didn't do much for you however, don't expect anything different.

Wow
This game had pretty big shoes to fill from the first fire emblem for gba but it certainly filled them. I really liked the choice for promoting units and the extra battles for level ups. ... Read more

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

Nintendo (AGBPFZLE) Legend Zelda Classic NES GBA ... Read more

Features

• Action and puzzle-solving gameplay
• Collect rupees to buy weapons and special items
• For 1 player
• Classic video game originally created for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)
• Save princess Zelda from the dark lord Ganon

Reviews (36)

A classic adventure!What,no upgrades?
The legend of Zelda is a truely magnificent series,and a joy of an experience! Slash ememies,light tourches,unlock doors,find treasure,and defeat an evil king with a twisted-mind!
Use amazing weapons like boomerangs,bombs,aroows,a magic wand,and plently of different swords! Collect the mystical pieces of the Triforce before all is lost...
Souns catchy doesnt it? It sounds like an awesome adventure and it is,but before you rush off to buy it,please read on...

Recently,Nintendo has been remaking alot of thier older games for the GameBoy Advance,wow! That's great,isnt it? Here's the thing,almost all of the games that they've remade have absolutly NO changes! In some cases,I would consider this a good thing,but with this game you've got to be kidding me?!? I've played through the entire game once before,and although it is a very fun & charming game,well... Put it this way,they should have at least changed it a little. Couldnt they have fixed all of the little annoyenes in the game? For example,Links eyes & mouth are noting but green rectangles,couldnt they fix that by making the rectangles that make up Link's eyes blue,and the one for his mouth red? I wouldnt want them to completely overhaul the game,just fix a few things like the one that I listed above.

Another problem that I've always had with this game is that you're supposed to be saving the land of Hyrule,but did I miss something or has it already been wiped-out? Honestly,I'm I the only one who's ever noticed that there's nothing to save???
There are no buildings,no people,and no towns or castles in this game! I'm sorry,but I need to feel obligated by a games story to complete it,and there's no obligation because Link has absolutely nothing to save but a dusty-old wasteland and the only human being that lives there! Oh-no! Please Ganon,dont destroy that uh... Tree! No Ganon! You vindictive fiend,dont blow up that uh... Um... Hey wait,what am I afraid of? There's absolutly nothing of value for you to destroy!!! As for the Princess Zelda,tell her to call me when she has a land worth saving.-Link

Pros:A classic NES title remade to fit on your GBA,very challenging & interesting game,lots of weapons & items to collect,and a powerful enemy to defeat!

Cons:Nothing about this game has been changed! Even the things that despretly needed to be changed werent changed!!!
There's nothing to save from ganon's wrath because there are no towns or people anywhere! Ganon,the king of evil,is nothing more than a giant blue-skinned pig in battle armor!

Do you want to play a Zelda game with towns & people to save?
Then buy any other Zelda title there is!

Closing thoughts:Altough this game has a few things that I would have liked to have seen updated or changed,it is still a fun game
and it's worth he small price that they're charging for it.
My favorite Zelda titles include,The Legend of Zelda:The ocarina of time,The Legend of Zelda:Link's awakening,and The Legend of Zelda:The wind waker.

Re-living the classics.....
I've owned my GBA SP only for a few weeks now (I had completely given up video games after my son was born two years ago) but I have to confess that I only bought it when I realized that the Link I used to know (and sometimes dispise when some boss would keep me under a killing streak) was back. I don't regret my decision at all....IT'S BEEN A BLAST!!!

Everything is back, of course not with the video quality of today and the score could have been a little louder, but still this is one great game to play. I had completely forgotten the intrinsicate delicacies of obtaining a boomerang and toss out the wooden sword or defeating a boss after SEVERAL tries.

Probably those of you young gba-adicts who grew up when this was already a classic will find it plain and simple, but for those of you out there that enjoyed rescuing Zelda in the early nineties...this is a must-have.

Enjoy.

Er, sorry to be the "dissenter" here...
...but I don't like this game at all. I'm a big Zelda fan and loved all the GBC, N64, GBA and GameCube games, but because of my age, I had never played the "classic" Zelda games. So I picked this up, aiming to be a full-blown Zelda aficionado.

Yet within a few minutes of play, I realized that the game was far too primitive for someone reared in the era of Link's Awakening DX and Ocarina of Time. There are no NPCs to talk to, no exploration to be done, none of anything that I had come to expect from the series. I am well aware that I was probably expecting too much, but whether that's true or not, I was disappointed.

Although I didn't find anything to enjoy in this game, I'm not saying that it's bad. I'm sure that it was a classic of its era, and those who grew up with NES games will probably fall in love with it all over again. But from the perspective of someone who relies only on what she has read and heard for info on this bygone time, it simply seems like a bland, watered-down hack 'n slasher.

A classic game now portable
The Legend of Zelda is one of my favorite NES games and now you can play it anywhere on the GBA. You can tell that this game is good because it is still alot of fun after all these years. I was fortunate to find this on sale the week it came out so even despite that, the price tag overall seems fair for such a great game although I don't think some of the other classic NES games are worth that price. Overall, if your a Zelda fan who wants to remember a great game or even if you've never played this before, you owe it to yourself to give this a try.

The original is back!
The Legend of Zelda began as a humble NES game that was first released in the '80s that single-handlely jump started a whole new genre of video games-the adventure games-a unique combination of the action and RPG genres!While the Zelda franchise has evolved over the years, adding more and more interesting characters, complex storylines, and improved graphics, none of those games (not even the Ocarina of Time) can compare with the kind of quality charm the original had.I guess the old saying's true, "The original is always the best!" and the same can be applied to Zelda.While thestoryline and gameplay may be simplistic compared to the Zelda games of today, and while the graphics may be "outdated", the original Zelda continues to remain as challenging and fun as ever.The Zelda games of today often give the players clues as to which direction you're supposed to head in next after completing a certain part of the game, but the original Zelda didn't offer any clues whatsoever.

You had to rely on either your raw instinct or a strategy guide to figure out what to do next.The dungeons weren't easy to beat, either.You had to wonder around complex mazes while battling against all sorts of strange creatures before you finally made it to the boss.A tradition that has always been handed down since the original was that you could find a special item in each dungeon that could be used to help defeat the boss, but unlike the Zelda games of today, there weren't any clues as to where that special item was located at, so you had to find it on your own.And an interesting fact is that if you register your file name as "Zelda", it'll unlock an even harder version of the game to play.I've always wished that Nintendo would re-release the original Zelda because my NES is broken now and I can no longer play it, so I was very happy to learn that this game was being re-released on the GBA!And not only is this re-release a faithful import of the original Zelda, but because it's on the GBA now, you can play it where ever you're at!Now I'll finally get to relive the glory days of the original Zelda and newbie fans can experience the original for the first time, too!So, if you're an old time Zelda fan like me and loved the original, I highly recommend buying this GBA re-release of it because it's perfect!Or if you're new to the Zelda franchise and have never played the original before, I highly recommend picking it up, too!Don't let the "simplisticy" of the gameplay or the "outdated" graphics fool you!This is the most unforgettable Zelda game of all time and the best video game ever, and it should not be passed up! ... Read more

Features

• Role-playing action game set in the distant past
• Action takes place after previous title with good continuity
• Twice as many classes to play
• Collect and trade valuable weapons and armor
• For one or more players using GameLink cable

Reviews (5)

Amazing
I think this game is great. Me and my friend got this game and we both love it. We both started out as an archer and even though my friend got it 5 months beore me. He is only at fairy spring and has only done 1 side quest I am at Hotshek volcano and have done all the side quests up to that point besides the two hidden dungeons. It has only one con. The cons are that important conversasions you have to wait. I have heard that people dislike the storyline but I don't really think its bad and if I did I wouldn't care. I have never played the first game but that does not make a diffrence.

Graphics 9 out of 10 Pretty good. The soul powers are awsome.

Gameplay 10 out of 10 The controls are very easy to understand.

Replayabitlity Limitless You have 9 characters (8 normal one secret)that are customizable in abot a million ways each.

Secret You can go through the wall on the right side of the red shoe girl's wall then there is a passage way where yo go through 2 more walls when you get to the second one go up.
Music ? I turn music off

I really love this game

A portable diablo game.
This game is good for people who most likely to spend your hours hack and slashin' enemies and baddies, and love to see your character level up. Why I said this is a portable Diablo game, was because they have over 100 generated items, it's really fun to see your equip get stronger and stronger as you buy weapons/armor from the stores. If you are a gamer who likes a good storyline, I recommend you don't buy this, because this has a crappy story, you will not enjoy it, dialogs are slow, but if you are a gamer who likes to play, not caring about the story, this game is for you, 18 levels to beat up baddies, it can get repetitive going to the same dungeons with the dialog and all. I recommend this game to most people.

awesome
I was getting my GBA and decided to pick this up as my first game.I hadn't played the first one and didn't know anything about it.But then I started playing it and loved it.The story starts out with your character going to some tournement but the king ends up sending you on a journey to save the princess.Then once youv'e gone through a few levels and save the princess the story goes on.One complaint I have is once you load a save file and forget to save again your all the way at the begining of the dungeon again.If this happens you get more and more experience but you have to play the level again and it makes the bosses way to easy.I havnet really listened to the music cause I keep the sound off but when I did hear the music it's not that bad.This game is great so if you like hack n slash games this game is a good on to have.

Item Description
Shining Soul II arrives on the GBA with more expansive content and features than its predecessor. Become a mighty Brawler, Priestess, Dark Wizard, Ninja or others for a total of 8 character classes. Each character has certain strengths and weaknesses that can mean the difference between victory and defeat in the exciting co-op multiplayer mode. Enter the Royal Coliseum and challenge the computer or your friends in a battle for special items and glory!

This is a great game and totally worth buying.

Shining through the Ages
This game is heaps of fun.I could play for hours and hours and actually found myself doing just that.If you don't mind returning to town all the time to buy more health drops and to sell off extraneous items, this game is a must buy.The only qualm I had was that it seemed at times monsters could attack you from a diagonal but you couldn't hit them.Maybe just a bug or a quirk.Either way, fun, fun, fun.Finally, levels are easy to gain and the variety of weapons and items make the game a little more enjoyable. ... 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

Product Description

Join unforgettable characters, which wield an unbelievable variety of weapons and armor. ... Read more

Features

• Ring Command system gives easy access to the game menus
• Master a variety of weapons
• For 1 player
• Adventure game with a strong RPG flavor
• Play as either hero or heroine each with unique strengths and weaknesses

Reviews (36)

Decent adventure title for the GBA or DS.
I remember how great Final Fantasy Adventure was, which was really part 1 of the mana saga, and how wonderful the Secret of Mana was for the Super Nintendo.

Now comes Sword of Mana, which is the 4th in the series, and its magic doesnt hold up to the older games.

The gameplay of sword play and magic is standard fare and does nothing to dazzle you. Same goes for the story which is a rehash of Final Fantasy Adventure. The game is fun but nothing memorable which is a departure from Square games which usually leave a dramatic lasting effect.

The main problem with this game is that a strategy guide is almost mandatory for all the items, spells, seeds, fruits, vegetables, etc. The crafting, forging, level up classes, and stats are all way too complicated for what they are.
It seems that Square thought we were all stat obsessed and item hunters/gatherers with this game.

All in all its a fun and short adventure but nothing that will go down as a classic like Secret of Mana or the Legend of Zelda games.

Alright
Sword of Mana is a fun game too play for a while. But the background music is annoying. And after your done playing this game you wouldn't want too play it again since there's no replay value.

One of the Best RPG Games Ever
This game was a lot of fun (even though I still can't beat it).One of the things that I was suprised at most was how cool the graphics were.Okay, you're charachter does look a little dopey, but the landscapes and everything were awesome.Also, once you've beaten the game once, you can play again as the other person (boy or girl).The basic storyline is the same and everything, but you get different side quests to do and such.The music was nice too, but after you play it for about 4 hours straight you're going to have to turn on the radio or something.It's really repetitive!The story line is fun and although the shows are really long, it's still worth it to find out what happens next.Oh yah, being an advanced wizard in the game is really fun too, haveing all the annoying little spirits.This game overall is really cool and is worth your money.I would recomend it to people 12 and up and people without any siblings (my brothers steal this game all the time so they can play it).

Not bad
While in no ways the best RPG there ever was, I certainly did find this game enjoyable--to the point that I played it 6 hours straight the first night I had it.

I'm not familiar with any previous games in the series before, but I was overall pleased with this game.It's suprisingly addictive and has it's own strong appeal and charm.The real time combat was a nice change from all the traditional turn based that seems to dominate most RPGs, and the I love the idea of the game being played twice--once from the female character's perspective, and once from the male's.Particularly since they don't go all the same places together; at many points, each go through different dungeons, which are only accessible through that character's side of the story.

Unfortunately, the game is not without it's flaws.The graphics aren't always necessarily the best--the characters seem to have a hard time moving their legs when they walks sideways, at times.I grew frustrated with only being able to save my game at the Goddess statues, and even more so by the fact that when my character dies, the game ends.And with how easy it was for characters to be killed in the fun but flawed combat, I found myself tired of doing the same dungeons over and over again.Also, while having two people participating in the real time combat is a good idea, it, overall, proves to be a waste.The second person (whomever happens to be following your character at the time) is worthless, and usually wanders around, attacking only monsters that you attack, and being killed far too quickly and easily.And the only way to control that character is to relinquish control of the first character.
With the weapons, it is an interesting change to have the hot house where you can use seeds collected from the game and have the blacksmith there temper your weapons, but I prefer the more straight forward weapon progression; where you simply buy or find a weapon or piece of armor that is simply stronger than anything previous.The same can be said for the spirits; cool, but mostly useless, except for a few key points during the game.The only one I ever really used was the one that healed.

Overall, I think it's a very fun, appealing sort of game. It only took three weeks to beat, so it's nothing for the hard-core gamer.But it's a fun jaunt, nonetheless.

Dissapointing
This game was short and unsatisfying. The storyline and dialog attempted to become more and more "philisophical" as the game went on and became ridiculous by the end. The dynamics of the game were possibly even more flawed than the 1991 counterpart, which was in some ways more fun than this failure of a remake. ... Read more

Product Description

MODEL- 50051VENDOR - KonamiFEATURES- YuGiOh 7 Trials of Glory GBA Travel to different areas in Battle City and challenge dozens of characters to duels and participate in tournaments. The more you play, the more cards you collect. Create and edit up to 20 decks for different tournaments and playing styles. An additional 200 all-new cards makes this the most extensive Game Boy Advance Yu-Gi-Oh! game ever, perfect for Yu-Gi-Oh! fans of all levels. *Create and edit up to 20 different decks to implement different dueling strategies* Exchange duelist points for new cards to strengthen your decks* Duel with dozens of unique characters in different locations* Set your own time limits for duels choose from 10-30 minutes or no limitfor customized duels* Extended replay value, the more you play, the more you unlock -- SPECIFICATIONs ------------------------------------ ESRB Rating : E for EVERYONE Genre/Category: Role Playing Game System: Game Boy Advance Nice electronics is your source for everyday low prices on theKonami 50051 - YuGiOh 7 Trials of Glory GBA and all other Konami Video Game Handheld Soft ... Read more

Features

• Duel with dozens of unique characters in different locations
• Set your own time limits for duels -Choose from 10-30 minutes or no limit for customized duels
• Extended replay value -The more you play, the more you unlock
• Create and edit up to 20 different decks to implement different dueling strategies
• Exchange duelist points for new cards to strengthen your decks

Reviews (3)

I think not
This game was so boring when it came out. It was all hyp nothing more. the AI still sucks, the cards you get suck even the whole RPG theme it has going sucked. Like one someone said you get your first starter deck and you think your ready to go nope, some little loser starts bothing you and telling you that the cards in your deck aren't meant for dueling so you have to discard them from your deck. The game is slow the whole thing about resting is boring , dueling a dog is stupid and i still wonder why we're still useing some guy we dont even know. The guy has goku hair if you look at it, im serious. But over all the game is a waste of money. If you want to dish out cash you might as well send it to me.

purty good
i agree the beginning is very annoying. i got this game yesterday and was really frustraded. But when i got the hang of it it's purty good. now most of my monsters have an attack of 1700 and i have one 3 tournaments. whats up with that dueling cat and dog Freaky...

Another item on the list of buy for the cards, not the game
VERY ANNOYING.

This game even starts off annoying.You must BUY your opening deck with duel points that you start with.Now, that is okay but when the starter decks are Yugi's original, Seto's original, and Joey's, then that is a little rough given this game goes by the NEW rules.The first time you try to get into a duel, you are penalized and cannot duel because the deck has Monster Reborn or Dark Hole or Ring of Destruction.All illegal cards now.So you have to take out those cards and put in crappy monsters (1400 or less attack) and try to duel people so you can get points to get more cards.

Given that there are NO easy matches in here (even Tristan will kick your butt this time), getting points is VERY hard.Not to mention you have to go to your house after you do win and sleep to save your win because I've not found that it auto-saves yet.And each time you sleep, the day of the week changes.So basically, you get 1 duel a day unless you push your luck and risk more.

This entire game series is really getting to the point of not being worth messing with.If I didn't have to give it at least one star, I wouldn't bother.It's a sad day for those of us who love the Yugioh franchise. ... Read more

Features

• Return to Battle city and compete in a trading card tournament
• Compete in a battle for the ultra-powerful Egyptian God Cards
• All-new original saga featuring over 100 duelists
• 900 cards
• For 1 player

Reviews (148)

bad
this game is supposed to be about dueling,that is what yugioh is about.in this game you barely duel,because after you beat a person they go away untill you turn off your gba and then turn it back on,so you do not have alot of people to deul.But it does have good graphics.

Yu-Gi-Oh - The Sacred Cards GBA
This game is pretty much easy for me anyway because I could beat this game every day and win the entire game with in 3 HOURS with the help of 1 extra item and its called the GAME SHARK its a machine its not a game that allows you to beat any VIDEO Game Depending on the game system for example the Game Shark for GAME BOY ADAVNCE it will only work on GAMEBOY ADVANCE games and the SP system as well when you use the GAME SHARK on The Sacred Cards you don't need to use very low attack power and Defense power u could win any body with in 1-6 turns
bacause you get the following:

DECK CAPACIRTY : 9,999
DUELIST LEVEL : 9,999
MONEY/DOMINO : 999999 well something like that but its 9's.

And you can automatically use HIGH ATTACK POWER like DARK ELF with an attack strength of 2000 DEF 0800 very high. Well I will talk back A.S.A.P on another GAME REVIEW.

p.s the strongest SACRED CARDS DECK 00-40 cards :

x1 - Summoned Skull ATK 2500 DEF 1200
x1 - Dark Hole (Magic Card)
x1 - Raigeki ( Magic Card )
x1 - Swords Of Revealing Light ( Magic Card )
x1 - La Jinn The Mystical Genie Of The Lamp ATK 1800 DEF 1000
x3 - 7 Colored Fish ATK 1800 DEF 0800
x3 - Giant Red Seasnake ATK 1800 DEF 0800
x2 - The Bistro Butcher ATK 1800 DEF 1000
x3 - Gemini Elf ATK 1900 DEF 0900
x2 - Dark Elf ATK 2000 DEF 0800
x1 - Invisible Wire ( Trap Card )
x3 - Acid Trap Hole ( Trap Card )
x1 - Insect Queen ATK 2200 DEF 2400
x1 - Pot Of Greed ( Magic Card )
x3 - Flash Assailant ATK 2000 DEF 2000
x1 - Dark Zebra ATK 1800 DEF 0400
x3 - Boar Solider ATK 2000 DEF 0500
x1 - Vorse Raider ATK 1900 DEF 1200
x2 - Harpie's Brother ATK 1800 DEF 0600
x2 - Thunder Nyan Nyan ATK 1900 DEF 0800
x1 - Nuvia The Wiced ATK 2000 DEF 0800
x1 - OBELISK THE TORMENTOR ATK 4000 DEF 4000
x1 - SLIFER THE SKY DRAGON ATK X000 DEF X000
x1 - Blue-Eyes Ultiamate Dragon ATK 4500 DEF 3800

TOTAL NUMBER OF CARDS 40

DECK CAPACITY 8,646 out of 10,304

when you see ur DECK CAPACITY 0000 of 9999 you will have to DUEL many more people inorder to raise the number HIGHER.


OK DUEL MONSTER FANS BYE!

cheaper by the dozen
if i were you i'd not buy this game you can get it at alote cheaper price for only less than 12.00

GR8......but short!
I played this game and found that it was SUPERB,the characters are cool and the battle with marik is also a little hard.Fans of yugioh!,im not saying its A MUST HAVE,but still buy this game.

I finished this game in 10 hrs.Its toooooo short.i came to the museum part in no time.it's also a bit educational.

once you get some great card passwords u can finish this game at no time at all!

also,don't buy this game if you dont know:

what yugioh! is,

you don't know how to duel,

and if you've only HEARD of it and not even know a single character.

i gave this gome to a friend of mine and he didnt know a thing a bout yugioh!.The next day he came and gave me the cartridge as if it was poisonous or somethin' AND HE DID'NT LIKE IT AT ALL.and then he started hating yugioh!.until he went to the site and knew how to play;-D

Very flawed
So I bought this game knowing nothing about Yu-gi-oh. The rules are supposed to be complicated but reading manuals is boring too. So I just played. From the first fight I won every time because it's completely trivial. There's no strategy - choosing what to do is a completely mechanical process. In fact, that's probably why the rules are what they are, dumbed down enough so some incompetent programmer could implement a mindless AI to play them.

Between duels there's an RPG, of sorts. It works like this. Talk to lots of people. Once you've talked to the right person (you're rarely told when this happens) a change of state in the game happens (like a new area becomes available). That's it. You just have to go round every location talking to everyone until something changes. And then you have to go round talking to everyone again until the next change happens. Eventually an important change happens: you can enter the finals.

And now it changes. Suddenly the opponents have decent cards and it becomes challenging to win. In fact, it's downright impossible. And just to rub it in, at this point the save game feature is taken away from you. How mean is that? They let you think the game is trivial until the end where the game mercilessly kills you. But there's an easy way to deal with this. You Go back to your last game save and reload. Now you just have to pick one character, like Rex Raptor, and play against him over and over and over and over and over again until you get enough capacity points to be able to use powerful cards. This is probably the dumbest aspect of the game. You can have the best cards in the universe in your 'trunk' but you can't use them until you've played duels agains piddly weaklings over and over again enough times for you to have a chance in the finals.

Having said that, when you do get your deck vaguely powerful the finals are kinda interesting. Suddenly there seems to be a little bit of strategy. Unfortunately I can't quite finish the very last battle because the opponent has cards way more powerful than your own. Oh well, it's back to playing Rex again and again and again and again and again... ... Read more