I´m going to make a Top 5 GBA games. One of my favourite consoles of all time, one filled with tons and tons of classic games and hours of fun. Number 5 being the one I like the least from the top and number 1 being the one I like the most (although I love all the games from the list). Here goes! (Apologize in advance for my not-so-good English. I mainly speak spanish, so if there´s any mistake that´s the reason):
5. Metroid Fusion: We start the list with a banger. A Metroid game like no other. Although the linearity kinda beats the point of a metroidvania, the fear factor added to the game with the SA-X overcomes it´s flaws. Besides the linearity, this is still a Metroid game, so you will keep unlocking new weapons, armours and hidden upgrades along the way, with pretty cool and intimidating bosses too. Seriously, if you haven´t, play it.
4. The Legend of Zelda and The Minish Cap: This is, to this day, the only LoZ game I completed. It´s also one of the first games I ever completed 100%. MC has a lot charm. The dungeons, characters, enemies, and everything is super detailed and looks beatiful. It also has some interesting items that make exploring the different dungeon a lot of fun. Some cool mechanics like shrinking, which makes exploring the world of Hyrule pretty interesting and keeps things fresh. Oh, I almost forgot: Ganondorf is not the final boss in this game!
3. Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen: There´s 2 things that make LG a pretty important game for me: First, I love Pokémon a lot and the Kanto is a pretty cool region, and second: This was the first Pokémon AND GBA game I first ever played. So, I´m a bit nostalgic. I always come back to this game from time to time, trying to come up with new team compositions or doing a randomlocke run sometimes. When it comes to story, it´s really simple so don´t expect much. The most important thing of all it´s that FR and LG are
huge upgrades on the first gen games, adding up the implementations made in Gold/Silver and Ruby/Sapphire, with the brand new abilities, steel and dark types, new moves, a PokeDex more than double it´s original size and much more. One of the best Pokémon games in the whole franchise in my opinion.
2. Megaman Zero (From 1 to 4): I can´t really choose only 1 of the 4 Megaman Zero games. Playing as Zero is one of the best experiences in the franchise. The combat is fresh, the level up mechanic is great, and every new game adds different weapons to keep things fresh. But for me the story is what sells this game. I believe it´s based 100 years after the X games, but that´s as far as I want to talk about it. I don´t want to spoil to you. Just do yourself a favor and play. this. games. now.
1. Castlevania Aria of Sorrow: AAAAAA I LOVE ARIA OF SORROW SO MUCH!!!! This is probably the most fun game I played on this console. Exploring Dracula´s Castle and discovering new rooms, items, weapons and armour along the way is always fun. You can also unlock new abilities like Simphony of the Night. But the cherry on top is the new "souls" mechanic Nintendo added in the game: For every enemy type you defeat, there´s a chance they drop their soul. You can then equip said soul to use new abilities in combat based on the enemy´s soul. Thereps 3 types of souls: Red Souls or Bullet Souls (They let Soma do an instantaneous attack at the cost of MP), Blue Souls or Guardian Souls (You can activate and deactive an ability, and they will drain your MP as long as they are activated) and Yellow Souls or Enchanted Souls (They give Soma a passive benefit without draining your MP). Oh, I almost forgot, the protagonist is Soma Cruz (my husband, I love him very very VERY much). The music is always good in Castlevania games, so there´s that. The sprites are pretty well detailed, and there´s a secret ending in here. This is without a doubt the best GBA game and the best Castlevania game for me. Play it. Now. *points gun at your back*
Now.