> Nintendo Game Boy Advance Games > GameBoy

Megaman Battle Network 3 has a few significant improvements ... Read more

Megaman Battle Network 3 has a few significant improvements over the past two games in the series, but the overall concept is the same. Lan solves puzzles in the "real world", while Megaman fights viruses and solves puzzles on the Net. The battle system is still the same, and that isn't a bad thing--it is still the best live action battle system for any RPG on a handheld. At this point in the story it's been about a month since Lan and Megaman's encounter with the nefarious Net Mafia Gospel, and a new semester at school is about to start. When Lan and his classmates are invited to the seemingly innocent net battler Semi-Finals at ACDC Square, little do they know that a new, incredibly evil plan is about to be hatched.The most exciting addition to the game, hands down, is that you can now make your own Megaman with segments of code that you gather throughout the game. Watch out, though: do it badly and you can get a buggy program. In addition to programming your own Megaman, you can still change Megaman's battle styles (just like in Battle Network 2). The end result is the best character creation system on a handheld. In a homage to the Pokemon games, there is both a White and a Blue version of Megaman Battle Network 3. The game is more or less the same, but there are unique cards, styles and programs for each version--which makes trading and battling via link cable a real incentive.In short, Megaman Battle Network 3 is one of the best RPGs for the GBA, and is appropriate for all ages. Fans of traditional Megaman games will also like the live action battles. --Bryan Karsh Minimize

Expecting your standard Tony Hawk's sequel? Think again. Th ... Read more

Expecting your standard Tony Hawk's sequel? Think again. This time the developers have come up with a different slant and have achieved something really significant. The idea this time round is that you start off on the streets with nothing but your board to keep you company. Start skating around, pulling off tricks and sooner or later you'll be spotted; then you start to make your way up the boarding world. That's easier said than done, of course, with a bigger selection of tricks to learn and pull off. The upshot though is that the game presents a high quality, long-term challenge as you slowly make your way to the top. Something that doesn't work quite as well is the ability to pick up your board and explore on foot. It's theoretically supposed to make things more flexible, but ultimately accounts for the game's few slower moments. However, ultimately Tony Hawk's Underground works spectacularly well. Its gameplay is sublime, the multi-player modes are dangerously addictive and it scores immensely in the value for money stakes too. Easily one of the most playable games on any console out there, it holds appeal for gamers at all levels of experience. --Simon Brew Minimize

In a nutshell: Spyro the Dragon returns in a reboot to the ... Read more

In a nutshell: Spyro the Dragon returns in a reboot to the series that finally explains his origins and aims to return him to the top flight of platforming gaming mascots. The lowdown: Alongside Crash Bandicoot the original Spyro the Dragon games were the PSone’s best two exclusive platformers, but just like Crash they’ve long lost their way. This might be called A New Beginning but it’s disarmingly similar to the last game and features precious little in the way of new ideas. Although he does sport a requisite pair of leathery wings, Spyro can’t actually fly, just glide for short periods, which allows the game to include lots of platforming sections. The real emphasis is on combat though, which is a bit of a shame as it quickly gets repetitive with few moves and little variety in enemies. It’s a competent enough game but it’s really got nothing new to add to either the Spyro series or action adventure games in general. Most exciting moment: The best part of the game is the way Spyro’s powers can slowly be upgraded, particularly his four flavoured dragon’s breath which switches between the elemental powers of fire, ice, wind and earth. Not only do many of the puzzles revolve around their use but some enemies are vulnerable to specific types. Since you ask: Oddly the game has quite the celebrity line-up in its voice cast, including Elijah Woods (The Lord of the Rings) and Gary Oldman (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban), but their talents are largely wasted on a bland script and trite dialogue. The bottom line: Not the revamp the series needed to regain its previous glories.-HARRISON DENT Minimize

3DO's famous little green men are back in Army Men Advance ... Read more

3DO's famous little green men are back in Army Men Advance and this time they're invading the Game Boy Advance. Once again General Plastro, the leader of the tan army, attempts world domination, having enlisted the help of powerful aliens. Gamers choose either the stalwart Sarge or the vivacious Vikki to thwart Plastro. The game plays like a classic overhead-view shooter. The controls are simple, although strafing with the shoulder button takes some getting used to. Gameplay consists entirely of shooting enemies, finding objects and unlocking doors. It's a wonderfully simple formula that will appeal to gamers of all ages. It's far from a perfect game though. The graphics pale in comparison to other Game Boy Advance launch titles--the early levels look particularly dull. The developers opted for assigning passwords after each level, rather than letting players save their progress on the cartridge. The collision detection can be irksome--you'll swear that you've hit an enemy, only to watch him continue to assault you. Finally, most players will finish the game in a few days--some in just one. Army Men Advance is a poor choice for the hardcore gamer but casual and younger gamers are sure to enjoy its simplicity. --Raymond M Padilla Minimize

If you're a games developer, the Thunderbirds universe is s ... Read more

If you're a games developer, the Thunderbirds universe is something of a double-edged sword. On the one hand it's massively popular, has tons of cool hardware, and badly animating your main characters is not only tolerated but positively encouraged. On the other hand, there are hardly any guns involved at all. This doesn't seem to have stopped half the levels in this new game from being shoot-'em-ups, though you're reliably informed that the mountain of helicopters and tanks you dispatch are "robotic". Each of the different vehicles (Thunderbirds 1 to 4, FAB 1, FAB 2 and The Mole) are simulated via a different mini-game and when combined with the side-on character-based levels the game certainly does deliver in terms of variety. Despite all this it's only actually Thunderbird 2 that gets to do any actual rescuing, whether internationally or not. One might have hoped for a more cohesive game that stuck rather closer to the TV series' spirit, but this nevertheless remains a competent and diverse game. --David Jenkins Minimize

Treasure Planet is an action-adventure game that plays at a ... Read more

Treasure Planet is an action-adventure game that plays at a tilted "isometric" angle, and has many platform-game elements. As Jim Hawkins (a character from the Disney movie), you run around, jump a lot, pick up items and fight the likes of Meltdown, Noggin, Delilah and Rusty Robot. When riding your Solar Surfer, you can speed up, jump and shoot from your cannon. While the gameplay obviously involves some cartoony combat, Treasure Island is more an exploration-based puzzle-solving game--in fact, most of the special moves Jim can do aren't combat-based at all. For example, with your shape-shifting buddy Morph, you can do various combo "morph" moves such as seeing far away, jumping extra high, performing feats of amazing strength, lighting up dark areas and becoming a storm cloud. Treasure Planet captures the feeling of the movie quite well. The way the levels are set up, and the way the music sets the mood puts you right in the movie. And to really make you feel part of the action, there are actual cut-scenes from the movie. The only downside to the game is that there is no battery-save feature, though you can save your game via password. That aside, Treasure Planet is a great title for kids and any fan of the movie. --Bryan Karsh Minimize

Veteran skate master Tony Hawks has long been leading the w ... Read more

Veteran skate master Tony Hawks has long been leading the way in extreme-sports games. His third outing, imaginatively titled Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3, follows in the footsteps of its BAFTA-winning predecessor and offers more spectacular grinding and ollie action in the palm of your hand. Essentially a mini version of the game already out on PS2, GameCube and Xbox, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 on the GBA has opted for an isometric environment rather than 3-D; you also get less options than on the other formats, but there are still 13 real-life skating pros to choose from--including Tony himself, Rodney Mullen and Steve Caballero--plus different modes and lots of addictive gameplay to discover. Once you've picked your man you take him through his four-wheeled paces along a series of courses, completing a series of objectives in a given time limit while simultaneously trying to rack up as many points as possible. Like previous games in the series, these objectives include collecting items, performing particular tricks and generally grinding to greatness. In addition, if you don't fancy playing a pro there's the option to create your own skater, specifying everything from skin tone to tattoos. There are six main stages to complete in competition mode and, although this mightn't sound too impressive, there are lots of other modes to keep you busy, including a tutorial, multiplayer and free skate--not to mention all the secrets to unlock. Graphically, Tony Hawk's 3 is superb. Little touches like the bone-jarring shudders when you wipeout and the spots of blood on the pavement really make you want to try harder not to end up eating asphalt; the 3-D characters are sharp, the backgrounds beautifully rendered and the animation simply breathtaking. Overall, one of the best-looking and most playable games on the Game Boy Advance. --Kristen Bowditch Minimize

Pinobee's cute-as-a-button storyline, in which a famous hon ... Read more

Pinobee's cute-as-a-button storyline, in which a famous honeybee inventor creates a Pinocchio-like robot bee but gets kidnapped before he can install its heart, makes it stand out among other 2-D side-scrolling adventure games--but its gameplay never feels particularly innovative or surprising. As mentioned, the heart-less Pinobee must rescue his doddering inventor, Grampa Bee, through several stages of insect mayhem. He can jump and cling to walls, and has a "dash" ability that lets him briefly shoot forward through the air. The gameplay involves killing enemies, collecting power-ups and flowers for energy, darting about, and navigating puzzles and traps. He has an energy meter that counts down as he moves around--flowers replenish it--and if this reaches zero he becomes sluggish. Occasionally he'll run into a fairy that grants him new dash powers and a cricket that advances the story. There's also a diary you can read between levels that gives you a synopsis of Pinobee's search for his Grampa. While the game itself features a lot of inventive takes on the 2-D adventure genre, they are, at best, merely takes on what has come before. The diary is mostly useless, due to limp writing, which is probably itself the fault of poor translation from the original Japanese text. But Pinobee's cute and inoffensive nature makes it perfect for children. Also, Pinobee has the advantage of being one of the only non-sequel launch games for the Game Boy Advance; out of all the 2-D side scrollers you'll find at launch time--and there are quite a few of them--this is the only one you haven't played before. --Andrew S. Bub Minimize

Please note 3DS console required to play Starter Pack Inc ... Read more

Please note 3DS console required to play Starter Pack Includes: Skylanders Spyro's Adventure video game Unique 3DS Portal Of Power 3 Skylander Interaction Figures: Dark Spyro, Ignitor and Stealth Elf Poster featuring the army of Skylanders Interaction Figures 3 Trading Cards 1 Sticker Sheet 3 Web Codes USB Cable Game Features: Bring your Skylanders to life by placing them on the Portal Of Power Interaction Figures with brains: The Skylanders figures remember their in-game experiences and upgrades Skylanders Interaction Figures work with the Skylanders Spyro's Adventure video game and on the web in Skylanders Spyro's Universe. Over 30 Skylanders to collect. Skylanders Interaction figures and Adventure Packs work across all consoles 3DS Features: Unique 3DS adventure: Embark on a fantastical 3D adventure to the Radiant Isles, exploring mysterious lands, battling menacing creatures, and collecting treasures while on a quest to save the Isles from the malicious Hektore. Explore Magical Worlds: Discover a variety of vivid 3D environments containing unique platform challenges and intense combat encounters. Tag Team Character Action: Bring two Skylanders into the game at any time and instantly swap between them! Exclusive 3DS character: Dark Spyro, available exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS but playable with any version of Skylanders Spyro's Adventure Minimize

6 Fahrer mit ihren individuellen Fähigkeiten stehen Dir zur ... Read more

6 Fahrer mit ihren individuellen Fähigkeiten stehen Dir zur Auswahl und zwei weitere können freigespielt werden. Die verschiedenen Kurse führen durch die unterschiedlichen Teile der Erde, zudem musst Du durch gekonnte Tricks auch noch Geschick und Reaktion beweisen. Gegner können einfach durch Raketen ausgeschaltet werden und auch der Booster hilft auf dem turbulenten Weg zum Ziel. Minimize

Of course the GBA isn't quite up to emulating the 3-D glory ... Read more

Of course the GBA isn't quite up to emulating the 3-D glory of the original Tomb Raider games, but it does make a quite admirable attempt to portray the same action and atmosphere in the palm of your hand. The Prophesy's typically non-complex story has the lovely Lara Croft looking for the Black Stone, which as usual translates as a weak excuse for defiling lots of ancient tombs in exotic places. Starting out in Sweden, the game features a forced-perspective viewpoint which is not quite overhead and not quite proper isometric 3-D. It works very well, though, in enabling the same sort of level design seen in the original games. The control of Lara is generally excellent and despite the radical change in graphic style it still feels like the Tomb Raider of yore. Even the combat is the same, right down to the penchant for including endangered species as enemies. Of course it goes without saying that if you don't like Tomb Raider you won't like this, since it does absolutely nothing different than the previous titles, but if you're a fan you'll love it. --David Jenkins Minimize

The metal-mashing action goes handheld in Driver 2 Advance. ... Read more

The metal-mashing action goes handheld in Driver 2 Advance. Get back behind the wheel and back on the streets as Tanner, the world's fastest undercover driver. An international gang war has erupted, and you're caught in the crossfire. Experience all-new urban chaos as you dodge US and Brazilian gangsters. Minimize

Turn the world upside down! Yoshi's Island has been turned ... Read more

Turn the world upside down! Yoshi's Island has been turned into a picture book and Yoshi will not stand to have his world flattened. With aid from some friendly spirits, grab hold of this world to help. Tilt Yoshi through several wild levels, keeping to the path and challenging perils along the way. A Tilt Sensor in the Game Pak detects the orientation of th game and as you twist and turn, the entire world rotates around you. Minimize

Please note 3DS console required to play Starter Pack Inc ... Read more

Please note 3DS console required to play Starter Pack Includes: Skylanders Spyro's Adventure video game Unique 3DS Portal Of Power 3 Skylander Interaction Figures: Dark Spyro, Ignitor and Stealth Elf Poster featuring the army of Skylanders Interaction Figures 3 Trading Cards 1 Sticker Sheet 3 Web Codes USB Cable Game Features: Bring your Skylanders to life by placing them on the Portal Of Power Interaction Figures with brains: The Skylanders figures remember their in-game experiences and upgrades Skylanders Interaction Figures work with the Skylanders Spyro's Adventure video game and on the web in Skylanders Spyro's Universe. Over 30 Skylanders to collect. Skylanders Interaction figures and Adventure Packs work across all consoles 3DS Features: Unique 3DS adventure: Embark on a fantastical 3D adventure to the Radiant Isles, exploring mysterious lands, battling menacing creatures, and collecting treasures while on a quest to save the Isles from the malicious Hektore. Explore Magical Worlds: Discover a variety of vivid 3D environments containing unique platform challenges and intense combat encounters. Tag Team Character Action: Bring two Skylanders into the game at any time and instantly swap between them! Exclusive 3DS character: Dark Spyro, available exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS but playable with any version of Skylanders Spyro's Adventure Minimize