GBA Video Games
Game Boy Advance is the 6th generation portable console from Nintendo, a successor to Game Boy Color and the last device from the highly popular Game Boy family. It was released in North America and Europe in June 2001. GBA is one of the very few Nintendo’s consoles that managed to get popularity even in such ”exotic” regions of the world as Poland. It was succeeded by Nintendo Dual Screen in 2004.
The Sims 2 (GBA)
Simulation 24 October 2005
A sequel to the bestselling human life simulation game – The Sims (2000). The Sims 2 was developed by Maxis Studio (SimCity, EA Land, and others) in cooperation with the Electronic Arts company. Players again take care of virtual characters leading them through their entire lives – from early childhood till elderly age. The main goal is to achieve as high Life Score as possible, which stands for how well a sim leads his/her life. When compared with its predecessor, The Sims 2 offers much more complex character creator and a wider array of available objects. A new, more efficient game engine allowed for presenting the life of the sims in fully 3D graphics.
Need for Speed: Most Wanted (2005) (GBA)
Racing 15 November 2005
The ninth installment in a legendary racing game franchise created by Electronic Arts company. After two Underground games, featuring illegal night street races, the franchise went back to its roots, combining ideas from the two most recent titles with classic elements. The player’s goal is to climb to the top of a black list of the most wanted drivers. Again you get to explore a huge virtual city, taking on different racing challenges. These include circuit, sprint, drag, elimination, time trial, speed challenge, and police pursuit. After completing enough of these you can challenge subsequent drivers from the black list. Apart from elements typical for the series, such as licensed cars and diverse soundtrack, the game features complex car customization, both in terms of appearance and performance.
Need for Speed: Underground 2 (GBA)
Racing 16 November 2004
A sequel to Need for Speed: Underground, a best-selling 2003 game from Electronic Arts, which changed the shape of one of the most popular car racing franchises. The game takes you to a virtual metropolis that thrives after dark. For the first time in the history of the franchise, the city is completely open for exploration. As you ride around its streets you can challenge the drivers you meet on the way or learn more about the favorite locations of the street racing community. The gameplay mechanics did not change much; rather, the developers focused on an even more detailed recreations of licensed cars and car parts used for tuning. The game’s graphics were noticeably improved, featuring all sorts of new visual effects. The soundtrack keeps equally high level, as usually featuring songs by famous artists across a wide spectrum of genres.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (GBA)
Action 26 June 2007
Published by Electronic Arts, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is a game based on the fifth movie following the adventures of a young wizard. Similarly to all the previous installments, the game is available on multiple platforms and follows the formula developed by the previous Harry Potter games – players get at their disposal an action adventure game, in which they observe the action from the third person perspective.
Max Payne (GBA)
Action 18 December 2003
Max Payne is a third-person perspective action game developed by the Finnish studio Remedy Entertainment. The protagonist is an undercover DEA agent whose task is to locate the source of Valkyr - a deadly new drug. Personally, Max is also seeking revenge against the murderers of his family. He falls victim to a conspiracy and gets accused of killing his supervisor. The creators were inspired by the crime stories from the 1940s and 1950s, Pulp novels, and the movie, The Matrix. The gameplay focuses on very dynamic sequences of spectacular shootings. An innovative gameplay mechanism is the bullet-time effect which allows the player to slow down the passage of time for a short while in order to perform quick movements, such as jumps or dodges.
Need for Speed Carbon: Own the City (GBA)
Racing 01 November 2006
The tenth installment in the bestselling racing game series originally launched back in 1995. The game lets you play as the main protagonist of the previous game. He returns to his home city only to find his domestic street racing scene taken over by rivaling gangs. As you take on new racing challenges, you take back your home town one district at a time. The game’s mechanics employ the well-proven solutions introduced by its predecessors, while introducing several new elements at the same time. Those include, first and foremost, canyon duels, which require much attention, as it is possible to run through the traffic barriers and roll down the slope. The other novelty is the team; you can assemble your own crew, and its members can aid you during races, e.g. by blocking your rivals. Additionally, the game features cut-scenes with real actors, several dozen licensed car models, as well as vast car customization options. Regarding the latter, Autosculpt module lets you modify almost any element of the car body.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (GBA)
Action 14 November 2002
The second installment of the video game series following the adventures of Harry Potter based on the books written by J.K. Rowling. Young wizard, who is about to start his second year at Hogwarts, is bound to encounter new challenges.
Tomb Raider: Legend (GBA)
Action 10 November 2006
The seventh major installment of the Tomb Raider series. As the previous parts of the game were not received very well, a new studio – Crystal Dynamics, with Toby Gard, the creator of the original series, in its ranks – was entrusted with the game. Setting-wise, the title goes back to its roots, which means exploring ancient tombs and catacombs. During the gameplay you will visit a number of exotic locations, including Himalayas, Bolivia, Peru, Japan, Ghana, Malaysia, England, and Kazakhstan. The production offers new skills, weapons, and a whole new range of useful gadgets unavailable before. Lara’s character has also changed, both mentally and visually. The graphics are powered by a new engine, which allows for bigger interaction with the environment and changing weather conditions.
Dragon Ball Z: The Legacy of Goku (GBA)
RPG 14 May 2002
A two-dimensional RPG created by Webfoot studio, based on the cult-classic manga by Akira Toriyama. The player assumes the role of Goku, an undefeated fighter, and re-lives the events seen in the animated series. We begin our journey battling Raditz, and then visit the nether world on the King Kai’s planet. The next stops include encounters with Nappa and Vegeta, and duel with Freezer on Namek. In all, we visit sixteen different locations, completing various main and side quests. These events are rewarded with experience points, which can be used to develop our hero. During combat, we make use of a wide range of attacks and combinations, including the trademark energy wave, known as “kamehameha”. Additionally, the list of available attacks is complemented by the ability to transform into so called “super fighter”. Dragon Ball Z: The Legacy of Goku can be praised for its colorful visuals, inspired by the works of the world-famous mangaka.
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (GBA)
RPG 05 November 2003
An action game with RPG elements – The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, developed by Visceral Games in cooperation with EA Redwood Shores, is based on the license of a hit movie by the same name. The game allows the players to assume roles of over a dozen characters known from the silver screen – one can play as Frodo, Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas, and many others. Player’s task is to destroy The Ring of Power and defeat the Dark Lord Sauron. The gameplay builds on battles against hordes of enemies. All the bloodshed takes place across twelve diverse battlefields – these include Minas Tirith, Fields of Pelennor, The Black Gate and The Path of the Dead. As the story progresses, one can develop particular characters, gaining access to more powerful combos that can be used in all the battles to come. An additional treat, featured in the PC / Windows and home consoles releases of the game, are the cutscenes taken from the third part of The Lord of the Rings movie trilogy, along with the soundtrack composed by Howard Shore. The players can enjoy this experience either in a single player mode, or accompanied by one more player.
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (GBA)
Adventure 30 October 2003
An action adventure game which is a remake of the 1989's Prince of Persia, one of the most popular platformers of all time, originally developed Broberbund Software. The game was created by Ubisoft Motreal and Jordan Mechner – the father of the original game, who worked on The Sands of Time as consultant and lead designer. The game tells a story of the eponymous Prince who accidentally releases the legendary Sands of Time, a mystical artifact that poses a terrible threat to the world. With the help of the beautiful princess Farah, the protagonist has to make up for his mistake and bring back order to his land by facing various creatures and dangers. Gameplay of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time is seen from the third-person perspective and features fully 3D graphics. During the course of the game, the hero makes use of the supernatural power to control the time. The creators emphasize their effort to recreate the characteristic elements of the original title, like realistic animations and combat system.
Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow (GBA)
Action 06 May 2003
Another entry in a classic platform series from Konami and a third part of the trilogy developed with Game Boy Advance console users in mind. The main hero of Castelvania: Aria of Sorrow is Soma Cruz, who loses consciousness during the first eclipse of the 21st century and wakes up in a mysterious Medieval castle. It turns out that the eclipse had a lot to do with dark forces, and the solitary protagonist has to find a way out of the fortress, while dealing with legions of various enemies. In terms of game mechanics, the title doesn’t differ much from previous productions from the Castlevania series, combining arcade slasher with RPG features. During the game, our hero can use different types of weapons, attacks and spells gained as we progress through the game. Enemies we face are greatly varied and require equally varied tactics.
