Quick answer: Four Game Boy Advance games appear on all five of the major “best GBA games” lists we compared: Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap and Final Fantasy Tactics Advance. Advance Wars, Metroid Fusion and Metroid: Zero Mission are on four of the five and near the top of every ranked list. A loose cartridge of a top-25 game has a median price of about $50.00, but Pokémon Emerald is $219.99 loose. 12 of the 25 are in the Nintendo Switch Online GBA library, which is usually the cheapest legal way to play them.
What this page adds: a combined ranking (not one site’s opinion), today’s cartridge prices for every game, the easiest way to play each one now, which games were never sold in Europe, and how to avoid the fake Pokémon cartridges that flood eBay. Prices are PriceCharting averages on 29 October 2026 and move every week, so treat them as a guide.
Affiliate links: if you buy through the Amazon links on this page we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We link a charger search, not games, because second-hand cartridge prices vary too much by seller.
How did we rank the best GBA games?
We did not invent a ranking. We combined five published lists, ordered the games by how many of them include each game, and broke ties by average position on the three lists that are ranked:
- IGN’s top 25 Game Boy Advance games (ranked; updated 18 March 2025)
- GamesRadar’s 25 best GBA games (ranked; updated 4 March 2026)
- Nintendo Life’s 50 best GBA games (ranked by Nintendo Life readers’ ratings; updated 28 July 2026)
- Kotaku’s 15 best GBA games (unranked; updated 23 March 2026)
- Polygon’s 14 best GBA games (unranked; February 2022)
We treated Pokémon Ruby/Sapphire, Emerald and FireRed/LeafGreen as separate games because the lists do. Prices come from PriceCharting. Nintendo Switch Online availability is from Nintendo’s own Game Boy Advance – Nintendo Classics page, checked on 29 October 2026, when it listed 32 games.
The 25 best GBA games, ranked
| # | Game (year) | On how many lists | Loose / complete price | Easiest way to play today |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow (2003) | 5 of 5 | $80.00 / $220.00 | Castlevania Advance Collection (2021) |
| 2 | Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga (2003) | 5 of 5 | $27.50 / $98.88 | Switch Online GBA library |
| 3 | The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap (2004) | 5 of 5 | $99.99 / $272.07 | Switch Online GBA library |
| 4 | Final Fantasy Tactics Advance (2003) | 5 of 5 | $23.31 / $73.16 | Original cartridge only |
| 5 | Advance Wars (2001) | 4 of 5 | $33.92 / $89.50 | Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp (Switch, 2023) |
| 6 | Metroid Fusion (2002) | 4 of 5 | $50.00 / $158.12 | Switch Online GBA library |
| 7 | Metroid: Zero Mission (2004) | 4 of 5 | $79.50 / $221.25 | Switch Online GBA library |
| 8 | WarioWare: Twisted! (2004) | 4 of 5 | $71.60 / $162.50 | Original cartridge only (gyro sensor in the cart) |
| 9 | Astro Boy: Omega Factor (2003) | 4 of 5 | $70.00 / $157.50 | Original cartridge only |
| 10 | Golden Sun (2001) | 4 of 5 | $29.99 / $119.50 | Switch Online GBA library |
| 11 | Final Fantasy VI Advance (2006) | 3 of 5 | $75.20 / $149.98 | Original cartridge; Final Fantasy VI Pixel Remaster is a different version |
| 12 | Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 (2001) | 3 of 5 | $9.85 / $29.00 | Original cartridge only |
| 13 | Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire (2002) | 3 of 5 | $86.81 / $469.18 | Original cartridge; 3DS remakes (2014) |
| 14 | Fire Emblem (The Blazing Blade) (2003) | 3 of 5 | $60.00 / $278.40 | Switch Online GBA library |
| 15 | Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2 (2001) | 3 of 5 | $22.17 / $54.71 | Switch Online GBA library |
| 16 | Mario vs. Donkey Kong (2004) | 3 of 5 | $20.62 / $64.79 | Switch Online GBA library; Switch remake (2024) |
| 17 | Drill Dozer (2005) | 3 of 5 | $110.00 / $204.50 | Original cartridge only (rumble in the cart) |
| 18 | Harvest Moon: Friends of Mineral Town (2003) | 3 of 5 | $27.34 / $88.47 | Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town remake (Switch) |
| 19 | Pokémon Emerald (2004) | 2 of 5 | $219.99 / $730.02 | Original cartridge only |
| 20 | The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past & Four Swords (2002) | 2 of 5 | $29.49 / $95.00 | Switch Online GBA library |
| 21 | Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen (2004) | 2 of 5 | $100.00 / $349.99 | Switch eShop, $19.99 each (Feb 2026) |
| 22 | Mother 3 (2006) | 2 of 5 | $50.00 / $88.00 | Japan only: Japanese cartridge or Japanese Switch Online |
| 23 | WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$! (2003) | 2 of 5 | $31.49 / $99.44 | Switch Online GBA library |
| 24 | Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 (2003) | 2 of 5 | $20.00 / $76.61 | Switch Online GBA library |
| 25 | Yoshi’s Island: Super Mario Advance 3 (2002) | 2 of 5 | $17.93 / $75.44 | Switch Online GBA library |
“Loose” means the cartridge only; “complete” means cartridge, box and manual. “Switch Online GBA library” means the game is in Game Boy Advance – Nintendo Classics, which needs a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership and works on Switch and Switch 2.
If you only play five
- Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow. Second on IGN, fifth on GamesRadar and on all five lists (only Advance Wars also makes the top five of both). A cartridge is $80.00 loose, but the Castlevania Advance Collection (2021, on Switch, PlayStation, Xbox and PC) has it alongside Circle of the Moon and Harmony of Dissonance.
- Metroid Fusion. GamesRadar’s number one and second on Nintendo Life. It is in the Switch Online library, so you do not need to pay $50.00 for a cartridge.
- The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap. Second on GamesRadar, fifth on Nintendo Life and on all five lists. It is also one of the dearer cartridges at $99.99 loose, so most people should play it on Switch Online.
- Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga. A comedy RPG with timed-button battles, and on all five lists. At $27.50 loose it is one of the cheaper top-ten cartridges.
- Advance Wars. Third on GamesRadar and fourth on IGN. Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp on Switch remakes it together with Black Hole Rising.
What do the best GBA games cost now?
- Cheapest classics: Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 ($9.85 loose), Yoshi’s Island ($17.93), Super Mario Advance 4 ($20.00), Mario vs. Donkey Kong ($20.62), Super Mario Advance 2 ($22.17) and Final Fantasy Tactics Advance ($23.31). Big sales numbers keep these cheap.
- The expensive ones: Pokémon Emerald ($219.99 loose, $730.02 complete), Drill Dozer ($110.00), FireRed ($100.00), The Minish Cap ($99.99), Pokémon Ruby ($86.81; Sapphire $84.98), Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow ($80.00) and Metroid: Zero Mission ($79.50).
- Check for a cheaper version first. FireRed and LeafGreen have been sold on the Switch eShop since 27 February 2026 at $19.99 each (Nintendo), against $100.00 for a loose US cartridge. Counting the 12 in Switch Online, the Castlevania Advance Collection, FireRed/LeafGreen and the Advance Wars and Harvest Moon remakes, 16 of these 25 can be played on a current console without hunting for a cartridge.
For console values, see our guides to what a Game Boy Advance is worth and what a GBA SP is worth.
Why did the top 10 make it?
- Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow (2003). The last and best-liked of the three GBA Castlevanias. Its “soul” system lets you steal enemy abilities. Second on IGN.
- Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga (2003). AlphaDream’s first Mario & Luigi game. You control both brothers at once, one button each, in and out of battle.
- The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap (2004 in Europe, 2005 in the US). Made by Capcom’s Flagship studio. Link shrinks to the size of the Minish to explore the same areas at two scales.
- Final Fantasy Tactics Advance (2003). A grid-based tactics RPG built for the GBA. It is the only top-five game with no re-release on a current console, which is why the cartridge is still easy to find at $23.31.
- Advance Wars (2001). Intelligent Systems’ turn-based war game, and the series’ first release outside Japan. It came out in the US on 10 September 2001 (IGN).
- Metroid Fusion (2002). A more guided, tense Metroid set on a space station, with the shape-shifting SA-X chasing you.
- Metroid: Zero Mission (2004). A remake of the first Metroid. Nintendo Life readers rank it the best GBA game of all.
- WarioWare: Twisted! (2004). IGN’s number one. The cartridge has a gyro sensor, so you tilt the whole console to play, which is why it needs the real cartridge.
- Astro Boy: Omega Factor (2003). A Treasure and Hitmaker action game based on Osamu Tezuka’s characters. Seventh on GamesRadar.
- Golden Sun (2001). Camelot’s RPG with “Psynergy” puzzles. Its sequel, The Lost Age, is seventh on Nintendo Life, one place above it, and both are on Switch Online.
Which top GBA games were never sold in Europe?
UK buyers should know that three of the 25 never had a European release:
| Game | Released in | Legal way to play it in the UK today |
|---|---|---|
| WarioWare: Twisted! | Japan, North America | Import cartridge (GBA games are not region-locked) |
| Drill Dozer | Japan, North America | Import cartridge |
| Mother 3 | Japan only (2006), Japanese text | Japanese cartridge ($50.00 loose); it is only on Japanese Switch Online |
The Game Boy Advance has no region lock, so a US or Japanese cartridge works in a UK console. The Minish Cap even reached Europe (12 November 2004) two months before the US (10 January 2005), according to Nintendo Life.
How can you play GBA games today?
| Option | Best for | What it costs | Catches |
|---|---|---|---|
| An original GBA, GBA SP or Game Boy Micro | Collectors, and games with no re-release (Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, Astro Boy, Emerald, WarioWare: Twisted!) | A console plus cartridges | The original AGB-001 has no screen light; the SP AGS-001 is front-lit; only the SP AGS-101 and the Micro are backlit |
| Game Boy Player on a GameCube | Playing cartridges on a TV | A GameCube plus the Game Boy Player add-on | Needs a GameCube video solution for modern TVs |
| Nintendo Switch Online GBA library | 12 of these 25, plus online multiplayer in some | Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack (£34.99 a year in the UK) | 32 games; you lose them if the membership ends |
| Re-releases and remakes | The least effort for Castlevania, Advance Wars, FireRed/LeafGreen and Harvest Moon | Varies by game | Some are remakes, not the GBA original |
| Analogue Pocket or a GBA emulator | A modern screen with your own cartridges | Varies | Emulators must use games you own; emulation cannot fully copy Twisted!’s tilt sensor or Drill Dozer’s rumble |
Which GBA should you buy? If you want a real console, the GBA SP AGS-101 is the usual pick because it is the backlit SP (the earlier AGS-001 lights the screen from the front). The model number is printed on the label on the back of the console. Many original AGB-001 consoles are now sold with aftermarket IPS screens fitted. For more on screens and handhelds, see our guide to the best handhelds for Game Boy games. An SP also needs its own charger, which is a different plug from the DS Lite: check the price of GBA SP chargers on Amazon.
Want it on Switch? Our guide to getting retro games on Nintendo Switch covers the Switch Online libraries.
How do you spot a fake GBA Pokémon cartridge?
The Pokémon games are the most faked GBA cartridges because they are the most valuable. Check before you pay $219.99 for Emerald:
- Read the label code. Genuine US cartridges carry a code such as AGB-BPEE-USA (Emerald), AGB-BPRE-USA (FireRed), AGB-BPGE-USA (LeafGreen), AGB-AXVE-USA (Ruby) or AGB-AXPE-USA (Sapphire). A missing or wrong code is a bad sign.
- Look at the screw. Genuine GBA cartridges use a single tri-wing (Y-shaped) screw. Phillips screws or no screw usually mean a fake or a cartridge that has been opened.
- Check the board. If the seller will show inside, a genuine board is marked “Nintendo” and has the chip layout of the real game; fakes often use a generic board that keeps saves with a coin battery instead of flash memory.
- Test the save. Some fakes fail to save, or lose the save after the battery-backed memory runs down.
Our guide on how to spot fake retro game cartridges has checklists for other systems too.
“The internal battery has run dry” on Ruby, Sapphire or Emerald. These three games have a real-time clock powered by a small battery in the cartridge. When it dies, time-based events (berry growth, tides and some daily events) stop, but your save is kept, because it is stored in flash memory, not by the battery. FireRed and LeafGreen have no clock, so they never show this message.
Honourable mentions
These are on two of the five lists but ranked below the 25, or very high on one list: Mario Kart: Super Circuit (9th on GamesRadar), Golden Sun: The Lost Age (7th on Nintendo Life), Advance Wars 2: Black Hole Rising, Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land, Mario Golf: Advance Tour (6th on IGN), Castlevania: Circle of the Moon (14th on Nintendo Life) and Rhythm Tengoku (Japan only).
Related guides
- How much is a Game Boy Advance worth?
- Best handhelds for Game Boy games
- Game Boy no sound fix
- Best GameCube games of all time
- Best N64 games of all time
- Best PS2 games of all time
Sources: IGN, GamesRadar, Nintendo Life, Kotaku and Polygon lists; PriceCharting loose and complete prices on 29 October 2026; Nintendo’s Game Boy Advance – Nintendo Classics page and FireRed/LeafGreen announcement; publisher announcements for re-releases. We ranked the games from published lists and did not play them for this article.
FAQ
What is the best GBA game of all time?
It depends on the list. IGN picks WarioWare: Twisted!, GamesRadar picks Metroid Fusion and Nintendo Life readers pick Metroid: Zero Mission. Across all five lists we combined, Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow ranks highest, because it is on every list and in the top five of both IGN and GamesRadar.
What are the top 5 GBA games?
By agreement across IGN, GamesRadar, Nintendo Life, Kotaku and Polygon: Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap, Final Fantasy Tactics Advance and Advance Wars.
Which GBA games are on Nintendo Switch Online?
On 29 October 2026 Nintendo listed 32 GBA games for Switch Online + Expansion Pack, including Metroid Fusion, Metroid: Zero Mission, The Minish Cap, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, Golden Sun, Fire Emblem and Mario Kart: Super Circuit. The latest additions (14 October 2026) were Metal Slug Advance, Monster Rancher Advance and Kururin Paradise.
Why is Pokémon Emerald so expensive?
It is the most wanted third-generation Pokémon game and has never been re-released. On 29 October 2026 a loose US cartridge averaged $219.99 on PriceCharting, which also makes it the most faked, so check the label code AGB-BPEE-USA and the tri-wing screw.
Are GBA games region-locked?
No. Game Boy Advance cartridges from any region play on any GBA, GBA SP or Game Boy Micro, so UK players can import Japan or US-only games such as WarioWare: Twisted! and Drill Dozer.
Can a Nintendo DS play GBA games?
The original DS and the DS Lite have a GBA cartridge slot (Slot-2) and play GBA games. The DSi, DSi XL and 3DS do not have that slot.