25 Best Game Boy Advance (GBA) Games for Retro Handhelds

The Game Boy Advance was a portable powerhouse. It squeezed near-SNES-quality games into a device you could hold in one hand, and its library is packed with all-time classics — from sprawling RPGs to perfect platformers. The only thing the original GBA lacked? A backlit screen.

That is where a modern retro handheld changes everything. Playing the GBA library on a device like the R36S means a bright, crisp IPS display, save states, adjustable brightness, and rechargeable battery life — the way these games always deserved to be played. And because GBA emulation is extremely light, every game here runs flawlessly.

Here are 25 of the best Game Boy Advance games to load up on your handheld.

RPGs

The GBA is an RPG goldmine, and these games can keep you busy for dozens of hours — ideal for a handheld you can pick up any time.

• Pokemon Emerald — The definitive Gen 3 Pokemon adventure, combining Ruby and Sapphire with the Battle Frontier. Hundreds of hours of monster-collecting bliss.
• Pokemon FireRed / LeafGreen — Beautiful remakes of the original Kanto adventure. The perfect place to relive (or start) your Pokemon journey.
• Golden Sun — A gorgeous, puzzle-heavy JRPG with a brilliant Djinn-based combat system and stunning summon animations.
• Golden Sun: The Lost Age — The bigger, better sequel that completes the story. One of the best RPGs on the system.
• Fire Emblem — The game that introduced the West to the series. Tense, tactical and addictive permadeath strategy.
• Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones — More accessible than its predecessor, with branching paths and a world map to explore.
• Final Fantasy VI Advance — The enhanced port of the SNES masterpiece, with extra content. An essential RPG on the go.
• Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga — A hilarious, action-packed RPG with timing-based combat and brilliant writing.

Platformers

The GBA platformer library is one of the best ever assembled.

• Metroid Fusion — Tense, atmospheric and tightly designed. A masterclass in 2D exploration and one of the best games on the system.
• Metroid: Zero Mission — A gorgeous remake of the original Metroid with modern controls and new content.
• Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow — The high point of "Metroidvania" Castlevania, with a brilliant soul-collecting system.
• Castlevania: Circle of the Moon — A moody, challenging launch title that proved the GBA could deliver deep adventures.
• Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 — Arguably the greatest Mario game, with the GBA's vibrant colours and pristine controls.
• Wario Land 4 — Inventive, weird and wonderful. A puzzle-platformer brimming with personality.
• Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land — A cheerful, colourful remake that is endlessly approachable.
• Sonic Advance — Fast, faithful Sonic action that captures the Mega Drive magic on the move.

Action & Adventure

• The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap — A charming, gorgeous Zelda with a shrinking mechanic and inventive dungeons. A handheld highlight.
• The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past & Four Swords — The SNES classic, perfectly portable, with a bonus multiplayer mode.
• Mega Man Zero — Fast, demanding and stylish action with a brilliant combat system for series veterans.
• Astro Boy: Omega Factor — An underrated gem with frantic action and surprising depth. A hidden treasure.

Puzzle, Racing & Fighting

• Mario Kart: Super Circuit — Loads of tracks (including every SNES course) and quick, satisfying races. Perfect for short sessions.
• F-Zero: Maximum Velocity — Blistering futuristic racing that pushes the GBA hardware hard.
• Tetris Worlds — The timeless puzzler in your pocket. Ideal for quick bursts on a commute.
• Street Fighter Alpha 3 — A surprisingly strong portable fighter with a huge roster.
• Advance Wars — A turn-based strategy masterpiece. Bite-sized battles that hide enormous depth — perfect for handheld play.

Why GBA Games Shine on a Retro Handheld

There is a real argument that GBA games are better on a modern handheld than they were on the original hardware:

• A backlit screen at last — The original GBA's dim, non-lit screen was its biggest flaw. The R36S's bright IPS panel makes these games pop with colour.
• Save states — No more grinding to the next save point. Pause Fire Emblem mid-battle and resume any time.
• Perfect performance — GBA emulation is light, so every title runs at full speed even on the entry-level R36S.
• Hundreds pre-loaded — The whole GBA catalogue comes ready to play on the included SD card. No downloads needed.

Want a larger display for those long RPGs? The R36S Max offers a roomy 4.0-inch screen, and the R36S Ultra layers WiFi and Bluetooth on top. All three handle the entire GBA library effortlessly.

Tips for the Best GBA Experience

GBA games are simple to enjoy on the R36S, but a few small touches make a noticeable difference. First, take a moment to try the display filters. The GBA's pixel art was designed for a small, low-resolution screen, so a light "LCD grid" or sub-pixel shader can recreate the soft, authentic look of the original handheld — while leaving the filters off gives you a cleaner, sharper image. There is no wrong choice; it comes down to taste, so experiment with a colourful game like Pokemon Emerald and see which you prefer.

Second, get into the habit of using in-game saves for Pokemon and RPGs rather than relying only on save states. Some Pokemon titles behave best when you save through the in-game menu, and mixing both methods gives you a reliable safety net. Third, remember that the GBA's button layout maps neatly onto the R36S, including the L and R shoulder buttons that games like Golden Sun and Advance Wars lean on — you will not need to remap anything for the vast majority of the library.

Finally, because GBA emulation barely taxes the hardware, you can comfortably leave the screen brightness a little higher than you might for heavier systems and still get a full day of play out of a single charge. These games sip battery, which makes the GBA library ideal for travel, commutes and long lazy afternoons on the sofa.

Where to Buy Your Handheld

A quick buying tip. Plenty of budget clone handhelds are shipped straight from China, taking weeks to arrive and frequently turning up faulty or with a dead SD card. At GameBro we keep every console in UK stock and deliver in just 2–3 days — tested, pre-loaded with thousands of games (every GBA classic above included) and bundled with a free protective hardcase.

The Game Boy Advance gave us pocket-sized masterpieces, and a modern retro handheld finally lets us enjoy them in full colour with the conveniences they always deserved.

Ready to dive in? Explore the full range at the GameBro shop, or grab our best-selling R36S. For recommendations across every other system too, see our 50 Best Games to Play on Your R36S guide.