10 Best Licensed GBA Games, Ranked

I’m sure many of you are already aware of this, but we gamers have generally experienced mixed results from licensed game adaptations. You’d hope that taking some popular series and bringing them to a console would be magical, but there are plenty that are dreadful.

Thankfully, that’s not the case for all licensed game adaptations, and fortunately, there were a few fun ones that released during the Game Boy Advance era.

This list includes adaptations of popular movies, cartoon series, fantasy novels, and more on the GBA. But the glue that holds them all together is that, somehow, these GBA-licensed game adaptations are all well worth checking out.

10

Ghost Rider

Nic Cage Is On Fire!

While some of the earlier Marvel movies were unpredictable at best, I wound up enjoying the first Ghost Rider. Nicolas Cage’s tendency to be overly dramatic fit right in a world where he was a demonic anti-hero with a flaming skull for a head.

You’ll make your way through dangerous locales both on foot and riding your Hellcycle, fighting a range of foes from both the movie and the comic book itself. Then you’ll have Johnny swing his wicked chain to smash everything in sight.

Even though this game was pretty basic, it’s also far preferable to the PSP version of the game. It satisfied with arcade-styled combat and vibrant aesthetics.

9

The Simpsons: Road Rage

Grand Theft Simpsons

The Simpsons are known for many things, but generally, that doesn’t include driving. I mean, other than Otto’s bus and the like. It’s more a series known for comedy than anything, but it got a dose of diesel with The Simpsons: Road Rage.

Like usual, in the game, Mr. Burns’ greed and schemes are set to ruin the town, this time with radioactive buses. So the townsfolk decided it was safer to drive themselves, way before ridesharing was a thing.

The game has you doing your best to ferry people around while avoiding obstacles like Mr. Burns’ limo trying to ram into you, and the aforementioned dangerous buses. You’ll always be racing the clock, but doing well helps you unlock more iconic characters and their vehicles.

Add in some missions and multiplayer mayhem, and this is a worthy tribute to a classic cartoon series.

8

Avatar: The Last Airbender

Elemental Resurgence

Unlike most of the series featured in this list, I got into Avatar: The Last Airbender long after it first aired. I just didn’t think it was for me until I watched it and fell in love with Aang and his elementally powered band of misfits.

THQ published a pretty solid GBA adventure for Aang and company simply called Avatar: The Last Airbender. What was interesting is that, stylistically, it played and looked a lot like a lost Legend of Zelda game.

Fans got to not just play as the Airbender himself, but also Katara, Haru, and Sokka, using each of their trademark weapons and fighting styles in battle. You can even learn new abilities as you progress.

The only downside to the game is that it feels a bit half-finished, story-wise. But it’s still a faithful experience for fans of the series.

7

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Harry Potter and the Turn-Based RPG

As a gamer of a certain age, I pretty much grew up reading the Harry Potter books. And say what you will about the author nowadays, but those books still hold up as enjoyable fantasy fare.

What’s surprising, then, is that there aren’t more great videogame adaptations of the series, though the GBA version of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was a lot of fun.

In large part, that’s because it was a traditional turn-based RPG, with Harry and company slinging spells against giant rats, Dementors, and more. It also had an attractive visual style that I would love to see more often.

While perhaps not wholly faithful to the book it was based on, there’s still something to be said for letting fans jump into the shoes of their favorite characters in such a fashion.

6

SpongeBob SquarePants: Revenge of the Flying Dutchman

Constantly Blowing Bubbles

I’ll be honest – I’m not a big SpongeBob SquarePants fan, though I know I’m probably in the minority. That said, pretty much anything can make a solid videogame, which brings us to a GBA adventure called SpongeBob SquarePants: Revenge of the Flying Dutchman.

The game features the signature hijinks of SpongeBob and company, and involves him mistaking the titular Dutchman for a genie of the lamp, and thus getting tricked into recovering his pirate treasure.

What makes the game fun, other than the colorful artwork, is that it’s a solid platformer. SpongeBob can use bubbles to encase foes as platforms, ride them, and even use them to damage enemies. He’ll also get plenty of secondary items like a net to nab things with.

Throw in a handful of silly but engaging boss battles, and you have a great little platformer; one that holds up much better than the console versions of SpongeBob SquarePants: Revenge of the Flying Dutchman.

5

Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas: The Pumpkin King

This Is Halloween!

One of my favorite movies of all time is The Nightmare Before Christmas. And while there have been a couple of videogame adaptations over the years, the one that felt most relevant was The Nightmare Before Christmas: The Pumpkin King.

This GBA adventure takes place a year before the events of the movie, but still revolves around Lock, Shock, and Barrel as well as Oogie Boogie. Better yet, the game features some remastered tunes based on the movie and features creepy and delightfully macabre visuals.

Best of all, though, is that, for all intents and purposes, The Nightmare Before Christmas: The Pumpkin King is a Metroidvania! Jack Skellington will utilize a mini-map, get new tools, and even team up with his helpful hound, Zero.

4

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

Tolkien via Diablo

Fans have come to associate a lot of different things with Tolkien’s writing, but generally speaking, the Diablo series isn’t one of them. But that’s exactly what The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers video game brought courtesy of the GBA.

Featuring a top-down style starring Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli, this adventure features robust upgrades and powerful spells to save your behind. Allowing players to learn and equip numerous skills made the game more dynamic and fun.

Mix in a compelling visual style and some powerful foes to defeat, and you have a fun little nod to an iconic series. Especially if you play it with friends courtesy of a GBA link cable.

3

Dragon Ball Z: The Legacy of Goku II

Legacy of Greatness

I can still remember the first time I saw a Dragon Ball cartoon. It was back when I was in college, which meant waking up super early to take the bus to campus. And while gathering my thoughts, I turned on my TV and was astounded by the loud spectacle of the show.

Though Dragon Ball Z: The Legacy of Goku II doesn’t play like you might imagine from the show, it’s a faithful little ARPG adventure. You’ll run around as Trunks, Vegeta, Piccolo, Gohan, and Goku fighting dangerous androids and eventually going toe to toe with Cell.

Leveling up your characters helps them become more powerful, and, of course, you can go Super Saiyan and wallop the opposition. Best of all, though, is that the game features several side quests to flesh out the adventure and even go outside the bounds of the television show.

2

Disney’s Lilo & Stitch

Stitch Goes Metal Slug

Sometimes, the best things are unexpected successes. Such as when Digital Eclipse took the Lilo & Stitch franchise and mixed it together with action from the Metal Slug series on GBA.

The game is all about Lilo getting kidnapped by a nasty alien named Dr. Pestus, and Stitch going on a rampage to rescue her. The game is all run and gun for Stitch, while there’s some light stealth action for Lilo.

I should say, while all the games featured on this list have some great style, Disney’s Lilo & Stitch is remarkably fun and full of colorful details. Whether you’re running around or riding giant gravity-defying motorbikes, this is a charming adventure.

1

Astro Boy: Omega Factor

A Robotic Treasure

Though I’m especially fond of many of the games on this list, the only one I truly adore is Astro Boy: Omega Factor. Not because I’m a giant Astro Boy nut, but because when a game is made by the folks at Treasure, it’s almost always exceptional.

Not only is Astro Boy: Omega Factor a game full of gorgeous artwork and pumping music, but it’s spread across several fast-paced levels. Best of all, though, are the over-the-top boss battles peppered throughout the game, ranging from giant insects to Garon himself.

This is not an easy game by any stretch, but at least Astro is well-armed with punches, kicks, and powerful lasers. Once your EX gauge is full, you can utterly devastate everything on screen, which is a necessary technique to survive the aforementioned boss battles.

Honestly, games like this are why I’m so fond of portable adventures like those found on the GBA.