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The GBA's Last Stand
Written by Justin Davis on Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Think the GBA is dead? Think again. We take a look at 11 stylish GBA titles, all due out in 2006. Get that rumble pak out of your DS's GBA slot!
Quick: which handheld system topped April in sales? The PSP, thanks to it's strong March momentum from Persuit Force, Daxter, and other AAA titles? Maybe it was the DS, thanks to the late-March release of Metroid Prime: Hunters and Tetris DS, or the launch of Brain Age?
The fact is the GBA actually outsold both next-gen handhelds last month. Nintendo's "other" handheld outsells its newer, flashier competition more often than not, in fact. It may sound strange, since the DS actually plays GBA carts. Where are all these sales coming from? Why don't the buyers just save a little more money and get themselves a DS?
I don't pretend to have all the answers, but I think the GBA's continued success can the attributed to one thing: dollar for dollar, the GBA is probably the single best value currently available in the videogame industry. Think about it. For the price of a DS you can pick up a brand new GBA and three SNES classics including Super Mario World or Yoshi Island. GBA hits such as Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories are also just $19.99, now.
Access to that back-library is only half the story, however. If you thought the system was dead, only receiving support from companies putting out children's titles and licensed TV show platformers, think again. The GBA has a surprisingly robust line-up for the rest of 06. Hardcore gamers will need to wait at least one more year to abandon the platform, and more casual handheld gamers can rest easy, knowing that they have plenty of GBA goodness to look forward to before dried-up support forces them to upgrade
Take a look at why you can't yet write-off the GBA:
Battle B-Daman & Battle B-Daman 2
Release: July 11 & Q3
Based on the show of the same name, Battle B-Daman follows the exploits of Yamato Delgado, who has been chosen to wield the Cobalt Blade, the most powerful "B-Daman" ever, to compete in the B-Daman tournament. What does this mean, exactly? It means crazy mecha-centric action-sports RPG action. Both the original and the sequel slated for an 06 release, ensuring plenty of GBA B-Daman madness, for those that dig it.
Yggdra Union
Release: Fall
Yggdra Union is a tactical, card-based strategy RPG. It's a scientific fact that the world would be a better place with more strategic, card-based RPGs. Developed by Riviera developer STING, the storyline follows a young princess who teams up with a thief to take down the ruling treacherous Empire. Presumably through the use of tactical cards. As the game progresses more cards are made available, allowing for new attacks, movement options, etc.
posted May 25, 2006