VGCollect Forum
General and Gaming => Classic Video Games => Topic started by: mrkonasoni on April 04, 2021, 10:28:14 am
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(https://i.imgur.com/jqI2VsH.jpg)
Gameboy Advance turned 20 years old recently and while I always like to make a post for remember such celebrations, this time I didnt because the plans that I had involved talking about ALL GBA games available but I am still wondering if it could be just a better idea just talk about the games I think deserve a special mention or just the good games and mostly good games.
Anyway the console is pretty loved nowadays and I actually had one back then in the 2000s, at the time I always thought the console was indeed pretty special and had some power that indeed felt like the advanced evolution of the classic handheld from Nintendo.
I could like to mention some stuff about the development but I think there are better videos on youtube explaining the subject, what I can say otherwise is the fact that I always loved that even with the NDS out in the market, the GBA still had important and great releases from a lot of developers.
The console has a great library, of course it also has a lot of unplayable shovelware but the good games are certainly worth it.
Some of my favorites are:
- Sonic Advance trilogy
- Castlevania trilogy
- Frogger trilogy
- Zoocube
- Mario vs DK
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Double Pack
- TMNT
- Shaman King Master of Spirit 1 + 2
- Metroid Fusion
- Rayman Raving Rabbids
- Crash Bandicoot Handheld trilogy
- TLOZ The Minish Cap
What are your favorite memories with the console?
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I've recently really got into GBA modding. I installed an IPSv2 screen in both a standard GBA and an SP, and it just looks amazing! I had a GBA growing up, but it was never something I got really into like some people. However, I can absolutely understand why some people worship this handheld; its library of games are excellent and graphically it's an amazing retro handheld. Modding them has definitely made me appreciate them more for sure.
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The GBA, specifically the GBA-SP 101 model, is the best handheld ever made.
Fantastic design with the clamshell protecting the screen. Backwards compatibility going back 2 generations that works flawlessly. FINALLY a true backlit screen.
But best of all is it's game library. A fantastic library of both original games and great 8-bit & 16-bit ports.
Metroid: Zero Mission & Fusion, the Metroidvania Castlevanias, the Mario ports, NES Classic Series, Final Fantasies, Metal Gear, Contra III, Final Fantasies, Sonics, etc.
So good.
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The gba console was one of my nostalgia consoles from back than. Was a top 2 favourite console of all time. Still over the years I do feel it to be an inferior snes in terms of sound screen cropping and grapics. although it did optimize some things better than snes if where talking rpg's and such because it was released years later with more modern tech.
Still speaking of sound I find metal slug advance to be really impressive on gba. Also like the permanent upgrade system in that one with them cards. If all gba games had sound quality such as metal advance I'd be eating my words about the gba having worse sound than consoles.
My problems are that allot of versions of certain series it's just not the best way to play these series. especially action games definitely are a bit less on gba compared to consoles.
Metroid, kirby castlevania mario zelda contra gunstar heroes metal slug. excellent games still.
I do appreciate the console giving birth to the mario & luigi rpg and megaman zero series also arguably superior versions of advance wars and fire emblem.
Games such as dragonball advanced adventure, drilldozer and medabots an rpg adventure. These titles definitely stand out on the console as a reason to pick up a gba console.
Also in terms of classic pokemon. Emerald is at the perfect sweet spot for the classic pokemon experience while enjoying the postgame content wich made gen 4 and 5 so great. I'll say one thing tho having the option to play them games on the big screen with a gameboy player is a massive plus giving it a more console esk experience.
Amazing system have allot of nostalgia for it but I have had less of an appreciation for it over the years thanks to experiencing allot of other retro consoles that did allot of stuff quite a bit better. Such is the curse of being a handheld. That being said if where talking handhelds only it's definitely the peak of the mountain alongside the DS. no competition otherwise.
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The Game Boy Advance was a huge part of my childhood :) I fondly remember playing Pokemon, Mega Man Battle Network, and Zelda A Link to the Past with my friends.
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Its my favorite console.
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I loved my GBA at the time and I cherish the handful of games I was able to get as a kid. Right around age 14 though, I discovered the Virtual Boy Advance and I spent quite a bit of time playing GBA games that way, it was stunning to be able to play full games free of charge that were only a few years old at that point. For a young boy with no means to make money on my own, you can imagine I was just *in heaven* having complete access to the GBA library.
One case I remember of playing a game that wasn't even out yet where I lived was Minish Cap a few weeks before it was released in the States, because it had an earlier release over in the UK/EU with an English translation. It was a naughty feeling, but now I have zero regrets about that and I did eventually get a legit American copy of Minish Cap for Christmas 2005.
So while my physical library of GBA games wasn't and still isn't much, I did play most of the notable titles that came out for the system. So many great games...
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When I had A Gameboy Advance SP, I was not too impressed by it, I just never got into it, I received mine as a gift from an old friend, I originally had 2 games for it, "Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King"
and another game that I don't remember. and I later got Sonic for it, than I had a Hotwheels Racing game, and Duke Nukem Advance, but I was not having fun on this Handheld console. I was expecting it to be like at least like or similar to a portable Nintendo 64 or the Sony PlayStation Portable handheld. But nope, it's more like a year 1990 portable Super Nintendo instead. I'd rather play a SEGA Game Gear than any Gameboy Advance handheld, I just was not at all impressed with the Gameboy Advance SP. However I did like how it let me play all original Gameboy Games as well as all GameBoy Color games too. but that was the only thing that I liked about this handheld.
My friend paid $250USD for this and almost $20USD a piece for the two games I originally had for this. (I am shaking my head writing this) I just don't understand why it didn't have 3D graphics
(edit) and this is comming from a guy that plays Atari 2600, it might just be that I was vary depressed at that time in my life, I even love my Atari 2600 portable but I don't want to spend the current asking price for a GameBoy Advance SP or the price of it's games on the current market
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My favorites include . . .
Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3
To me its pretty much the definitive way to play Yoshi's Island. Wide screen aspect ratio. Better sound effects. Baby is less annoying. Plus it has Mario Bros. as a bonus game.
Metroid: Zero Mission
A great remake of the original game with elements from Super Metroid and Fusion
Wario Ware Inc.
Classic, fast-pace mini game orgy! Started a whole new series.
Game & Watch Gallery 4
The final G&W Gallery game. Simple, yet highly replayable.
Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire
I have a lot of nostalgia for these games. Coming off of Silver and Gold, they felt very advance. Better graphics and effects. Secret bases were fun to share with friends.
e-Reader Cards
One of the more obscure and strange things for GBA was the e-reader card system. I actually had a lot of fun scanning in NES games, Pokemon cards and Animal Crossing cards. Not to mention the whole Mario Party game exclusively for it. I kind of wish it was more popular then it was. I thought it was a really neat idea at the time.
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I love the GBA! I played so much Pokémon Silver on it. (Yes, my first game for the GBA was Pokemon Silver haha)
Some of my favourite games:
- Lady Sia
- Jurassic Park III: Park Builder
- Pokémon: FireRed Version
- Pokémon: Sapphire Version
- Super Mario World
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I was incredibly lucky to get the 101 model secondhand as a kid (I was too young to remember, but it must have been sometime from 2009-2012) And remember going to gamestop with my mom to pick out some games. that was the ultimate car trip machine, now only dethroned by the switch.
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My favorites include . . .
Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3
To me its pretty much the definitive way to play Yoshi's Island. Wide screen aspect ratio. Better sound effects. Baby is less annoying. Plus it has Mario Bros. as a bonus game.
Baby mario was still extremely annoying.
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My favorites include . . .
Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3
To me its pretty much the definitive way to play Yoshi's Island. Wide screen aspect ratio. Better sound effects. Baby is less annoying. Plus it has Mario Bros. as a bonus game.
(https://i.imgur.com/BJ1nq84.png)
Could you explain the advantage of wide screen because the gba version of yoshi's island just like pretty much every other gba game is cropped since you play on a smaller screen. Vertical and horizontal image is lost.
Sound additions are nice but the music is of lesser quality, allot of samples are more dull and faded in the gba version.
regardless It's definitely pretty great for a gba port one of the better examples.
Atrocities such as r-type III exist after all, the music was butchered to bits in the gba release.
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The GBA has always been loved
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The GBA is timeless. I have tons of memories with it - most of which involve it being my salvation during long, boring car drives. The backlight on the SP was a godsend.
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For sure. I was so confused when I saw my cousin playing on his non backlight model. Its kinda cool how the original DS let you toggle it on and off.
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If I did have one thing to say about the GBA that isn't so great, it's the lackluster sound quality. Some games were able to work around the limitations but a lot of them don't, and it shows, especially with games that were on the SNES or NES.
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If you want a game with some really phenomenal music quality I recommend mother 3.
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I liked the OG Game Boy and Color but I latched onto the GBA really hard. Years before the GameCube adaptor came out, I dropped $80 on this mod kit that would allow me to use my GBA on a TV. It didn't work as well as I would have liked but it was great at the time.
Interestingly enough, I ran across this post the other day on Reddit...
https://www.reddit.com/r/gamecollecting/comments/mkwqlc/every_na_release_of_super_mario_advance_4_all/
From the looks of it, there's only two of the four versions in the DB. :P
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that is really bizarre seeing a ds on a gba box. I kind of split them completely apart timeline-wise in my head
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The original Game Boy may have been revolutionary, but the GBA is IMO the best portable system ever. The sheer volume of quality software is staggering. The DS also has a lot of good stuff, but I see it more as building on the success of the GBA.
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Love the GBA, my favorite handheld by far. So many great memories.
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that is really bizarre seeing a ds on a gba box. I kind of split them completely apart timeline-wise in my head
allot of late released gba games had compatibility with ds on the box
it's not really that uncommon
If I did have one thing to say about the GBA that isn't so great, it's the lackluster sound quality. Some games were able to work around the limitations but a lot of them don't, and it shows, especially with games that were on the SNES or NES.
sad but truth.
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I know. I just thought it was interesting because, as I said, I segment the consoles into different era´s in my head. My Uno 52 for the GBA even displays the nintendo ds health and saftey screen when it boots up!
(https://ih0.redbubble.net/image.761751290.6739/flat,800x800,075,f.jpg)
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GBA was the last era of portable gaming I seriously got into. I had a GBA SP with a rubber controller styled grip, which was sorta the only way I could make it comfortable. I didn't play it a ton, I mostly had like those NES Mario and Zelda ports, I think I played some of the GBA Zelda stuff, and then played an assortment of other games I'm spacing on. I actually gave my GBA to my cousin like a decade ago so he had something to play with and I think he still has. To show how old it really is and what time I got the SP in, at the time there was a website where you could create your own skins to put on, so I designed a Halo skin with Master Chief and I think like the Legendary skull logo to put on my Nintendo system as I was super big into Halo and Halo 2 at the time lol
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I liked the OG Game Boy and Color but I latched onto the GBA really hard. Years before the GameCube adaptor came out, I dropped $80 on this mod kit that would allow me to use my GBA on a TV. It didn't work as well as I would have liked but it was great at the time.
Interestingly enough, I ran across this post the other day on Reddit...
https://www.reddit.com/r/gamecollecting/comments/mkwqlc/every_na_release_of_super_mario_advance_4_all/
From the looks of it, there's only two of the four versions in the DB. :P
Really cool find! I could have sworn there was a "Player's Choice" yellow banner version of SMA4, but I'm probably thinking about the other three SMA games. I have never seen that 4th version before ever, with the DS Compatible logo on the front! I know a lot of (maybe all?) GBA games released after late 2004 mention DS compatibility on the back of the box.
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If I did have one thing to say about the GBA that isn't so great, it's the lackluster sound quality. Some games were able to work around the limitations but a lot of them don't, and it shows, especially with games that were on the SNES or NES.
Duke Nukem Advance is one of those games on the GBA like that. According to a video by "Game Sack" on YouTube. it was one of those Gameboy Advance games that pushed the hardware to it's limits. It was a first person shooter with early Nintendo 64 type of graphics. it was slow and clunky but it played at least. it used the same graphics as Duke Nukem 64 for the Nintendo 64 and Duke Nukem 3D for the PC released back in 1996.
I know because I used to play it on My GameBoy Advance SP. If the hardware on this handheld was actually designed to play more games like that? I would have still had mine.
here is a complete YouTube Playlist but it's not gamesack
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxUi1Y8FOnM&list=PLFBCA60C4A2FD83D3
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If I did have one thing to say about the GBA that isn't so great, it's the lackluster sound quality. Some games were able to work around the limitations but a lot of them don't, and it shows, especially with games that were on the SNES or NES.
Duke Nukem Advance is one of those games on the GBA like that. According to a video by "Game Sack" on YouTube. it was one of those Gameboy Advance games that pushed the hardware to it's limits. It was a first person shooter with early Nintendo 64 type of graphics. it was slow and clunky but it played at least. it used the same graphics as Duke Nukem 64 for the Nintendo 64 and Duke Nukem 3D for the PC released back in 1996.
I know because I used to play it on My GameBoy Advance SP. If the hardware on this handheld was actually designed to play more games like that? I would have still had mine.
here is a complete YouTube Playlist but it's not gamesack
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxUi1Y8FOnM&list=PLFBCA60C4A2FD83D3
Wolfenstein 3D and Doom on GBA are like that too. Sure, they run choppy, but the fact that they run at all is remarkable.
Another game with surprising 3D gameplay: Tron 2.0. It has some first-person-view levels where you’re riding a tank. It’s untextured for the most part, but runs pretty smooth. The whole game isn’t bad for how cheap it is.
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If I did have one thing to say about the GBA that isn't so great, it's the lackluster sound quality. Some games were able to work around the limitations but a lot of them don't, and it shows, especially with games that were on the SNES or NES.
Duke Nukem Advance is one of those games on the GBA like that. According to a video by "Game Sack" on YouTube. it was one of those Gameboy Advance games that pushed the hardware to it's limits. It was a first person shooter with early Nintendo 64 type of graphics. it was slow and clunky but it played at least. it used the same graphics as Duke Nukem 64 for the Nintendo 64 and Duke Nukem 3D for the PC released back in 1996.
I know because I used to play it on My GameBoy Advance SP. If the hardware on this handheld was actually designed to play more games like that? I would have still had mine.
here is a complete YouTube Playlist but it's not gamesack
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxUi1Y8FOnM&list=PLFBCA60C4A2FD83D3
Wolfenstein 3D and Doom on GBA are like that too. Sure, they run choppy, but the fact that they run at all is remarkable.
Another game with surprising 3D gameplay: Tron 2.0. It has some first-person-view levels where you’re riding a tank. It’s untextured for the most part, but runs pretty smooth. The whole game isn’t bad for how cheap it is.
I can't believe this actually was possible on gba
Doom and wolfenstein are cute but this in 3D that's quite something
doom and wolfenstein have never been that fully 3d semi 3d especially the lesser ports such as gba for my taste but this game actually is 3d on gba
Asterix and Obelix XXL gba
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=giIJyBSwvK4 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=giIJyBSwvK4)
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I feel the GBA SP is Nintendo's best handheld with the exception that my hands would get a little cramped after more than an hour of play time. The backlit color screen was great. Couple that with the SNES style graphics and various ports and it was an incredible value. I had bought mine during my early college years and even used it as my first MP3 player as there was an accessory you could use for just that purpose. Worked great.
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Best handheld of it's time here are some of my Favorite games
Metroid Fusion
Metroid Zero Mission
Shining force Dark Dragon
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Is zero mission in the same vein as fusion?
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Is zero mission in the same vein as fusion?
Yes, and it's excellent!
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the original 1989 Gameboy played all it's game in in green and black sprites, the Gameboy color should have been like the Gameboy Advance, and the Gameboy Advance should have been like a more like a handheld version of the Nintendo 64,
IF I had lived to see BOTH a handheld like an SNES AND a Nintendo 64 both on the market, now that would Be even more awesome.
Why didn't Nintendo ever make a handheld version of the Nintendo 64?
The RK2020?
I just looked that up and that looks like just a bootleg product and not a Nintendo product, why Nintendo? why?
(edit) can anyone tell me if there was ANY handheld version of the 5th Console generation? since the PSP was basically a portable 6th generation PS2 held held console
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the original 1989 Gameboy played all it's game in in green and black sprites, the Gameboy color should have been like the Gameboy Advance, and the Gameboy Advance should have been like a more like a handheld version of the Nintendo 64,
IF I had lived to see BOTH a handheld like an SNES AND a Nintendo 64 both on the market, now that would Be even more awesome.
Why didn't Nintendo ever make a handheld version of the Nintendo 64?
The RK2020?
I just looked that up and that looks like just a bootleg product and not a Nintendo product, why Nintendo? why?
(edit) can anyone tell me if there was ANY handheld version of the 5th Console generation? since the PSP was basically a portable 6th generation PS2 held held console
You DID live to see a portable SNES and N64, they were the Gameboy Advance and Nintendo DS. Did you even play these systems? ??? ::)
Here...
https://vgcollect.com/item/8430
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61xrQNMh7DL.jpg)
and
https://vgcollect.com/item/156
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51mBP7%2BynaL.jpg)
Both of these games are technically comparable/superior to their SNES/N64 counterparts. Don't know what a RK2020 is but if you're blaming Nintendo for a bootleg product that sounds about par for the course. :P
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You DID live to see a portable SNES and N64, they were the Gameboy Advance and Nintendo DS. Did you even play these systems? ??? ::)
Here...
https://vgcollect.com/item/8430
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61xrQNMh7DL.jpg)
and
https://vgcollect.com/item/156
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51mBP7%2BynaL.jpg)
Both of these games are technically comparable/superior to their SNES/N64 counterparts. Don't know what a RK2020 is but if you're blaming Nintendo for a bootleg product that sounds about par for the course. :P
I never even played a DS so yea I didn't know lol. as for the RK2020? I was complaining that is was not a Nintendo product, since I think it is suppose to use Free ROMS
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the original 1989 Gameboy played all it's game in in green and black sprites, the Gameboy color should have been like the Gameboy Advance, and the Gameboy Advance should have been like a more like a handheld version of the Nintendo 64,
IF I had lived to see BOTH a handheld like an SNES AND a Nintendo 64 both on the market, now that would Be even more awesome.
Why didn't Nintendo ever make a handheld version of the Nintendo 64?
The RK2020?
I just looked that up and that looks like just a bootleg product and not a Nintendo product, why Nintendo? why?
(edit) can anyone tell me if there was ANY handheld version of the 5th Console generation? since the PSP was basically a portable 6th generation PS2 held held console
You DID live to see a portable SNES and N64, they were the Gameboy Advance and Nintendo DS. Did you even play these systems? ??? ::)
Here...
https://vgcollect.com/item/8430
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61xrQNMh7DL.jpg)
and
https://vgcollect.com/item/156
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51mBP7%2BynaL.jpg)
Both of these games are technically comparable/superior to their SNES/N64 counterparts. Don't know what a RK2020 is but if you're blaming Nintendo for a bootleg product that sounds about par for the course. :P
while both do contain more content they are not the superior versions.
The og consoles versions have the better visuals and sound let alone the smoothness
Screen cropping on gba doesn't help and switching characters in mario 64 ds to get certain stars made it a lesser experience.
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Both of these games are technically comparable/superior to their SNES/N64 counterparts. Don't know what a RK2020 is but if you're blaming Nintendo for a bootleg product that sounds about par for the course. :P
while both do contain more content they are not the superior versions.
The og consoles versions have the better visuals and sound let alone the smoothness
Screen cropping on gba doesn't help and switching characters in mario 64 ds to get certain stars made it a lesser experience.
Almost like they were technically comparable.
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Both of these games are technically comparable/superior to their SNES/N64 counterparts. Don't know what a RK2020 is but if you're blaming Nintendo for a bootleg product that sounds about par for the course. :P
while both do contain more content they are not the superior versions.
The og consoles versions have the better visuals and sound let alone the smoothness
Screen cropping on gba doesn't help and switching characters in mario 64 ds to get certain stars made it a lesser experience.
Almost like they were technically comparable.
Was just talking about if they where arguable superior wich is included in that sentence
the original 1989 Gameboy played all it's game in in green and black sprites, the Gameboy color should have been like the Gameboy Advance, and the Gameboy Advance should have been like a more like a handheld version of the Nintendo 64,
IF I had lived to see BOTH a handheld like an SNES AND a Nintendo 64 both on the market, now that would Be even more awesome.
Why didn't Nintendo ever make a handheld version of the Nintendo 64?
The RK2020?
I just looked that up and that looks like just a bootleg product and not a Nintendo product, why Nintendo? why?
(edit) can anyone tell me if there was ANY handheld version of the 5th Console generation? since the PSP was basically a portable 6th generation PS2 held held console
Don't forget the starfox 64, majora's mask and ocarina of time being on 3ds or diddy kong racing on ds.
Although majora's mask 3D removing allot of the stuff that made the original good otherwise pretty great
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Is zero mission in the same vein as fusion?
Yes, and it's excellent!
Definitely