June 11, 2001.

That was the day the Game Boy Advance launched in the United States, continuing the legacy and line of Game Boy systems. The handheld launched with 15 different titles and in three colors: Glacier, Indigo, and White, all for a mere $99. Back then, there was no backlight, GBA games retailed for around $29.99 to $39.99 at most, and the biggest game it launched with was Super Mario Advance--a port of Super Mario Bros. 2. Even with that kind of lineup, it would go on to have one of the most beloved libraries of all time, and would also become the 10th best-selling game system ever.

GBA launch lineup

• Super Mario Advance (Nintendo)
• F-Zero: Maximum Velocity (Nintendo)
• Army Men Advance (3DO)
• High Heat Baseball 2002 (3DO)
• Tony Hawk Pro Skater (Activision)
• Dodge Ball Advance (Atlus)
• Fire Pro Wrestling (BAM)
• Top Gear GT Championship (Kemco)
• Tweety and the Magic Jewel (Kemco)
• Fortress (Majesco)
• Iridion 3D (Majesco)
• Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure (Majesco)
• Ready 2 Rumble Boxing: Round 2 (Midway)
• ChuChu Rocket! (Sega)
• Rayman (Ubi Soft)

Clearly, the GBA means a lot to people here, given the fact that it's very clearly in the name "GBAtemp"; it's an important part of history, both for gaming and for this site. For many, it was their first handheld, their first experience with video games, their introduction into the world of homebrew, and something that holds many cherished memories. So with this major milestone of an anniversary, let's take some time to remember the GBA and your favorite moments with it.

Top 10 Metacritic GBA game ratings

• The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
• Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2
• Mario Kart Super Circuit
• Advance Wars
• The Super Mario Advance games
• Metroid Fusion
• Final Fantasy VI Advance
• Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow
• Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
• Metroid: Zero Mission

 

[Flame]

No Golden Sun? FML.

@BORTZ favorite game... he goes to sleep with it.

 

[Deleted User]

I guess it's time to play Mother 3 again.

 

[Hambrew]

• Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2

what's wrong with THPS3?

 

[BlueFox gui]

i never owned a GBA but i love it, played so much the sonic advance games, pokemon emerald, recently i played metroid zero mission

 

[jt_1258]

good grief...my first console...I'm too young to feel old >.<

 

[Issac]

So many good games, the GBA was a huge leap in gaming in my opinion. There are so many games to go back to, and so many I never got the chance to play fully...

 

[BitMasterPlus]

My second handheld. My first was the Game Boy Color. Been playing video games since I was like, 3 I think.

GBA is 20 years old but YOU'RE STILL TOO YOUNG TO DRINK YOUNG MAN!!!

 

[raxadian]

I have a GBA and two GBA SP.

 

[the_randomizer]

Got it during the 10th grade in high school, I still have it somewhere in my old bedroom and it still works AFAIK

 

[Hanafuda]

God I feel old I remember buying mine on day one with Super Mario Advance and F-Zero: Maximum Velocity. Pretty sure it came out in Europe a week or so after America.

I also have lost count how many hours I have played and completed Final Fantasy VI Advance. Greatest version of the greatest JRPG ever made.

You feel old?? I bought the GBA on launch day too, for my kid lol. I didn't get one for myself until the SP came out.

 

[drgnslayers]

I do still own a white Game Boy Advance and do own many of the most praised games.

• The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
• The Super Mario Advance games (I do own 1 or 2, maybe 3)
• Metroid Fusion
• Final Fantasy VI Advance
• Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow (through the Castlevania Double Pack)
• Metroid: Zero Mission

I do own Castlevania: CotM, Final Fantasy IV Advance, Final Fantasy V Advance, Final Fantasy I+II and Lunar Legend as well

 

[Goku1992A]

I really wish Nintendo could revive the GBA and GBC and make it online for the switch. If the modders can do it illegally it should be easy for Nintendo to do legally

 

[TheZander]

Oh ya gba i remember it fondly. It had an A and a B button and depending on what game you were playing playing either button would correspond with an action within the game.

Man i liked that thing. There were shoulder buttons on the shoulders of the console as well. I remember pressing them in metroid to angle fire. Which was spectacular at the time because it had never been done before. Well maybe super metroid but this was a gba.

And the best part about this console (for me at least ) was the fact that there was a little screen in the center of the device and when you popped a game in and started playing it would actually display the gameplay.

Also a little known fact is that this website this very website: gbatemp was actually inspired by the gba. As well as Tempolygic Enterprises the conglomerate corporation that started gbatemp in the beginning.

 

[Sterophonick]

Game Boy Advance is great! I love it!

 

[TomSwitch]

Given the technology available at the time it was a fantastic piece of work. Nintendo's track record for portable is perfect. Console was hit and miss but portable it was success after success.
Game and Watch, Game Boy, Game Boy Advance, DS, 3DS, Switch
Nothing but hits.

 

[Julie_Pilgrim]

i have only used a gba once but i still wanna thank it as i wouldn't being posting this if the gba never existed

 

[The Catboy]

That feel when I got a GBA at launch! Ha hah ha, I am old

 

[impeeza]

View attachment 266681​

June 11, 2001.

That was the day the Game Boy Advance launched in the United States, continuing the legacy and line of Game Boy systems. The handheld launched with 15 different titles and in three colors: Glacier, Indigo, and White, all for a mere $99. Back then, there was no backlight, GBA games retailed for around $29.99 to $39.99 at most, and the biggest game it launched with was Super Mario Advance--a port of Super Mario Bros. 2. Even with that kind of lineup, it would go on to have one of the most beloved libraries of all time, and would also become the 10th best-selling game system ever.

GBA launch lineup

• Super Mario Advance (Nintendo)
• F-Zero: Maximum Velocity (Nintendo)
• Army Men Advance (3DO)
• High Heat Baseball 2002 (3DO)
• Tony Hawk Pro Skater (Activision)
• Dodge Ball Advance (Atlus)
• Fire Pro Wrestling (BAM)
• Top Gear GT Championship (Kemco)
• Tweety and the Magic Jewel (Kemco)
• Fortress (Majesco)
• Iridion 3D (Majesco)
• Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure (Majesco)
• Ready 2 Rumble Boxing: Round 2 (Midway)
• ChuChu Rocket! (Sega)
• Rayman (Ubi Soft)

Clearly, the GBA means a lot to people here, given the fact that it's very clearly in the name "GBAtemp"; it's an important part of history, both for gaming and for this site. For many, it was their first handheld, their first experience with video games, their introduction into the world of homebrew, and something that holds many cherished memories. So with this major milestone of an anniversary, let's take some time to remember the GBA and your favorite moments with it.

Top 10 Metacritic GBA game ratings

• The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
• Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2
• Mario Kart Super Circuit
• Advance Wars
• The Super Mario Advance games
• Metroid Fusion
• Final Fantasy VI Advance
• Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow
• Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
• Metroid: Zero Mission

Twenty already? We are old hippo birthday to all

 

[Payne]

Joined party of gameboys pretty late (about 3-4 years ago when I bought my first purple GBA), but loved every second of playing it. Still do to this day, whenever I have spare time to play.

 

[DinohScene]

Happy bday GBA!
I've spend hours and hours playing hamtaro, Sheep, Boktai and many more.
Amazing handheld.