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[isamu]

How's it going guys?

I just picked up my very first Gameboy Advance SP today. First portable I've owned in two years. It's really a neat little system though I kinda wish you could adjust the contrast and brightness of the screen which I wish was a little brighter.

Anyway I picked up both FF Tactics Advance and Sword of Mana on a COMPLETE blind buy, and having not EVER played either game in any other incarnation before. But being the RPG nut I am, I figured what the hell. I have only managed to to barely open the boxes and give both games a quick 5 minute play to make sure they work. Both at least look good.

I'd like to get your opinions....which of these two games did you enjoy more and which one should I play first? I know one is a strat rpg and one is an action rpg, but strictly from a enjoyable point of view, which game entertained you more? Was picking up Sword of Mana a mistake? Was buying FFTA foolish? Or are they both masterpieces?

One last quick unrelated question....is the upcoming DS backwards compatible with GBA games?

 

[belgurdo]

SoM: Poison. Do not play

FFTA: Ignore the plot and find a loophole around laws (very easy) and it's an enjoyable game

 

[Quadrophenic]

Sell them both, and get Fire Emblem instead. Well, FFTA isn't so bad, just don't expect a story, and be prepared to get annoyed by the laws.

DS is backwards compatible with the GBA games, however, you can't play multiplayer.

 

[explodet]

One last quick unrelated question....is the upcoming DS backwards compatible with GBA games?

Yeah, but I believe only for single player.

 

[Dead]

Theyre both utterly Terrible. Pick up Mario and Luigi.

If you HAVE to suffer through one, then SOM. FFTA is just broken and a complete chore to play. The law system is an abortion

 

[Alcibiades]

I heard SoM was decent but not spectacular, while FFT was great...

FFT got reviews in the 8-9 range, while SoM got reviews in the 6-7 range...

 

[Wario64]

Bleh, drop your love for Square games and get a real GBA game. Mario & Luigi, Wario Ware, Advance Wars 2, Fire Emblem...

 

[Dyne]

Bleh, drop your love for Square games and get a real GBA game. Mario & Luigi, Wario Ware, Advance Wars 2, Fire Emblem...

This post is the spot on.

 

[isamu]

Sell them both, and get Fire Emblem instead.

Theyre both utterly Terrible. Pick up Mario and Luigi.

Interesting you guys mentioned this. Gamestop had both FE and Mario and Luigi used for like $20 each. I was holding them in my hand and contemplated buying eitther of them but for some reason SoM and FFTA grabbed my attention more. Are FE and Mario and Luigi really better than SoM and FFTA?

If you HAVE to suffer through one, then SOM. FFTA is just broken and a complete chore to play. The law system is an abortion

That's unfortunate, if true. I was under the impression FFTA was a straight port from the psx version, which I never got around to playing

 

[isamu]

Bleh, drop your love for Square games and get a real GBA game. Mario & Luigi, Wario Ware, Advance Wars 2, Fire Emblem...

guess I really screwed the pooch huh?

 

[JackFrost2012]

DO NOT BUY SWORD OF MANA UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. It's the worst game I've actually bought on launch day in the last five years. What fucking trash.

EDIT: Crap, you already bought it?! Hope you saved the receipt.

 

[explodet]

I didn't think FFTA was *that* bad, personally. I got some fun out of it. But no, it's not a port of the PS1 version.
But I'm enjoying Fire Emblem more, and of course Advance Wars 2 is THE game for the GBA for me.

 

[Scrow]

I think they're both terrible games.

 

[Memles]

DO NOT BUY SWORD OF MANA UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. It's the worst game I've actually bought on launch day in the last five years. What fucking trash.

EDIT: Crap, you already bought it?! Hope you saved the receipt.

I think it is already bought AND opened.

Mario and Luigi and Advance Wars 2 would be my suggestions; I never picked up Fire Emblem. Maybe if they ever do a Player's Choice lineup for GBA, I'll pick it up.

 

[Mejilan]

I enjoyed both, though FFTA much more than SoM. I think that both Fire Emblem and Tactics Ogre make for better strat RPGs than FFTA, but FFTA has this insanely addicting guild-quest system going that makes it totally unique.

The laws are easily exploitable, and I actually thought the story was very charming, for what it's worth. Not the usual style for a Square game, but refreshing and well thought out, if not particularly deep or complex.

 

[Soul4ger]

I like FFTA more than FFT. It's more balanced, just all-around better, but the menu system is horrible. Sword of Mana is just garbage. Avoid it.

 

[callous]

People are being way too harsh here. Both games can be well worth playing for some people, although, if you are paying full price you might want to turn your attention to some other RPGs until you can find these two at budget prices. It's true that FFTA is lacking story, but you will probably still get at least 20 hours out of it before you start to get bored. The laws are a complete non-issue with just a minimum of planning. I found myself coming back to the game again and again between breaks. If you like that kind of game but want a much tighter story, go with Tactics Ogre. People bitch about the controls in SoM. That might also happen to you, but I personally never had any issue with the controls and consequently enjoyed the game immensely.

 

[Mejilan]

Agreed, the only issue in SoM is the jumping, but it isn't used much anyway.

It's pretty long, pretty fun, and has a ton of bonus and completely optional content. Probably more than any other game of its time, I think.

 

[Jonnyboy117]

Mario & Luigi is the best RPG on GBA.

Advance Wars (1 or 2, they're basically the same game) and Fire Emblem are the best strategy games.

If you really want an isometric, turn-based, fantasy-themed strategy game, Tactics Ogre: The Knight of Lodis is better than FFTA, although neither is as good as Final Fantasy Tactics for PSone.

 

[isamu]

Cool beans. I'll probably ebay som and give ffta a try.

What kind of rpg is FE? Strat? Action? Standard turn based?

 

[Dyne]

Cool beans. I'll probably ebay som and give ffta a try.

What kind of rpg is FE? Strat? Action? Standard turn based?

Turn-based strategy with RPG levelling up elements. Advance Wars is the same, except units don't level up or anything, and you don't lose them forever when they get killed off.

 

[Alcibiades]

wow, I didn't expect this reaction at all...

I know plenty of people that loved FFTA.

It got great reviews from many publications...

SoM may not have been up to what Secret of Mana was, but from what I heard it wasn't a terrible game, just underwhelming...

A buddy of mine played FFTA, and he definitely seemed to be enjoying himself, though I didn't ask him much about the game...

 

[callous]

FE is a strategy RPG.

 

[isamu]

By the way I also saw a couple of Shining games called Shining Soul II and II. Are these any good? Are they direct ports or completely new Shining games? The screenshots on the back of the box looked great.

 

[Soul4ger]

People who enjoy Sword of Mana are... Blind. How can you not notice, and not care about, the myriad problems in this game? It's just an exercise in poor design. Bleh.

 

[JackFrost2012]

I did enjoy FFTA, for what it's worth; though it might not be the best strategy RPG on GBA, it's stlil highly playable and has many good qualities. Not so SoM!

 

[Mejilan]

By the way I also saw a couple of Shining games called Shining Soul II and II. Are these any good? Are they direct ports or completely new Shining games? The screenshots on the back of the box looked great.

Shining Force - Resurrection of the Dark Dragon is a completely overhauled and expanded remake of the original Shining Force for the Genny. It's lots of fun, but simple and totally slaughtered by Fire Emblem.

Shining Soul I is atrocious. Don't consider it. Shining Soul II is a vast improvement, and I personally like it somewhat. It's a spinoff to the Shining series, and is mostly a Diablo-lite dungeon hack. However, Return of the King (yes, the Lord of the Rings game) for the GBA is a vastly superior Diablo clone.

 

[callous]

They have nothing in common with the Megadrive games except the Shining name (the Soul games). The first one is really bad, the second improves on the first quite a bit, but it's still nowhere near great. They are action RPGs. The first one is a complete chore, while the second has better story elements, better graphics and just more variety. Still I wouldn't put them anywhere near the top of my to-buy list if I were you.

 

[Mejilan]

No blindness about SoM. There aren't a whole heckuva lot of decent action RPGs on the GBA, surprisingly. It wasn't as good as Secret of Mana, but it killed Legend of Mana in fun factor, at least.

 

[Spike]

Interesting you guys mentioned this. Gamestop had both FE and Mario and Luigi used for like $20 each. I was holding them in my hand and contemplated buying eitther of them but for some reason SoM and FFTA grabbed my attention more. Are FE and Mario and Luigi really better than SoM and FFTA?

Yes, they really are that damn good.

 

[Mejilan]

IMHO:

Best RPG: Either Mario & Luigi or Golden Sun 2
Best SRPG: Fire Emblem without a doubt
Best Strat: Advance Wars 2 (though it's much tougher than the first, so you might want to start with 1 to get good.)

 

[JackFrost2012]

Fire Emblem is a wee bit better than FFTA, but Mario and Luigi stomps the everloving shit out of Herpes Sores of Mana.

 

[jedimike]

I just bought a GBA yesterday. I bought the oh so uber super cool tribal tattoo model. I have to say, my hands aren't that big, but the GBA:SP makes me feel like a giant. Having a hard time playing for extended periods of time.

Also got...

It was my main motivation for getting a GBA... well that and a long plane ride in the near future. So far, I'm digging it. Nice animation and art style packed into such a little package.

Also got...

I'm not ashamed to admit it... I've never played a pokemon game before. I had to find out what all the fuss was about. ...I'm still wondering. It's an OK game. A good time killer, but I think I need something more substantial. Maybe I'll get this Fire Emblem you guys are raving about.

 

[isamu]

Yes, they really are that damn good.

Is Mario and Luigi related to Mario RPG(SNES) in either gamplay or story? I was pleasantly surprised to know there was another RPG based on the Mario franchise. Mario RPG was heraled as one of the best games in the last generation of SNES titles.

 

[KingV]

IMHO:

Best RPG: Either Mario & Luigi or Golden Sun 2
Best SRPG: Fire Emblem without a doubt
Best Strat: Advance Wars 2 (though it's much tougher than the first, so you might want to start with 1 to get good.)

Golden Sun 2 is good? Hmmm, I thought the first one was kin of mediocre. The story in particular was horrid, especially the dialogue. Is this improved in round 2?

 

[Spike]

Is Mario and Luigi related to Mario RPG(SNES) in either gamplay or story? I was pleasantly surprised to know there was another RPG based on the Mario franchise. Mario RPG was heraled as one of the best games in the last generation of SNES titles.

Not really. Mario RPG, Paper Mario 1 and 2, and Mario and Luigi are considered a "line" of games, but they're not really connected at all.

Mario and Luigi shits all over Mario RPG in terms of fun.

 

[Dyne]

Golden Sun 2 is good? Hmmm, I thought the first one was kin of mediocre. The story in particular was horrid, especially the dialogue. Is this improved in round 2?

I wouldn't say so. I loved the first and was disappointed by the second.

But you never know, some people like the second more than the first. You'll just have to try it yourself.

 

[Mejilan]

Golden Sun 2 is good? Hmmm, I thought the first one was kin of mediocre. The story in particular was horrid, especially the dialogue. Is this improved in round 2?

Golden Sun 2 is infinitely better than the first. It obviously follows in the footsteps of the first, and shares some of its fundamental flaws. But it really fixed a lot of the dialogue, story, and pacing problems the first had, is literally about 3x longer and MUCH less linear. Lots and lots of open exploration. Lovely graphics, and absolutely stupendous music.

By far the best dungeons and out-of-combat magic/puzzle system in any RPG, at least since Lufia II. It's a classic RPG in every sense, but one of the greats, imho. Long dungeons, convoluted (yet surprisingly intuitive) puzzles, and very well implemented magic and character building system. Not to mention some awe-inspiring special effects. Particularly given the system its on.

Mario & Luigi does have better over all gameplay, particularly as far as combat is concerned. If you're looking for an awesome traditional RPG, Golden Sun 2 is great. If you're looking for something quirky, off the wall, and more action orientated, Mario & Luigi is irreplaceable.

There are essentially 4 Super Mario RPG games. The flawed SNES original, the incredible Paper Mario on the N64, the great (though not perfect) Mario & Luigi, and the (so far) stupendouns Paper Mario 2 on the GameCube. Only the Paper Marios are actually related, though M&L is much more like the PM games than the oddball SNES SMRPG.

 

[Truelize]

FFTA is one of the best games I have ever played in my life. And other than the Castlevania games it is my favorite GBA game out there.

Do not believe the hype. Stay far away from Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga. What a boring no challenge game. I have had this game since last January and I am just now finishing it up so I can use it as trade bait for something else. What a chore this game is. Yuck!!!

 

[Jonnyram]

???
FFTA and Mario & Luigi are both good games with a ton of fans of each. You can't compare them directly because of the totally different gameplay, but if you like traditional RPGs, you might enjoy M&L more. FFTA is more SRPG.

Sword of Mana is OK, but I haven't played the original, so I can't see how much they allegedly "messed up". The towns got to me after a while, but the game has a nice soundtrack. The menu interface is annoying as hell, though.

 

[Jonnyboy117]

Anyone who thinks so highly of FFTA (and don't get me wrong, you're perfectly entitled to the opinion) simply hasn't played any other games in the genre. If you like FFTA, I beg you to try out Tactics Ogre, Disgaea, or especially the original FFT. You will love them that much more.

 

[Meier]

Get Pokémon FireRed or LeafGreen and kiss your time goodbye. I'm up to 33 hours and I swear I was around 10 no more than a handful of days ago. The best typical RPG though on the GBA has to be Mario and Luigi which was narrowly defeated by KotOR for 2003's overall GOTY in my opinion (tied for second with Wario Ware).

Sword of Mana was pretty shitty although I never tried FFTA. Always heard good things though outside of a few people at GAF.

 

[Bristow]

Bleh, drop your love for Square games and get a real GBA game. Mario & Luigi, Wario Ware, Advance Wars 2, Fire Emblem...

I fully endorse this post.

 

[ourumov]

FFTA is probably one of the most boring games I have ever bought...That said, the music rocks.

 

[keeblerdrow]

Sword of Mana and FFTA make me want to vomit.

This coming from the person whose number one game of all time is Final Fantasy Tactics.

 

[Ollie Pooch]

this thread makes me want to get my GBA out again.. last thing i remember is being stuck at the airport level in M&L - HOWEVER! i imported the NES series gba from lik sang and the screen has gone loco , its all jittery and has blocks all over it - and GBA doesnt' have an international warranty *cries*.. i think i'll wait for DS

 

[GermanOfficer]

Just get Fire Emblem and you don't need either of those mediocre Square Games.

 

[isamu]

Get Pokémon FireRed or LeafGreen and kiss your time goodbye. I'm up to 33 hours and I swear I was around 10 no more than a handful of days ago.

Hmm, interesting. First mention of Pokemon in this thread. Are those two titles you mention RPGs as well?

Just do yourself a favor and return Sword of Mana.

I'm about 2 hours into it and well....I like it so far. So I'm gonna give it a chance. After all, it is my first Mana game.

Recommended GBA games:

Fire Pro Wrestling 1/2
Mega Man and Bass
Mega Man Zero
Tactics Ogre
Mario Kart: Super Circuit
Karnaaj Rally
F-Zero: Maximum Velocity
River City Ransom
Activision Anthology
Konami Arcade Classics
Super Dodge Ball
Super Monkey Ball Jr.
Sonic Advance

Cool list. I don't realy like the Megaman series.

But I gotta question about the F-Zero games. I notice there are two of them out for the GBA. Which one is the latest one? Which is the best? Do any of them have tracks with elevated/hilly/up-down terrain, like in F-Zero 64 or GX? I saw pics of it on the back of the box and it appeared to still retain the same flat road of the original NES classic.

One game that IS going on ebay is Tony Hawk Underground 2! Man, what a fucking abomination of the console version! Note to Neversoft.....The 'Hawk series does NOT work in an overhead isometric view!!!! I tried to give it a chance but I'll be damned if I ever warm up to the shoddy controls and a 2D iso view. Now THAT was a waste of money!

I also picked up Super Puzzle Fighter II which to my surprise is virtually arcade perect! But the because of such a small screen, the color of the blocks are hard to distinguish sometimes.

I like the system...the battery life is unbelievable and the small size is great. But I gotta admit it's kinda hard to see what's on the screen sometimes. I sit under a bunch of office lights and a glare from them sometimes gets in the way. The screen could've been a bit brighter. Or at least offered a brightness/contrast control nob. I tilt it back and forth and just can't seem to find the right angle to view it at and get the clarity just right. Maybe it works best with all the lights turned off? Is there some sort of magnifying glass I can buy that will blow up the screen a bit larger and add even more light?

This brings me to my question.... being that the DS is backwards compatible with all GBA games, do you expect GBA games to look better and brighter on the DS than on the GBASP? And is the screensize of the DS bigger than the GBASP? Are there brightness/contrast controls?

 

[Jagernaut]

I put 50 hours into FFTA, and i enjoyed it a lot more than any of these "GA acclaimed" GBA titles:

Mario & Luigi
Fire Emblem
Advance Wars
Tactics Ogre KoL

 

[Diomedeskun]

IMHO:

Best RPG: Either Mario & Luigi or Golden Sun 2
Best SRPG: Fire Emblem without a doubt
Best Strat: Advance Wars 2 (though it's much tougher than the first, so you might want to start with 1 to get good.)

I agree with just about everything Mejilan has said so far. Final Fantasy Tactics Advance and Sword of Mana are two fine GBA games. Both do pale compared to previous games in each series, but Secret of Mana and Final Fantasy Tactics are tough games to live up to. FFTA was great fun and highly addictive. It may have been rather easy, but the game still packed much more gamplay than the rather weak and even easier Tactics Ogre: KOL. FFTA also had a very charming story that would nevertheless leave someone looking for a Yasumi Matsuno story feeling unsatisfied (he didn't write the story). I will always have a soft spot for Marche, Ritz, and the rest.

Sword of Mana is highly flawed due to its poor AI, cheesy plot, and ridiculously low difficulty, but it is fun, beautiful, and is also the only traditional, overhead view, non-dungeon crawl action RPG for the GBA. I liked it far more at the beginning than the end, but I have never been totally satisfied with any Seiken Densetsu other than Secret of Mana (including 3). It is still a far better game than Legend of Mana. It tries to be creative with many secrets and bonuses, but they are very difficult to obtain (some involve linking to dozens of different players to trade data) and not worthwhile (due to the extremely low difficulty).

Fire Emblem is my favorite Strategy game on the GBA, but it is very frustrating at times and I recommend an easier game like FFTA to players not familiar with SRPGs. Golden Sun is rather weak, but part 2 more than makes up for it and requires play of part 1 to be truly enjoyed. Tactics Ogre: KOL has a decent story and is still somewhat enjoyable, if weak. Shining Force: Resurrection of the Dark Dragon is also easy, but very fun due to its fast pace and extra battle goals.

Still, my two favorite traditional RPGs to play on GBA (at least until Final Fantasy 1+2) are Final Fantasy Legend 3 for GB and Dragon Warrior 3 for GBC.