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[Zalman]

Also, I have never really collected Game Boy-games, what would you people recommend?

Original Game Boy? Well, get both Super Mario Land games as well as the Wario Land games and you're off to a great start. Pokémon is also a must have. Some of the Mega Man games are pretty good (especially IV and V.) There's also Kirby's Dream Land and Donkey Kong '94. Game & Watch Gallery is a fun little series too.

Lots of stuff.

 

[Morfeo]

I recently played Metroid II for the first time and it holds up pretty excellently. SML is a bizarre cousin of a regular Mario game, but SML2: 6 Golden Coins is solid and SML3: Wario Land is a lot of fun and holds up very well.

Thanks! I actually own and have beaten all these, SML2 is excellent, the others pretty mediocre imo. anything else?

 

[Morfeo]

Original Game Boy? Well, get both Super Mario Land games as well as the Wario Land games and you're off to a great start. Pokémon is also a must have. Some of the Mega Man games are pretty good (especially IV and V.) There's also Kirby's Dream Land and Donkey Kong '94. Game & Watch Gallery is a fun little series too.

Lots of stuff.

Thanks! Guess i have that kirby and dk94 too. dk in particular is great! Will definitely look for pokemon,and mega man, which gen1 pokemon is considered best? Yellow is pika and red is charizard right?

 

[maxcriden]

Thanks! I actually own and have beaten all these, SML2 is excellent, the others pretty mediocre imo. anything else?

NP. Metroid II was my first real Metroid experience so I'm a bit biased admittedly as it's the game that finally got me into the series.

Kirby's Dream Land is fun as Zalman said although on the easy side overall IIRC. I last played it when I was like 6, though. Let's see...Kirby's Pinball/Blockball were really good if you're into that kind of thing. Castlevania II there isn't much to. If you're into Pokemon I got a lot out of the original Red/Yellow versions when they first came out. I'm only recommending GB games, though, there are plenty more GBC and tons more GBA to recommend. Also, you've probably played it but Link's Awakening is great. I'll try to think of more!

Thanks! Guess i have that kirby and dk94 too. dk in particular is great! Will definitely look for pokemon,and mega man, which gen1 pokemon is considered best? Yellow is pika and red is charizard right?

Yellow's fun because Pikachu is a bit more centric and kind of follows you around. It's cute. I played Red first, though. Both are great, just depends how much of a Pikafan you are.

 

[Zalman]

Thanks! Guess i have that kirby and dk94 too. dk in particular is great! Will definitely look for pokemon,and mega man, which gen1 pokemon is considered best? Yellow is pika and red is charizard right?

Yellow is considered the definitive version of gen 1. If you only want to get one of them, get that.

 

[sixteen-bit]

Yellow feels like a silly romhack of R/B to make it more like the cartoon show. Which I guess is exactly what it is, lol. Still, it's the only way to get all 3 starters if you're playing by yourself, so I recommend it.

 

[Zalman]

Also, one more tip if you want the Mega Man games. Some of them are incredibly expensive if you're looking for the English versions so you should look for the Japanese ones instead. You'll save a lot of money. They're the exact same game, basically the only difference being the title screen. They're called Rockman World over there.

 

[maxcriden]

Also, one more tip if you want the Mega Man games. Some of them are incredibly expensive if you're looking for the English versions so you should look for the Japanese ones instead. You'll save a lot of money. They're the exact same game, basically the only difference being the title screen. They're called Rockman World over there.

The glorious days of no region locking....

 

[Grief.exe]

Yellow feels like a silly romhack of R/B to make it more like the cartoon show. Which I guess is exactly what it is, lol. Still, it's the only way to get all 3 starters if you're playing by yourself, so I recommend it.

Nostalgia.

The glorious days of no region locking....

Nintendo has backslid on that one.

 

[maxcriden]

Nintendo has backslid on that one.

Yep! That reminds me, I still need to pick up the Japan only Starfy games....

 

[RoryDropkick]

Ninja Five-O is an action game that takes tropes and mechanics from a bunch of old games like Shinobi, Rolling Thunder, and Bionic Commando. Even though it's derivative, it's a great game on its own, and easily one of the best original action games on GBA. Even so, I can't really justify the price it goes for regularly, lol.

That's why I'm glad I got mine about a month ago from my store complete in box for $9.99

 

[cafemomo]

just picked these up. Already have FFV, but I could always use another copy
$3 each and FFV is real

sooo lucky

 

[sixteen-bit]

That's why I'm glad I got mine about a month ago from my store complete in box for $9.99

Awesome deal there.

 

[rCIZZLE]

I recently was able to pick up two GBA SPs from craigslist as well as Pokemon LeafGreen/Ruby/Emerald.

Oh man, where has the SP been all my life, I should have upgraded from my OG GBA (which I lost during a move ).

SP is still my favorite console/handheld design ever. Just no complaints at all. No more batteries, no more stupid snake lights, no worrying about the screen while in my pocket, etc.

 

[sixteen-bit]

SP is still my favorite console/handheld design ever. Just no complaints at all. No more batteries, no more stupid snake lights, no worrying about the screen while in my pocket, etc.

No complaints? Not even lack of a standard 3.5mm headphone port?

 

[Grief.exe]

No complaints? Not even lack of a standard 3.5mm headphone port?

That is the worst part, I love having good audio in my games and the standard speakers just don't cut it.

 

[rCIZZLE]

No complaints? Not even lack of a standard 3.5mm headphone port?

Like I said, I had no complaints.

 

[sixteen-bit]

That is the worst part, I love having good audio in my games and the standard speakers just don't cut it.

Yeah, I've been handheld gaming in stereo since Game Boy and only Wonderswan and GBA SP made me use some kind of external adapter to use headphones.

 

[baphomet]

Yeah, I've been handheld gaming in stereo since Game Boy and only Wonderswan and GBA SP made me use some kind of external adapter to use headphones.

Wonderswan doesnt have a standard headphone jack? I just ordered a color system and didnt know this. I hate that a nonstandard headphone jack was ever a thing.

 

[Rickenslacker]

That's why I'm glad I got mine about a month ago from my store complete in box for $9.99

Damn.

 

[sixteen-bit]

Wonderswan doesnt have a standard headphone jack? I just ordered a color system and didnt know this. I hate that a nonstandard headphone jack was ever a thing.

Sadly no. And the adapter isn't cheap.

 

[Tal Shiar Agent]

I'm always late to the party when Micro faceplates are available.


Anyway, which Advance Wars game for the GBA is considered the best? I never got a chance to experience the series when they first came out, I've heard it be universally praised and the gameplay looks interesting.

 

[baphomet]

Sadly no. And the adapter isn't cheap.

Woah, what the fuck? ~$80 is insanity. Ill cut a hole in the thing and tap the signals myself before i pay that to use headphones.

 

[sixteen-bit]

Yeah, I see some WS headphone mods on youtube. Sounds like a good project for you.

 

[Booter]

Also, I have never really collected Game Boy-games, what would you people recommend?

Mole Mania. Shigeru Miyamoto game.

 

[Grief.exe]

Makes GBA audio so good

 

[sixteen-bit]

Mole Mania. Shigeru Miyamoto game.

Considering the above/below ground level design it's kinda tragic they never made a DS follow-up to this. Anyway, excellent game.

 

[D-e-f-]

I wonder this too, did anybody play it?

Also, I have never really collected Game Boy-games, what would you people recommend?

Re: ToP - I own it but I have no clue ...only played it a bit. I think I remember reading that the sound has been SEVERELY downgraded from the SNES version (moreso than in other ports)?

As for Game Boy games: Metal Gear Solid (aka Metal Gear Ghost Babel), Metroid II - Return of Samus, Donkey Kong (DK94), and of course the Zelda games. Good place to start I think though those are obvious choices. Was there ever a standalone release for Tetris?

Also: I recently found out that they put out the GB(C?) ports of the first three Dragon Quest games in the US!

http://blog.pricecharting.com/2009/07/most-expensive-gameboy-advance-game.html
http://www.rarityguide.com/gba_view.php

Basically Worms Blast, Ninja Five-O, Doom II, Medabots: Metabee (Gold). Nothing really that super rare or super expensive, although I can see Ninja Five-O quickly rising in price.

Old, related thread: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=495555

So glad I bought Ninja Five-O plus manual a few years ago for $30-ish

That's why I'm glad I got mine about a month ago from my store complete in box for $9.99

THE FUCK!!! =O

 

[Tempy]

just picked these up. Already have FFV, but I could always use another copy
$3 each and FFV is real

sooo lucky

Dude, where! So tricky on Ebay, gotta watch out for those boots.

 

[DracoBlade]

Ninja Five-O is an action game that takes tropes and mechanics from a bunch of old games like Shinobi, Rolling Thunder, and Bionic Commando. Even though it's derivative, it's a great game on its own, and easily one of the best original action games on GBA. Even so, I can't really justify the price it goes for regularly, lol.

Yeah I cant magine ever fronting such a hefty sum for any game though that bionic commando/shinobi hybrid idea sounds hype. Also I like Konami's other GBA offerings, the Castlevania trilogy are easily some of the top 20 games on the system.

Spoiler

will still try on emulators

 

[cafemomo]

Dude, where! So tricky on Ebay, gotta watch out for those boots.

Disc Replay. Pretty sure it was a pricing error on their behalf.

Yeah I stopped getting GBA games on eBay because of fake carts. But for some reason though, I kinda want to start collecting bootlegs for novelty purposes.

 

[Grief.exe]

You can always email people have have them post proof that the cart is legit. Just tell them to upload pictures of the common trouble spots.

 

[cafemomo]

Dynasty Warriors GBA is one jankiest games I have ever played
Def not worth the 3 bux i paid for it

 

[Peagles]

I'm always late to the party when Micro faceplates are available.

There's 4 left in stock!

 

[coopolon]

You can always email people have have them post proof that the cart is legit. Just tell them to upload pictures of the common trouble spots.

The fakes are getting pretty good. I recently got a pokemon emerald that I could not tell was fake from the outside. The sticker was holographic, fonts and seals were all correct, plastic was right, it had the nintendo writing on the bottom of the board when you looked into it from the open end, etc.

Once you opened it up it was obviously a fake. I guess since the plastic on emerald is kind of transparent so if I had thought about it I could have seen the battery was in the wrong place by looking through it so in that way you could tell from the outisde.

But most games aren't transparent.

From here on out I probably would not buy any games on ebay that the seller couldn't send me a picture of the the board inside.

 

[Starwolf_UK]

Anyway, which Advance Wars game for the GBA is considered the best? I never got a chance to experience the series when they first came out, I've heard it be universally praised and the gameplay looks interesting.

You can't go wrong with either so whichever you can your hands on.

I think the first game has the better tutorial (it is a separate campaign, but if you want to skip it you can do straight to the last mission not recommended though as it really nails the basics) but in the single player campaign you only have 3 playable COs (who determine unit strengths and weaknesses) for the large part though you can use the other COs in multiplayer and the war room (single map skirmishes against the AI).

The second game ends up integrating the tutorial into early missions which slows the pace a bit. You get to play with COs from the 4 coloured factions though and there is a world map to select missions from (so if you are stuck on one mission you can try out another). The balance is better (it is mainly small tweaks) and there are more COs, war room and mulltiplayer maps.

 

[maxcriden]

Man, I had no idea GBA fakes were so ubiquitous. That's too bad. I've had pretty good luck getting used games on Amazon at good prices, no fakes so far...

 

[cafemomo]

Man, I had no idea GBA fakes were so ubiquitous. That's too bad. I've had pretty good luck getting used games on Amazon at good prices, no fakes so far...

In my experience, a majority of the fakes I got were from eBay. Amazon on the other hand has been mixed.

 

[B.K.]

How is Tales of Phantasia for the GBA?

It's considered to be the worst version of the game. Play it only if you don't have any other choice. I'm waiting for the fan translation of the PSP version, since it's supposed to be the best version of Phantasia.

Man, I had no idea GBA fakes were so ubiquitous. That's too bad. I've had pretty good luck getting used games on Amazon at good prices, no fakes so far...

Fake carts are everywhere. They're on Ebay, at mom and pop game stores, and even Gamestop used to sell fake carts. Some games are bootlegged more than others. I don't think I've ever seen legitimate used copies of the Final Fantasy games, even at Gamestop.

 

[maxcriden]

In my experience, a majority of the fakes I got were from eBay. Amazon on the other hand has been mixed.

Fake carts are everywhere. They're on Ebay, at mom and pop game stores, and even Gamestop used to sell fake carts. Some games are bootlegged more than others. I don't think I've ever seen legitimate used copies of the Final Fantasy games, even at Gamestop.

That's really too bad. I have gotten a couple of buggy carts (with freezes) but nothing totally broken as of yet, I don't think.

 

[Grief.exe]

That's really too bad. I have gotten a couple of buggy carts (with freezes) but nothing totally broken as of yet, I don't think.

Check them to see if they are fake

 

[maxcriden]

Check them to see if they are fake

Can't see the pic here at work so I'll have to check it out later. Thank you though. I just did some research on this though and the SMA4 cart I have with me at least appears to be real.

 

[BinaryPork2737]

I just started buying GBA games from eBay. Shit, now I'm going to worry about if they're real carts or not until I actually have them in my hands.

It's considered to be the worst version of the game. Play it only if you don't have any other choice. I'm waiting for the fan translation of the PSP version, since it's supposed to be the best version of Phantasia.

I already bought it, CIB, for around $20. Might still play it and then play the PSP version at a later time anyway.

 

[dancrane212]

Two pickups brought on by from this thread arrived today, thanks to Blue Submarine and Dash Kappei for the heads up!

 

[cafemomo]

I just started buying GBA games from eBay. Shit, now I'm going to worry about if they're real carts or not until I actually have them in my hands.

What games did you buy?

From my experience, only the high profiled (Pokemon, FE & FF) games are the most faked.

 

[Rich!]

Just in case anyone missed this when it was posted months ago in a Mother thread:

http://forums.sonicretro.org/index.php?showtopic=29892

Basically, there's a program called gbamusripper. Essentially, it rips the music from a GBA ROM in midi format, and puts together a soundfont using the instrument samples. What's so special about that, you wonder?

Sound quality not possible on the GBA. You finally get to hear the music without the distortion and hissing caused by the GBA's processor compressing the samples. It's amazing - you just need to set up the plugin correctly. Here's an example:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ikE5CSr6-4

 

[Andy the cook]

I know this is a long shot but does any one have this shelf or something similar? I've been trying to find it for a week but to no avail.

 

[BinaryPork2737]

What games did you buy?

From my experience, only the high profiled (Pokemon, FE & FF) games are the most faked.

I bought Tales of Phantasia and FF VI, both with boxes and manuals, both from the same seller. The price seemed reasonable enough and the seller seems honest.

 

[cafemomo]

that cib Metal Gear

:bow :bow

I bought Tales of Phantasia and FF VI, both with boxes and manuals, both from the same seller. The price seemed reasonable enough and the seller seems honest.

You better display that FFVI box like a damn trophy when you get it.

 

[BinaryPork2737]

Shantae and Metal Gear boxed :O

You better display that FFVI box like a damn trophy when you get it.

I definitely will. I used to have a copy like it but I lost it when my family moved to my current house, along with my copy of SMB Deluxe and Survival Kids.