Please support Game Informer. Print magazine subscriptions are less than $2 per issue
Six GBA Games Not Published By Nintendo We Want For Wii U Virtual Console
The Game Boy Advance is home to a fantastic library of Nintendo games, but it wasn't the only publisher making games for the handheld.
Starting on April 3, Nintendo is bringing a large collection of GBA games to the Wii U's virtual console. Here are the confirmed games so far:
- Advance Wars
- Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
- Metroid Fusion
- Kirby & The Amazing Mirror
- WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$!
- Super Mario Bros. 3
- F-Zero: Maximum Velocity
- Golden Sun
- Yoshi’s Island: Super Mario Advance 3
Presumably, more popular GBA titles published by Nintendo like The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap, Mario Kart: Super Circuit, or Fire Emblem will come in the future. I also have my fingers crossed for Drill Dozer, which was published by Nintendo and developed by the folks who usually do the Pokémon games. And of course it would also be nice to get the GBA Pokémon games, too. These games were not published by Nintendo, but it doesn't make me want to replay them any less.
Mega Man Battle Network from Capcom
Battle Network was about as far from the traditional Mega Man game as the blue bomber has ever gotten. Instead of action and platforming, you had a dialogue-rich story, and combat that took place on a 6x3 grid. A handful of sequels followed the success of the original Battle Network, including a GameCube game, and appearing on the Wii U would afford a great opportunity to see what made this iteration of Mega Man special again.
Mega Man Zero from Capcom
Zero stays much closer to the Mega Man formula than the aforementioned Battle Network, but it definitely has an identity all its own. It's a much darker Mega Man tale taking place far in the future serving as a sort-of sequel to the Mega Man X games. There is a collection of all four Zero games on the DS, but it would be nice to revisit the series on a television screen.
Astro Boy: Omega Factor from Sega
Licensed games have earned a bad reputation, and understandably so – most are terrible. Astro Boy: Omega Factor, however, stands out as a surprisingly fun and charming 2D action game. It was developed by Treasure, which has a history with the Gunstar Heroes series, and you can see that game's DNA in Astro Boy, even though the two play differently.
Sonic Advance from Sega
The Sonic games have gone downhill over the last few years leading to generally poor reception. Sonic Advance released in 2002, and was generally well-received. We gave the game an 8.5, and it stands as one of a recent quality Sonic games.
Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow from Konami
Aria of Sorrow sticks wonderfully to the mechanics established by Symphony of the Night. Of the three Castlevania games released for Game Boy Advance, Aria of Sorrow was the best. Adding a sci-fi element to the game with its futuristic setting, you could use weapons like guns alongside the sharp medieval weaponry typically associated with the series.
Boktai: The Sun Is in Your Hand from Konami
Produced by Hideo Kojima of Metal Gear fame, Boktai tells the tale of Django the vampire hunter. Realistically, adding Boktai to this list is a futile dream. The game's bizarre hook, which requires players to go outside and collect real sunlight to fire their Solar Gun, is likely impossible to emulate on the Wii U.
What games do you want to see on the Wii U's Game Boy Advance virtual console?
I’d like to ask you to support Game Informer’s continued coverage of games with a subscription. For less than two dollars per issue, we mail you a full year of 10 print magazines, each with cover stories and preview features filled with exclusive details about the most exciting upcoming games. We profile and interview game creators. We look back on the rich history of gaming, and we celebrate what’s next.
Here on the website, we offer much of our content for free, including game reviews, daily news, videos, event coverage, and more – all with minimal ads.
We do so with a small editorial team, alongside contributing paid writers from around the world – over 65 individuals from 9 countries around the world, just in the last couple of years.
It’s not possible without support.
In a time when game makers and games coverage have faced hard struggles and layoffs, the future of this 30+ year magazine and community is at risk. Our new standalone magazine subscription is the number one way you can keep us alive – and we believe you’ll get a pretty fantastic gaming magazine in your mailbox every few weeks for your trouble.
Thank you.
