GBA RPG Book Project

Join us in creating the definitive guide to Game Boy Advance RPGs! Track your collection progress and be the first to know when the book launches.

40 Essential Games PCB Documentation Collector's Guide

Project Progress

20.5%
8/39

8 out of 39 games acquired for the book

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The 40 Essential GBA RPGs

These are the core games we're documenting for the book (30 US releases + 10 Japan exclusives). Track our progress as we acquire each game!

US Release
Japan Release

Golden Sun

★★★★★

Golden Sun: The Lost Age

★★★★★

Fire Emblem

★★★★★

Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones

★★★★★

Final Fantasy Tactics Advance

★★★★★

Tactics Ogre: The Knight of Lodis

★★★★★

Final Fantasy IV Advance

★★★★☆

Final Fantasy V Advance

★★★★☆

Final Fantasy VI Advance

★★★★☆

Sword of Mana

★★★★★

Riviera: The Promised Land

★★★★★

Yggdra Union

★★★★★

Summon Night: Swordcraft Story

★★★★☆

Summon Night: Swordcraft Story 2

★★★★☆

Advance Wars

★★★★☆

Advance Wars 2: Black Hole Rising

★★★★☆

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team

★★★☆☆

Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories

★★★★☆

Breath of Fire

★★★★☆

Breath of Fire II

★★★★☆

Super Robot Taisen: Original Generation

★★★☆☆

Super Robot Taisen: Original Generation 2

★★★☆☆

Shining Force: Resurrection of the Dark Dragon

★★★☆☆

Lunar Legend

★★★☆☆

Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls

★★★★☆

Mega Man Battle Network 3

★★★☆☆

Boktai: The Sun Is in Your Hand

★★★☆☆

Shining Soul II

★★★☆☆

Phantasy Star Collection

★★★☆☆

Pokémon Emerald

★★☆☆☆

Mother 3

マザー3

★★★★★

Magical Vacation

マジカルバケーション

★★★★★

Tales of Phantasia

テイルズ オブ ファンタジア

★★★★☆

Tomato Adventure

トマトアドベンチャー

★★★★☆

Dragon Quest Monsters: Caravan Heart

ドラゴンクエストモンスターズ キャラバンハート

★★★★☆

Dragon Quest Characters: Torneko's Adventure 3

ドラゴンクエストキャラクターズ トルネコの大冒険3

★★★☆☆

Tales of the World: Narikiri Dungeon 2

テイルズ オブ ザ ワールド なりきりダンジョン2

★★★☆☆

Tales of the World: Narikiri Dungeon 3

テイルズ オブ ザ ワールド なりきりダンジョン3

★★★☆☆

Tales of the World: Summoner's Lineage

テイルズ オブ ザ ワールド サモナーズライン

★★★☆☆

About the Game Boy Advance

Release

North America: June 11, 2001
Japan: March 21, 2001
Europe: June 22, 2001

Display

Screen: 2.9" TFT LCD
Resolution: 240×160 pixels
Colors: 32,768 (15-bit color)
Backlight: Original (none), SP/AGS-101 (frontlit/backlit)

Technical Specs

CPU: ARM7TDMI @ 16.78 MHz
RAM: 32 KB + 96 KB VRAM
Cartridge: Up to 32 MB ROM
Battery: 2 AA batteries (~15 hours)

Cartridge Size

Physical: 60mm × 42mm × 3.3mm
Capacity: 4 MB to 32 MB
Battery Save: Many RPGs use CR1616 coin cell
RTC: Some games (Pokémon) have real-time clock

Game Library

Total Games: ~1,500+ worldwide
RPGs: ~60-80 US, ~80-120 JP exclusive
Backward Compatible: Game Boy & Game Boy Color
Link Cable: Multiplayer support for many games

Homebrew Potential

Flash Carts: EZ-Flash, EverDrive-GBA X5
Development: DevkitAdvance, GBABF
Emulation: mGBA, VBA-M support
Active Scene: Thriving homebrew community

About the Project

What We're Creating

A comprehensive collector's guide to the Game Boy Advance RPG library, featuring:

  • PCB documentation for authenticity
  • Complete game information
  • Collecting tips and pricing
  • Visual references and screenshots

Why GBA First?

Starting with GBA allows us to:

  • Validate the book concept quickly
  • Lower risk with affordable games
  • Test workflow and documentation
  • Launch in 6-8 months vs 18+ months