This Day in Gaming History is an editorial released 2-3 days per week, that takes you on a ride in its custom-built gaming history blue box. We take a look at titles all released on the same day throughout gaming history, while also giving extra facts and anecdotes as available or appropriate. Got a favorite game that you want to learn more about, or perhaps want to see featured on TDIGH? Send angel1573 a message on the forums, or leave a comment below!
Today, we’re taking a bit of a curve with our trajectory as we focus on a sole piece of gaming history today: the release of a Nintendo hendheld console, in a long line of handhelds. Let’s take a look at what the GBA has done for gaming history, shall we?
GAME BOY ADVANCE (GBA) – NORTH AMERICA
On this day in 2001, Nintendo released what would become one of the most successful handhelds in gaming history in North America. Celebrating its 15th anniversary this year, the Game Boy Advance was the sixth release in the Game Boy line, including advancements and different versions on the Game Boy and Game Boy Color. The Game Boy Advance itself also had two additional releases from its original model, including the Game Boy Advance SP released in 2003, and the 2005 Game Boy Advance Micro. The handheld maintained an extensive game collection, as well as a distinguished career run. The system has been supported as late as 2010 (in Australia). The Game Boy Advance is also touted as having one of the best hardware designs in Nintendo’s history for ergonomics and durability. The GBA was initially hinted at as far back as 1996 in EGM as a Game Boy successor being worked on by Nintendo, coded “Project Atlantis.”
The extensive and successful gaming library developed for the GBA following its release was highlighted by a number of well-known titles (some that you can expect to read about here in the future). According to IGN, the top ten of all time include: WarioWare: Twisted (2005), Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow (2004), Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past with Four Swords (2003), Advance Wars (2001), Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2 (2001), Mario Golf (2004), Super Mario Advance 3: Yoshi’s Island (2002), Final Fantasy VI [re-release] (2007), Metroid Zero Mission (2004), and Pokemon Ruby & Sapphire (2003). Much to the dismay of gamers wanting to revisit old GBA titles, there was a delay in Nintendo deciding to incorporate the Advance into the Virtual Console. Only recently, within the past year, have games begun to trickle into the official emulator. For an in-depth anniversary look at the GBA, check out this feature retrospective.
Image © Nintendo
Some other titles released on this day:
- Mario Golf [Japan] – Nintendo 64 – 1999
- Bomberman Ultra – Playstation 3 – 2009
- Tekken Revolution – Playstation 3 – 2013
- LEGO Jurassic World – PC – 2015
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