During the mid-1990s, video games began to leave pixels and sprites behind, favouring 3D worlds filled with polygons. On the big screen, games now featured large worlds that could be viewed from many perspectives, and it seemed the world of 2D pixels was drawing to a close on consoles.
In the world of on-the-go gaming, however, handhelds still largely relied on pixel sprites due to technical restraints. The Game Boy Advance, released in 2001, is often considered one of the best handheld consoles for pixel art, and we explore its pixel aesthetic in our book The GBA Pixel Book. But what made Nintendo’s final Game Boy so great for pixel gaming?
The Tech
Although a library of quality games helped the GBA stand out, the device itself was a huge step up from previous handhelds. Until the GBA, many handheld games’ artwork lacked detail and were often constrained by lower-resolution screens. The GBA sported a 2.9-inch display with over 32,000 colours available on a 240x160 pixel screen, which allowed vibrant and detailed artwork to shine through. The screen would be further improved with the release of the GBA SP and GB Micro, later revisions which added backlit screens.
It wasn’t just an enhanced screen that made the GBA great. Its four action buttons, instead of the usual two on handhelds, allowed for more complex mechanics and deeper gameplay. The GBA was made even more of a force due to its ability to play every Game Boy game previously released, meaning gamers could use their old carts on the latest system. Also, the GBA could connect to the GameCube to unlock extra levels, characters, and other content in certain games, as well as download minigames to play on the go.
The Games
While the GBA’s technical specifications are impressive, one of the main reasons it’s considered a great handheld is its library of first-party games. Throughout its lifespan, Nintendo made great use of its deep catalogue to remaster some old favorites and release new games for its best properties.
The selection of Mario titles on the GBA is interesting because there weren’t any new mainline titles. Instead, Nintendo remade several of Mario’s earlier titles from the NES and SNES. Many of the updates improved the quality of the overall gameplay, such as enhanced controls, but graphical and sound changes were also made to take advantage of the GBA’s handheld abilities. New and rearranged levels were also added that created new experiences to classics like Super Mario World. There were also changes to the pixel art, especially on main characters, to bring them up to date with Mario’s current look and style.
Zelda was another Nintendo series that would get the remake treatment on GBA. A Link to the Past was updated with an extra dungeon and reworked puzzles in several of the original dungeons, improving the experience. This release also included a brand new Zelda game called Four Swords that enabled up to four players to control four different coloured Links through the GBA’s link cable.
The Minish Cap was the GBA’s first original Zelda game, a game we explore in our book The GBA Pixel Book. On release, many critics cited how remarkable the artwork and music were, especially for a handheld game, and how closely it resembled The Wind Waker on the GameCube. The Minish Cap won numerous Game of the Year awards, and is regularly featured in lists of the best Nintendo games.
The GBA would also see the first Mario Kart game on handheld, and it’s still considered one of the best in the series. When Mario Kart: Super Circuit was released, gamers were impressed with how a handheld could produce such detailed pixel art while maintaining the speed of a kart racer. It wasn’t just the great graphics and gameplay that impressed, as it also featured 20 extra tracks from the SNES version of Super Mario Kart. These weren’t just added as an afterthought either, as each one was remade using the new style of the GBA game, creating a fresh experience.
No new Game Boy library would be complete without Pokémon, and the GBA hosted the third generation of pocket monsters. These games were notable for the graphical overhaul, not just to the Pokémon themselves, but also to the world maps and battle arenas. It also introduced a 2-on-2 battle mechanic that would become a series mainstay, and more in-depth abilities. These new features helped the series rediscover its popularity, and over 100 million GBA and GameCube Pokémon games sold during this generation.
Third-party Support
It wasn’t just Nintendo that released great games on the GBA, as many third-party developers supported the handheld. During the launch of the GBA, Sega was transforming into a third-party software company after its final console, the Dreamcast, didn’t meet expectations. History was made when the GBA became the first Nintendo system to have a Sonic the Hedgehog game released, and Sonic Advance is still widely considered one of the best 2D Sonic titles. Sonic’s trademark speed and colourful pixel art fitted well onto the small screen. It sold well, and Sega began porting other properties, such as Crazy Taxi and Jet Set Radio, to the handheld.
Other major third-party developers, such as Capcom, Square, and Konami, also supported the GBA with scaled-down versions of older games alongside new ones. Popular series such as Street Fighter, Final Fight, Castlevania, Final Fantasy, and Doom would all have games released on the GBA. Porting these types of games would also help RPG and strategy titles, genres often neglected on handhelds, find a new home away from consoles and PCs.
25 years on, the GBA still has many great pixel art games to enjoy. From remasters of classics, such as Mario and Doom, to new experiences, such as 2D Sonic games and more advanced Pokémon titles. If this dive into the GBA has sparked your nostalgia for gaming on the go, check out The GBA Pixel Book, which covers over 240 GBA games across 300 pages filled with handheld pixel art.
