GBA Game Search

[Sonic#]

So I'm thinking about getting someone a GBA game for Christmas. She plays every night for up to a half-hour, and it's basically the last thing she does before going to sleep. So, based on her interests, it would have to fit these requirements:

RPG or an RPG/Strategy game
Ability to save at any time (even in battle, if the battles are longer than 30 seconds or a minute)
Pretty long (40+ hours)

She's thus far been playing either Final Fantasy Tactics Advance or on occasion one of the ports she's borrowed from a friend (FF1+2, I think). The second requirement is really the stickler, as I can't think of games that fit that and the length requirement. Can anyone help?

[Werefrog]

Hmm... I heard some mixed reviews about Riviera. If you could find that, it may be worth a shot.

I believe that all of the FF ports let you save anywhere (a quick save feature that lasts until you load the game). You should get her FF 6. I'm not sure if it took me 40 hours to beat it, but I could see it lasting 40 hours for someone who is a newcomer to RPGs.

People seem to like Golden Sun too, but I sort of feel that those were only placeholders for better RPGs. I just couldn't enjoy those games for some reason. I got near to the end of the first one, and I don't think it would have taken 40 hours. I'm not certain. I'm also not sure if there's a quick save feature, but I know there's a sleep mode. That's almost as good, right?

If she likes Mario, you could get the Mario RPG for the GBA.

I can't really think of anything else right now. I wish I could say Mother 3 in addition to these games... but I have a feeling you want it in English. (It also doesn't have a quick save feature. And it probably isn't 40 hours long from what I've heard..)

[localflick]

Fire Emblem and Yggdra Union were pretty fun, and have quicksaves mid-battle. It's not a tactical rpg, but the port of Donkey Kong Country 3 is great.

Anyway good luck!

(...there's always Lunar Legend)

[Werefrog]

(...there's always Lunar Legend)

I thought of that too with the requirement that you have to save anywhere. The problem is that for the average gamer it's nowhere near 40 hours. Again, it's hard to judge how long it will take individuals to complete a game, though. There's a card collection thing in legend, right? If she's a collector, that could add some significant playing time.

Edit: Wait... she only plays for 30 minutes a night, and you want a 40 hour game? There's no way I could stay focused on one game for 80 days.

[Alunissage]

Hey, I took... two years, I think, to finish Lunar Legend. Trying to get every card does stretch it out, I must say, especially since there are several dungeons which are one-time only so you can't leave until you have that fourth rare card drop. If that's what you're into.

[Sonic#]

I can't really think of anything else right now. I wish I could say Mother 3 in addition to these games... but I have a feeling you want it in English. (It also doesn't have a quick save feature. And it probably isn't 40 hours long from what I've heard..)

Well, I'll be getting Mother 3 at some point. But I think she would want something translated.

Fire Emblem and Yggdra Union were pretty fun, and have quicksaves mid-battle. It's not a tactical rpg, but the port of Donkey Kong Country 3 is great.

Anyway good luck!

(...there's always Lunar Legend)

Yggdra Union sounds like a possibility. When you and Werefrog bring up quicksaving, is it what I think it is? That is, the sort of saving where you save and can reload that save while the game's still running, but which doesn't store the data permanently like normal saving does? Or does it write permanently to the cartridge?

And with Lunar Legend, the big stickler is the length of it, but she's never played Lunar, and I've definitely been thinking about it.

Hey, I took... two years, I think, to finish Lunar Legend. Trying to get every card does stretch it out, I must say, especially since there are several dungeons which are one-time only so you can't leave until you have that fourth rare card drop. If that's what you're into.

Which would definitely bring the completion time up. She normally does that for games she really likes, but Lunar's a wild card.

Thanks for the suggestions so far.

[GhaleonOne]

Lunar Legend, FFVI and The Legend of Zelda: A Link To The Past are my recommendations.

[captaindax]

Zelda: LTTP is always a good choice.

One time through Lunar Legend was enough for me, didn't care much for it, especially on that bloody screen. Still didn't damage my eyes as bad as Poke'mon Yellow did back in the day though...

[Werefrog]

Yggdra Union sounds like a possibility. When you and Werefrog bring up quicksaving, is it what I think it is? That is, the sort of saving where you save and can reload that save while the game's still running, but which doesn't store the data permanently like normal saving does? Or does it write permanently to the cartridge?

What I'm talking about is a feature that allows you to save and turn off the game. However, when you open the save file again, it deletes the "quick save" file. I think that it's mostly used for ports. This allows the game to be played conveniently on a portable system but doesn't change the difficulty of the game (e.g. you can't save right before a boss unless it was an option in the original game) I should have specified since it used the term also means what you're referring to.

[localflick]

What I'm talking about is a feature that allows you to save and turn off the game. However, when you open the save file again, it deletes the "quick save" file. I think that it's mostly used for ports. This allows the game to be played conveniently on a portable system but doesn't change the difficulty of the game (e.g. you can't save right before a boss unless it was an option in the original game) I should have specified since it used the term also means what you're referring to.

I'm referring to the same thing. It's what makes the GBA version of Final Fantasy Tactics playable on a bus or train because you can save mid-battle, and resume later (deleting the temporary save file). The PSP port of the PSX Final Fantasy Tactics didn't have quicksave which makes it a pretty lousy portable title since you have to either play it at home or put the PSP in sleep mode all day until you get back to it.

In terms of length games like Fire Emblem can vary a lot depending on how much of a completionist you are. If you go through every scenario including the hidden ones as every playable character it probably meets the 40 hour requirement.

The Phantasy Star Collection for GBA doesn't include PS4, but is a great set of old school RPGs (PS1-3) although you'll need to use a telepipe/escapipe to get back to town to save for a while in 2. But in terms of sheer length I've had it for years and still haven't made it through all 3. It's been at least 30 hours total and so far I've barely even started the first game.

[captaindax]

What I'm talking about is a feature that allows you to save and turn off the game. However, when you open the save file again, it deletes the "quick save" file. I think that it's mostly used for ports. This allows the game to be played conveniently on a portable system but doesn't change the difficulty of the game (e.g. you can't save right before a boss unless it was an option in the original game) I should have specified since it used the term also means what you're referring to.

I'm referring to the same thing. It's what makes the GBA version of Final Fantasy Tactics playable on a bus or train because you can save mid-battle, and resume later (deleting the temporary save file). The PSP port of the PSX Final Fantasy Tactics didn't have quicksave which makes it a pretty lousy portable title since you have to either play it at home or put the PSP in sleep mode all day until you get back to it.

In terms of length games like Fire Emblem can vary a lot depending on how much of a completionist you are. If you go through every scenario including the hidden ones as every playable character it probably meets the 40 hour requirement.

The Phantasy Star Collection for GBA doesn't include PS4, but is a great set of old school RPGs (PS1-3) although you'll need to use a telepipe/escapipe to get back to town to save for a while in 2. But in terms of sheer length I've had it for years and still haven't made it through all 3. It's been at least 30 hours total and so far I've barely even started the first game.

I forgot all about PSC! Phantasy Star 2 was always a favorite of mine.

[Old Jericho]

I would second the Yggdra Union recommendation, and I would also throw my hat in for Golden Sun/sequel. Riviera's great, too. I've also heard really good things about Tactics Ogre: The Knights of Lodis, but I've never played it.