NFL Blitz 2002 GBA is a real stinker. More's the pity, because I'd really like a good handheld football game right about now. I'd even take an iteration of Madden with current passing problems and all. And do so happily. Why hasn't EA signed on to the GBA trend yet? I wonder.

But...

I'm really impressed with High Heat 2002 for the GBA. Just played my first full game (Red Sox vs. Cubbies) and, aside from the somewhat less than deep hitting game, I really enjoyed and felt in control of pitching. The game has a real tension filled, low-scoring, strategy and strike laden, 3 and 2 nobody on, sense of realism.

(Brett Todd, with your love of baseball and handheld gaming, I'm talking to you)

Mario Kart Super Circuit remains my favorite GBA game thus far. Maybe that's simply because it's conducive to 10-15 minute sessions. That could be it because, with the lighting problems, I sort of have to play every game hunched over like Quasimodo and that's hard to do for long stretches.

-Andrew

Advance Wars all the way, baby. I already played Mario Kart on the SNES.

What drove me crazy about the Mario Kart games was that they were really about FIGHTING, not racing. Bah! I remember a USENET post where some guy actually did a statistical analysis on what items you got in first place and in second place on the N64 version-- in the second position you get tons of combat items, whereas in the first place position you get.. crap items.

And in last place you have like a 65% chance of getting a blue turtleshell -- which automatically seeks out the first place racer, and will hit anyone between you and them that gets in the way. They try to level the playing field by having your place in the race affect what items you get -- that's all.

Advance Wars is the best GBA game I've played...heck, it's one of the best handheld games I've ever played...period.

Advance Wars is also a piss poor sports game. It doesn't even have team licenses. ;)
-Andrew