Amazon Maximum Age: 17 years Amazon Minimum Age: 72 months Binding: Video Game EAN: 0045496731489 ESRB Age Rating: Everyone Label: Nintendo Manufacturer: Nintendo Platform: Game Boy Advance Publisher: Nintendo Sales Rank: 1168 Studio: Nintendo
Amazon.com Review: Golden Sun is the first original role-playing game for the Game Boy Advance to appear in the U.S. And despite perhaps a too-familiar story line, Golden Sun's jaw-dropping graphics, deep magic system, and unique multiplayer arena mode truly show that the Game Boy Advance is capable of a serious RPG.
Game developer Camelot (which also made the legendary Shining Force series for the Sega Genesis, and, more recently, Mario Golf and Mario Tennis for the Nintendo 64) designed Golden Sun from the ground up to take advantage of the GBA's horsepower, and it shows. Sharp, vivid landscapes, detailed towns and dungeons, and awesome weather effects--it looks like a Super Nintendo game with some extra zing squeezed onto a handheld system. Fans of Secret of Mana or Chrono Trigger will appreciate the feel of this game.
But the game's greatest strength is its magic system. Your characters each have their own latent psychic abilities based on one of the four elements of alchemy (earth, water, wind, and fire). The characters will be called upon to use their individual forms of telepathy and telekinesis to solve various puzzles in the game. Also, you can collect Djinn (elemental spirits) and link them to your characters. Not only can these Djinn be summoned in battle, they can also bolster or hinder your characters' latent psychic abilities, give them special attacks, and even change your characters' class. This system is similar to Final Fantasy VIII's guardian system, though far more intuitive and easy to master.
Golden Sun employs a basic turn-based battle system, but it has amazing spell and fighting techniques that really take advantage of the GBA's technology. The game achieves a nice balance between flashy attacks and the brevity of these same attacks--a lesson the makers of other RPGs should learn. Battles are beautifully and quickly fought, and don't overtax the gamer.
The game also has an addictive arena mode in which players can fight monsters they've already encountered in the game. Players can also link up with another GBA (this feature requires another Golden Sun cartridge) and fight against another party. While it's not true a multiplayer option, it adds a great replay value to the game.
Golden Sun's weakest point, however, is its standard-issue story. In essence: boy wakes up amidst disaster, meets stalwart friends, and rises to the challenge to save the day (all while living up to the image of his dear departed father). The story is a little stale, but the mechanics of the game transcend this flaw and bring the gamer into a state of handheld nirvana. --Bryan Karsh
Pros:
Vivid graphics
Deep, intuitive magic system
Addictive multiplayer arena mode
Cons:
A plot straight out of "RPG Story Lines 101"
Amazon.com Product Description: This role-playing adventure for one to two players lets you delve deep into a new world of fantasy and wonder, and experience the dawning of a new series. Your quest is to recover a powerful artifact that was stolen from your secluded village and now threatens the world with absolute destruction. You will make use of psychic powers, magical spells, and the lost art of alchemy to undo the evil that has befallen the land. Gather the four elements--fire, water, wind, and earth--and use them in different combinations to master new, more complex spells. New interactive possibilities are possible with the multiplayer mode that allows two players to quest together (requires Game Boy Advance Game Link cable).
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: - Solid, Fun RPG
After drooling over pictures of this game for several months, I ordered the Japanese import of Golden Sun when it became available. So far, I have not been disappointed. Golden Sun has all the elements that make RPGs so much fun to play: a story, new magic and items to acquire, etc. The game intro was the first time I had a taste of what the GameBoy Advance hardware is truly capable of. I'm glad to see that true RPGs are making a comeback to Nintendo consoles.
Rating: - Best Portable RPG Ever!
I think this the best GBA RPG because of its crisp graphics, excellent gameplay, and interesting weapons. Since I have been up to date on this game, I will tell some info. The storyline revolves around a young warrior who studies the power of earth. He meets people that use fire, water, and wind. The concept of magic is called Psyenergy. The characters collect Djinni to use magic. So when you link, for example, an earth and fire djinn, you may end up getting a volcano (maybe). So do you see why this is so good?
Rating: - finaly a good rpg game for game boy advance!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ive done reaserch for six moths at a japanese site and oter sites to see if this game was worth it and i found that it was rated best game of the year in japan and Ive seen the graphics of the game and they are incredible.
Rating: - Awesome Game!
I just picked up a nintendo power magazine in a book store, and found out about this game! It's a turn-based RPG, with hundreds of options for wepons, armor, and spells. Little sprites, called djins, help boost your psypower (magic). Also, this game has MULTIPLE STORY LINES. even if you've played the game before you can still be kept on your toes. Oh yeah, the graphics are GREAT! I'm deffinitely gonna buy this game!
Rating: - Great Game!
This game looks truely amazing. If you like the Final fantasy series on Playstation you will definatly like this game. It features vast and complex worlds and has a truely amazing story. The menues are complex but will get easier to uderstand as you move through the game. Play as four characters. The elements include wind, water, fire, and earth. Summon huge creatures who can then combine with other summons and watch as the battle graphics get a whole new and wonderful look. Animation is great and so are the characters. Multiplayer battles against friends and see who is the better fighter. This game looks totally great and should be one of the best RPG's for Gameboy Advance!
