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The best GBA game so far...

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 133 / 156
Date: November 04, 2001
Author: Amazon User

Having played the japanese version, I have to say that I'm quite impressed. As others have already written, the graphics and music are excellent - a true demonstration of the capabilities of GBA.
The plot is perhaps a bit predictable, but other than that, I cannot find any complaints about it. Truly the best GBA RPG so far. [...and one of the first ones, but that's beside the point.]

However, one thing worth mentioning is that some parts of this game are quite dark and violent. Unless the english version is *heavily* censored, I feel that the ESRB rating for this game is not accurate. I wouldn't recommend it for anyone under the age of twelve.

This is what the GBA was designed for

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 21 / 22
Date: December 18, 2001
Author: Amazon User

Only a few months in , and this game proves just what the GBA is capable of. The story in this game frankly is rubbish, usual kids save the world stuff but forget that; the joy of this game is in the playing.

Graphically , GS takes it's cues from that all time great Chrono Trigger but it is slicker and prettier though it doesn't make you laugh quite as much. The battles are very much final fantasy style and you will be amazed at the quality of the graphics in the battle scenes - you really feel like you're playing a PS1 game, not a handheld.

There are some nice set pieces in the game as well, the ship from Kalay and the Colloseum spring immediately to mind but I won't spoil it for you! Also the Djinn (magical creatures which boost your stats/change your class (and therefore magic available) and can be summoned when not equipped add a real tactical aspect to the boss battles - do you go in with the Djinn on standby to summon the big hits but have low hit points and rubbish magic or do you leave the Djinn equipped and try and chip away at them - getting the balance right holds the key to the big battles, especially thge rock hard Jupiter lighthousew confrontation.

the game is BIG, so far I have racked up 27 hours on the game clock (and lots more in abortive attempts) and I've not got through it. The puzzles in the dungeons are fairly simple though I have been stumped a few times before finding the right way through.

The music and sound effects are top quality all the way through and you will find yourself humming the music.

Criticisms, well there are a few - Sometimes the game feels a bit too linear and you can't backtrack to places where you feel you've missed something - which is annoying because the routes back invariably are blocked or one way.

Also, there are no easy battles, and there are lots and lots of them - you'll be trying to solve a puzzle in a dungeon and find yourself getting whacked by a random encounter you weren't prepared for - 2 Chimera Mages and a Thunder lizard have been my downfall on more than one occasion because I was trying to find the way through the dungeon and not really concentrating on healing my party etc.

However, this game is still awesome - and really sets the standard for those to follow it - If Nintendo think they can get away with a re-issue of Link to the Past when they come to release a Zelda game they will be wrong because Golden Sun is a better game than that. Buy it now.

Great Game!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 18 / 20
Date: October 09, 2001
Author: Amazon User

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!

A standard, easily likeable RPG adventure.

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 10 / 10
Date: March 29, 2002
Author: Amazon User

Fans of Squaresoft RPGs (Chrono Trigger especially) will love this game, and even those who are not big on RPGs will get a kick out of it. It is an action-based RPG with a battle and magic systems very similar to that of Secret of Mana, Chrono Trigger, and the various Final Fantasy games.

Here are the Pros: The graphics and sound make you understand the true power of this little system. The fights are fast paced, and characters are colorful and well animated. The music is classic RPG material similar to the Squaresoft games. The story, albeit cliched by RPG standards, is engrossing, and will require a lot of reading and attention. This is a major plus because the time flies by as you are playing, so a long bus ride or flight won't seem so long when you are playing this.

Here are the Cons: There are very few. But the one problem that I often experience is that the hours of gameplay required takes it's toll on your batteries. As well, though "Golden Sun" can be considered gound-breaking by handheld standards, the story gives the player a real deja-vu feeling. A more fresh and original storyline would have helped. But a standard RPG story is always engrossing, you just sometimes get that "been there, done that" feeling.

"Golden Sun" is a game for the more intellegent and attentative gamer, and a great way to pass time on the road. You will be impressed by the graphics and sound, but you'll stay for the fun and adventure.

Golden Sun Rocks!!!!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 10 / 11
Date: April 01, 2002
Author: Amazon User

Golden Sun is the coolest RPG on the market now, in my opinion, and strongly reccomend that you get it...now! I give it 4 stars becuz it has good graphics, is xtremely fun, difficult enough to keep you playing but not so difficult you leave it to collect dust, and it has lots of replay value because of the battle mode where you can bust up your friends with your strong psynergy attacks and djinn. It didnt get the 5th star though because it doesnt end :( . To actually beat the game youll have to wait untill golden sun 2 comes out. Golden Sun just leaves you with a big fat To Be Continued at the bottom of the screen. its sorta depressing...but there might be hope. in golden sun 2 you might be able to transfer your stats over from the original to the #2
so you wouldnt have gotten to say level 73 and been left behind.
but over all its a great game and if you can transfer your charachter's levels and stats to golden sun 2 then that makes it that much more of a good buy.

Awesome Game!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 12 / 15
Date: October 10, 2001
Author: Amazon User

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!

Golden Sun- best GBA game ever.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 8 / 8
Date: December 17, 2001
Author: Amazon User

The best word that describes Golden Sun is 'awsome.' The game is truely amazing. The graphics are mind-blowing, the gameplay is fabulous, the sound is CD-quality excellent (you need headphones to do it justice), and in my opinion, it is as good as any final fantasy game. There are tons of cool items that I can only begin to go into, such as powerful (and sometimes magical) swords, axes, maces, staffs, rings, shields and armor not to mention hearbs, and all kinds of other healing medicines. The magic system is very neat once you get used to it, somewhat comparable to Final Fantasy 3's esper system but with much more complexity and ways to use it. Everyone will obtain an impressive array of magic, but it's not too excessive, like the RPGs that you have 400 spells per person to pick from. Some people complain that the plot of Golden Sun is a little dry but I disagree. The plot is (in my opinion) quite different from most other RPGs like the Final Fantasy series and is alot more interesting I think. There are plenty of neat sequences in the game, which keeps it from being just one long, boring quest and the game keeps a cool optimistic attitude if you know what I mean, instead of the somewhat dark attitude of most of the Final Fantasies, it has a kind of hopeful and fun feal to it (more like Final Fantasy tactics) even though it's a serious situation that's going on. Anyway, I could go on like this forever, but I have to keep it short for this review so all I have left to say is buy it! Buy it! BUY IT! It is the best game for GBA so far and is liable to be the best ever... except of course for it's sequel, which I am already anxiously awaiting... -the amazing one

Role-players delight...

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 8 / 8
Date: March 19, 2002
Author: Amazon User

Many reviews have hit the nail on the head boasting about this games superior graphics, sound, game play, and story line. They are all superior indeed for a hand held console. With this and Breath of Fire, you'll have hours of intense RPG action at hand. This is a great game to own for any RPG gamer.

The bad? Well, the story line is sweet, yet the story telling is boring at times. You'll have to sit through many hours of reading on this one, sometimes all at once. I believe the longest wait in near the 25 minute mark. I'd enjoy the book indeed, but this is a game... for playing. I hope with the second one they wear the reading down a good bit, and then they will have a far better game to this already fantastic title. Although the reading is a drag sometimes, especially for people on the go (at least make it where I can save during the talking), I still gave it 5 stars. An excellent game by far if you have time on your hands for reading.

This game boasts the GBAs abilities very well. For those of you with "cheap" battery packs, beware, they'll drain fast on this one. Use batteries or better rechargeable's instead for longer gameplay.

the best RPG ever

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 9 / 10
Date: January 17, 2002
Author: Amazon User

(I KNOW THIS SEEMS LIKE A LONG ARTICLE BUT WHEN YOU GET DONE READING IT NOT ONLY WILL YOU WANT MORE INFORMATION BUT WILL WANT TO BUY THIS GAME PLEASE READ THIS ARTICLE....) this is the best RPG i have ever played and i have played zelda ,(the newest ones anyway) chrono trigger, and some of the final fantasies. well this is what it is all about , you are a young boy named isaac (you can change the name) and you live in a mysterious village named vale and you and your friend garet (by the way you get 2 more teammates along the way named ivan and mia) are on a quest to take back the elemental stars from 2 villains named saturos and minardi, and 2 others but I do not want to reveal who they are. (it goes along with the story)anyway people from vale and some other places can use psynergy a special ability you can use in and out of battle. you also have creatures called djinns there are 4 types they are earth which is also known as venus, fire also known as mars,wind also known as jupiter, and finally water aso known as mercury. you can use these creatures in battle. each one has a special power and when they are on standby you can summon them.the more standby djinn you have the more powerful the summon is. well although i have not beat the game yet i am very far and am about to beat it the story is awesome and the graphics are very impressive for a handheld. oh i forgot your characters when gained enough exp. points they gain levels and become stronger. you can collect coins and upgrade your party's gear. and also when your characters gain levels they learn more powerful psynergy moves. well i hope this article will persuade you to buy or rent this game bye........

One of Final Fantasy's Biggest Competitors

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 7
Date: February 10, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Golden Sun is easily the best GBA RPG, having amazing graphics, great sounds, a solid story, and a challenging world. The game is REDICULOUSLY long. It makes you wonder how they fit a 30+ hour (no, I'm not kidding) game into an inch-long cartridge that doesn't even weigh 5 onces.

The graphics are great, pushing the GBA to the limits. At first sight, I thought I was playing a Playstation game. Well, I wasn't, but the graphics are pretty close to the PS. The graphics easily rival the graphics of Final Fantasy IX, comparing the fact that both games push thier systems to the limit. I give the graphics 5 out of 5 stars.

The SFX could use a little work, especially the water sounds. The music, on the other hand, is terrific, showing the warmness of the towns, the calmness of the sea, the mystery of the lighthouses, and the terror of the dungeons. The music alone could make you think you've beaten the game. The SFX get a 4/5.
The music gets a 5/5.

The story is classic. Someone steals something to try to bring evil to the land. Very Zelda, and ultamatly, very Nintendo. It has several fresh twists, such as actually trying to save a tree, rather than letting it die. No, it's not a Deku tree, and yes, it can talk. There are many Djinni that help you by releasing thier power to aid you. Then you summon them! Very Square Soft. The main turning points, however, are kinda easy to foresee, and Garet's always trying to finish his quest and then claiming the idea of helping someone else was his gets kind of annoying. The story gets a 4 1/2 out of 5 stars.

Overall, it is a great game and should be in your GBA library. Expect to see more Golden Sun titles soon, like in spring. Don't expect to beat it in a week, because, unless you play it for hours on hours on end, you won't beat it for a month or two, and if you beat it in a week, you need more hobbies. Even I can't beat it that fast, and I play it all the time.

Pros: Long, great graphics and music, cool battle system
Cons: SFX needs work, no description for anime symbols, too long

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