Fire Emblem for the Game Boy Advance made me restart battles for hours to keep certain characters alive. That's the power of permadeath - every unit isn't a tactical piece; it's a character whose story ends if you make the wrong move.

Shining Force for GBA is a great tactical RPG. But it has one big problem: if you don’t use a guide, you might create a weak party on your first run. Some characters begin weak but grow strong. Others start strong but fade away. Then there are those like Jogurt, who are useless the whole time.

I became a Final Fantasy fan back in 1997 with the release of Final Fantasy VII—and I’ve played every mainline (non-MMO) entry in the series since.

Originally named Final Fantasy II on the SNES, this classic is now Final Fantasy IV Advance on the Game Boy Advance. It stands out as one of the best RPGs of the '90s handheld era.

This NES game gave us 30 lives, the spread gun, and endless basement memories with friends. Contra is still fun almost 40 years later. Here's my retro review and collecting guide.

Find out what makes Super Mario Bros. special. Meet classic foes like Boos and Chain Chomps. The Frog Suit lets you swim easily in underwater stages. Even after 30 years, this NES game is still a favorite for retro game nights and gets a 9.5 out of 10.

Advance Wars proved Nintendo wrong about Western audiences and turn-based strategy. Released in 2001 for GBA, it's easy to learn, hard to master, and still holds up today. Here's why it earned a 9/10.