Best GBA Rom Hacks: 20 Best Games You Never Heard Of!

The GBA rom hacking community is ramping up and here are some great games you never heard of.

We’ve selected 20 of the best you can download today!

The Game Boy Advance was released in North America in 2001 succeeding the Game Boy Color.

A handheld console that spanned until 2008 featuring multiple revisions to the 32 bit console’s hardware. Some of the best selling games on the platform have sold over 16 million copies world wide.

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The quality of games that have been released for the GBA have been nothing short of timeless classics.

Since nowadays there aren’t any commercial releases made available, the modding community is extremely active, making improvement patches and entirely new rom hacks for your favorite games.

From Pokemon to Final Fantasy we’ll make sure to cover them all!

Considering these are only going to be game mods that we’ll be covering, we’ll only be covering the best ROM hacks available for the GBA.

Be sure to check out our other great ROM hacking articles below:
Best Zelda ROM Hacks | Best Metroid ROM Hacks | Best SNES ROM Hacks
Best NES Rom Hacks | Best Castlevania Rom Hacks | Best Pokemon GBA ROM Hacks | Best Super Mario World Rom Hacks

What is a GBA ROM Hack?

Game Boy Advance (GBA) ROM hacks are modified versions of the original game code.

These modifications to the game’s:

  • Code
  • Graphics
  • Other components are made by fans of the original games using specialized software.

Simple adjustments to the game’s plot or complexity might fall under this category, as can total overhauls of the gameplay and aesthetics.

How do GBA ROM Hacks Work?

A GBA emulator and the ROM file of the original game on which the hack is based are required to play a GBA ROM hack. We can’t share any links since ROMs may be considered illegal if you don’t own the original game.

Once you have the emulator and the ROM file, you may patch the original ROM file using the ROM hack patch file. The hack creator’s alterations to the original game are contained in the patch file, which is a file. You may play a new, updated version of the game on your emulator after applying the patch file to the ROM file.

In recent years, GBA ROM hacks have grown in popularity among retro gamers. They provide a fresh challenge to gamers who may have previously completed the first game, which is one reason for this. New stages, opponents, and equipment are frequently included in these hacks, which may keep the gameplay interesting and fun.

Their appeal stems in part from the fact that players may modify their favourite games using these platforms. Fans can alter the game to correct problems or add other improvements that they think make it better. They may exercise their creativity and programming abilities by building totally new games using the code of the original game.

20. Mother 3 English Translation

Best GBA Rom Hacks 20 Best Games You Never Heard Of - Mother 3 English Translation
Mother 3 English Translation

One of our favorite parts about rom hacks is the ability to bring a game that would have never saw the light of day in North America and give you a full translation from Japanese to English.

Mother 3 also known as Earthbound 2 saw this translation take place in 2020 by SterrFry who has worked night and day to bring us this translated game.

The translation is extremely accurate and the script feels like it should as you play through the storyline. Mother 3 also is available to work on original hardware if you have a flash cart available.