Golden Sun: The Lost Age (2003)

Genre: Role-playing | Players: 1-2 | Developer: Camelot

The Lost Age picks up where the last game left off, but you now play from the perspective of Felix whom you had been chasing in the first game. They now journey to light the remaining elemental lighthouses and restore the ancient force of Alchemy.

Gameplay is mostly unchanged from the first installment. Standard RPG fare enhanced with equip-able Djinn familiars. There are a few tweaks in that now there are equip-able items that can change your class, you can mix different elements of Djinn for new summons in addition to the old summons and this installment is quite a bit more non-linear. The previous game let you revisit locations and do some events out of order, but this one is even more so. There are also certain game elements that change if you transfer your completed game data from the first game via either a link cable or a password taken from the first game cartridge. It isn't necessary to finish the game, but it can give some bonuses like extra items and some new scenarios depending on your actions as the first protagonist, Isaac. It is also the only way to get all Djinn. The battle mode is also still available via the link cable.

Puzzles, animation and exploration are all ramped up with new spells and locations to visit and then revisit with new spells to unlock hidden areas. The game also falls on the easy side, but less so than the first game. It also moves at a slower pace which can be grating at times. It takes a good way into the adventure just to get your 4th party member. There are new enemies, but like the first there are a limited number and new enemies are often just recolored sprites of the original enemies. Even the new main villains are just similar stand-ins for the first game's lost ones. Just as good as the first with some new tweaks.

Buyer's Guide:
This one carries a higher price than most for some reason. Used copies can be had for $15-25. New copies can go much higher. From $25 to $100.

4 The "spear-wielding, desert tribe in need of a witch doctor" section might come off a bit racist out of 5

Golden Sun (2001)

Genre: Role-playing | Players: 1-2 | Developer: Camelot

I'll give Doc's style a shot.

Golden Sun is a role-playing game for the GBA that is very reminiscent of old school SNES rpgs. In a sprite based cartoon art style, players control silent protagonist Isaac and his friends as they journey across the continent in pursuit of the villains who have not only stolen mystical and dangerous artifacts from the village, but have also kidnapped 2 of Isaac's friends as well. They must recover their friends and the artifacts before they can be used to unseal the ancient force of Alchemy.

Battle against monsters and humans alike with the usual swords, axes, etc. and this game's form of magic called Psynergy. Each character has an innate element based on the four classical elements (Fire, Earth, Water, Wind) that they can use to cast spells both in and outside of battle. These can also be modified using Djinn; elemental familiars you can capture to equip and modify spells and stats. Mixing elements will make new spells such as adding a water djinn to an earth innate will give him plant based spells that outside of battle can grow climbable vines to access hidden areas. Djinn also have unique abilities that can be used in battle like one turn invulnerability and enhanced attacks. Or they can be unequipped at the cost of stat boosts to be summoned in battle. The more Djinn used (max of 4) summons more powerful creatures. All this adds more layers of strategy to the standard RPG battles. Two GBA's can be linked to battle other players as well outside of the single player game.

The game does fall a bit on the easy side. While this eliminates level grinding it also makes all the strategy options they give you all but unnecessary. You can go through the whole game without once mixing Djinn or summoning if you're not a complete idiot. But it is still a fun game full of detailed animation, hidden areas and bosses, special weapons, light puzzle solving and a lighthearted adventure.

Buyer's Guide:
Can be found used and new for between $10 and $20.

4 One eyed magic rock monsters who seem powerful enough to do this shit themselves out of 5