Play Baldur's Gate : Dark Alliance Online

Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance on the Game Boy Advance came out in 2004, developed by Magic Pockets. It was a pretty ambitious attempt to bring a full console-style action RPG to a handheld, something you didn't see a lot of back then. It felt like a big, serious game you could carry in your pocket.

You pick one of three characters, like a dwarf fighter or an elven sorceress, and hack your way through monsters in a linear story. The main goal is to uncover a conspiracy threatening the city, which means a lot of dungeon delving and fighting through caves and cellars. You explore screen by screen, using either melee weapons or magic to clear out enemies, and you're always collecting gold and better gear to upgrade your stats. It moves at a steady pace, though some sections can feel a bit repetitive. Playing it feels like a solid, condensed version of a bigger adventure, even with the hardware limitations.