The race to see who would reach the coveted 'Best of the Game Boy Advance' for 2002 was a close one, and oddly enough the staff and the readers mostly agreed on who the contenders should be. Well, the top 2 at least. Tactics Ogre: The Knight of Lodis and The Legend of Zelda: Link to the Past were at the top of everyone's list, but the staff and readers were split on who should be the top!

While the staff thought Tactics Ogre should be given the honor, the readers tossed their hat into the ring, backing Link to the Past. In an interesting match, 3rd place was where most of the dissenting opinion lay. While the nostalgia-filled RPGamer staff chose to back Phantasy Star Collection, the readers opted for something newer, chosing Konami's latest offering, Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance!

Looking at the results in depth, it's easy to see why the top 2 games were so close. Tactics Ogre: The Knight of Lodis was a highly anticipated game for many, and the first new Ogre Battle game since the ill fated Person of a Lordly Calibur on the Nintendo 64. Ogre Battle games have also been gobbled up on sight, and this one was no exception.The Legend of Zelda: Link to the Past was pretty much a no-brainer as well. A re-release of one of the most beloved Super Nintendo titles of all team with new features and an entirely new quest(for those who could find another person to play with) is the dream of many an RPGamer, and the readers proved it by launching it to the number 1 spot.

With even more RPGs planned for release in 2003, including the sequel to Golden Sun and a new Final Fantasy Tactics game, the Game Boy Advance is quickly becoming a dominating platform for the genre. What awaits us in this new year? Only time will tell.