Metroidvania games were around before the Game Boy Advance, but the genre received more exposure on Nintendo's portable platform. The GBA saw three Castlevania titles and two Metroid games, but there were also other titles like Scurge: Hive and the duo of Shaman King: Master of Spirits games that used the Metroidvania subgenre versus making a more straightforward adventure. When you also take into consideration the fascination with creating new games on classic hardware, it should come as no surprise that someone made a new game on the GBA in the tried-and-true Metroidvania formula. Goodboy Galaxy gained a small following of enthusiasts in 2023, and the game is now available on the PC.

The story starts off with a dog named Maxwell flying into space with his companion, a cat named Cropett. You sense that something is wrong, since Maxwell asks Cropett if they're being followed. Then they're suddenly fired upon by an enemy ship. Maxwell is shot down and crash-lands on a planet where his ship damages an observatory. Feeling bad, Maxwell offers to look for the parts to fix the damaged observatory. While the setup seems fine, the story is memorable thanks to the tale's many twists before you reach the end. There's also the variety of characters you meet along the way, all of whom are memorable in their own right.

The gameplay loosely follows the blueprint set forth by many other Metroidvania titles. There's a good deal of exploration and some discovery of tools for your arsenal. There's also some backtracking, with you revisiting a few previously explored planets with new tools to open up even more locations. However, the Metroidvania aspects aren't too strict. For example, not all of the tools you get are necessarily for unlocking new areas. The game gives you every indication of where you need to go next, and it's not necessary to visit every area to progress in the game. In a way, the game feels like a light Metroidvania that is a good entry point for those interested in the genre.

The game's major hook is the fact that you are almost always handicapped. Each planet has several gates where, when you pass through them, takes away one of your core components. One gate may remove your shield, making you vulnerable to one-hit kills. Another gate will take away your gun, forcing you to rely on pure platforming skills with no way of attacking. A different gate may take away your jetpack, severely reducing your ability to jump at decent heights. The game ensures that only one of these abilities is temporarily removed at a time. With the exception of one-late game area, you'll never reach a point where you're completely powerless. It creates interesting scenarios throughout the game, since there are only a few moments when you have all of your abilities and tools available. That hook transforms the game from being a light Metroidvania title into something more akin to a puzzle platformer, and it makes the game as a lot more interesting in the process.

Beyond this, the game also throws in a few minigames. Some are simple, such as a fishing minigame. Others are a tad unusual, such as working to make burgers. A few are unexpected, such as a behind-the-plane sequence that mimics StarFox with an obstacle course. There's a good variety of minigames, and even the most benign ones are enjoyable thanks to their good design.

The campaign can last around 15 hours, with 10 more hours tacked on if you're going for a full 100% run. For a modern game, that's pretty lengthy, and while that's always a good thing, there are moments when the game feels like it's being extended a bit too much. There are a few instances when it looks like the game would naturally end before a new twist appears and the game rolls on. The same thing occurs when a new minigame appears. There are enough minigames that it can feel like padding to those who just want to play the main adventure. To be fair, the game never feels like it drags along, but the number of false finishes and diversions don't elevate the ending as much as some may hope.

Buying the PC version of the game also grants you the GBA ROM, so those with a flash cartridge or want to run the game through their emulator of choice can do so. Beyond that, the PC iteration features a few things that aren't available in the original GBA game, such as full control customization. It's a very welcome option since the default controls may be fine for the GBA but not for a typical modern gamepad. The PC version also features an enhanced soundtrack, which adds a few more instruments to each songs. Don't expect a transformative experience with this enhanced soundtrack, but it is nice to hear the solid songs get even more added to them.

The biggest addition is co-op play, which is a rarity in the Metroidvania space. You won't be able to play through the whole game with a friend, and co-op is restricted to local play only, but the game provides a bunch of challenge scenarios that encompass much of the campaign. It's loads of fun, and it shows that the team has the chops to pull off a good Metroidvania experience if it wants to go down that route for its next title.

Graphically, Goodboy Galaxy looks very nice and even cutting edge in places — especially when you consider the platform it was originally developed for. The colors are bright, and the character animations look wonderful. The backgrounds look rich, but what is really impressive is the amount of cut scenes and their fluidity, since this type of thing wasn't seen on most GBA games. The same can be said for the rather large sprites in some areas and use of smooth scaling in the flying minigame. The only knock is that the game retains a chunky pixel look when playing in full-screen mode. The scaling seems fine, and it matches what you'd see if you played any other GBA game using an emulator, but those expecting a partial upgrade due to the scaling options will be disappointed to know that the option only affects the game in windowed mode.

The title runs very well on the Steam Deck. The game runs at a 1280x720 resolution with a locked 60fps at all times. The original development on the GBA means that the graphics actually look better, since the screen is small enough to ensure the pixels aren't overblown. The biggest enhancement is that you can get a little over seven hours of playtime with a full charge on the LCD version of the Steam Deck, making this game and the device a perfect match.

Goodboy Galaxy is a very well-done title. Despite the number of false stopping points, the overall adventure has some very memorable characters. The gimmick of constant equipment removal makes the adventure more thought-provoking instead of a slog, while the presentation is excellent, regardless of whether you opt for the PC-specific enhancements. For both genre fans and those who love more involved platformers, Goodboy Galaxy is well worth checking out.

Score: 8.0/10