Final Fantasy Tactics Advance review

Final Fantasy Tactics Advance is the GBA's longest strategy game. Nintendo's page tells the story: Marche moves to St. Ivalice, and he and his friends Mewt and Ritz find an old magic book that changes the town. Battles are turn-based, but each one is overseen by a judge who enforces laws, and breaking them can send a unit to prison. Characters take jobs that depend on their race, such as Nu Mou White Mages or Bangaa Warriors, and you join a clan to take on 200 missions in total. That depth earns it a solid capabilities score. Ease of setup is lower because the law system takes time to learn and there is no current legal re-release, so you need the cartridge. It lists at $69.99 at DKOldies before sales, fair for a game this long.

Who it is for

Tactics fans who want a long game with a deep job system and hundreds of hours of missions.

Price

Used GBA cartridge from $69.99 at DKOldies (regular price, before sales).

Original price: $69.99
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 11, 2026.

Key features

• Turn-based tactical battles
• Judges and laws that restrict actions in battle
• Job system tied to each race's abilities
• Clan-based mission structure
• 200 missions in total

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: 200 missions give a very long game
• Strength: Job system invites experimenting
• Strength: $69.99 used for a long RPG
• Weakness: Laws can feel restrictive
• Weakness: No current legal re-release
• Weakness: Slower to learn than Advance Wars

Key facts

• Publisher: Square Enix
• Genre: Tactical role-playing
• Release date (Nintendo UK): 24/10/2003
• Missions: 200
• PEGI rating (Nintendo UK): PEGI 7

Where it ranks

Final Fantasy Tactics Advance is No. 10 in our Best GBA Games of All Time verdict.