Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring on Game Boy Advance offers a classic turn-based RPG experience that will feel comfortably familiar to veterans of the genre. Players take command of Frodo, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli and eventually the rest of the Fellowship, navigating grid-based battlefields against Ringwraiths, orcs and other denizens of Middle-earth. Each character boasts unique attributes and special abilities—Gandalf’s spellcasting, Legolas’s ranged prowess and Gimli’s brute strength—which encourages strategic party composition and thoughtful use of resources.

Beyond combat, the game weaves exploration and puzzle-solving into its core mechanics. You’ll traverse iconic locations like the Shire, Rivendell and the Mines of Moria, searching for hidden items, deciphering riddles based on Tolkien’s own verse and uncovering optional side quests. Many of these puzzles revolve around songs or verses penned by Tolkien himself—decoding a stanza to unlock a door, or collecting scattered fragments of ancient poetry to reveal secret pathways. This blend of action and brain-teaser elements keeps progression engaging and rewards players who pause to appreciate the lore.

Character progression is handled through experience points gained in battle and via completing quests. As characters level up, you can allocate points to health, attack power or special skills such as Aragorn’s leadership bonus or Legolas’s critical hit rate. While the party grows in strength, the difficulty curve remains balanced: early skirmishes are ideal for learning mechanics, but mid-game encounters demand mastery of guard stances, effective spell usage and timely item consumption. Overall, the gameplay loop provides a satisfying sense of growth, teamwork and immersion in Tolkien’s world.

Graphics

On the Game Boy Advance hardware, The Fellowship of the Ring delivers surprisingly detailed 2D sprite work and richly varied environments. The Shire’s rolling hills, the haunted hallways of Moria and the wooded glades of Lothlórien each have distinct palettes and tile sets, ensuring that exploration never feels visually repetitive. Weather effects—rain dripping from leaves, swirling mist in the Dead Marshes—add an atmospheric layer that immerses you further into Middle-earth.

Character sprites are instantly recognizable, despite the GBA’s resolution constraints. Frodo’s slender frame contrasts with Gimli’s stout build, and each member of the Fellowship animates smoothly in battle: swords swing convincingly, arrows arc gracefully and Gandalf’s staff crackles with magical energy. Enemies likewise exhibit variety, from the lanky, ethereal Ringwraiths to bulky trolls whose stomps tremble the ground. These animations, combined with well-designed battle backgrounds, contribute to a polished, professional presentation.

The user interface is thoughtfully laid out for handheld play. Menu screens use clear icons to access inventory, character stats and spell lists, while battle commands sit neatly at the bottom of the screen. Health and magic gauges are easy to read, even on the GBA’s limited display, and visual cues such as flashing sprites or highlighted tiles guide your tactical decisions. Though it forgoes 3D graphics, the game’s art direction and technical execution ensure that the scenic beauty of Tolkien’s world comes alive in pixel form.

Story

Faithful to the opening chapters of J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic, the game guides players through Frodo’s journey from the peaceful Shire to the perilous borders of Mordor. Dialogue snippets, narrated text boxes and occasional cutscenes recount key events: Gandalf’s warnings about the One Ring, the forming of the Fellowship in Rivendell and the treacherous trek through Moria. This adaptation streamlines the narrative to suit an RPG format, but it captures the spirit and stakes of Tolkien’s tale.

One of the game’s highlights is its inclusion of characters and moments absent from Peter Jackson’s films. You’ll cross paths with Tom Bombadil in the Old Forest, engage in song-based puzzles sung by Goldberry, and deliver messages to scattered allies in Bree and beyond. These additions reward readers of the novels and deepen the sense of exploration—every detour reveals new facets of Middle-earth and its inhabitants.

While the overarching plot remains linear, optional side quests flesh out the world and let players experience the camaraderie and peril that define the Fellowship’s mission. Whether defending a village from orc raids, searching for a lost elven artifact or translating ancient runes in Moria, each mission ties back into the theme of unity against encroaching darkness. The narrative pacing strikes a balance between action, exposition and world-building, ensuring that both series newcomers and Tolkien purists find plenty to appreciate.

Overall Experience

As the first installment in a planned trilogy, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring establishes a strong foundation for what promises to be an epic handheld RPG saga. Its blend of strategic turn-based combat, lore-rich puzzles and character-driven narrative delivers hours of engrossing gameplay. Fans of Tolkien will relish the faithful touches and hidden Easter eggs, while RPG enthusiasts will appreciate the solid mechanics and steady progression.

Of course, the Game Boy Advance’s hardware imposes some limitations—voice acting is absent, and load times between areas can feel lengthy. A few dungeons share similar tile patterns, which may lead to occasional disorientation during extended play sessions. However, these minor drawbacks are offset by the game’s polished presentation, memorable score (adapted from Howard Shore’s themes) and the sheer joy of guiding the Fellowship through their earliest trials.

Ultimately, The Fellowship of the Ring stands as a standout title on the GBA and a heartfelt tribute to Tolkien’s legacy. It offers an accessible entry point for younger players discovering Middle-earth for the first time, while providing enough depth and nostalgia to captivate seasoned fans. If you’ve been longing to carry the One Ring across perilous lands in your pocket, this adventure is not to be missed.

Retro Replay Score

5.4/10