Smuggler's Run

Racing GBA Classic Playable Now 2002 🎮 Keyboard / Gamepad

Smuggler's Run on the Game Boy Advance is a handheld version of Rockstar's 2000 PlayStation 2 driving game, developed by Rebellion and published by Destination Software in September 2002. You drive off-road across open terrain, picking up contraband at smoke signals and delivering it to drop points while rival smugglers try to steal your cargo and the authorities give chase. It keeps the core idea of the console original on much smaller hardware.

Off-road Driving Smuggling Police chases GBA Open world GBA

Controls

Arrow Keys - Move
Z - A Button (Jump / Attack)
X - B Button
A - L Shoulder
S - R Shoulder
Enter - Start
Shift - Select
Gamepad - Full support

What Smuggler's Run is

The original Smuggler's Run was one of the early PlayStation 2 releases, built around missions in which you carry illegal goods across forests, deserts and snowy country while avoiding the border patrol, the CIA and competing gangs. It stood out for letting you drive anywhere instead of following a track.

Rebellion's GBA adaptation arrived in North America in September 2002 and in Europe that October. Reviews were much less positive than for the PS2 game, and it holds a Metacritic score of 41. Still, the basic loop of racing to a pickup, grabbing the cargo and getting it home intact carries over.

How it plays in your browser

A green arrow on the screen points to your next smoke signal. Drive to it to collect contraband, then follow the arrow to the drop-off point. Rocks, shrubs and trees are scattered over the landscape, so the direct route is not always the fastest.

Contraband changes hands on contact. If a rival rams you while you are carrying goods, they take them, and you can steal them back the same way. Police cars also join the chase, and sometimes allied drivers help out. A map is available from the pause menu, which is handy when you lose your bearings.

Arrow keys steer, and Z and X act as the Game Boy Advance A and B buttons for accelerating and braking, with Enter to pause and open the map.

Tips worth knowing

  • Slow down as you approach a smoke signal. The pickup area is small and easy to drive past.
  • When carrying cargo, avoid contact with rival vehicles, since a single hit can take the goods.
  • If a rival has the contraband, ram them to take it back rather than heading straight to the drop point.
  • Steer around dense clusters of trees and rocks even if it means a longer path.
  • Pause and check the map when the arrow points across rough ground, as there may be a clearer route.

Frequently asked questions

Is the GBA Smuggler's Run the same as the PS2 game?

It is based on the PlayStation 2 game but was made separately for the Game Boy Advance by Rebellion, with simpler visuals suited to the handheld.

How do you steal contraband?

Hitting a vehicle that is carrying the goods takes them from it. Rivals can do the same to you.

Who published the Game Boy Advance version?

Destination Software published it in 2002, with Rebellion Developments handling development.

More games like this

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