The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers for Game Boy Advance is a 2002 action role-playing game developed by Griptonite Games and published by EA Games. It is a distinct 2D handheld game rather than a reduced version of the contemporary console release. Drawing on the first two Peter Jackson Lord of the Rings films, it follows the struggle against Sauron and Saruman across Middle-earth, from the Fellowship's early journey to the war in Rohan and the defense of Helm's Deep. The North American release arrived in November 2002; it was also issued in Europe as The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and in Japan as Lord of the Rings: Futatsu no Tou.

The adventure is viewed from an isometric, three-quarter perspective and combines close-range fighting with character growth and equipment management. Players move through hostile areas, strike and block with the Game Boy Advance controls, use character-specific special abilities, search for useful gear, and face groups of Orcs, Uruk-hai, goblins, and larger foes. The action is framed as a journey through successive story locations, but the RPG systems make combat performance and preparation part of the experience rather than treating every encounter as the same battle.

Its roster sets this version apart from the better-known console game. Aragorn, Legolas, Gandalf, Frodo, and Éowyn each have their own campaign material, abilities, and stages, while Gimli can be unlocked by completing the game with other characters. The heroes do not simply share one combat style with different appearances: their skills and available equipment encourage different approaches. Frodo, for example, can use the One Ring to disappear temporarily, though doing so risks drawing Sauron's attention. Character selection also lets the game revisit the film-based storyline from several viewpoints.

Experience gained during play supports a broad set of active and passive skills for each hero. On leveling up, players assign points to attributes including strength, accuracy, health, defense, and courage, then choose how to develop the character's special techniques. Weapons, armor, and other found items further shape a build, making exploration and inventory decisions meaningful alongside direct combat. This loot-and-progression focus gives the Game Boy Advance edition an action-RPG identity closer to an overhead dungeon adventure than to the third-person hack-and-slash design used on the home consoles.

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers also supports cooperative play through the Game Boy Advance Game Link Cable. Two players with their own systems and Game Paks can travel together, bringing the game's character abilities and equipment choices into a shared quest. Whether played alone or with a companion, the handheld version offers a compact Middle-earth campaign built around leveling heroes, collecting gear, and fighting through locations associated with The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers. Its separate developer, playable cast, isometric presentation, and multiplayer feature make it an important platform-specific entry in EA's early-2000s film-based Lord of the Rings series.