Gameboy Advance SP Released Today in North America 281
Txiasaeia writes "The latest version of Nintendo's venerable Gameboy has been released today in North America. The Gameboy Advance SP builds upon its predecessor by adding a front lit display, and a foldable design in order to protect the screen. Also, instead of using AA batteries to power the device, it uses a
Lithium-Ion battery. Other than that, the basic architecture of the system remains the same as the original Gameboy Advance. Most online retailers' first shipment has been sold out, but my local Walmart had plenty of copies.
Check out this Gamespy review." I snagged one at lunch today. The screen is vastly improved from the original GBA. Now the only question is how many Pokemon I can collect ;) (And yes Hemos, we got you one too ;)
Only Today? (Score:5, Funny)
Shoulda got a subscription (Score:2)
GBA Cube? (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:GBA Cube? (Score:5, Informative)
Re:GBA Cube? (Score:5, Informative)
Re:GBA Cube? (Score:2)
RE: GBA Cube (or GBA huge pixels..) (Score:2)
I think I'd rather play my Xbox games on the TV.
Re: GBA Cube (or GBA huge pixels..) (Score:2)
Re: GBA Cube (or GBA huge pixels..) (Score:2)
Re: GBA Cube (or GBA huge pixels..) (Score:2)
If you bothered to read my response, you'd have read that although I still like to play the old games, I get bored with them. I still love F-Zero, SMB1, Solaris on the Atari, and all the other cool old games. They just don't spark my interest like they used to. I can play all these games on my Xbox with some of the e
Re: GBA Cube (or GBA huge pixels..) (Score:2)
Re: GBA Cube (or GBA huge pixels..) (Score:2)
Modes 0, 1, and 2 are tile modes (1 and 2 supporting tile rotation and scaling). 3, 4 and 5 are all bitmap modes. Both 4 and 5 are double buffered, but mode 5 has a reduced resolution to preserve vram to store 2 screens at once.
You can also split the modes on the screen at the same time (ala Mario Kart). It had mode 0 on the top (score, time, etc) and mode 1 on the bottom (to have enough lay
Bah. (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Bah. (Score:2)
Re:Bah. (Score:2, Informative)
I think a built-in front light (which it says this thing has) is better, since
Re:Bah. (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Bah. (Score:2)
Freedom of choice doesn't come any simpler than this.
Re:Bah. (Score:3, Insightful)
What this means is that there may well be a reluctance to adopt the next GB platform (if there is on
No, there is not that expectation (Score:3, Informative)
Gameboy Pocket. Gameboy Pocket Light.
Sony did it with the PSOne.
Of course, this is preferable I think to having later iterations of the same platform LOSE useful features of the earlier ones. (Later versions of the sega genesis and playstation)
Re:No, there is not that expectation (Score:2)
Have you played the GBA? I hate it, because you have to have a lot of light to see the screen. I mean, even the Atari Lynx had a backlit display. This should have been included in the original GBA. They could have done it cheap with a white LED.
I didn't buy a GBA because of the screen, and now I can buy one with a nice lit screen from Nintendo (for probably a lot less then those compan
Missing Features? (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Missing Features? (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Missing Features? (Score:5, Informative)
The speaker is mono (Score:5, Informative)
but it's truly bizarre that they didn't include it built in
For the same reason that tablet PCs and smaller laptop PCs don't have all the ports built in and need a "port replicator". There's just not enough space on the case.
after all it has a speaker anyway
Unlike the headphone connector, the internal speaker is monaural. Monaural audio is ill suited for first-person shooters such as Doom (now available for GBA) or 007 (coming soon for GBA).
The biggest problem that I have found so far with the description of the headphone/charger jack is that I haven't seen pictures of a headphone dongle with a passthru for AC, so I can't play with stereo sound and mains power at the same time; I would have to wait for the thing to recharge.
Re:The speaker is mono (Score:5, Funny)
You sure you want mains power drectly sharing the same wires that go to your head?
Power and signal on one cable (Score:2)
You sure you want mains power drectly sharing the same wires that go to your head?
Power and signal can easily be carried on the same cable, just on different wires within the cable. Look at bus-powered USB or bus-powered FireWire if you don't believe me.
Re:Missing Features? (Score:5, Insightful)
This thing is so small, the volume dial was too large. Went with a slider. No headphone jack should come as no surprise.
BTW, I got mine earlier this week. very nice battery life out of it.
Re:Missing Features? (Score:3, Insightful)
what the hell kind of reason is that? it's not like they went:
'ok, here's how big this thing is gonna be and any features that don't fit get left out.'
come on, they left it out so they can sell you the adapter.
Re:Missing Features? (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Missing Features? (Score:2)
Space is a pretty weak reason for not including one at all. Lot's of MP3 / MiniDisc players are faced with the same size constraints yet manage to design a proper solution. A smaller jack and a couple of buttons could control the volume (no need for a wheel) or do what many minidisc players do and stick the volume controls onto the cord of the headphones itself.
As it stands, it sounds like Nintendo have an utterly cluel
I'll be getting one... (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:I'll be getting one... (Score:5, Interesting)
First of all, build yourself a MAME cab, you wont regret it [mcgill.ca].
Second, Sammy is making great new 2d fighters (Guilty Gear X2). They also have new arcade hardware out ("Atomiswave") that is based on Sega's NAOMI hardware. Expect them (and, by rumour, maybe SNK/Playmore) to make all kinds of nice 2d games for this system and port it to your favorite next gen console.
Keep your chin up, soldier!
-Mani
Re:I'll be getting one... (Score:2)
have a look [psg.com]
you won't regret building one, even if you spend $2k on it like i did. arcade-infinity.com has some pretty cheap cabinets like mine for $500 or less, depending on what you're looking for.
Re:I'll be getting one... (Score:2, Interesting)
btw, don't go starting on emulators, i've been there and am not wasting my time on those again!
one thing i have noticed, macs seem to have far superior, reliable games like these up for download than windows.
Re:I'll be getting one... (Score:2)
I really enjoyed Legend of Goku... finally, more 2d RPG like we want it!
2d or not 2d (Score:2)
Changes at Nintendo (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Changes at Nintendo (Score:2)
1. That there will be a Gameboy Advance re-release of Earthbound 1+2 (the SNES version was 2, the NES version was never officially released in the US, but the ROM version is available if you look hard).
2. There are also rumblings of an Earthbound 3 for the Gamecube. Which would kick ass. We need more insane RPG's that involve you fighting alien posessed lamps.
Not an ergonomic design, though. (Score:5, Informative)
Big problem--it doesn't fit your hands comfortably. I like the older GBA design because all the controls fit your hands very comfortably.
Re:Not an ergonomic design, though. (Score:2, Interesting)
True. I bought a GBA not all that long time ago, spesificly to play Pokemon on (yeah, I know). I could have gotten an ordinary CB Color, and cheaper too, but the GBA simply have better ergonimics.
Totoaly on a sidenote; I recently bought a copy of Doom for my GBA which seems to be a near perfect copy of the original Doom for the PC; anyone knows how to enter the cheatcodes *smiles* ?
Re:Not an ergonomic design, though. (Score:5, Informative)
Sexy design. It looks slick.
Folds up to a size slightly larger than a pack of cigarettes. I can actually fit it in my pocket without walking funny.
Screen position can be adjusted so you can hold the unit flat but have the screen point at your face.
All that other stuff about the lit screen and rechargable battery pack is good too.
With one of the many GBA trade in opportunities at used game places, it can be had for $60. Wait until after E3 and I'll bet that'll go down at least $10.
Re:Not an ergonomic design, though. (Score:2, Informative)
I've found it rathe uncofrtable to use when I first gave one a go briefly a month ago (February is such a wonderful month to take a vacation in Japan), and decided not to pick one up. I would rather go with either the Halo light, or get myself an afterburner. I like the overall size and shape of the "old" GBA. The new clamshell design while cool and useful, makes the L and R buttons much to difficult to actually use alot.
Re:Not an ergonomic design, though. (Score:2)
GP32 (Score:2)
I like my GP32 [gbax.com] better. It fits the hand better and the joystick is orders of magnitude better than the GBA D-pad.
Also, it runs lots of emulators and ports [gp32x.com], plus MP3 and Divx video players. It's amazing how much stuff fits on a 128MB SMC card.
Re:GP32 (Score:2)
What, .... (Score:5, Informative)
Came out early here... (Score:5, Interesting)
I guess some stock-dude just put them out there not knowing to hold off until today. No one was grabbing them, but I did.
-- David
THANK YOU (Score:2)
Thanks for the hint. :-) I was trying to find one today when I heard they were out "early" (like Nintendo didn't probably tell them to go ahead, hah), but all the game shops had them "reservation only". Suckage. When I saw your comment, I immediately went to Best Buy and found a nice platinum one.
BestBuy++, nsxdavid++.
Not quite. (Score:2)
I'm perhaps not so surpised that
Good for Nintendo (Score:5, Insightful)
I already got my "Afterburner" (Score:4, Informative)
What a waste.
Re:I already got my "Afterburner" (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:I already got my "Afterburner" (Score:4, Insightful)
Buy some fucking rechargable AA's, you coward.
Boycott Walmart (Score:5, Insightful)
Force? (Score:5, Insightful)
If, by force, you mean they refuse to sell content that a large portion of their clintelle, (particularly those in the Bible Belt South where Wal-Mart has their primary stronghold) might find offensive then get over yourself.
They also don't sell the finest porno mags but I'm not going to boycott them because they don't sell what I want.
Here's where someone says, "but Wal-Mart is a huge soul-crushing corporation" to which I say there is nothing that Wal-Mart sells that I can't get elsewhere.
That's not saying I love Wal-Mart..I personally dislike them because when they come into town they are the equivalent of retail MOAB which has killed many downtown areas in small towns all across the country..but they don't have shock troops running around forcing content providers to change their plans..
Hunger is force (Score:3, Insightful)
executing people at random until the content met their specifications.
In many areas, Wal-Mart has a geographic monopoly on trading factory-wrapped video games for cash (no Gamestop/Babbage's, no Best Buy, no Circuit City, no Meijer, no Kmart, etc). Thus, if publishers can't sell at Wal-Mart, they can't sell at all. And if the publishers don't sell, the developers dont eat. And if the developers don't eat, they die.
Re:Hunger is force (Score:2)
Re:Boycott Walmart (Score:2)
Headphones (Score:5, Informative)
I picked up mine yesterday and the screen is evenly lit, and even the darkish Castlevania game is playable in a dim room.
EB Has a deal (Score:5, Informative)
colors (Score:5, Funny)
Damnit (Score:5, Funny)
I Own A GB! (Score:2, Funny)
What about Virtual Boy? (Score:2, Funny)
I've bought almost every Gameboy released in the U.S. since its inception: The original Gameboy in 1989, the colored Gameboy (NOT the GB Color!) in 1995
Ahh, the "Play It Loud" series of brick-form-factor Game Boy systems with different color cases. It's a good thing you qualified it with "almost" because you can't claim to have one every GB system unless you have all colors, including the limited editions that were only available as prizes in a Nintendo Power sweepstakes. Collectors have driven up the e
Re:What about Virtual Boy? (Score:2)
Re:My Eyes! (Score:2)
Where has Sony been? (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Where has Sony been? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Where has Sony been? (Score:2)
Re:Where has Sony been? (Score:2)
Re:Where has Sony been? (Score:2)
Re:Where has Sony been? (Score:2)
I've yet to find a Sony PDA which costs near to the same cost as a Nintendo handheld console.
Tim
Nice marketing (Score:4, Funny)
Great.. (Score:5, Funny)
VisualBoyAdvance (Score:2, Informative)
I cant wait for someone to come out for an emulator!
Download GBA freeware [pdroms.de] (or dump your GBA cartridges with a "Flash Linker" sold at gbax.com or gamegizmo.com), and then play the games with VisualBoyAdvance [emuhq.com].
I believe (Score:2)
Yes, of course this isn't really how it works, that's what makes it a joke
Gameboy SP's and TV Kits = heaven (Score:5, Interesting)
IT HAS NINJA CONCEALING CAPABILITIES!!
I plug my portable DVD/SVD player into the TV tuner and watch movies ALL the time. The backlit/flipout screen improves this by 100 fold because it's just like having a small television screen. Sharp picture, too. Very nice.
My only grip is the lack of stereo sound. But it's really okay! Doesn't affect the sound quality too much. GG NINTENDO.
TV Tuner??? (Score:2)
Re:TV Tuner??? (Score:5, Informative)
Quick Review. (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Quick Review. (Score:2, Insightful)
They also went on the cheap with games, not providing their clamshell cases with the cartridge, which is annoying (dispite that the gamepacks are damn rugged to start with)
Accessories (Score:3, Informative)
I've had an import for several weeks now..... (Score:5, Informative)
The SP model is an amazing difference. I'd have preferred a true backlight, but what they provided is *almost* as good. It's a clever frontlighting system that puts some sort of glowing stripe on all four sides of the screen, hidden from view by the case.
The big problem with all the regular GBA lighting systems was that there were direct reflections and glare. (the Afterburner system is apparently better, but I haven't seen it.) This indirect front-lighting system is nearly perfect. You can see a sort of shimmering 'fringe' effect of widely-spaced squares (which I think are third-order reflections) if you are using it in a very dark room, but it's honestly barely noticeable, and about 20 seconds into the game you'll forget about it.
It seems pretty hard to use, though, in very bright light. This is a little ironic, because the original GBA required extremely bright light to be playable. This one is best in a slightly darkened room. The recessed screen doesn't pick up outside light sources well, and its frontlight is easily drowned out by more than normal room brightness. For outdoor use, you may actually prefer the original GBA.
Complaints: I wish the screen were just a *little* bigger, but it's usable. The lack of a headphone jack is also quite annoying. And I wish they'd stayed with regular AA batteries. I have the NiMH rechargeables, which pack an amazing amount of power in a small space. I'd have preferred to be able to charge up 2 or 3 pairs for an extended roadtrip. 10 hours isn't bad, but with regular AAs you have essentially unlimited battery life.
Nitpicks notwithstanding, this is the system Nintendo should have shipped originally. I'm quite happy with mine.
You Should have imported... (Score:3, Insightful)
Imports cost more (Score:2, Informative)
No reason not to buy early.
Except that early is more expensive. Lik Sang was selling imported units for about $130, as opposed to $100 from Wal-Mart and Best Buy this week. Add shipping, and you're looking at a big incentive to wait unless you're a rich early adopter.
Why won't they update the system... (Score:2, Troll)
What was that? (Score:2)
Maybe you're not following the same things everyone else is. It's not portable if I have to recharge it for as much as I play it (3 on, 3 off, etc). Nor did the Turbo Express even have rechargables as an option unless you bought a very large battery pack for it. Yes, the games on it look pretty. And? Pretty is nice, but the black of an off screen is not pretty.
To summarize, Nintendo is still the #1 in the handheld market because they are selling a su
Bash Microsoft? (Score:2)
How is it bashing? (Score:2)
Re:OT: winxp (Score:2)
I really do want to know what Cygwin is lacking, if anything. I use it for my test automation at work so as to be able to run BASH on all systems, and as an X client, but I'm not real clear on its limitations.
Re:Why won't they update the system... (Score:2)
And if you really think Legendary Axe/Bonk looks anything *close* to the new Metroid/Castlevania/Mega Man...
I have one hell of a cheap bridge to sell you.
Re:Why won't they update the system... (Score:2)
That being said, the GBA SP is the slickest package I have ever seen. The clamshell, the screen that is viewable in direct sunlight (try THAT on your precious TurboExpress - they didn't even sell one of these [atariage.com] [essential for backlight playing in sunlight, in my opinion]). It is slicker than snot on a doorknob. Buy it, experience the games and the great battery life, and see w
Re:Why won't they update the system... (Score:2)
Gameboy SP's? (Score:2)
Oh well, I bet new games will require everyone to be running GameBoy Advance SP-1.
My Mini-review (Score:4, Informative)
The buttons are recessed slightly, so it takes a bit of time to get used to. Also, they're slightly smaller than the original GBA, so larger hands might find it awkward, especially with the new configuration. It's also harder to do a soft-reset (which may or may not be a bad thing).
The sound is significantly better (IMO), probably due to the placement of the speaker. It's smack in the middle of the device, so your palms won't muffle the sound (a la GBA). Still, no headset jack.
The shoulder buttons are smaller (L & R), but after a couple of games, it's not noticeable.
The cartridge slot is at the bottom, so certain peripherals like the Kirby tilt module won't work, and the digital camera attachments might be weird to work with.
The AC adapter is really well made, with the prongs folding inside so it's easy to transport. It's also small (about 3/4" x 1.5" x 2") and light. Too bad it's still a wall-wart design.
The screen is now protected due to the design, but the plastic doesn't feel that robust. I'm thinking that it can get easily scratched (though I'm not going to try to find out).
Other than that, I'm *highly* impressed with the GBA SP. If you have a GBA without the Afterburner kit, try to sell it to kid next door or give it to some young relatives. It's just that good. For only $100US, you get an amazing piece of hardware that can entertain you longer than a $2k laptop can on a flight overseas. 9.5/10
comment (Score:2)
I was really interested... (Score:2)
Thanks for warning me slashdot! I hate products where replacing the battery is likely going to cost more than the value of the item, and refuse to buy them. The only exception I make is laptops, where there is limited choice.
And no headphone jack? That's inexcusable. And highly surprising for a Japanese product.
And I was just getting interested, what with the media player / programming flash pack hacks that are being made for it. Ho-hum.
Re:I was really interested... (Score:2)
And a headphone jack is available, only you have to pay extra (about $8, or $5 for an integrated headphone... go figure).
There are a lot of nifty accessories available now, like a p
Re:Euro release (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Euro release (Score:3, Informative)