First batch of Gameboy Advance SP!

[blingbling]

Woohoo! Can't wait to get mine!

http://image.lik-sang.com/images/large/gbasp-release-13.jpg

http://pocketmedia.ign.com/pocket/image/gameboyadvancesp_010703_cobaltbox.jpg

Check out just how small the new GBA is. (http://pocket.ign.com/articles/386/386267p1.html)

Full coverage of the console: reviewed, revisited, EXPOSED! (http://www.lik-sang.com/news.php?artc=2821)

[JBKing]

Looks cool! Hope the screen is brighter than the original Advance, and the front light is a good idea. It's very hard to play the original Advance, IMO, because the screen is much too dim. Can't wait to see the SP edition.

[blingbling]

I haven't seen it yet but I've read that the new lighted screen is much brighter than the original GBA screen. The first GBA screen was awful...much darker than even the Game Boy Color screen. I think Nintendo was embarassed by the Afterburner (http://www.tritonlabs.com/) product and decided the current GBA was unacceptable. Triton Labs has dropped their price on the Afterburner but for the little difference in price (GBA SP $99 Afterburner installed $69) the GBA SP is the better buy.

[BearsFan]

I guess I may be one of the only ones who actually likes the original Gameboy Advance.

I have a WormLight for it, which I rarely use. Most times I just sit under a flourescent light and play, or just use the wormlight...it works great! On an airplane, just the overhead light is plenty of light.

While I'll admit the new GBA SP is "cool-looking," I don't think I'll be spending $$ on it. I'm quite happy with my current GBA.

--BearsFan

[LadyTalia]

I want one! Have had to wait tho... spent too much $$ on a christmas trip to Cali... I have a overused gb color that I love, but I want to be able to play new games.... can't wait!

[angiodan]

I installed Afterburner light kits on both my kids GBA's, so as cool as these new systems are, I'll be holding off. The Afterburner does a great job of lighting, even I enjoy playing them now.

If I hadn't modified them, I'm sure my kids would have been asking for it.

[btbrossard]

One of these would slide easily into my desk drawer at work.

I think I might have to buy one. At $99 MSRP, it's a great price.

/Benjamin

[blingbling]

If I had any skill at all with a soldering iron I might try the Afterburner kit...but I don't and all the kits are on backorder anyway. I've just read too many stories about people damaging their GBA trying to install the Afterburner.

[angiodan]

Bling, you are absolutely right about the Afterburner installs. They took me about 5 hours to do both. The hardest part is keeping the dust out. In the end, I was pretty happy about how they came out, but I can just imagine all the damaged GBA's out there.

[Unthinkable]

The two minor drawbacks that I don't like with the new SP model are the much smaller shoulder buttons up top as well as it no longer fitting into your hand like a regular more comfortable game controller the way it is in its current and original incarnation. I expect the benefits of the frontlight to completely outweigh these drawbacks though.

[Jasonbp]

Ugh..I won't be getting one. 'Cause I have ROM's for the GB, GBC & GBA on my Dreamcast.

To bad Nintendo was so cheap on the paint on the SP's. People in Japan & people who have imported them are complaining that the paint is scratching. Go, Nintendo, Go!

[Unthinkable]

Just about every GameCube that I've ever seen has the small hairline cracks in the four corners of the ABS injection molded plastic on the top as well.

[Roger]

I'm going to buy one I think. I'm going to buy Yoshi and Metroid this weekend. And then there was light.

No headphone jack with the SP without an adapter ('uckers)!!!!

[Roger]

While I mess the the SP... can't I send my GBA in to some comapny and have a light installed by them? How much would that cost?
And what's the company's name and url?

[Roger]

What's really needed for the GBA is Kid Icarus and Master Blaster!!!!

[blingbling]

You can get a light installed by Triton Labs for $69.00 http://www.tritonlabs.com. Earlier this week they were back ordered. The price may very depending upon what features you choose.

I read that Nintendo is going to continue to manufacture the original GBA so if you like that version and want a light the Afterburner is a great solution.

Unthinkable - I agree about those shoulder buttons. They look tiny compared to the original GBA.

[Unthinkable]

Originally posted by Roger
I'm going to buy one I think. I'm going to buy Yoshi and Metroid this weekend. And then there was light.

No headphone jack with the SP without an adapter ('uckers)!!!!

One of these years Nintendo will throw us a bone and give us two small stereo speakers built onto the front of the unit as well. I hoped the SP wouldn't be mono without headphones, but oh well.

[raj2001]

MIne shipped yesterday from ebgames.com!

[blingbling]

Originally posted by raj2001
MIne shipped yesterday from ebgames.com!

Arghh! I haven't ordered yet and now will have to get on the April 1st ebgames.com shipment.

Maybe Best Buy will start selling them next week?

[raj2001]

Originally posted by blingbling


Arghh! I haven't ordered yet and now will have to get on the April 1st ebgames.com shipment.

Maybe Best Buy will start selling them next week?

I don't know, but last week I was at CC on Union square and they had the dummy nonfunctional display models already set up. When it was initially released in Japan, the supplies ran out very quickly, and I think to this day they still haven't kept up with demand.

[Unthinkable]

A bunch of major retailers broke the release date and started selling these units yesterday. I picked mine up today at Toys R Us without a preorder. They had 8 left of each color and the Best Buy across the way were down to two of each color. Well designed system. Good job Nintendo.

Another good review here:

http://gear.ign.com/articles/390/390198p1.html

[Scott Greczkowski]

I just went to Toys R Us and picked up one. :)

I was happy to see the batteries came charged. :D

FUN FUN FUN and I can see the screen!

[blingbling]

Originally posted by The Unthinkable
A bunch of major retailers broke the release date and started selling these units yesterday. I picked mine up today at Toys R Us without a preorder. They had 8 left of each color and the Best Buy across the way were down to two of each color. Well designed system. Good job Nintendo.

Another good review here:

http://gear.ign.com/articles/390/390198p1.html

Thanks for the tip. My local BB has 6 of each color :D.

Hey do you have a GameCube? If you do have you got Wind Waker yet? Any good?

[Unthinkable]

blingbling, I do have a GameCube yes. I don't own the new Zelda, but I've played around with fighting the boss dragon monster on the demo at a local Circuit City demo kiosk and it's pretty cool. I think it will be a strong contender for game of the year from all the press I've read and heard on it. Adam Sessler with Extended Play loves it. If you have any of the older Zelda games and like them a lot, don't pass the new one up just because of the cel-shading cartoony look that Myamoto has decided to go with. Supposed to be an unbelievable gaming experience if you have the free time for it.

I'm actually impressed with the new shoulder buttons on the SP. From the pictures they looked like they wouldn't be as good as the original ones being so much smaller now. The compactness of the unit and the lighted screen is the way this thing should have been designed the first time around.

[angiodan]

I just happened to be in ToysRUs, and they had them out. So even though my earlier post stated I won't be getting one because of the afterburner GBA's my kids have, I couldn't resist!

It's my sons bd in a couple of days, so what the heck! He won't even be expecting this one. And I'll save a few bucks on AA batteries!

[blingbling]

Originally posted by The Unthinkable
blingbling, I do have a GameCube yes. I don't own the new Zelda, but I've played around with fighting the boss dragon monster on the demo at a local Circuit City demo kiosk and it's pretty cool. I think it will be a strong contender for game of the year from all the press I've read and heard on it. Adam Sessler with Extended Play loves it. If you have any of the older Zelda games and like them a lot, don't pass the new one up just because of the cel-shading cartoony look that Myamoto has decided to go with. Supposed to be an unbelievable gaming experience if you have the free time for it.

I'm actually impressed with the new shoulder buttons on the SP. From the pictures they looked like they wouldn't be as good as the original ones being so much smaller now. The compactness of the unit and the lighted screen is the way this thing should have been designed the first time around.

Yeah I think I'm going to buy Wind Waker. I have a GC...got it brand new for $90... but haven't opened it yet. The other thing about Wind Waker that's nice for me is that it includes Ocarina of Time and another Zelda game that was never released in the U.S. I never bought the N64 so this way I can play Ocarina! At one point I was going to buy an N64 just to play Ocarina of Time but never got around to it. I like the cel-shading. The new Dark Cloud game for PS2 has some incredible looking cell-shading.

I thought the shoulder buttons would be a problem for me but they haven't. My only complaint...and it's very minor...is when you have to do some serious button mashing the unit is a bit too small. But there are accessories you can buy to overcome this. All in all I am very, very happy with the GBA SP. Have been playing it constantly!

[Jasonbp]

Originally posted by blingbling


Yeah I think I'm going to buy Wind Waker. I have a GC...got it brand new for $90... but haven't opened it yet. The other thing about Wind Waker that's nice for me is that it includes Ocarina of Time and another Zelda game that was never released in the U.S.

Ugh....problem with that. You only got the 2 game bonus disc if you pre-ordered "Zelda: TWW". Which I did! :)

[blingbling]

Are you sure?

http://ebgames.com/ebx/categories/products/product.asp?pf_id=220147

[Jasonbp]

Oh. At first it was only with pre-orders, my bad. I did talk with a friend who just bought his and he said that he was given the bonus disc also. I guess that once they run out they run out!

[MarkA]

I'm waiting until there are some nicer colours and (possibly) until it comes down a little in price. I just bought a GBA this time last year...

[angiodan]

The SP is excellent, my son loves it. I sold his modded GBA for $60, so I made out pretty good.

Wind Waker is also excellent, and looks fantastic on the big screen.

I'm going to surprise the kids with Soul Calibur II this weekend; I just didn't want to wait another 5 months before it comes out stateside. We loved the original on the Dreamcast.