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Why is it that over the
last year my first choice in console has always been the GameBoy
Advance? It's surely not because of the groundbreaking graphics or
digital audio…The reason is simple: games. The SNES is
arguably one of the best consoles ever making its way to the States.
So, for those picking up a GBA, you are more or less picking up a
portable version of the Super Nintendo.
With that said, the GBA
just has the games I want to play; and it proves that good games
don't always have to be "cutting edge" in the lines of media.
Anathema
The
ongoing curse that has plagued the GameBoy since its conception has
always been its lack of a backlight. Sure we had the option of
purchasing clunky and gaudy third-party lighting devices, but for
the most part they a: didn't work or b: were so
ridiculously tacky that it was like lugging around a backpack. Some
of the few more serious types of gamers opted to modify their
existing portable by adding a third-party backlit display. The most
popular (Afterburner) was a huge success and with little
modifications; one could enjoy their GBA anywhere.
Still, for all but the
bravest of consumers, opening up your GBA and fiddling with the guts
wasn't a viable option. Last year, when Nintendo finally heard a
huge community screaming, they tipped their hat and started
developing a "new" GameBoy Advance.
Is that a GBA SP in
your pocket or a pack of Dunhills?
Prior to having "hands-on"
experience, I didn't fully realize how actually small the
device is. From the screenshots, it looked comparable to the GBA and
maybe even a tad smaller. In reality, the GBA SP is significantly
smaller; and nearly half the size of the original GBA.
A little over a month
ago, I play-tested a Japanese version (which is identical to the
US release) and had mixed emotions. Would my big clunky hands be
able to deal with the smallness of the SP? To me the original GBA
design was darn near perfect. I’m not much on change especially with
something already brilliant. But once I received my personal SP, (cobalt
blue of course) and spent a good week playing it, I have come to
one conclusion:
”This is the greatest
thing since the light gun and Duck Hunt.”
The SP has been
permanently attached itself to my body and hasn’t left my side since
it was opened. My wife actually makes fun of me for this, and I
literally take it everywhere. Instead of reading this month’s
copy of EGM when going #2, I pull out my SP. The compact design
works well, and fits easily in your pocket. While the size initially
concerned me, I realize that Nintendo didn’t make this change simply
because it was “cool”, but because it also serves a huge purpose.
One of the biggest
annoyances with the original GBA was the fact that the screen was
easily scratched. It took very little to scratch the screen and
permanently disfigure the display. Since the SP folds in half, it
protects the screen completely. The outer casing is semi-glossy and
has a slick coating on it. I’ve thoroughly checked the casing for
signs of wear and scratches; but to date I’ve seen nothing.
Improvements?
Are
there any noticeable differences between the original and the SP?
Well, on one hand I say “no”. The performance is identical, as well
as the resolution. The backlit display can be toggled on or off, and
reverts to the original GBA-type display. Before obtaining my SP, I
already decided that I would only use the backlit display for low
lighting areas; but after playing with a backlight it is hard to
revert to playing “the old way”.
For the few who have the
Afterburner, listen up: no, the backlight is not as dramatic
as the Afterburner’s. I was surprised a bit, but the Afterburner’s
colors are noticeably brighter. This doesn’t mean that Nintendo
skimped on lighting; they found an ideal balance between performance
and efficiency.
The instruction manual
claims that the expected battery life fully charged is 18-hours (with
the backlight off). The strange thing is; is that they failed to
give an estimated battery life with the backlight on. From my
experience of normal play, the first time the battery light came on
I had logged in about 7-8 hours (with the backlight on).
Don’t expect the battery to last any longer than 10-hours…
Nintendo also claims that
the SP has about 500 charges before it starts to lose its juice and
will drop down to about 70% efficiency. Fine with me; a third party
company in Japan has already developed a replacement battery. Also,
within the documentation it claims that to fully charge the
lithium-ion battery takes about 3-hours. It took about half that for
the first charge I did, and maybe closer to two hours the next time…
As far as the controls
are concerned, they do take a bit of getting used to. The d-pad and
“A,B” buttons are more similar to the layout on the original
GameBoy. Those with big hands will have to adjust their play. The
shoulder buttons are also a bit odd. Instead of them traditionally
hitting the tips of your fingers, it actually is more comfortable to
control them a little farther down from your finger tips. I prefer
the original GBA’s shoulder buttons over the SP. The SP shoulder
buttons are a bit “loose” for me, and are only maybe a half an inch
wide.
Once you get past the
change in design, the SP is rock solid and built well. When you hold
it in your hands; it has some nice substance and just feels
well made. This is encouraging to those who use their portables
heavily. Even the front loading cartridge opening seems quite solid
and “unbreakable”. Overall this is piece of equipment should last
you a few seasons…
The biggest gripe about
the GBA SP has to be the lack of a headphone jack. This was
extremely disappointing. I would bet that this was a marketing ploy
and it is one of the few times where Nintendo is shafting gamers
everywhere. Sure you can spend another ten bucks on an “adapter” so
you can plug in headphones, but why not just include the cable? This
is just a simply marketing ploy to suck some more cash from our
pockets. I mean, how hard would it have been to put a freakin’ jack
for a headphone? Cripes.
Lastly, the GBA SP is
like the original and can play all past GameBoy games…
66 Says:
Sometimes
it’s hard to write an unbiased opinion on something that I try so
hard not to take sides with. I’m throwing all of my rules out and
just say it…. This little wonder takes precedence over my Gamecube,
my XBOX and the other half-dozen consoles I own. With a price of
$100 this has to be the bargain of the year. Most game stores are
also offering a nice trade in of $35 when you trade in your GBA for
an SP.
I’m also considering
purchasing a second SP simply to fill the “demand” from my
household. Without hesitation, I think all gamers from the newbie to
the experienced veteran will fully appreciate this tiny console. The
GBA, in my opinion, has the best line-up of games and should satisfy
a wide range of gamers… Enjoy.
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