Nintendo Game Boy Advance SP Review
Overview:
Pros:
- Compact
- Good viewing angle
- Backlit display
- Rechargeable battery
- Backward compatible
Cons:
- Adaptor for headphones must be bought separately
- No control for brightness and contrast
Review:
The word “Game Boy” itself makes most of us think of kids as this hand held gaming machine of Nintendo has been designed in such a way that it is primarily marketed towards the kids. But the fact is, the Game Boy can make adults fall in love with it too. We know because we love it too. Having fiddled with the original Game Boy, the Game Boy pocket and Game Boy colour, we were as excited as we would be a night before a flight to a holiday destination when we first read about the news on the release of the Game Boy Advance SP.
The Game Boy history:
Before we take the discussion more deep about the Game Boy advance SP console, we would like to refresh your memories about the original Game Boy. The original version was first introduced in the year 1988 in Japan and the very next year in USA. This gaming console had a gray scale display of resolution 160 x 144 pixels. It ran on an eight bit Z80 based processor with four channel sounds. Its source of power was four AA batteries, having a battery life of around 15 to 30 hours. The next generation model called the “Game Boy Pocket” was introduced in the year 1996, which had a smaller physic and made use of two AAA batteries to run for 10 hours. Then, in the year 1999, a much improvised version on all areas was released, called “Game Boy Colour“. This console had a 160×144 pixels colour display, which was capable of displaying 56 colours. It had 8Mhz Z80 based processor, 4 channel sound and ran 13 hours on 2 AA batteries. A couple of years later, the Game Boy Advance was released with some radical changes. This version of the gaming console had a larger display with a higher resolution of 240×160 pixels with a horizontal layout and a faster processor. And the next version is the Nintendo Game Boy Advance SP, which we will be discussing in detail below. This version has finally included most of the features that we had been waiting for years.
What the “SP” has got in store for us:
If you are wondering what the “SP” in the name stands for, then think no more, it simply means “Special”. Though there is not much difference with the performance of the, GBA SP, it has included a lot of other interesting tweaks like the compact folding design, rechargeable batteries and finally a backlight for the display that had been crying for one for years. These are the main changes and other than this, the major functionalities and features remains to be the same as the original Advance and SP too has the capability to play the entire library of the Game Boy games.
Flip in design:
Design wise, the Nintentdo GBA SP reminds us of the original Game Boy, which again had to be folded into half. But this time around, it is more compact, mature and its flip screen design is appealing for both kids and adults. This model is very compact when folded and can be easily carried around in your pockets. When the unit is kept closed, it makes a perfect square and resembles a super tiny laptop. It has curvy edge and the case is quite sturdy. This model is available in platinum, chrome, maroon, pink, black and cobalt colours. The game cartridge is available in the bottom front of the unit and unlike the other versions, where the carts stick out about 1.25 inches, here it fits flush. Though they look a little awkward, they do not hinder while you are gaming.
Buttons and controls in Game Boy Advance SP:
There are two spring loaded left and right buttons on the shoulders of the GBA SP and the application of these buttons depends entirely on the game cartridge that is loaded on the slot. One of the coolest features that had been added to SP is that, on pressing these buttons the display can be changed from regular to wide screen format, a feature which is not possible in the older games with just 160×144 pixels. When the console is opened, you will find the display, buttons and the speaker grill. Though the screen is not held closed with any latch, it does not fall open in its own even when it is shook or held upside down. And when the display is opened, it folds back to approximately 180 degrees, a great viewing angle for playing. The layout of the buttons is same as that of the classic console. This clamshell design allows you to adjust its angle easily and also protects the LCD from getting scratched.
The four way navigational pad is placed towards the left and the A/B buttons directly across it. On top of these buttons is a screen light toggle and towards the bottom are the start and stop buttons. Though the control positioning is similar to that of the original GBA, the left and right shoulder buttons are smaller. Playing games on the Nintendo Game Boy Advance SP Game Console will be a great experience and there will not be any comfort issues as they give a very good and tactile feedback with easy presses.
A small slider switch is available towards the left of the console and is used to control the volume of the speaker. The right side of the console sports the power switch and two status LEDs. One of the LED acts a battery indicator. It glows green when the unit is switched on and turns to red when battery drops to 30% to 20%. The other LED glows amber when the unit is charging and turns off once the charging is complete. The rear of the device has the AC adapter and External Extension connectors, where the AC adaptor doubles as a headphone jack. It will not look familiar to you too as you will have to buy an external adaptor that will not cost much in order to use the GBA SP with headphones. This adaptor will provide you with a standard 3.5mm jack, which will allow any standard earphones to be plugged in. This is one of the major blots with the design because, this kind of set up will not allow you to charge the device and listen to it via the headphone at the same time. The External Extension connector is used to link a Game Boy via a link cable, for the sake of multiplayer games and also for interacting with the device.
Finally!!! A backlight:
Deny No one can ever deny the fact that the original Game Boy enjoyed an enormous success and sold millions of units around the world. But an equally undeniable fact is that anybody who has ever played with it, has cursed it for that fact that it does not have an illuminated display. Adding backlight to the SBA SP’s display is the best feature that SP has been upgraded with. This means that now you will be able to enjoy playing games in any lighting condition. You no longer need to struggle with an overhead light in low light conditions as in the case of the original console. But we just wish if it was a little brighter and has some way to adjust the brightness and contrast. The only adjustment that you will be able to make for now is just On/Off.
Performance of GBA SP:
Like the original GBA, the SP runs on a 32-bit RISC-CPU with embedded memory. The performance is obliviously, same as that of the original Game Boy. And the performance is the same in all situations unless the gaming console is taken outside in the bright sunlight. As with the SP version, you will be able to make use of the front light. The GBA SP has got a wide spectrum of games that would satisfy a wide range of gamers.
Sound:
As far as the sound is concerned, the front speaker is loud enough for most of the tasks. But if you are in a noisy environment, then you will require headphones.
Battery life:
The battery life is quite decent. The original GBA allows you to play for days together on two AA batteries. Though the SP’s battery does not endure for as long as those of its predecessor, Nintendo assures you up to 10 hours will illumination and about 18 hours without having to recharge. It takes about 3 hours to fully charge the battery.
Verdict:
Having included an illuminated display, Nintendo has finally fixed the biggest flaw of the original Game Boy Advance. If you are already having a Game Boy Advance and really do not care about having a lit display, then there is no need for you to update with the SP. But if you do not own one, then this is the best choice as it is compact and fun. The console has already proven that it is not just for kids and so, adults can have a great deal of fun too.
Check reviews of Nintendo GameCube, Nintendo Wii Fit in our website.
Game Boy Advance SP – Technical Specifications, Features
| Manufacturer | Nintendo |
| Model Name | Game Boy Advance SP |
| Game console type | Handheld |
| Dimensions (W x D x H) | 84.6x82x24.3mm |
| Weight | 0.14 kg |
| Colours available | Platinum, chrome, maroon, pink, black and cobalt |
| Display resolution | 240x160pixels |
| Data width | 32 bits |
| RAM installed | 0.25 MB |
| Game media type | Cartridge |
| Sound output mode | Stereo |
| Input device type | D-Pad + 6 buttons |
| Battery | Built in rechargeable Lithium Ion |
