We're all looking forward to the launch of Nintendo 3DS this weekend, but the timing of the system is an interesting coincidence: It falls within a week of the Japanese debut of the system's "grandfather," the Game Boy Advance. The 3DS is pretty clearly derived from the the DS, which was initially presented as an alternative to the Game Boy rather than a replacement. But Nintendo retired the GBA a couple of years ago, and it's pretty clear that the Game Boy line -- which kept the company in the black for a decade and a half -- has been retired, never again to see the light of day. The GBA, we're sorry to say, was the end of that particular family tree.
apparently the GBA is 10 years old. i had one, then upgraded to the SP. great system. great games. i dont know what happened to mine. i know i never sold it or gave it away, but somehow or other, it disappeared.
Thierry Nguyen wrote:
That, and the other thing that I remember most about the GBA was how, working in media, Nintendo was insistent that the official initialism was "AGB," but I guess enough people, both consumers and media, used "GBA" that Nintendo personnel quietly gave up sending emails asking us to shorten the system's name to "AGB."
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Ky-Guy
Title: Obscure Nintendo Gamer
Joined: Jul 19 2006
Location: Michigan
Posts: 1418
Posted:
Mar 22 2011 02:01 am
To be honest, I think the GBA SP was the best of all the Game Boys, as it not only had backwards compatibility with most Game Boy Games and Accessories (excluding the e-Reader), but it also had an illuminated screen.
Syd Lexia wrote:
iPhone games are what you play when you can't get at actual games. You know, like how sometimes alcoholics drink mouthwash.
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LordHuffnPuff
Title: Mahna Mahna
Joined: Jan 12 2009
Location: Fairyland
Posts: 571
Posted:
Mar 22 2011 08:05 am
Ky-Guy wrote:
To be honest, I think the GBA SP was the best of all the Game Boys, as it not only had backwards compatibility with most Game Boy Games and Accessories (excluding the e-Reader), but it also had an illuminated screen.
Yeah, I never bought an original GBA, but I bought the SP. My buddy had the original GBA and he was constantly hating on how it was impossible to the what was going on in Castlevania because the game was so dark.
To be honest, I think the GBA SP was the best of all the Game Boys, as it not only had backwards compatibility with most Game Boy Games and Accessories (excluding the e-Reader), but it also had an illuminated screen.
The SP works fine with the e-Reader.
Really? Then what did the GBA SP not work with? The cartridge slot was on the "bottom" of the unit and the connection port was on the "top."
I quoted "bottom" and "top" because I was unsure whether they really were the bottom and top of the unit, especially with that fold-out screen.
Thunderhorse
Title: This is DELICIOUS!
Joined: Dec 29 2009
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Posts: 1923
Posted:
Mar 22 2011 11:02 am
It shouldn't work with the E-reader. It's link cable port is away from the cartridge slot and I believe that's how the e-reader got it's power.
ThisIsTunaWithBacon
Ky-Guy
Title: Obscure Nintendo Gamer
Joined: Jul 19 2006
Location: Michigan
Posts: 1418
Posted:
Mar 22 2011 11:04 am
Thunderhorse wrote:
It shouldn't work with the E-reader. It's link cable port is away from the cartridge slot and I believe that's how the e-reader got it's power.
I thought so. The only way it would work is with a link cable, but that would be a bit messy.
Syd Lexia
Site Admin
Title: Pop Culture Junkie
Joined: Jul 30 2005
Location: Wakefield, MA
Posts: 24887
Posted:
Mar 22 2011 11:07 am
There were a couple of GB/GBC games that didn't work. Like Kirby's Tilt N' Bump or some shit like that.
The GBA was so dark, it was annoying. I had the SP Nes-Edition, i sold it but it was cool handheld.
it was the best of times
it was the blurst of times
taterfyrings
Joined: Sep 25 2009
Location: Bergen, Norway
Posts: 395
Posted:
Mar 22 2011 01:04 pm
I have both a normal orginal GBA (which of course is useless thanks to the lack of back-light) and a Minish Cap limited edition GBA SP. I love the GBA SP, by far my most used handheld of all time (well, the DS will eventually beat it with my hell of a backlog). I am also a really huge fan of the clamshell design as you can actually bring it with you without worrying about the screen (fuck you PSP). However, one thing I did not like with the gba was how is became a heaven for snes-ports. This is something that always annoys me, because I don't want to play Mario 3 for the hundred time, I want to play a NEW Mario game. Anyways, a great system with a great library of games.
Methid Man
Title: Spawn of Billy Mays
Joined: Nov 23 2010
Location: Hackensack, NJ
Posts: 544
Posted:
Mar 22 2011 09:49 pm
Nintendo has always dominated the handheld market, but it was the GBA-SP where they really started to do handhelds right. It was about time they started making backlights for their screens, and backwards compatability allowed you to play even the old games in the dark. Plus, the folding design was a great idea, not only saving space but also offersing some protection to the screen without a case.
RIP Hacker
Blackout
Title: Captain Oblivious
Joined: Sep 01 2007
Location: That Rainy State
Posts: 10376
Posted:
Mar 22 2011 10:05 pm
I got a Gameboy Advance for Christmas back when they were relatively new, and the only game that I got to go with it wasTony Hawk's Pro Skater for Game Boy Color.
taterfyrings
Joined: Sep 25 2009
Location: Bergen, Norway
Posts: 395
Posted:
Mar 23 2011 03:22 pm
Blackout wrote:
I got a Gameboy Advance for Christmas back when they were relatively new, and the only game that I got to go with it wasTony Hawk's Pro Skater for Game Boy Color.
That sucks man
Syd Lexia
Site Admin
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Posted:
Mar 23 2011 05:20 pm
Honestly, I liked the SNES ports. I didn't have a SNES at that point, so it gave me an excuse to replay those games.
Honestly, I liked the SNES ports. I didn't have a SNES at that point, so it gave me an excuse to replay those games.
Some of them were terrible though Like earthworm Jim
Douche McCallister
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Title: DOO-SHAY
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Posted:
Mar 23 2011 06:12 pm
and some of them were fantastic, like Breath of Fire 2
anorexorcist
Title: Polar Bear
Joined: May 21 2008
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Posts: 2131
Posted:
Mar 23 2011 06:45 pm
I had a GBA but upgraded to the SP at some point. The back-light made all the difference in the world. The one thing I liked better about the regular GBA was that it was much wider, I have big hands so it took some time to get used to the thin SP.
I wanted to sell my SP when I got a DS, but I kept it because I can see myself still wanting to play GB/GBC games at some point.
Lawyers, Guns and Money
SNESGuy
Title: El Duderino
Joined: Jul 31 2010
Location: Da D.C
Posts: 1831
Posted:
Mar 23 2011 07:34 pm
Oh yeah i forgot to mention Advanced Wars and Fire Emblem, best games ever.
sidewaydriver
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Posted:
Mar 23 2011 08:38 pm
I had a Gameboy Player for my Gamecube so I never bought an actual GBA.
Shake it, Quake it, Space Kaboom.
ProtoScott
Title: New Robot Prototype
Joined: Jul 19 2010
Location: Ft. Wayne, IN
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Posted:
Mar 24 2011 01:07 am
I only ever had the regular GBA, Sadly, I broke it playing Pokemon Pinball.
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Honestly, I liked the SNES ports. I didn't have a SNES at that point, so it gave me an excuse to replay those games.
Some of them were terrible though Like earthworm Jim
Earthworm Jim really was not that good to begin with either. The controls are floaty, the screen is too much zoomed in, and the game is pretty short. However, the music and atmosphere rocked admittedly.
SNESGuy
Title: El Duderino
Joined: Jul 31 2010
Location: Da D.C
Posts: 1831
Posted:
Mar 24 2011 05:18 pm
taterfyrings wrote:
SnesGuy wrote:
Syd Lexia wrote:
Honestly, I liked the SNES ports. I didn't have a SNES at that point, so it gave me an excuse to replay those games.
Some of them were terrible though Like earthworm Jim
Earthworm Jim really was not that good to begin with either. The controls are floaty, the screen is too much zoomed in, and the game is pretty short. However, the music and atmosphere rocked admittedly.
I will disagree with you there i fucking love Earthworm Jim, i blame the cartoon for my great memories as well
Blackout
Title: Captain Oblivious
Joined: Sep 01 2007
Location: That Rainy State
Posts: 10376
Posted:
Mar 26 2011 04:25 pm
I agree with the control complaint, they feel off somehow. Oh and I never ever beat that underwater diving bell level.
SNESGuy
Title: El Duderino
Joined: Jul 31 2010
Location: Da D.C
Posts: 1831
Posted:
Mar 26 2011 04:50 pm
Blackout wrote:
I agree with the control complaint, they feel off somehow. Oh and I never ever beat that underwater diving bell level.
That level was indeed hard if you didnt know what you were doing but i still love the game, especially this stage
However, the level For Petes Sake was and is the most frustrating level i probably have played in my life
