Game Boy Advance SP Limited Edition Lime/Orange

by Nintendo

Product Features

• Plays all game boy advance, color and original NTSC (North America) games

Product Details

• ASIN: B0002Y50PO
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 6.5 x 1.5 inches ; 3 pounds
• Media: Video Game
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #22,940 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

Early Adopters Pick: March 2003. As the world's smallest video-game platform, the Game Boy Advance SP is also the first to use a built-in rechargeable battery.

Many decried the original Game Boy Advance's reflective LCD screen and its reliance on external light sources. The Game Boy Advance SP's main feature--optional backlighting--fixes this complaint nicely, but it's the wealth of other features that makes this system so surprisingly good.

At first look, you might think the SP is a sleek travel alarm clock. When closed, it's just as tall and deep as the original GBA, but only half as wide. Due to its clamshell design, the screen is always protected from everyday scratches. A small button in the center of the console turns on the backlighting element for use in low-light situations, like in a moving car.

The SP comes with a well-designed power adapter that recharges a built-in battery; its prongs fold in for easier storage. Our informal tests found that it takes about four hours to fully charge (you can even play it while it's plugged in and charging), and the battery lasts about 11 hours with the backlighting constantly on--your results may vary. Using the backlighting less often will conserve battery power.

With separately sold cables, you can connect the Game Boy Advance SP to other GBAs for multiplayer gaming (above) or to the Nintendo GameCube (below) to access secret levels, exchange data, or use other special features that vary from game to game.

The quality of the backlighting is very good. It's bright and clear when looking directly at it, but degraded from other angles. This is only a problem for friends who are watching the screen from over your shoulder.

But size, power, and affordability do not come without trade offs. There's no headphone jack here, though Nintendo promises an adapter. The system isn't very loud at its highest volume, and the sound can be turned down to socially acceptable levels. The L and R shoulder buttons are a fraction of the size they were on the GBA, and thus are harder to hit. Also, the reduced size of the SP is slightly less comfortable for adult hands than the GBA, but perhaps more comfortable for smaller hands. The cartridge port placement on the lower part of the console is fine for GBA games, since they are flush with the console body, but older Game Boy Color carts will stick out in a way that takes some getting used to.

Open it up and the hinge will seek out a preferred, pre-set angle (about 150 degrees), though you can open it a bit wider or narrower for your own comfort. The hinge stands up well to lateral pressure, and over all, the SP seems just as rugged as its predecessor--which has proven to be very rugged, indeed. --Porter B. Hall

Unit Specifications

• CPU: 32-Bit ARM with embedded memory
• Memory: 32 KB with 96 KB VRAM (in CPU), 256 KB WRAM (external of CPU)
• Screen: 2.9-inch reflective TFT color LCD
• Display Size: 1.6 by 2.4 inches (40.8 by 61.2 mm)
• Resolution: 240 x 160 pixels in a wide-screen aspect ratio
• Colors: 511 simultaneous colors from a palette of 32,768
• Software: Fully compatible with Game Boy and Game Boy Color game paks
• Light Source: Front light integrated with LCD
• Size (closed): 3.3 by 3.23 by .96 inch
• Weight: Approximately 5 ounces
• Power Supply: Rechargeable lithium-ion battery
• Battery Life: 10 hours continuous play with light on; 18 hours with light off; 3 hours recharging

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars dont give up, November 11, 2004

By 

Gary W. Max "a gamer" (Snohomish, WA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Game Boy Advance SP Limited Edition Lime/Orange (Video Game)

this game boy is a wonderful system that should not be given up once you buy the ds. th reason that you keep the sp is that the ds cant play older gameboy color games (the larger ones). so keep that sp, it will come in handy. as for the multi-player problems, the ds has 16 player cordless multi-player. as for the fact that the sp is too small, either get used to it or simply buy one of the grip attachments, i recomment the GAME CHANGER, (search for it on amazon) its the best accesory ive ever bought.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars AWESOME!!!!, July 23, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Game Boy Advance SP Limited Edition Lime/Orange (Video Game)

This is so worth the money!!! It is so much fun and so small!! I love that i can recharge it!! IT ROCKS!!!!

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Like it!, November 9, 2004

By 

Wilhelm D Great "wwwillie" (fpo, ae (italy)) - See all my reviews

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Game Boy Advance SP Limited Edition Lime/Orange (Video Game)

I like it and i am enjoying playing with it. I am the only one among my playmates who has this color. Parents, buy this for your child.