Customer Reviews

Game Boy Advance SP - Flame

5 star:		(69)
4 star:		(28)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

After the original GBA was released, I found myself barely playing it thanks to the dismally dark screen and uncomfortable grip. Even with a light (either snake light or magnified screen light) it was almost impossible to see. And my hands would cramp quickly since the controls were just too close together for adult hands.

The GBA SP is, in a word, incredible! It fits my full-size hands perfectly. The back light option makes it possible to play in the dark. And the battery life is unbelievable. While the one downside of a built-in rechargeable battery is the need to allow a full recharge before playing again, the game really does last for the 10 hours they say with the light on! I turn off the light if I can when it's bright enough in the room, and this extends it even more. I find myself charging it every three days or so overnight. And if I want to continue playing it, I just turn it on with the charging cord attached!

The flip design is wonderful. It protects the screen when not in use, and the slight angle it provides when open makes this the most ergonomical of all the GBs ever made. We did an inventory last night and realized we've had at least one of every Gameboy model ever released (color not withstanding of course) We still have my wife's original grey/tan monster from the very first year. I can honestly say without a doubt, Nintendo finally got the Gameboy just right! I'm playing it more than any of the other versions, and not feeling any cramping in the hands or eye fatigue.

I still feel the cost of the console itself is too high, but honestly, with the enjoyment it brings and the number of reasonably priced titles available, it pays for itself in entertainment value very quickly!

Thank you, Nintendo!!

This is truly phenomanal. It has a big improvement over the original GBA. I'll list the pros and cons now, but first, personal experience.

I have seen varios amounts of SPs but only Platinum and Cobalt, Platinum more often.

The feel is spectacular, if you are worrying about being cramped, DON'T it is just like holding a GBC/GBP and it has an AWESOME light up screen.

The rechargeable batterie is cool and if it goes comepletly dead, you can buy another one for $20.

The simple flaw is headphones, me, I only JUST got into the headphone craze and there being no port sucks, and they say they didn't put it in for portabality. but there is an adapter that lets you listen to headphones. Normally, you can't listen while charging, but I came apon a jack that lets you listen to headphones while chaging, or just listen to a CD....

There is said to be specks of dust on the screen. Screw them. I've played a GBC with a scratch and a shadow for 2 years. No biggie. Just IGNORE IT or get nintendo to remove it.

The lap-top design is a main effect. It was cool how they do the screen and all, and I'm alwazed amazed on HOW they get the wires connected to the screen.
THE MAJOR FLAW IS IN THE PLATINUM SP, THE PAINT IS SPRAYED ON SO IT SCRATCHES, THE OTHERS ARE COLORED PLASTIC AND DON'T SCRATCH!!! Unless you want the system of the next coupla years to look crappy, get flame, onyx, or cobalt. COBALT IS NOT PURPLE, IT'S BLUE. Now, the pros and cons.

PROS
-excellent design

-portable/efficiant
-a light up screen from the SIDE, it's not back lighting.
-chargeable

CONS
-Need to buy a headphone jack (which review DOESN'T have this in there CONS)
-Chargeable batterie dies eventually and you need to get a new one instead of using regular batteries for the time.
-The Platinum one scratches.

That's it. The only thing that POs me is why the platinum scratches.

I have owned GameBoy portables since they came out in the 1980s. Never have I enjoyed Nintendo's handheld technology more than with this product.

Taking the best parts of the GameBoy Advance (large color screen, access to an excellent game library), Nintendo has improved upon its original model by adding several great features. The features I enjoy most include:

* Backlight --> you can play your GBA SP in dim rooms, on the move (when you don't have access to extra light), heck, you can play it IN THE DARK! This is an amazing improvement. I'm sure that the third party market that has made a mint off lights for the GameBoy and original GameBoy Advance systems are very mad, but this internal light is even better than any of the numerous add-ons I've bought over the years.

* Rechargeable-battery (with adapter) --> you can now charge the internal battery by plugging it into the wall (or by buying a separate car charger). The battery lasts anywhere from 6 - 10 hours (depending on whether you use the backlight or not).

* Flip-top screen --> this smaller, sleeker design also serves to protect the screen from getting scratched

All told, these additions are amazing, and saved me at least $25 (now that I don't have to buy all those add-ons from another company).

I really enjoy my GameBoy Advance SP, and play all of the great new GBA games as well as my old black and white GameBoy favorites on it.

I guess the big question is whether it is worth $30.00 more then the GBA. I think it is. My daughter has the GBA and the GBA sp. She received the GBA for a christmas present and complained all the time that she could not see the screen. She is six and so the screen was getting scratches on it. We purchased the light that attaches to the top of the GBA. It workes well when she can find it. (Or should I say when I can find it) The following year we got her the GBA sp for a birthday present and what a difference. It has a back light which means she can see the screen all the time. During the day, in the car, at night and in bed!! I love that you can plug it in and charge the battery. We went through so many batteries with the GBA. I love that the screen folds down and protects the screen from scratches.

I think that there were some complaints about the L and R buttons on the top of the screen. I do not find them to be a problem and my daughter has never complained.

The GBA sp has saved my mind on several long trips to visit relatives. I think that it was a great buy when it was $99.00 now it is $79.00!! Grab it up and enjoy peace and quiet while your kids play.

I just received the Game Boy Advance SP (Flame colored) today for my birthday. I must say this is by far the best pocket Game Boy Nintendo has come up with. I have owned all of the other models (the original thick generic colored gray one they had in the early 90s, and the Game Boy Colored). The original one was okay but the screen and picture was awful black and white. Then when they came out with the Game Boy Color.. awesome colored screen and colored consoles. But the screen was hard to see.. and no a/c power cord came with it. You had to buy your own batteries. Then when the Game Boy Advance SP came out.. I just had to have one. The photos of the GBA SP model is deceiving.. it looks big, but when I opened up the box and inside was this tiny wallet sized (and I mean wallet sized) GBA model, I thought.. wow Nintendo really was listening to their customers. It's very lightweight and can easily fit in your jeans pocket, purse or jacket. But be careful if you have wee little ones around, they may want to get a hold of it and think it's just one of their toys and will damage it. I have yet to play with this before I let my daughter play with it. The game folds like a laptop. There is a backlight button to turn it on or off (A definite plus!). You can control the sound and it has a Left and Right buttons on the back for extra game playing as you're holding it. I just discovered that you can use these buttons for the Sponge Bob Square Pants game. As a consumer of GB, I must say this is by far the best game model yet. The screen and graphics display are in 32 bit colored.. very clear and crisp. It looks like this game could be on the t.v. screen but in a smaller version. If you ever watch Sponge Bob cartoons, that's what it looks like in the GBA SP model. It comes with it's own a/c adapter cord which you can charge the battery or play it using the a/c adapter plugged into the car. If you're thinking of getting one.. BUY IT!!! It's an investment well worth the money. My husband is not a fan of video games or pocket games so when he saw this he had to get it for my birthday. And anyone can play this.. kids or adults. But all those adults out there.. Be forewarned.. it gets addicting, I haven't let my daughter play with this yet.

Good game system exactly like the game boy color system only more modernized and higher technology and it folds and has a back light and rechargable battery pack to just plug into the wall cool game system though it plays the old school game boy games, game boy color games, and the game boy advance games defently excellent game system.

I am a grandmother and know absolutely nothing about "Game Boys". I purchased this for my granddaughter who was turning 12 and have been told it is the best gift she has ever gotten in her "whole life"!!! I think that is quite a testament as she has gotten many,many gifts in her "whole life"!! LOL

my 5 yr old took a interest in video games but i couldnt decide what to get her. after some thought i decided to look into getting something she can play in the car. so i went to the store and tryed the GBA and GBASP wow what a difference. the light up screen makes it well worth the extra $$$ no lights to buy and a rechargable battery that alone makes it worth it. plus playing all previous games. i still have the first original B&W game boy and some games still in perfect working order. if this one holds up as well as it i will stay happy indeed.

Even with the Nintendo DS and Sony PSP out there, the GBA SP is still the best-selling portable video game system currently out there.

Design - The design of this console is excellent. It's small enough to fit in your pocket. Also the GBA SP comes in MANY colors, including red, onyx black, cobalt, platinum, and limited edition colors. The button layout is also very good.

Screen - Unlike the previous model, the GBA SP has a backlit screen, allowing you to play wherever you want, whenever you want. You can turn this feature on or off. Also this screen has a good size. The Flip-Top design allows you to adjust the screen to suit your needs. I recommend using the preset angle (150 degrees).

Graphics - This console can produce 32-bit graphics, which is very decent.

Games - With a library of over 700 titles, including favorites like Mario, Zelda, Metroid, Pokemon, and F-zero, you definitely can't go wrong here.

Backward Compatability - Not only can you play GBA games on the GBA SP, but you can also play GBColor and original Game Boy games!

Connectivity - To play multiplayer games, you will need to buy a GBA link cable, which allows you to connect 2 GBAs (or 2 GBA SPs). Some GBA games are compatable with the Nintendo Gamecube and some Nintendo Gamecube games are compatable with the GBA (or GBA SP). To connect the GBA SP to the GAMECUBE, you will need to buy a GBA / GCN link cable. Both of these cables are very affordable. Please note that...

To play GBA Multiplaer games, you will need...

name of item qty
------------------- ---
GBA (or GBA SP) 1 for each player
GBA Link Cable 1 for 2 players, 2 for 4 players.
Game For some games, 1 copy of the same game for each player, however some games require only 1 game pak for multiplayer.

To connect the GBA (SP or Original) to the Nintendo Gamecube, you will need...

GBA (SP or Original) 1 for each player
NINTENDO GAMECUBE 1
GBA/GCN LINK CABLE 1 for each player
GCN Game Compatable with the GBA* 1

*Note: Check the back of the box of each GBA and/or GCN game to see if the game can use the GBA/GCN feature and if so what GBA games do you need to use this feature. I recommend going to Nintendo.com. They have a full list of games that are compatable with this feature.

Summary: This is one of the best video game systems ever. The small design, cool colors, and the large selection of games makes this system a must-have for any gamer or anyone who wants to get into video gaming. I highly recommend it. 5 out of 5 stars

The game boy advance SP is a great invention! Its good because of numerous reasons. First of all it is great because it is small, that's good because it can fit into your pocket when your going somewhere. The next reason why its good is because it has a light, so when your in the dark you don't have strain your eyes trying to look at the game. It is also good because it has a charger so you don't have buy expensive batteries ever again. Lastly, its great because the colors of the sp are unique and attractive. The game boy advance sp is an excellent invention.