Customer Reviews

Wormlight Advance: Kiwi

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(13)

 

 

When I first got my Game Boy Advance, I was very disappointed to find that especially on the older Game Boy Color games, the games appeared dark on the screen even when played in a good light source. Donkey Kong Country for GBC is a good example of this problem. So naturally, I went online to find a solution to the problem. After reading a great review at [a website], which has a review on lights for the GBA, I decided that the Worm Light Advance was worth a go. After I received it, I plugged it into my GBA. At first, I was angry to see a spot of glare always shining on the screen, and it bothered me, but I got used to it and now it does not even affect my gameplay. In fact, although some people say the light is not distributed evenly, which is true, it still does the job lighting the entire, wide GBA screen. In fact, I found it easier to play in the dark when the worm light was shining on it, than playing it with a mediocre source of light! The worm light advance is not the perfect solution for the GBA lighting problem, but it does the job, greatly enhancing gameplay and making it MUCH easier to see the screen. One note about the worm light: it receives power from the GBA's battery source. Therefore, battery life is cut down by about 1/3 once it is plugged in. Therefore, you should have an AC Adapter or Battery Pack when using the worm light. Until a better solution for the lighting problem arrives, however, I recommend the worm light advance to greatly help the GBA's light problem. Although the glare can get in the way, it is minimal and unnoticeable when you are immersed in the gameplay.

**ADDITION TO REVIEW** [After using the wormlight for a while until the batteries died a couple times, my estimate is that the batteries drain approximately twice as fast with this light on...this is about ten instead of twenty hours.)

My girlfriend and I each got a Game Boy Advance this week: hers being Fuchsia, mine Glacier. To be honest, I was a little afraid of the Wormlight, as some of the reviews I have read mentioned inadequate lighting/glare/other problems. However, all the light peripheral reviews for the Game Boy Advance have negative aspects, and I definitely feel an add-on light is a necessity with this system, so it was a matter of weighing the good and bad to come up with some choices. After much research, I narrowed it down to three choices: the Flood Light (made by Gamestar), the UFO light, or the Wormlight (both made by Nyko).

The Flood Light supposedly provides the best light out there, but has drawbacks (keep in mind I haven't tested it out myself, so some of this is going on various others' reviews): it is kind of bulky/heavy, requires extra batteries, requires a screwdriver to open the battery compartment (I plan on playing this on airplanes, and apparently you cannot bring even small pointy tools onboard anymore...foolish), eats batteries very quickly, and does not allow for multiplayer games do to blockage of the link port. Also, not that it's a big deal, but it costs about five dollars more than the Nyko lights.

The UFO Light and Wormlight are very similar in design. Neither requires extra batteries, as they draw power from the link port on top of the system, and they both include a pass-through so that you can use the light and the actual link cable simultaneously...ingenious. I am impressed that they offer this feature at such a price; these are the most inexpensive GBA lights available. Sure, the system's batteries will drain a little quicker with either of these lights on, but it is much more convenient to change two batteries in the back than it is to unscrew a compartment and put THREE AA batteries in. Plus, I don't think these lights are quite as bright as the Flood Light, so they should not use energy as quickly. I can't comment on how long a GBA/Nyko light combination will run on two new AA's, as I just got them yesterday, and my GBA battery light hasn't gone into the red yet.

The reasons I got the Wormlights as opposed to the UFO Lights are as follows: the Wormlight is adjustable, so you can center it where you want (i.e. out of the way of the screen, but in a place that still provides excellent light), and it stays there (the UFO Light seems to be in a fixed position), and the Wormlights come in colors that perfectly match the systems. The UFO lights' undersides do as well, but the problem here is that they are not being made anymore (further testament that the Wormlight is superior), so I could not find any Fuchsia ones. As I said before, I don't think the Nyko lights are as bright as the Flood Light, so I figured I'd buy one and try it out in the store instead of buying TWO on blind faith. I found a dark spot under a large counter, and I was very pleasantly surprised. I got another one, and have since then tried them out in all light conditions, from pitch black to well-lit (where the light didn't really help at all). The Wormlight performs excellently in all conditions. Yes, there can be a reflection of the light in the GBA screen, as other reviews have mentioned, but it does not hinder gameplay at all. As a hard-core gamer who always does extensive product research before purchase, I recommend the Nyko Wormlight.

This is a very good GameBoy Advance light. I would recommend buying this instead of using the old GameBoy Color light. The GBC light you will have to twist 180 degrees otherwise it will light up the back of your GBA. Also, it the connection for a GBC was very loose and wouldn't stay put. It would always flicker. With this, there is a "clip" to insure the light stays in. Also, it is secure even without the clip. And to add some more sugar to this Warhead, it has a pass-thru connector. This allows you to have a light as well as a link cable hooked up at the same time.

This light may cause a little glare but all you have to do is adjust the light a little and it shouldn't be a problem. The thing that is better about this light than the others is it needs no batteries to operate it. All you have to do is plug it into the link outlet and you are ready to play with good light.

This light is a great addition to your Game Boy Advance. If you play the GBA at all, you have probably noticed it gets hard to see if not in direct light. This small light solves that problem perfectly. It is very bright, and doesnt seem to shorten the battery life too much. If you play your GBA in the dark this is a must have.

The Nyko Wormlight Advance is a very inexpensive solution to the Gameboy Advance's almost nonexistent backlighting problem. Sure, a ton of light comes out, and sure, if you don't adjust the light it will be right in the middle of the screen. But that's why they made it flexible! All I had to do was move the light to the right a little bit, and it worked just fine. There was some glare on the screen, but is was on the black part. This product really brings out GBA's brilliant true colors. Buy it!

If I could give this item 0 stars, I would. The glare is horrible and the light does not evenly or completely cover the screen. On my unit I had trouble getting the pass through to work correctly. I had to jiggle it to work. If the light was more diffused it would be inproved, but Nyko also needs to improve the build quality on the whole. AVOID this garbage.

If you have a game boy advance, you will need this. The GBA is unviewable in all but direct sunlight.

If you add the wormlike, and fiddle with the positioning so that the glare spot is just north of the screen, you will be able to play the GBA. It works best like this in a totally dark room.

Also, if you put some flat black material just north of the screen, then you can really cut the glare from the light down.

I have had the original Wormlight for the GBC, and adjusting the light is a pain and you still get quite a bit of glare from it. And the plastic attached to the plug broke and the light doesn't stick up all the way any more. I saw the GlowGuard on the InterAct web site and thought that it was pretty cool, so I got that. It has a bright white LED, and when positioned correctly there is virtually no glare and the light is sufficient in any light. Also, it folds down to protect the screen when not in use, and the pass-through port works without any problems. I suggest getting the GlowGuard instead of the Wormlight, as it is a great product.

I saw the Light Shield from Pelican, and it had some features the GlowGuard doesn't like a power switch. But it also uses a light bulb instead of an LED, which could burn out on you any time in the future, and uses up more energy. It also isn't a pure white, when the batteries start to die or you use the dimmer, it will fade and turn an orange color. An LED can last virtually forever and not use up as much energy, and is a purer white than a light bulb.

Well, I think that it could be VERY BETTER. The light is "blue" (when it should be white) and it "reflect/contemplate"* in GBA's screen. It's good if you use it to play in a place very dark. If you need play in a place middle dark, it's not good.
* : I don't know wich use. I'm not american. Sorry by my english.