The original Game Boy unit was first introduced in Japan in 1988 and later, in 1989 in the United States. It had an 8bit Z80 based processor, 160x144 pixel, 4 gray scale screen, 4 channel sound and ran 15-30 hrs on 4 AA batteries. In 1996 the Game Boy Pocket was introduced with a smaller size, a better contrast screen and could be played for 10 hours on 2 AAA batteries. In 1999 the first Game Boy with color display, the Game Boy Color was released. It had an 8Mhz Z80 based processor, 160x144 pixel, 56 (out of 32000) color screen, 4-channel sound and ran 13 hours on 2 AA batteries. Two years later in 2001, the first radical change to the Game Boy design was released with the Game Boy Advance. It sported a larger screen, 240x160 pixel, horizontal layout and a faster processor. Now, the latest version Nintendo has released in March of 2003 (USA) is The Game Boy Advance SP. It differs greatly in design and features a front lit screen, rechargeable battery and a new square flip-up screen.
What follows is a hand's on review of the new GBA SP.
Review
Right out of the box the new GBA SP has a quality, solid feel. One friend thought the exterior was metal! The build quality is excellent and I have no fear of dropping it and it no longer working. Nintendo is known for making their products "kiddy proof" and this new game player is no exception. All the moving parts fit perfectly, although the left and right should buttons are a bit wobbly, but the overall feel is still good.
Mine came with a only few hours of charge in the battery. So you can get up and running out of the box, just remember you'll be needing to recharge before long.
The control layout is classic GBA. The 4 way navigation pad is on the left and the A / B buttons are directly across from it. The speaker is lower in the center. Select and Start buttons are at the bottom. Everything is easy to reach and despite the square design, very comfortable to hold and play.
The sound is very good on the new GBA SP and it seems louder and clearer. The screen seems larger too although it is not.
Recharging is a simple of affair of plugging in the charger to cable to the back of the GBA SP and then unfolding the prongs before attaching to a wall outlet. An amber colored light will glow as the unit recharging process proceeds and it will turn off when charging is complete. The instructions say you can keep your game in the unit and even continue playing a game if you like. For me, I prefer or keep the cartridge out of the player while this process is going on.
The front light is the best feature of this latest incarnation of the Game Boy and a welcome improvement. Now you can take your GBA SP anywhere and play in any lighting condition--or no light at all! Note that the LCD is not backlit…it's a light you can see at the bottom of the screen (which can be turned off). It's been designed to cast a soft, evenly defused glow over the entire surface of the screen. I have at times found it to be a bit too bright and sometimes my game's colors can seem a bit washed out. A brightness and contrast control would have been nice. Mostly I only have that problem in a room with no lights on so it's not much of a problem.
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My only complaint is Nintendo not using a standard headphone jack. That'll cost you an additional $5 to use headphones if you want too. Always something!
Conclusion
Overall, I am very pleased with the new Game Boy Advance SP! This is the one we've all been waiting for. When I first got my GBA I thought, "This thing would have been perfect with brighter screen." Finally, it's here. The new front-lit screen is a welcome improvement over the original Game Boy players. Consider this one a very good buy if you want to upgrade or if you don't own a Game Boy and are in the market for one, this is the model to get.
It gets a 5/5.
System Specifications:
Dimensions (closed):
Approximately 3.3" height/3.23" width/0.96" depth
Weight:
Approximately 5 ounces
Features:
2.9" full-color LCD screen
Supports four-player multi-player gaming and other innovative game play
Ability to play the entire library of existing Game Boy and Game Boy Color titles
CPU: 32-Bit ARM with Embedded Memory
LCD Screen: 2.9" Reflective TFT Color LCD
Light Source: Front Light Integrated with LCD
Display Size: 1.61" x 2.41"
Resolution: 240 x 160 pixels
Color: Simultaneously displays up to 32,768 colors
Power Supply: Rechargeable Lithium-ion Battery
Battery Life: 10 hours continuous play with light on, 18 hours with light off, 3 hours recharging
Miscellaneous: Connect up to four GBA SP systems at once for multiplayer. With some games, you can get multiplayer action by sharing only ONE Game Pak. The ability to connect GBA SP to NINTENDO GAMECUBE. PCM Stereo Sound System.
It gets 5 out of 5. |
