Game Boy Advance SP Pearl Pink Reviews

• Portable Action

  
  By A3W4D8XOGLWUN5 on 2005-10-31
  These days, there are just so many different companies that are just competeing into the handheld console video game wars. Nevertheless, with companies that've fizzled like Sega, and Sony's recent debut with the PSP, there is just so much to look out for, especially from Nintendo. Since the late 80's, their Game Boy has been the main trademark as one of the most successful, and the highest-selling video game system of all time. Yet, it also has gotten better with so many different improvements. Yet, while Nintendo is equally conjuring status with their DS handheld, the Game Boy still is a favorite.
  
  The Game Boy Advance SP with the Peral Blue color, is a unique and compact device, that can play all different Game Boy Advance greats like Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario World 3, the mini-game madness of Wario Ware: Twisted, and newer favorite like DK: King Of Swing. It is easy to carry, and cost so much less for anybody who wants a game system. Not only that, but you can also play earlier versions of Game Boy classic games like Kirby's Dream Land, Tetris, and Super Mario Land, as well as Game Boy Color games like Pokemon', and others as well. Yet, so many others are considering ther DS and the Game Boy Advance Micro as other considerations as hanhelds because, of their quality and games instead. While those are great, for anybody who owns those earlier Game Boy Games, you won't be able to play them on those handheld games systems, just here.
  
  Anybody who loves games will defnitely want the Game Boy Advance SP. This is a great game system, and I love it because it is so affordable, and everybody loves it. I honestly recommend this handheld over the many others. I guarentee it.
  
  Handheld: A
  
  Price: A+
  
  Control: A 1/2-
  
  Sound: B+
  
  Fun & Enjoyment: A
  
  Overall: A
  
  
  

• Best handheld ever!

  
  By A2PXOP8AOGXQCO on 2005-09-24
  Nintendo has presented us with a tough choice: the new GBA SP or the Game Boy Micro. I was thinking about what I really wanted out of the Micro -- the bright screen, and the better ergonomics and controls. BUT the screen is tiny, and the SP's screen is plenty small as it is. I'm 35 years old and while my eyesight is perfect, there's no need to ruin that with a postage-stamp sized screen.
  
  So I bought a baby blue metallic new-screen GBA today. There are other pictures on the internet comparing the old and the new, but none with that old-time Atari flair that we know and love! Here are some screenshots of the Activision Anthology on the old and new system, side by side. It's difficult to photograph these things, so excuse the quality of the pics. This game has some bright, vivid colors which are NOT done justice on the washed out old-style SP, but they really come alive on the new one.
  
  

• Nintendo Finally Got It Right!

  
  By A2VTRRVQM6BJDW on 2003-09-15
  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!!
  
  

• Pretty In Pink

  
  By A3W4D8XOGLWUN5 on 2006-03-31
  Finally, there happens to be a video game system that can have the feeling of success of all gamers alike, with the femine feeling of a pink color. That has been something many companies never thought would ever happen by a longshot. That is the case with Nintendo. Since they came up with the idea of colorizing and personalizing their Game Boy systems back in the 1990's, many companies haven't caught on to the handheld success and unique distinction. While so many might've considered white, black and grey, nobody would ever believe it at all, at last a pink Game Boy.
  
  Nintendo Game Boy Advance in Pearl Pink is a convient video game handheld that appeals to all gamers alike, men and women. This handheld is sleek and convient that you can take it anywhere. You also have the ability to play Game Boy Advance games like Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Brothers 3, Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy Kong's Quest, Warioware: Twisted, and so many other great Game Boy Advance titles out there. You also have the backwards compatability on this system of earlier Game Boy titles from the Game Boy Color, and the original Game Boy era, going all the way back to the late 1980's. The gameplay is fun and still distinctive to its constant appeal, and the price fits for all consumers who have a distinction for a video game system to call their own.
  
  While so many might be interested in other systems like the Xbox 360, Sony's upcoming Playstation 3, or anything else, the Game Boy Advance from Nintendo is a delightful joy for anybody who wants classic video gaming, at a affordable price of fun.
  
  Gameplay: A
  
  Sound: A+
  
  Price: A+
  
  Backwards Compatability: A 1/2+
  
  Overall: A 1/2+
  
  

• AWESOME but... the Platinum...

  
  By A35L9IRMU6MRBV on 2003-12-11
  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.
  
  

• Amazing Console, Excellent Upgrade from GBA
  By A1517476XFOC7A on 2004-10-07
  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.
  
  
• Finally!! ('bout time)
  By A3I4A6OCPMZGUS on 2006-04-09
  If you are a Game Boy collector and freak like myself and own all the classic games up to the Advance then you must get this new system. They finally fixed the screen colors as if you were watching a mini TV. The colors are rich and clear as ever. I have the older SP and put them side by side and turned them on at the same time and the difference is remarkable. You can't turn this new and improved system down. You finally have a Game Boy that plays all the original games with great color. Every game I put in there looked so much better. You definatley won't be dissapointed.
  
  
• Game Boy Advance SP
  By on 2004-01-31
  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.
  
  
• WOW DURABLE!!!
  By A27JI26UBU4NJC on 2005-11-20
  We bought this toy for our 6 years olds birthday. He was sooo excited and played with it all day. Yea it's a bit pricey especially since it doesn't include any games...(we bought him Super Mario Brother's 3) That night he spills juice on it...and it get's all weird acting :(. He was sooo upset but I couldn't just go and pick up another one...Well I took the back off from the battery pack and drained out the juice, wiped the battery with a cotton swap with a tiny bit of alcohol on it and let it dry....the next morning....it worked as good as new!!! We were so happy!!! A+++ for durability!!!!
  
  
• Great!!!
  By on 2005-12-06
  I love this game system !!!!! When my family went to a race , I played my gameboy advance sp the whole time , at the campsite,race,and in the car . It diddn't run out the whole time I played it, and all it had was 5 10 min. charges in the bathroom!!! Once it turns red, it can go on for about 1hr.!! It stays green most of the time , and is really reliable!! It also has some really good features like
  . A lighted screen that you can turn off and on
  . easy buttans
  . and it is small , and it also folds up so you can take it to a lot of places!!
  It also has great ganes for both girls AND boys ( you don't see a lot of that any more)!! I was almost going to get another gaming system , but none of them worked as great as this one!! I would strongly recomend it!!!!
  
  
• Best Portable System of them all
  By A3HPJ3SM7M5T2O on 2005-10-31
  I own a DS, a PSP and an SP. I even have an old Gamegear. I have owned in the years nearly every type of gameboy. I dont think any portable system can come close to the SP. Great game choices - too many in fact! Durable. Not expensive. The best of them all. The PSP is great graphics but its very expensive and you are afraid to breath on the thing wrong lest you kill a pixel or two - that is if yours didnt already come with dead pixels. The DS is cool but in truth two screens? I dont know. Maybe I just havent played enough good games with it but it just doesnt do it for me. Aside from the need for six batteries and now not a single game available the Gamegear was a great system. The screen is such that you can play it in pitch dark and see great. Its a little on the big side but it was made way back when portable gaming was still new.
  Anyway I highly recommend the SP. Enjoy ^_^
  
  
• Jameson Thottam and the Game Boy Advance SP
  By A6D6XYJLKQWF4 on 2005-11-27
  Jameson Thottam and the Game Boy Advance SP
  
  Intro...Jameson Thottam
  Before the Game Boy Advance SP, there were basically three ways to solve the lighting problem of the original GBA (Game Boy Advance). You could've:
  1. Bought cheap, useless aftermarket add-ons.
  2. Riskily took apart your GBA to install a backlight.
  or
  3. Skipped over the GBA entirely.
  For those who can't wait for the next generation Game Boy to come out, buy a Game Boy Advance. So if you become fed up with the GBA's bulky size, bad colors, and LACK OF LIGHT, you can go to your nearest Circuit City and buy a brand spanking new Onyx (black) Game Boy Advance SP. Some colors available are: Flame (red), Pearl (white), Cobalt Blue, Platinum, and Classic (black and red). I strongly recommend Oynx, just because it's so stylish and sleek.
  
  New Features ...Jameson Luke Thottam
  The most notable new feature on the GBA SP is definitely the frontlight. If you have no idea what that is, it's LED lights place along the sides of the screen as opposed to being behind it. I haven't seen much difference, but I've heard from some people that frontlit screens cast shadows.
  Also, the GBA SP incorporates a new clamshell design. This is definitely a pleasant change. The size factor has been greatly reduced and the screen is protected from the elements. There is also a never before seen feature on any previous Game Boys. A rechargeable battery! The Lithium-Ion battery in the SP can be used for 10 hours with the frontlight and up to 18 hrs without. Pretty impressive. The problem with this is that if you are going to be away from an outlet for a long time, you're going to have to ration your hours carefully. Overall, these new features are a godsend.
  
  Specs of the awesome SP! ...Jameson L Thottam
  The performance of the SP is identical to the old Advance console. 32 bit processor, 240x160 resolution, 2.9 inch screen size, and the same number of basic buttons. There is a new button. The backlight button, to be exact. With one click, you can turn the frontlight off/on. This is handy if you are in places with plenty of lighting and want to save battery power.
  
  Accessories ...Jameson L. Thottam
  Some of the old GBA accessories become obsolete on this console (hint: the WORMLIGHT) as the SP features the frontlight. Link cables, E-readers should all still work for the SP. For all you that don't know this, the GBA SP DOES NOT come with a headphone jack. I don't know why Nintendo decided to omit this feature, but a dongle to plug the heaphones into will cost an extra $5-7 bucks, depending where you buy it from.
  
  Games ...Jameson Thottam
  Ahh... Games. The most important feature of a good console. Without good games, the GBA SP would've become extinct already. There are no special games designed only for the Game Boy Advance SP. The SP can play all of the original GB games, GB color games, and GBA games. Practically all of the genres are covered. There are plenty of RPGs (Role Playing Games), sports, a few FPSs (First Person Shooters), racing, and platformer games. A few games I recommend are: Golden Sun 1 & 2, WarioWare Inc: Mega Microgame$, Pokemon, Final Fantasy, Metriod Fusion, and The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. There are over a 1000 games available for the GBA SP.
  
  Sadly, the end of this review is near ...Jameson Thottam
  Even with the Nintendo DS and the Sony PSP available, I still highly recommend the Game Boy Advance SP. If you don't want or need expensive, bulky, or 3D graphics in a console, then the GBA SP is what you should definitely get. And for those who are still using the GBC and the GBA, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?
  
  Jameson Thottam
  
  
• Really great toy
  By A10G2K6SCAWKAG on 2006-09-11
  My daughters are only ages 4 and 5 and they love their pink gameboys! I initially just bought one thinking they were too young to play them but we nearly immediately had to go out and buy another one because they both loved it so much. I am really impressed by the quality of the games and the number of games available for this age range. I also am not a big advocate of computer games over other activities, but there have been many times when the gameboy has been a terrific time filler for my kids on car rides and in waiting situations that have kept them busy, happy, and occupied. It's very sturdy and both of ours have been dropped a number of times with no damage at all. Also the batteries seem to last a very long time. I will admit to enjoying playing it myself! Gameboy has come along way from what I remembered it being. I would definitely recommend it.
  
  
• Durable, Reliable, Easy to use
  By A17FD8ZREIA3PR on 2006-11-13
  Alright...well I purchased this gameboy with the intent of taking it to my daycare and playing it with the other kids who have gameboys. I work at a daycare with kids ages 5-10. I trust the Nintendo brand name as it has been a household name for as long as I can remember.
  
  Durability: I am a klutz and so are my kids! I drop this thing all the time and it has never suffered anything except scratches to the exterior (the pearlized paint I've noticed seems to show wear more readily than the opaque paint).
  
  Reliability: I am amazed at how little I have to charge my gameboy. I can play for hours and it never dies! I trust the battery in this thing more than my digital camera or my cell phone.
  
  Ease of Use: There are so few buttons required to run this. There is an on/off switch on one side, a volume control on the other. There are two jacks in the back and other than that, all other buttons are for gameplay. Anyone who is familiar with Nintendo will find the buttons are in easy positions. The only buttons I find slightly awkward are the buttons on the top corners. However...I am an adult and my hands are bigger than kids' and the kids tell me they have no problems with them.
  
  Visibility: Well, the exterior is awesome! I love LOVE pink and I love this shade. Any little girl will love it. (I think it's a much better color than the DS Lite pink...not as pretty). As far as interior goes, the screen is awesome. This is a newer version the Gameboy Advance SP and it has a VERY bright screen. I find it easy to see in almost all light (in very bright, direct sunlight it is a little difficult to see).
  
  Sound: This gameboy has great sound. It's very clear and very loud! (parents be warned! heh) I've heard a lot of different games and the tone is great. It's awesome for kids and training their ears for sound differentation.
  
  I recommend this for all kids! I think the Advance SP is a better investment than the DS. It's smaller, it's cheaper, and the games are almost all identical. Any game you can get for one, I've noticed you can buy the same or similar for the other. Plus, if your kid shows responsibility and is just dying for a DS, all the Advance SP games are compatible with with DS, so no money wasted!
  
  
• ok...
  By A2FOZVHA7922QG on 2005-10-23
  the game boy advance sp is super-fly. they fixed the bad screen problem of the previous game boy model. but the only negative about the game boy advance sp is...the nintendo ds! the ds is the next-gen portable gaming system, it plays game boy advance games as well as ds games, and it only costs a little more than the game boy advance-129.99 compared to 79.99, plus you usually get a game with the ds like super mario ds or nintendogs. so that makes just a $15 difference for a much more powerful system that plays the game boy advance games as well, and has great sound, a sweet microphone, and a touch screen! the game boy rocks, but the ds rocks even more with built in wireless too! you can play your friends in the same room as you without wires in yugioh or jump superstars. nintendo rocks! sony blows!
  
  
• Great buy and Great for long trips
  By A2SCY6BFI63N67 on 2004-09-03
  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.
  
  
• A GAMEBOY ADVANCE SP REVIEW by: MICHELLE
  By A1SOG8EBEQXMVF on 2005-10-06
  I am extremely pleased with the SP. In fact, when they came out with the new one with a better backlight, I BOUGHT IT. The new backlight is a BIG improvement from the old sp, the colors are so much more vivid. If you were a fan of the old one, you need the NEW one! It was a toss up between the new Nintendo Micro and the New SP. For me, the micro was too small. I highly recommend this. My 9 year old son has one also and we have had it for 2 years now and it has never broke and it is very durable. THUMBS UP!!!!!!
  
  
• Little game system but HUGE fun!!!!!
  By on 2005-12-14
  I'm an 11 year old boy. If you ever hear "Don't buy a Game Boy Advance SP!" don't listen! I have a GB Advance SP and I love it!!! If you have a child 8 & up, get it for them or yourself.It has over 150 games you can buy. So, if you're looking for a great Christmas gift,this is it!
  
  
• Unbelievable Durability after getting wet, 5 year old loves it!
  By A3O8G8QRKRAYTT on 2006-02-18
  We purchased this for our almost 5 year old son for Christmas. You have to be careful what games you buy for this age group because some may be a little difficult. A good rule of thumb is the cheaper the game the easier it may be (not true in all cases). The games we have that he is able to do is: Kirby, Hot Wheels and Banjo Pilot. We have a few others but it requires mom and dad's assistance, however, we don't mind. The other day unbeknownst to me, my son took his GBA and games outside. His younger sister decided to pull out the water hose and soaked the GBA and games. We were freaking out! I did some research on the internet and discovered there were people out there who had similar situations occur. It was recommended that the device be dried off and left for about a week without being turned on for fear of shorting out the system. We waited about three days and plugged it in.....IT STILL WORKS! All the games and the device worked perfectly. I can't believe the durability of this product and the games. I highly recommend buying it. Especially if you have a highly precocious two year old!
  
  
• The best
  By on 2006-11-16
  This toy is the best toy ever. It has some of the best cartridges ever. I am six.
  
  
• Awesomeeeee
  By AZ66YQLAUOMS2 on 2005-10-07
  this system is great personally i think nintendo is losing money
  i mean $20 dollars cheaper than the gamecube? it's portable durable rechargeable and cheap. how can you go wrong? no need to buy batteries you can play for up to 18 hours at a 3 hour charge!
  buy this system im 15yrs old and im proud to say that i own one and i plan to keep playing it for a long long time
  
  
• Very Cool!!!
  By on 2006-03-23
  I totally recommend this game boy! It is like a little x-box or ps2 or whatever nonportable consoles you have. It is soooo fun. The color is cool and it is so small so you can slip it right in your pocket so you can carry it everywhere!!! Buy this instead of the ds. it is cheaper and the only difference is it has two screens and a pen. You can connect with other players. and you can watch movies on it. I recommend these games: kirby nighmare in dreamland, pocket dogs, and for the boys: starwars, pirates of the carribean, and spyro. I recommend these movies: shark tale, and shrek. I hope this helps!!!!
  
  
• Improvements?
  By A2DEVASN6KBRES on 2004-09-17
  The light improves viewing, but darker games, (like Doom), are still hard to see in anything but a dark room. The game is a good deal more portable than the GB Advanced, but you trade off non-replaceable batteries. You could always carry or purchase a spare instead of waiting around for it to recharge. I wonder if the battery will be easily replaceable, of will you have the same problem as the IPOD, the battery is almost as costly as a new system. My single, biggest complaint is the headphones/. All the earlier units used a standard headphone jack any 1/8" stereo headphones, (earbud, on the neck, or on the head), would work. The SP uses the same jack for charger and phones (included). You can purchase (about $6) an adapter that allows common headphones, but the included ones are uncomfortable, and almost incompatible with glasses.
  
  
• Loads of fun!
  By AA0R1D4E2CCU8 on 2006-01-01
  Our daughter asked for the gameboy sp for Christmas and absolutly loves playing with it, as a matter of fact, so does everyone else in the house. It is a great tool to keep kids occupied during long car trips, extended restaurant waits and long drawn out appointments. It almost eliminates the famous question "Are we there yet?" So far all of the games we have purchased have been great. Yes, it does require you to be able to read to understand the storyline the game is telling you BUT if your child can not read yet, like ours, they can still figure out how to play the game. Our daughter who is 6, and has just begun to read, has figured out how to move through most of the games without any help. Some of the games that are obviously geared more for the older child have been a little more tricky but she has still mastered it on her own. The battery life seems to be lengthy. The screen is also easy to see and bright, which was one of our concerns.
  
  
• Limited game choice for novice players, headphones require extra adapter
  By AHROSV6WJOEGY on 2006-01-21
  I have limited exposure to this device. We bought it and tested it with a game, we then decided not to give it to our son.
  
  We found out that most of the currently available games are quite demanding. I think a high IQ 8 - 10 yo, or an average IQ 1-14 yo would be alright with this device and the available games, but otherwise I'd be very cautious about this purchase.
  
  There used to be games sold for the 6-8 yo range, but most of those are no longer available. Before you buy this game, carefully consider whether your child would enjoy it or be frustrated by it.
  
  One other thing is astoundingly annoying. If you want a child to listen with headphones (the sounds are insanity provoking) you need to buy a separate adapter. This is clearly a cheap ploy to extract additional revenue.
  
  
• Awesome
  By A28G8AWS656M4C on 2006-07-09
  I purchased this for my 7 year old granddaughter for her
  birthday. Brought it up to Cherry Hill, NJ this weekend and
  she was so excited. It's a beautiful package and the screen
  is large and great. She is so very happy with it so I am too.
  We rate it a 10.
  
  
• "How do we make more money off gameboys...."
  By A1PCQHQ6NPGL9F on 2003-12-13
  Once again, Nintendo makes a fault for their system. I love how Nintendo actually trys to make the machine worse than it is.

  ---THERE IS NO HEADPHONE JACK---
  REPEAT---THERE IS NO HEADPHONE JACK---

  What? My gosh Nintendo really wants you to buy their new Game Boy. In order ot make more money, Nintendo has actually decided to make millions of gameboys and make one fault for each that will make you buy the next.

  Seriously, this system does improve upon GBA. It is smaller with a folding scren. The back-lit screen also helps. The grip really feels good on my hands too and not stupidly(like some other game systems that start with n & end with -gage)

  The cons are the missing headphone jack. Who was the genius at nintendo who left it out? I assume that mostly everybody uses their headphone jack at some point or another. On a long trip or a plane you can't have volume just because Nintendo wants you to buy the PSP, *exasperating gasp* the new system coming out. Anyways, another con is the games. You can play all these games on your original Advance, so unless your a die-hard gamer.... don't spend ANOTHER 100 dollars on this system.
  
  

• Brighter is better!
  By AZ7X1ED2UGEL2 on 2005-12-25
  I just got a brand new GBA SP today, and you wouldnt believe how much better it is when compared to the older models!
  First of all, people have always said that the original GBA SP was back-lit, but that is in fact a false statement. The older GBA SP's werent back-lit, they were side-lit, which means that light came out from the sides of the screen, and traveled across it's surface. Thus lighting the screen. But these new GBA SP's are actually back-lit, they light up just like a TV!
  It's so wonderful, and so much brighter than the older ones, about 3x as bright to be exact! Plus, because of how bright the screen is, there's less glare or a reflection of your own face on the screen, (and who likes to look at a reflection of their own face when playing a game?)
  Anyway, the new Pearl blue and Graphite GBA SP's are amazing and I highly recommend buying one if you've got the money, they're well worth it!
  
  Pros:
  Alot brighter than the older models.
  It really is back-lit this time.
  The brighter screen is better for your eyes because you dont have to squint at the screen anymore, and it's better for your neck because now you dont have to lean your body or tilt your head to the side in order to see it clearly.
  The brighter screen lessens the occurence of glare and annoying reflection interupting game play.
  
  Cons:
  It isnt avalible in as many colors as the older models.
  Battery life only lasts up to 13 hours when the older models lasted for up to 15 hours.
  
  
  50/50:
  The back light can't be turned off, and it somewhat puts a drain on the battery.
  Screen attracts dust, but its easy enough to clean it off so who cares?
  Screen will glare when placed in the path of direct sun light, but once again, that's not really a problem.
  
  Final thoughts:
  If you're going to buy this then I would highly recommend buying a new game to play with it, it's hard to enjoy it as much when you've got nothing new to try it out with.
  
  Written by:
  ShadowMage (The game maniac)
  
  
  
  
• MY HUSBAND LOVES HIS GAME BOY ADVANCE
  By A174AQ2AY4E2RO on 2006-02-23
  As his wife: I HATE IT!! He spends more time playing that when it's bathroom time he can spend hours playing, and forgets about the rest of us. If you husband loves playing with video games, DON'T BUY IT. If you don't mind that he will be playing each game to the end and never seeing him BUY IT! I'm ready to hide it from him. GRRHH!!
  
  
• The PERFECT GBA SP, Although... Another One?
  By A29BQ6B90Y1R5F on 2006-04-27
  The Gameboy Advance debuted in 2001, and was an astonishing system to behold. It was like carrying around a Super Nintendo, and it gave old school gamers a chance to enjoy the 16 bit era all over again! The problem with the regular Gameboy Advance is the screen wasn't backlit and buying batteries over and over again was a pain.
  
  In 2003 the first Gameboy Advance SP came around, and it was one of the few times when I simply didn't think about buying a reissued system, I simply did it. It had a backlit screen, a rechargable battery and an LCD fold down screen. Now I could truly say I was carrying around a handheld console. There was nothing to be concerned about with the Gameboy Advance SP. A long lasting battery plus a backlit screen, and being an old school gamer who absolutely loved the 16-bit era. The Gameboy Advance SP simply was carrying around a piece of heaven.
  
  Now we have another GBA SP, with a stronger backlight. It is a lot brighter (with the battery being about the same), and the cover is shiny, but that doesn't really make it worth the buy. It's great that unlike the Nintendo DS, you can play regular Gameboy games and Gameboy Color games, and the backlight actually makes the graphical output of the game better, but I simply can't help but admit that aside from this neat tweak, it's exactly the same as the original SP. Simply put, if you've already got a GBA SP, you probably won't need the newer ones. They're better than the GBA Micro, and they're easy to carry around, but a brighter backlit screen doesn't really warrant it a buy, unless it's really cheap.
  
  The other thing that hurts the GBA is simple: Gaming is propelling forward. The GBA's moment of sunshine is basically over. As much as I hate to admit that, it is. The handheld war is now between the Nintendo DS and the Sony PSP. Even so, if you've got the system just for Gameboy Advance games, the Nintendo DS is probably a better way to go.
  
  It is still a good system (why on earth would you compare this to the PSP?), but it's time to shine is coming to an end. Fantastic system, and I love living the 16-Bit era again, but it's not too worthwhile if you've already got a GBA SP to begin with. However, what garners this the four it so rightly deserved is simple. If you don't have a Gameboy Advance this is undoutebly the best one to go with. A fold down LCD screen means less scratches, the backlight is fantastic, and the games are just all around good games.
  
  In short...
  
  The Good
  +It's still a classic system
  +A Super Nintendo in your pocket
  +Plays regular Gameboy games and Gameboy Color games (unlike the Micro and DS)
  +Excellent presentation of the games
  +Fold down LCD screen
  +The backlit screen really brings out the best in the GBA's graphics, and it's more vibrant and colorful
  +Don't have a GBA? This is the best one to go with
  
  The Bad
  -If you've already got the regular Gameboy Advance SP, it might not be worth getting this simply for a brighter backlit screen
  -The Handheld Console war has moved on to the Nintendo DS and the PSP, if you're a gamer that simply must keep up with the times, this isn't for you
  
  

• Electronic Gaming Monthly
• Play
• 3-Year Extended Service Plan - Covers Electronic Items $0-$200 - Repair
• Tips & Tricks Magazine

• Game Boy Advance SP Pearl Blue
• Disney's Cinderella Magic
• My Little Pony: The Runaway Rainbow
• Super Mario Advance
• Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros 3