Game Boy Advance SP Pearl Blue

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!!


Best handheld ever!   September 24, 2005
Jon Folkers (Silver Spring, MD United States)
104 out of 117 found this review helpful

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.


AWESOME but... the Platinum...   December 11, 2003
fqwhgads (N/A)
36 out of 38 found this review helpful

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   October 7, 2004
Coding Genius (Wisconsin)
26 out of 27 found this review helpful

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.