Game Boy Advance SP - Platinum
Best Handheld, Period.
Early Adopters Pick: March 2003. As the worlds smallest video-game
platform, the Game Boy Advance SP is also the first to use a built-in
rechargeable battery. Many decried the original Game Boy Advances
reflective LCD screen and its reliance on external light sources. The Game
Boy Advance SPs main feature--optional backlighting--fixes this complaint
nicely, but its the wealth of other features that makes this system so
surprisingly good. At first look, you might think the SP is a sleek travel
alarm clock. When closed, its just as tall and deep as the original GBA, but
only half as wide. Due to its clamshell design, the screen is always
protected from everyday scratches. A small button in the center of the
console turns on the backlighting element for use in low-light situations,
like in a moving car. The SP comes with a well-designed power adapter
that recharges a built-in battery; its prongs fold in for easier storage. Our
informal tests found that it takes about four hours to fully charge (you can
even play it while its plugged in and charging), and the battery lasts about
11 hours with the backlighting constantly on--your results may vary. Using
the backlighting less often will conserve battery power. With
separately sold cables, you can connect the Game Boy Advance SP to
other GBAs for multiplayer gaming (above) or to the Nintendo GameCube
(below) to access secret levels, exchange data, or use other special
features that vary from game to game. The quality of the
backlighting is very good. Its bright and clear when looking directly at it, but
degraded from other angles. This is only a problem for friends who are
watching the screen from over your shoulder. But size, power, and
affordability do not come without trade offs. Theres no headphone jack
here, though Nintendo promises an adapter. The system isnt very loud at
its highest volume, and the sound can be turned down to socially
acceptable levels. The L and R shoulder buttons are a fraction of the size
they were on the GBA, and thus are harder to hit. Also, the re duced size of
the SP is slightly less comfortable for adult hands than the GBA, but
perhaps more comfortable for smaller hands. The cartridge port placement
on the lower part of the console is fine for GBA games, since they are flush
with the console body, but older Game Boy Color carts will stick out in a
way that takes some getting used to. Open it up and the hinge will seek
out a preferred, pre-set angle (about 150 degrees), though you can open it
a bit wider or narrower for your own comfort. The hinge stands up well to
lateral pressure, and over all, the SP seems just as rugged as its
predecessor--which has proven to be very rugged, indeed. --Porter B. Hall
Unit Specifications CPU: 32-Bit ARM with embedded memory Memory: 32
KB with 96 KB VRAM (in CPU), 256 KB WRAM (external of CPU) Screen:
2.9-inch reflective TFT color LCD Display Size: 1.6 by 2.4 inches (40.8 by
61.2 mm) Resolution: 240 x 160 pixels in a wide-screen aspect ratio
Colors: 511 simultaneous colors from a palette of 32,768 Software: Fully
compatible with Game Boy and Game Boy Color game paks Light Source:
Front light integrated with LCD Size (closed): 3.3 by 3.23 by .96 inch
Weight: Approximately 5 ounces Power Supply: Rechargeable lithium-ion
battery Battery Life: 10 hours continuous play with light on; 18 hours with
light off; 3 hours recharging
the gameboy advance is my favorite gaming device. it singlehandedly got
me into handheld gaming (never owned a gameboy before), and to this
day, 90% of my game time is handheld. the original came out, i bought a
glacier, and played the hell out of it for two years (even installed my own
Afterburner backlight. now that was a chore). it was worth every penny.
the games themselves.....so many to choose from. all the mario advance
games, the castlevania series, tactics ogre, final fantasy titles, puzzle
games, baseball advance, the tony hawk series (which was incredible),
racing games, the list is almost endless.
when nintendo announced the SP at E3 several years ago....it was love at
first sight. it brought new life back to all my games, and even today,
although i have a DS Lite as well as a gameboy player for my gamecube, i
still break out my SP for short bouts of on the go gaming. it fits perfectly in
my pocket, has a fantastic batter life, and an incredible gaming library. ten
years from now, i still wouldnt be surprised if people still play on this thing.
pros:
small
inexpensive
backlit
cute as all get out
huge library of games
backwards compatible with GB and GBC games
attaches to the gamecube
cons:
hmmm. expensive for people with no jobs?
so, if you want to get as much bang for your buck on a handheld gaming
device....pick this puppy up. no disappointments whatsoever on my end.
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