Game Boy Advance SP

The Game Boy Advance SP, released in March 2003, is an upgraded version of Nintendo's Game Boy Advance. The "SP" stands for "Special".^*

The SP was marketed at $99.99 USD at launch. In September 2004, Nintendo lowered the price to $79.99 USD. The SP is accompanied by the Nintendo DS (released in November 2004) and the Game Boy Micro (released in September 2005).

Changes

Improvements

Improvements over the original Game Boy Advance include:

An internal screen light (backlight in newer models)
A rechargeable lithium ion battery (instead of two regular AA batteries)
Clamshell/Laptop design

The GBA SP is approximately half the size of the GBA when closed and roughly the height of Nintendo's Game Boy Color when open. The clamshell/laptop design protects the screen from scratches and dust, reminiscent of two-screen Game & Watch units. However, the casing is made from a different material, making it more prone to scratches than previous GB systems.

The GBA SP AC adapter comes with the package, whereas its predecessor, Game Boy Advance, required a separate adapter. The software library and general hardware specifications are identical to those of the Game Boy Advance.

Headphone jack

Due to form-factor limitations, Nintendo removed the headphone jack—which had been included on all previous Game Boy models. Headphones designed specifically for the GBA SP can be purchased, or standard headphones can be attached with an optional adapter that plugs into the same port as the AC adapter. This decision was widely criticized, for some gamers disliked having to pay $4.25 USD to buy an adapter.

Additionally, players cannot charge their SP and listen to headphones at the same time without a specific adapter. Both the AC charger and the headphone adapter use the "power port," and one cannot use both simultaneously without purchasing an available adapter that provides both connections.

The headphone jack adapter can be found at Nintendo's North American Online Store, and is available for purchase in brick and mortar stores in Japan and Europe. Additionally, Majesco developed officially-licensed neckband stereo headphones that plugs directly into the port without the need of an adapter.

Battery life

The battery is similar to that of most mobile phones and lasts approximately 18 hours with the light off and 10 hours with it on.

Nintendo claimed that technological advances made it possible for the SP to include an internal light and a rechargeable battery. It launched at the same price of the original GBA ($99.99 USD). An additional motivation may have been a need to respond to Triton Labs' Afterburner aftermarket internal light kit, which proved that the original GBA could support an internal light with an acceptable drop in battery life.

The new backlit model's battery life is approximately 13 hours on the "low" setting and approximately 10 hours with the "high" setting. The backlit SP's light can be adjusted through the use of a button with the indentation of a sun on the top middle of the control portion of the SP.

Backlit model

In North America in September 2005, around the time of the Game Boy Micro's release, Nintendo released an improved version of the Game Boy Advance SP featuring a backlight instead of the previous version's frontlight. The brightness can be set to low or high. The box says, "Now with a BRIGHTER backlit screen!" to distinguish the new model from the older, frontlit models. It currently comes in three colors, Pearl Blue, Graphite, and Pearl Pink, as well as the Spongebob Squarepants edition, as well as Red with Charizard engraved on the front, and Green with a Venisuar engraved on the front. (Both representing The new Pokemon games, they are only availible online)

As of this writing, there has been no formal announcement from Nintendo about this new model. Many have speculated that such an announcement would dampen the sales of the Game Boy micro, as the micro's screen clarity is a major advantage over the original GBA SP model. Nintendo spokespersons have stated that the upgraded system is due for a European release, but have not revealed a date.

Criticism

The frontlight, although an improvement over the previous lack of light, has been criticized for giving a "washed-out" look to many games. Refraction effects cause a faint "ghost" image to appear above the screen itself, particularly noticeable with white-on-black images (for example, text). Such criticisms have been addressed with the new backlit model. However, others have voiced concern over the colors on the new SP being too bright or overly saturated.

Due to the cartridge slot being on the bottom rather than the top, the tilt-sensor-based game Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble has its controls reversed, as it was designed for use with the Game Boy Color. However, later tilt games such as Yoshi Topsy-Turvy and Twisted! will work properly in both top-loading and bottom-loading systems, as both games were designed to automatically calibrate themselves according to the cartridge's orientation. The e-Reader device sticks out awkwardly on the SP and the link port sticks out.

Another common criticism of the SP comes from the shape of the system. Many players felt that the bottom half, where the controls are located, is too small and causes hand cramps after extensive playtime. This was also a common criticism of the older Game Boy models, and resulted in the original Game Boy Advance's popular horizontal layout. This criticism was corrected in the Game Boy Micro, which opted for the original Game Boy Advance's horizontal layout as opposed to a traditional Game Boy-style layout.

Sales information

Combined sales of all Game Boy Advance hardware units now stand at over 74 million worldwide. According to Nintendo, the GBA SP had already sold more than 38 million units as of March 2006.

Gallery

Image:Game Boy Advance SP.jpg|Pearl Pink Image:Game_boy_advance_sp_blue.jpg|Cobalt Blue

External links

About.com Guide to Game Boy - All things Game Boy: News, reviews, history, culture and development. Updated several times a week.

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