The Gameboy Advance System: A Playground for Old School Gamers

Behind The Times

I am not your average cutting edge gamer. I usually don't run out to my local electronics store and buy the latest and greatest things. Like many people like me, I have a limited budget to work with and quality matters. I've been burned so many times in the past by impulsive purchases. However, I have to say without a doubt that getting a Gameboy Advance was a great long term investment.

I decided on the original Gameboy Advance Design as compared to the newer Gameboy Advance SP model. The reason being that for the additional $30, I would get a smaller design, a backlit screen, and rechargeable battery. I decided that none of those features were relevant to me since I don't play in the dark, I have a set of rechargeable AA batteries, and I don't mind a larger size. Besides, I like getting the additional Pokemon Crystal game included to smooth over the addition of a new game system.


The Design

My first impressions of the system were related to its design. The Gameboy Advance shuns the traditional vertical design of the screen positioned just above the control pad and buttons. Instead, the layout is horizontal where the screen is sandwiched between the control pad and the buttons. The Gameboy advance holds firm to the traditional standards of keeping the one control pad, a start, select, A, and B buttons. However, it also adds an L and R shoulder buttons located on the top or front side of the system. At first when I heard about this I wondered if you could hold it properly, but it works nicely. The button layout in general works the same magic Nintendo portables have forged. The layout works for both small and large hands alike. My biggest issue with the layout of the system is the lack of button options. One control pad and 4 main buttons is not enough for semi-modern game systems. Games that require many different buttons, like fighting games, suffer from this oversight.

The casing itself seemed to be a sturdy hard plastic. It's not as hard as the old original Gameboy design, but it looked like it could take a beating. However, the battery hatch seemed to be slightly loose and bent easily when a little pressure was applied to it. I expect many people to be using tape to hold in their batteries after about 6-12 months of use. The other part that concerned me was something didn't feel right about the two shoulder buttons (L and R). It wasn't their placement but rather how they lacked the ease that controller buttons should have when you press them. I got the impression that repeated use or something spilled on it might cause the shoulder buttons to stop working.

One final aspect of the design, which I didn’t like, was the screen. It seemed really dark compared to the older Gameboy systems. I never really needed the backlight feature since I never really played in the dark or low light. However, unless it's bright, or you're seated in front of a lamp, it's hard to see the screen. I wasn't quite prepared for this, but it hasn't been much of a problem, but rather the occasional inconvenience.

The dimensions are 8.2 cm x 14.45 cm x 2.45 cm and weighs 0.14 Kg. It allows up to 4 players to play via a link cable.


The Power

When the Gameboy Advanced system was close to its release date two and a half years ago, it was touted to have the power of the old Super Nintendo system. From what I've seen and read this is correct. There have been rumors that it has more power than the 16 bit Super Nintendo. And for the most part this is true since the Gameboy Advance is 32 bit. Personally, I haven’t noticed much of a difference between the two systems through any of the games I've played.

The colors and sound are great. I have yet to see hardware issues be a limitation for any games I have played. The sounds are full and wonderful and like previous Gameboy systems, they sound even better when you plug in your earphones.

The battery life is between 15-20 hours on two AA batteries. The screen resolution is 240 x 160.


The Games

I have not been impressed with the quality of games produced for previous Gameboy systems. I never owned a Gameboy Color system because there was nothing worth playing. This is not the case for the Gameboy Advance. Gone is the wasteland of horrible games and in come some great new games mixed with some old games you've seen for the old Super Nintendo. To be fair, there were some good games for the old Gameboy. I mention this because they are all backwards compatible with the Gameboy Advance system. So, if you want to keep your old Final Fantasy Legend and Metroid games, you can.

The games that have really impressed me on this system was Golden Sun, Mario Kart Advance, Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3, and Final Fantasy Tactics Advance. These games really blend in old and new games to create a rich gaming environment. Both older and newer gamers have a great library to choose from.


Conclusion

The Gameboy systems have typically been very appealing to younger audiences. I got my first Gameboy system when I was in elementary school many many years ago. This system is no different. The design of the system and library of games were created with the younger gamer in mind, so parents won't have to worry about being cornered into an avalanche of Grand Theft Autos, and Halos that exist in the gaming world. At the same time, the system does provide many addicting games for gamers of all age that do not come across as childish. This is what really appealed to me. If Nintendo continues to follow this recipe, we'll be here discussing the latest and greatest Nintendo portable system in another 10 years.