Nintendo Game Boy Advance SP (Platinum)
Manufacturer: Nintendo Part number: AGSSZVA
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Product series
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- By including an illuminated screen, Nintendo has finally fixed the original Game Boy Advance's biggest flaw.
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Where to buy
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| eBay |  | In stock | Enter zip code to get total price: Price +Tax +Shipping =Total price | as of 11/08/2009 |
CNET editors' review
Nintendo Game Boy Advance SP (Platinum) price range: $189.99
- Reviewed by: David Carnoy
- Reviewed on: 06/20/2003
- Updated on:03/16/2006
- Released on: 03/23/2003
The good: Stylish, compact design; front-lit screen; removable lithium-ion battery; compatible with all current GBA games and most accessories.
The bad: Can't swap in standard batteries in a pinch; no included headphone jack.
The bottom line: By including an illuminated screen, Nintendo has finally fixed the original Game Boy Advance's biggest flaw.
One can't argue with the success of the original Game Boy Advance, which has sold millions of units around the world. But anyone who has ever played with the original version has lamented--and probably even cursed--the fact that the portable device doesn't have an illuminated display. Well, Nintendo listened to the critics, and with the $80 SP edition, the company has not only included a front-lit screen but has added a rechargeable, lithium-ion battery as well. And the whole package comes in a more compact, mature, flip-screen design that should appeal to both kids and adults.
User reviews
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Nintendo hits the mark with this one
by MaximusMMV on June 29, 2005
Pros: Surely the best example of a handheld ever
Cons: stupid pokemon, why so many? It's all the same!
Summary: I think Nintendo got it right on this hand held. This is by far the best example of a handheld system ever. Compact, light weight, durable and best of all ...
Summary: I think Nintendo got it right on this hand held. This is by far the best example of a handheld system ever. Compact, light weight, durable and best of all it closes so the screen can't get scratched. You can drop it and it will still work fine, believe me I've tried. Long story short, this is a fine system , I give it a 9 because I can't stand all those ********* Pokemon games. But other than that, good screen size, graphics are clear and the system is a comfortable fit in anyone's hands.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Screen.... ehh
by Mikey Z on May 20, 2005
Pros: backlit screen, easier to push buttons
Cons: the screen sometimes bends back so u have to fix it.
Summary: this is ok... i guesse. the buttons are easy to press and it only took nentendo 12 years until they figured out there maginieying lights dont work so the needed ...
Summary: this is ok... i guesse. the buttons are easy to press and it only took nentendo 12 years until they figured out there maginieying lights dont work so the needed a backlit screen. but the screen sometimes bends back so u have to fix it. if you arnet looking right at the screen it will be all white. the part were you can bend the screen up is pointless because noone uses that angle anyway. i recomend the psp
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Fixing one problem and bringing new ones
by AKA_Ben on April 17, 2005
Pros: Lighted screen, backwards compatability, clamshell design
Cons: Small shoulder buttons, kind of cramped, clicky buttons
Summary: Now don't get me wrong, I love playing with my GBA SP but it does have some problems exlcusive to it.
The screen is great, now that it is ...Summary: Now don't get me wrong, I love playing with my GBA SP but it does have some problems exlcusive to it.
The screen is great, now that it is lighted. It's odd though how it is not backlit...cuases some slight viewing problems at weird angles. It's good but executed just a tad poorly.
The GBA has quality games but the backwards compatability really adds to what the GBA SP can do. You basically have a choice of any mobile game ever made (aside from a few oddballs like Kirby's Tilt & ...I think Tumble). Good feature.
Those good parts make up most of my score but the compact design felt cramped especially the shoulder buttons. I didn't like the weird clicky buttons compared to the old GBA's buttons.
Still Nintendo does know what it's doing when it comes to handheld gaming and the GBA SP shows it. A good buy.1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Wait till the battery needs changing!
Pros:
Cons:
Summary: Nice lighted screen...about time. NO headphone jack...ahhh! What do I do once the battery is finished? How do I change this easily? The battery will only last about ...
Summary: Nice lighted screen...about time. NO headphone jack...ahhh! What do I do once the battery is finished? How do I change this easily? The battery will only last about 300-500 charges and that's it, your screwed!
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Nintendo has done it again
by narutoclash on July 23, 2009
Pros: small
very nice flip screen
2 very bright lights
gives the illusion that the graphics are better
vivid graphics
wide screen
chargeble battery
sturdy buttonsCons: the hinge gets pretty loos after a while.
Summary: portable, backlite, backwards commpatable with previous games.....
over all great system:)Summary: portable, backlite, backwards commpatable with previous games.....
over all great system:) -
Pretty Good, could be better
by RaterLover333 on June 7, 2007
Pros: Long Battery Life, Large Screen, Backlit
Cons: Hard to reach select and start buttons, L and R buttons can stop working at times
Summary: The GBASP is the best handheld system that Nintendo has released. The battery life is 15 HRS. with the stock battery and the backlight on with the sound off. However, ...
Summary: The GBASP is the best handheld system that Nintendo has released. The battery life is 15 HRS. with the stock battery and the backlight on with the sound off. However, the backlight takesa alot of power.
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Game boy advance sp is like having all the gameboys and having them hav some extra features
by 15611561 on March 17, 2007
Pros: amazing style,can play all gameboy games,ausome movies sound and graphics.
Cons: You can never put it down and you are verry upset if you are not aloud to use it.
Summary: Rocks. It,s the best systom. Thank you nintendo.
Summary: Rocks. It,s the best systom. Thank you nintendo.
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What can you say? It's just a gameboy.
by lil ramZ on September 13, 2006
Pros: Nothing Special, Nice baclight
Cons: None really..............
Summary: It's a gameboy and it's good. That's all.
Summary: It's a gameboy and it's good. That's all.
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Jameson Thottam on the Game Boy Advance SPC
by jameson thottam on November 27, 2005
Pros: New Features including battery life - Jameson Thottam
Cons: No specially designed games - Jameson Thottam
Summary: 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 ...Summary: 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 -
A good system,but has a few flaws
by MechaDragon92 on October 22, 2005
Pros: Lighted Screen, Compact Design, Good Battery Life, Better Sound than GBA
Cons: Backlight eats Battery life, No headphone jack, no new games
Summary: This is an extremely good model of the Game Boy Advance, but if they waited a little longer I think they could have made this the next model of Game ...
Summary: This is an extremely good model of the Game Boy Advance, but if they waited a little longer I think they could have made this the next model of Game Boy, not just another game boy advance. One thing however I have noticed that the sound quality is so much better than the GBA, and the compact player fits better than a Game Boy Pocket ever would have. So still a good game boy, even for just another Game Boy Advance
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Nintendo
- Part number: AGSSZVA
- Description: The Game Boy Advance SP is a redesigned version of the wildly popular Game Boy Advance. The system has a new illumination feature and sleek flip-screen design making it the most distinctively stylish, compact and portable Game Boy system ever. Building on the significant improvements and refinements already introduced in the current Game Boy Advance, the Game Boy Advance SP features a revolutionary Front Light Screen making game play easy in any lighting condition. The system is powered by a rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery good for about 10 hours of game play and takes only three hours to recharge. Amazingly, the battery life increases to approximately 18 hours of continuous play when the Front Light Screen is turned off. All current and future Game Boy Advance games are compatible with the new system. And, similarly, Game Boy Advance SP is backward compatible, allowing use with virtually all games and accessories previously released in the Game Boy line.
General
- Name Nintendo Game Boy Advance SP
- Type Game console
- Form Factor Handheld
- Width 3.2 in
- Depth 3.3 in
- Height 0.9 in
- Weight 4.9 oz
- Enclosure Color Platinum
Game Console
- Color Support Color
- Media Type Cartridge
Processor
- Type Sharp ARM7TDMI
- Installed Qty 1
- Instruction Set RISC
- Data Width 32 bit
I/O Processor
- Data Width 8 bit
- Installed Memory Size 96 KB
Memory / Storage
- RAM Installed ( Max ) 256 KB WRAM - Integrated
- Cache Memory 32 KB WRAM
- Storage None
Memory Card
- Type None
Display
- Type LCD display - 2.9 in TFT active matrix - Color - Integrated
- Color Support 32768 color(s)
Audio
- Sound Output Mode Stereo
Communications
- Modem None
Input Device
- Type 4-way cross keypad - Integrated - 4 button(s)
- Movement Detection Technology Mechanical
Connections
- Connector Type 1 x Game Boy Advance link connector, 1 x Game Boy Advance SP multi-access port
- Expansion Slots Total (Free) 1 Game cartridge slot
Power
- Battery 1 x Game console battery - Rechargeable - Lithium ion
- Included Qty 1
- Capacity 700 mAh - 18 hour(s)
Product series
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Nintendo Game Boy Advance SP (Platinum)
Manufacturer: Nintendo
Specs: Nintendo Game Boy Advance SP - Game console, Handheld, Cartridge, 1 x Sharp ARM7TDMI, 256 KB WRAM - Integrated
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Nintendo Game Boy Advance SP (Flame)
Manufacturer: Nintendo
Specs:
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Nintendo Game Boy Advance SP (Onyx)
Manufacturer: Nintendo
Specs:
Manufacturer info
- Nintendo
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Nintendo products on Shopper.com
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- Website: http://www.nintendo.com/
- Address:
P.O. Box 957, Redmond, WA 98073 - Phone: 1-800/255-3700
- Email: nintendo@nintendo.com
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