Nintendo’s Game Boy, the best-selling video game system of all-time, is sleeker, sexier, smaller than ever and somehow, even more convenient. Called the Game Boy Advance SP, Nintendo has upgraded its portable system with an array of new features that address complaints of Game Boy owners. The technical power of the SP is identical to its predecessor, but the big difference in this fifth incarnation of the system is the new illumination feature.
For years, the biggest qualm in the gaming community has been the difficulty in seeing the screen on the Game Boy, and despite all the criticisms, Nintendo never felt rushed to add a backlight to its system. Other companies offered backlit systems – Sega’s Game Gear and NEC’s Turbo Express to name a few – but the feature drained batteries quickly and left gamers switching their Energizers every few hours. Nintendo’s lack of light didn’t deter people from buying the Game Boy, as the system has dominated the portable gaming market since its debut in 1989.
Nintendo has solved the battery problem by powering the Game Boy Advance SP with a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. Gameplay lasts around 10 hours with the light feature enabled and up to 18 hours when the light is not in use. Nintendo claims the rechargeable battery will last several years, but has said nothing on how much replacement batteries might cost. Finally, gamers can enjoy hours upon hours of backlit, portable gaming without having to spend a fortune on batteries.
Holding the SP takes some getting used to as the system is about half the size of the regular Game Boy Advance. The flip-screen design resembles most cell phones and is a smart way of reducing the overall system size. An added bonus of the flip-screen is the protection it provides for the screen itself. The compact design of the SP might be misleading, however, the size of the screen has not gotten any smaller. When the Game Boy Advance SP is folded down, the casing prevents the screen from getting nicked, dinged or scratched. The shoulder L and R buttons are significantly smaller and could be difficult to use for people with large hands. While not as comfortable as the previous Game Boy, the SP model still feels fine after hours of gameplay.
One glaring omission from the SP version of Nintendo’s popular portable system is the headphone jack, which was apparently not included in an effort to keep the system size at a minimum. Most people probably will never notice the lack of the jack, but for those who can’t play their Game Boy without headphones a jack adapter is available (sold separately of course).
Priced at $100, the Game Boy Advance SP is a great deal for people looking to buy a portable game system for the first time. The system plays all current and past Game Boy games (hundreds of titles), making compatibility a non-issue. For those who already own a Game Boy Advance, the cost of buying the SP solely for the backlight feature and flip-screen design may not be worth it, but once you see the light it’s hard to resist the urge.
Rating: 4 Stars