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Which version of the Gameboy Advance did you prefer?

  • Thread starter Deleted member 23850
  • Start date

Which Gameboy Advance model did you prefer?

  • Original

    Votes: 152 18.6%

  • SP

    Votes: 581 71.0%

  • Micro

    Votes: 85 10.4%
  • Total voters
    818

Deleted member 23850

Oct 28, 2017
8,689
This is the last console comparison thread on my mind, don't worry. Guess I'm getting nostalgic for handheld gaming, I suppose.

At first glance (at least for me), it might be tempting to just think the SP was unequivocally superior since it finally added a light for the screen (one of the features that the Gameboy had long missed) and added a rechargeable battery. Personally though. there is something about the original GBA that feels right in comparison to the SP. The SP never really felt all that natural for me, and I found it frustrating and uncomfortable as a controller. So I can see why people would prefer the original over the SP.

Still, for me, the best version was the Micro (Famicom represent!), despite its unfortunate durability issues (at least for me!). It simply worked the best for me and I just loved it the most.
 
Last edited:
eddiemunstr

eddiemunstr

Member
Jan 20, 2019
1,532
There never really was a definitive one for me that had everything I wanted. The original gba felt the best to hold and use for me, but had terrible visibility. The sp had the backlight but wasnt that comfortable to hold. I never got to try out the micro but I imagine it would have been too small to be comfortable for me.
 
nsilvias

nsilvias

Member
Oct 25, 2017
23,797
the sp if only for the rechargeable battery. i had one of those pelican extended batteries for mine and it was godly

131207.jpg
 
QuinchoOsito

QuinchoOsito

Member
Oct 10, 2018
545
SP, but the Micro has a special place in my heart too. I didn't love the original design, though it was very comfortable in your hands.
 
Unicorn

Unicorn

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 29, 2017
9,562
I went SP, but it's really a toss up. Loved the softness of GBA. Micro was something I interacted very little with, but while the screen was super crisp it was just too tiny. Was perfect for Advance Wars on a bus with friends though. SP clamshell and being lit-up was just too good to ignore - plus rechargeable battery.
 
Windu

Windu

Member
Oct 25, 2017
13,630
I believe I ended up getting one of those modded backlight versions of the original GBA. I certainly preferred that form. But for official ones, I probably used the SP more because of the already mentioned backlight.

I personally still wish Nintendo went with four face buttons on the GBA just like the SNES, since a lot of the games that were released were just ported snes games. And of course I wish a backlight was there from day one.

I think I may have bought a light attachment for the gba at one time though. I know I had a magnifier with a light attachment for the original big game boy.
 
TeraDax

TeraDax

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,354
Québec
I vastly prefer the original form factor and but the SP backlight was just something else...

But a modded original with backlight is perfect!
 
valinthyne

valinthyne

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
1,394
I have a pink micro with a custom Boo faceplate and an everdrive in it. It is my absolute favorite handheld ever (Switch is making that hard to keep saying these days though). So easy to just keep in a coat pocket or bag and whip out whenever.

edit: I will also concede to a modded og probably being goat but I've never had the right drive to go for one.
 

Pokémon

Member
Oct 27, 2017
11,681
It's a tough question because every model has its pros and cons.
The OG GBA was more ergonomic and comfortable to hold but it neither had a front- nor a backlight. The d-pad was really bad too.
The GBA SP on the other hand has a god like dpad, a frontlight (later models had the way better backlighting) and you could fold it. Unfortunately it was not as ergonomic as the OG GBA and your hands would start to cramp after longer gaming sessions or if you had bigger hands.
The GBA Micro was not really good at anything besides being small. You couldn't play GB and GBC games, even people with small hands couldn't do longer gaming sessions due to its size and the only positive was that the backlighting was a standard feature.

The best GBA is still the OG GBA with a backlight mod and a proper dpad replacement.
 
Forerunner

Forerunner

Resetufologist
The Fallen
Oct 30, 2017
14,647
I like the look of the original, but the SP was superior in every other way.
 
Diarrhea Day-Lewis

Diarrhea Day-Lewis

Member
Oct 27, 2017
20,764
The SP is the holy grail of portable size imo. Really wish I had one in its prime. Micro tho is a neat novelty and I would've paid for a 4 inch switch micro and for a 3 inch 3DS micro but alas
 
GamerJM

GamerJM

Member
Nov 8, 2017
15,645
It's easily the Micro. The screen is amazing, the small form factor is pretty fitting for sprite-based GBA games, and best of all, it probably to this day has my favorite feeling buttons and D-Pad on any gaming device ever. That D-Pad is a fucking miracle.

Also another thing to note about the small form factor: it's pretty easy to play JRPGs/turnbased games one-handed. I've even laid it down on a bed, and used my index fingers for the D-Pad and my thumb for A/B.
 
Adathir

Adathir

Member
Oct 25, 2017
767
The original is still the most comfortable for me. Some day I will break through my lazineee and mod mine.

I still like the SP but I feel like I would need tiny hands for it to be something I could play for more than half an hour at a time.
 
empo

empo

Member
Jan 27, 2018
3,114
I only have a Micro these days but I guess a modded OG would be better.
Never found the SP to be comfortable.
 
Z-Beat

Z-Beat

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
31,853
SP.

Backlit, compact design protected the screen from scratches, perfect portable shape and size
 
Tochtli79

Tochtli79

Member
Jun 27, 2019
5,778
Mexico City
Never owned the SP, but the backlight was such a game changer. The original is the most comfortable though. If I were planning on getting one today I would get an original fitted with a backlight over an SP.
 
HiLife

HiLife

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
39,683
SP was the truth. Little flip gameboy with a nightlight. No more awkward moments playing in your parents car at night waiting for the street lights to pass, or having to turn on the actual light when secretly gaming before bed. Damn. The 90s / early 00s was lit lol.
 
Tigerfog

Tigerfog

Member
Oct 28, 2017
766
Montreal
pld said:
It's a tough question because every model has its pros and cons.
The OG GBA was more ergonomic and comfortable to hold but it neither had a front- nor a backlight. The d-pad was really bad too.
The GBA SP on the other hand has a god like dpad, a frontlight (later models had the way better backlighting) and you could fold it. Unfortunately it was not as ergonomic as the OG GBA and your hands would start to cramp after longer gaming sessions or if you had bigger hands.
The GBA Micro was not really good at anything besides being small. You couldn't play GB and GBC games, even people with small hands couldn't do longer gaming sessions due to its size and the only positive was that the backlighting was a standard feature.

The best GBA is still the OG GBA with a backlight mod and a proper dpad replacement.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
I agree with all that.
The micro-switches on the GBA SP are amazing. It's a step forward in making my hands less tired as less effort was needed to press the buttons, and one backwards due to the shape of the console.
Is there a mod to improve the OG GBA's D-Pad? I have one with a backlit screen and actually replaced the rubber conductors with new ones.
The D-pad is better but I still lack the precision of the micro switches of the SP... the up button would open shift to the left or right.
Adding a layer of paper between the conductors and the plastic D-pad didn't help much.
 
Giolon

Giolon

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
3,094
The GBA SP. Nintendo was brave decades before Apple was. I bought the dongle.
 
Pancakes R Us

Pancakes R Us

Member
Oct 27, 2017
8,347
SP101. Not just for the backlight alone, but also the superior D-pad. I still love the OG.

Micro: I think it looks lovely but is too small.
 
zoodoo

zoodoo

Member
Oct 26, 2017
12,750
Montreal
Unmodded: micro by far. The famicom version is the sexiest handheld ever.

Modded: original. And by modded I mean backlit screen and battery mod. I like the form factor but it had way too many cut corners vanilla.

The buttons of the SP model are awful and no headphone jack is a big no no for a handheld device.
 
Jockel

Jockel

Member
Oct 27, 2017
683
Berlin
SP101.
OG still has a mushy Dpad, even with a screen mod. GB Micro is really cute, but pretty small. So yeah, I'd go with the SP. Best Dpad, rechargeable battery, good backlit screen. I'm really interested in the Analogue Pocket and how that one will compare.
 
Fularu

Fularu

Member
Oct 25, 2017
10,609
There should be a distinction between the OG SP and the backlit one

My vote would go there
 
EdgeXL

EdgeXL

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,788
California
Game Boy Micro!

The SP was awesome and gets points for playing original GB and GBC games but it was too compact for me and the shoulder buttons were too small.

The Micro was more comfortable and the shoulder buttons were better. It had a tiny screen but the definition was so good that it was fine. I even played Golden Sun and other RPGs on it.
 
Charizard

Charizard

Member
Oct 25, 2017
2,906
I use an original with an IPS screen so I'll have to go with that.

Even back in the day I just used the OG with a little light attachment when needed. By the time the 101 came out I already had a DS IIRC and the frontlit SP looked nice but wasn't an amazing improvement to me.
 
Galdius

Galdius

Member
Oct 25, 2017
361
When they launched, I sold my original to buy the SP because it was hard to play on the og. But now I prefer a modded original with a better screen. It just fits better in my hands and the screen looks amazing compared to the regular screen:

HrA9xwgl.jpg
 
singo

singo

Member
Nov 5, 2017
283
The original is the best form factor, but really needed a lit screen. SP had that, but lacked the form factor. Micro is sexy but can't play older games and is too small (and expensive).

So I obviously think my original with a modded backlit screen is the best GBA.

SHTXWZ7.jpg
 
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