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Definitely the SP for me. I owned an original GBA and played a ton of games on it, but I stuggled with the lack of a backlight a lot.
When the SP came out, my family got two (one for me and one for my brother). I absolutely loved the thing. It was easier to see the screen and I loved the built in rechargeable battery. I really like the clamshell form factor too.
I still have my SP close at hand. These days, it is my preferred method of playing OG Gameboy games.
When the SP came out, my family got two (one for me and one for my brother). I absolutely loved the thing. It was easier to see the screen and I loved the built in rechargeable battery. I really like the clamshell form factor too.
I still have my SP close at hand. These days, it is my preferred method of playing OG Gameboy games.
Original modded with a backlit screen is perfect for playing on, Micro is an absolute beauty but the screen is just a bit too small to use for long sessions.
I think everyone saying SP because of the backlight is misremembering what they actually owned, only the very late SP model (released end of 2005/early 2006) had that and it was barely available outside of the US. The model 99% of people had was the frontlit one which was both super washed out and not actually that bright.
I think everyone saying SP because of the backlight is misremembering what they actually owned, only the very late SP model (released end of 2005/early 2006) had that and it was barely available outside of the US. The model 99% of people had was the frontlit one which was both super washed out and not actually that bright.
I have to take the context of time into account and vote for the SP. Everyone had wanted a lighted screen since the days of the original Game Boy, when we had the Game Gear (and even the dang Lynx) to compare to -- after the Pocket, the Color and the Advance all failed to address that, finally answering that ridiculously overdue feature just made the SP feel like the ultimate Game Boy at the time. The industrial design was slick, the clamshell was relevatory, and it could still play the full range of the Game Boy library. Not having a headphone jack could be seen as an unforgivable sin (almost as unforgivably sinful as the dogshit audio quality of the GBA itself), but the adapter is a fairly easy solution (and, strangely, one that we're now begrudgingly used to with many 3.5 mm jack-less phones).
The Micro is a thing of true beauty, though, especially the Famicom edition. One of the biggest design swings Nintendo has ever taken, and I adore it for that.
The Micro is a thing of true beauty, though, especially the Famicom edition. One of the biggest design swings Nintendo has ever taken, and I adore it for that.
The original Game Boy Advance is the comfiest, and look at this:
In that color, IMO still the most beautiful handheld ever.
In that color, IMO still the most beautiful handheld ever.
Thank God for those adapters.
The official proprietary GBA headphones were lame as hell
Playing without backlight is borderline impossible. I have no idea how we did it back then but I would never play a GBA game ever again if I was forced to do it without backlight. I guess the original version modded with backlight would win but among the official releases it's the SP with backlight.
The SP model AGS-101 is backlit and vastly superior to the first production model AGS-100 with a frontlit screen.
Of course the best answer is a modded original GBA with a backlit screen and a bunch of other features like better sound and an SNES shell with concave purple A and B buttons.
Of course the best answer is a modded original GBA with a backlit screen and a bunch of other features like better sound and an SNES shell with concave purple A and B buttons.
SP, having a built in light was a game changer. i went through so many cause the screen sucked ass though and then had one stolen:/ My crimson red one was the one that lasted.
I got this one on my birthday and a week later a burglar entered our holiday rental home on the second day of my summer vacation and took it. That was the day I realised the world was a cruel place
awesome
SP was incredibly good but I do have a love for the OGs shape and I also always wanted a Micro just for the fun of it. SP all the way though, still have it :)
I fully approve these messages.
Best looking handheld ever.
I even had to import one boxed (japanese version) because even the damn box (inner tray) is cool.
The original Game Boy Advance is the comfiest, and look at this:
In that color, IMO still the most beautiful handheld ever.
I wish my original GBA wasn't dirty as all hell like it is now. It used to look like this.
I spent many late nights playing Friends of Mineral Town on my red GBA SP, so that one. I wish I still had it honestly.
Like my dad was gonna buy me the SP if I already had the original. Probably would've saved him on AAs, though.
SP clamshell design was awesome back in the day. Not the greatest to hold, though.
I never owned a Micro but I sure as hell love the way they look — I have no idea how they feel to hold and play on, though.
I never owned a Micro but I sure as hell love the way they look — I have no idea how they feel to hold and play on, though.
Yeah, I love mine.
Out of all the GBA Versions I think the Micro's d-pad and buttons the best. They're just the perfect amount of squishy springy.
Unfortunately my Micro at least has some light bleeding (if that's the right word) toward the edges of the screen, so it's like it gets lighter toward the edges than it is in the middle. And it also has some noticeable ghosting on movement in games.
Plus the screen is just SO TINY that it does make stuff like RPGs a bit hard to read.
I've considered looking into replacing my Micro's screen to see if it can fix the back light issues I have.
The SP I definitely love too for the clamshell design, and the improved model with the back light definitely makes it the best looking native hardware GBA screen IMO.
I like the look of the OG GBA, but I really can't go back to it. Modern rechargeable AA batteries help a lot, but needing to mod the system for a backlight (or getting a crappy worm light) and not having screen protection are big negatives for me.
OG for the form factor alone.
But if I could bend the rules a little bit, I would pick the Game Boy Player or the DS Lite. A lot of games looked and played great on the GBP with a wavebird and the DS Lite was portal perfection. Great ergonomics, beautiful screen, and it got a headphone jack.
But if I could bend the rules a little bit, I would pick the Game Boy Player or the DS Lite. A lot of games looked and played great on the GBP with a wavebird and the DS Lite was portal perfection. Great ergonomics, beautiful screen, and it got a headphone jack.
The lack of a headphone jack made me not ever really desire the SP. Plus, the original GBA's controls do feel a little better to me due to the wider system.
I've also found the DS Lite to actually have the best screen for playing GBA games, at least on any device that you can plug a GBA cart into.
It's very bright and more importantly it lacks the motion blur/ghosting you get on every GBA system I've ever had. Only issue is that it's a little small when playing at native resolution (but still bigger than the Micro I think).
I'm VERY tempted to get that Analogue Pocket that can play multiple portable game system carts, that thing looks gorgeous.
