Game Boy Advance SP Limited Edition Lime/Orange

Many decried the original Game Boy Advance's reflective LCD screen and its reliance on external light sources. The Game Boy Advance SP's main feature--optional backlighting--fixes this complaint nicely, but it's the wealth of other features that makes this system so surprisingly good.

At first look, you might think the SP is a sleek travel alarm clock. When closed, it's just as tall and deep as the original GBA, but only half as wide. Due to its clamshell design, the screen is always protected from everyday scratches. A small button in the center of the console turns on the backlighting element for use in low-light situations, like in a moving car.

The SP comes with a well-designed power adapter that recharges a built-in battery; its prongs fold in for easier storage. Our informal tests found that it takes about four hours to fully charge (you can even play it while it's plugged in and charging), and the battery lasts about 11 hours with the backlighting constantly on--your results may vary. Using the backlighting less often will conserve battery power.

With separately sold cables, you can connect the Game Boy Advance SP to other GBAs for multiplayer gaming (above) or to the Nintendo GameCube (below) to access secret levels, exchange data, or use other special features that vary from game to game.

But size, power, and affordability do not come without trade offs. There's no headphone jack here, though Nintendo promises an adapter. The system isn't very loud at its highest volume, and the sound can be turned down to socially acceptable levels. The L and R shoulder buttons are a fraction of the size they were on the GBA, and thus are harder to hit. Also, the reduced size of the SP is slightly less comfortable for adult hands than the GBA, but perhaps more comfortable for smaller hands. The cartridge port placement on the lower part of the console is fine for GBA games, since they are flush with the console body, but older Game Boy Color carts will stick out in a way that takes some getting used to.

Open it up and the hinge will seek out a preferred, pre-set angle (about 150 degrees), though you can open it a bit wider or narrower for your own comfort. The hinge stands up well to lateral pressure, and over all, the SP seems just as rugged as its predecessor--which has proven to be very rugged, indeed. --Porter B. Hall

Unit Specifications

• CPU: 32-Bit ARM with embedded memory
• Memory: 32 KB with 96 KB VRAM (in CPU), 256 KB WRAM (external of CPU)
• Screen: 2.9-inch reflective TFT color LCD
• Display Size: 1.6 by 2.4 inches (40.8 by 61.2 mm)
• Resolution: 240 x 160 pixels in a wide-screen aspect ratio
• Colors: 511 simultaneous colors from a palette of 32,768
• Software: Fully compatible with Game Boy and Game Boy Color game paks
• Light Source: Front light integrated with LCD
• Size (closed): 3.3 by 3.23 by .96 inch
• Weight: Approximately 5 ounces
• Power Supply: Rechargeable lithium-ion battery
• Battery Life: 10 hours continuous play with light on; 18 hours with light off; 3 hours recharging

I love that i can recharge it. This is so worth the money. It is so much fun and so small. IT ROCKS.

The ds just looks good.My friend has one and regreats getting it. This is the best. He says"It was a waste of money." This is also less money. Don't get the nintendo ds. I have One. Get this they sell way better games on it anyway. These are rare too.

once i heard that they were bringing out a new gba i asked my mom how much it was and it was very expensive and asked for it for my birthday and i got it i love the GBA sp. great for young kids.

Keep it up. If you or your child is like me then you will probably at some point play your sp in bed with the volume down so your mom doesnt yell at you to go to sleep. The portability of this is excellent and you will never want to put it down. I have always loved nintendo and all of my consoles have been nintendo products.

Since the price was fairly expensive and it would take me 2 years of allowance to buy it, I asked for the sp for christmas. This system is great for all ages and makes the normal gba look like a piece of crap. Once I heard that the gba was being upgraded I knew i had to get it. So now my collection has really built up. The best part about "night playing" with the sp is it has a built in light to turn on at night and leave off in the day.

The game selection is outstnding and if have previously owned and original gb or gbp or gbc (like I) you can use those games also. If you are debating between gba and sp, get the sp. I saw the green and orange one and really wasnted it because those are my favorite colors. It is worth the extra money and is better that going cheap and watching the dissapointment of your child or whoever. Overall, this is your best yet nintendo.

Gameboys are just another way to stop kids from getting outside and playing real sports. Instead of playing a soccer vidio game you should go outside and play soccer and that way it is a heck of a lot funner. TTFN.