Jump to content

Game Boy Advance

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"GBA" redirects here. For other uses, see GBA (disambiguation).

Game Boy Advance
Original Game Boy Advance in Indigo
Also known as
  • CN: iQue Game Boy Advance
DeveloperNintendo R&D
ManufacturerNintendo
Product familyGame Boy[1]
TypeHandheld game console
GenerationSixth
Release date
Introductory priceUS$99.99 (equivalent to $170 in 2023)[6]
DiscontinuedWorldwide: 2010
Units sold81.51 million[7]
Media
System on a chipNintendo CPU AGB
CPUARM7TDMI @ 16.8 MHz
Sharp SM83 @ 4.2 / 8.4 MHz
Memory288 KB RAM, 98 KB VRAM
DisplayReflective TFT LCD, 240 × 160 px, 61.2 × 40.8 mm (2.41 × 1.61 in)[8]
Power2 × AA batteries
Dimensions82 × 144.5 × 24.5 mm (3.23 × 5.69 × 0.96 in)
Best-selling gamePokémon Ruby and Sapphire (16.22 million)[9]
Backward
compatibility
PredecessorGame Boy Color
SuccessorNintendo DS
Related

The Game Boy Advance[a] (GBA) is a 32-bit handheld game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo as the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001, in North America on June 11, 2001, in the PAL region on June 22, 2001, and in mainland China as iQue Game Boy Advance on June 8, 2004.

The GBA is part of the sixth generation of video game consoles. The original model was followed in 2003 by the Game Boy Advance SP, a redesigned model with a frontlit screen and clamshell form factor. A newer revision of the SP with a backlit screen was released in 2005. A miniaturized redesign, the Game Boy Micro, was released in September 2005.

As of June 2010, 81.51 million units of the Game Boy Advance series have been sold worldwide.[7] Its successor, the Nintendo DS, was released in November 2004[10] and is backward compatible with Game Boy Advance software. It was discontinued in 2010.[11]

History

[edit]

Project Atlantis

[edit]

When the original Game Boy was first introduced in 1989, many people questioned why Nintendo had chosen to develop a monochrome handheld, considering competitors like the Lynx and Game Gear boasted color screens. However, Nintendo's gamble paid off. The rivals' color displays, while visually impressive, were criticized for their poor battery life and bulky size. The Game Boy, in contrast, offered superior portability and longevity, propelling it to immense popularity.[12][13] Publicly, Nintendo pledged to develop a color Game Boy only when technology addressed the limitations of existing color handhelds.[14]

Internally, however, a team led by Satoru Okada, who played a key role in the original Game Boy's design, was already experimenting with color displays. Their early-1990s prototype, codenamed "Project Atlantis," featured a color screen and a powerful 32-bit processor designed by Advanced RISC Machines (ARM).[15][16][17] The team was not satisfied with the outcome and shelved further development by 1997.[18][19][20]

However, Nintendo was under pressure from other companies who were introducing next-generation handhelds, including the Neo Geo Pocket and WonderSwan. To maintain consumer interest in the Game Boy, the company decided to pair the color screen they had been testing for Project Atlantis with a faster version of the existing Game Boy's 8-bit processor.[19] The Game Boy Color launched in 1998.[14]

Game Boy Advance

[edit]

Still under pressure from its competitors more technically advanced handhelds, Nintendo quickly started developing a successor to the Game Boy Color, with news of the project emerging at the Space World trade show in late August 1999. The project, codenamed the Advanced Game Boy (AGB), would bring the 32-bit processing power envisioned in Project Atlantis to market.[21]

Nintendo officially announced the Game Boy Advance on September 1, 1999, revealing details about the system's specifications and teasing that the handheld would first be released in Japan in August 2000, with the North American and European launch dates slated for the end of the same year.[22] On August 21, 2000, IGN showed images of a GBA development kit running a demonstrational port of Yoshi's Story,[23] and on August 22, pre-production images of the GBA were revealed in Famitsu magazine in Japan.[24] Unlike the Game Boy and Game Boy Color, which have the "portrait" form factor (designed by Gunpei Yokoi), the Game Boy Advance has a "landscape" form factor, putting the buttons to the sides of the device instead of below the screen. It was designed by the French designer Gwénaël Nicolas and his Tokyo-based design studio Curiosity Inc.[25][26]

Nintendo revealed the Game Boy Advance to the public on August 24, 2000, along with the Japanese and North American launch dates and 10 launch games.[27] The GBA was then featured at Space World 2000 from August 24 to 26[28] alongside several peripherals for the system, including the GBA Link cable, the GameCube – Game Boy Advance link cable,[29] a rechargeable battery pack for the system, and an infrared communications adaptor which would allow systems to exchange data.[30] In March 2001, Nintendo revealed details about the system's North American launch, including the suggested price of $99.99 and the 15 launch games. Nintendo estimated that around 60 new games would be released by the end of 2001.[31][32]

All Game Boy Advance models were discontinued in the Americas in 2008, and globally by the end of 2010.[7][11]

Hardware

[edit]
The Game Boy Advance motherboard
(Annotated version)

The Game Boy Advance uses a custom system on a chip (SoC), integrating the CPU and other major components into a single package, named the CPU AGB by Nintendo and manufactured by the Sharp Corporation. The CPU AGB contains two completely different CPUs: the ARM7TDMI running at a clock rate of 16.7772 megahertz (MHz) for Game Boy Advance games and the Sharp SM83 running at either 4.194 MHz or 8.389 MHz for backward compatibility with Game Boy and Game Boy Color games. As such, the console has two operating modes: GBA mode using the ARM7TDMI and the backward-compatible CGB mode using the SM83.[33]

The ARM7TDMI is a 32-bit processor developed by Advanced RISC Machines (ARM) that maximizes performance under power and storage constraints, making it more suitable for use in a handheld device. Like all processors using the ARM architecture, the ARM7TDMI uses a reduced instruction set computer (RISC) design with sixteen 32-bit registers. Although the console was marketed as a 32-bit system, to reduce costs, Nintendo mixed 16-bit and 32-bit buses between the different modules within the CPU AGB. As a result, the majority of the console's memory is only accessible through a 16-bit bus.[33]

The SM83 is a hybrid between two other 8-bit processors: the Intel 8080 and the Zilog Z80. The SM83 has the seven 8-bit registers of the 8080 (compared to 14 on the Z80), but uses the Z80's programming syntax and extra bit manipulation instructions. Like the Game Boy Color, the SM83 in the Advance could be commanded to operate at either 4.194 MHz when playing games compatible with the original Game Boy or at 8.389 MHz when playing games designed for the Game Boy Color.[34][35][36] The SoC also contains a 2 KB "bootstrap" ROM which is used to start up the device in CGB mode.[37]

The CPU CGB incorporates an updated version of Nintendo's venerable Picture Processing Unit (PPU), which was used in the Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Super Nintendo Entertainment System. The PPU is essentially a basic GPU that renders visuals using 96 kilobyte (KB) of Video RAM located inside the CPU CGB. Inside the PPU itself is 1 KB of object attribute memory and 1 KB of palette RAM, which are optimized for fast rendering.[33] The display itself is a 2.9-inch (diagonal) thin-film transistor (TFT) color liquid-crystal display (LCD), measuring 61.2 millimeters (2.41 in) wide by 40.8 millimeters (1.61 in) high. The screen is 240 pixels wide by 160 pixels high in a 3:2 aspect ratio.

Foreground objects are sprites with up to 128 per frame, sized from 8×8 to 64×64 pixels, and with 16 or 256 colors. Backgrounds can be rendered in one of six different modes. The first three are the "character modes," which use traditional tile map graphics: Mode 0 offers four static layers, Mode 1 has three layers with one affine transformation layer (which can be rotated and/or scaled), and Mode 2 has two affine layers. The other three are the "bitmap modes" which allow for rendering 3D geometry: Mode 3 has a single full-sized, fully-colored (32,768 colors) frame, Mode 4 provides two full-sized frames with 256 colors each, and Mode 5 provides two half-sized (160×128 pixels), fully-colored frames. Having two bitmaps allows "page-flipping" to avoid the artifacts that can sometimes appear when re-drawing a bitmap. While the bitmap modes were considered cutting-edge, most games avoided using them because they cost a lot of CPU resources.[33][38]

For sound, the Game Boy Advance features two PCM sample player channels, which work in combination with the Audio Processing Unit (APU), a programmable sound generator first used by the legacy Game Boy. The APU has four channels: a pulse wave generation channel with frequency and volume variation, a second pulse wave generation channel with only volume variation, a wave channel that can reproduce any waveform recorded in RAM, and a white noise channel with volume variation.[33][39]

The Game Boy Advance features a D-pad (directional pad) and six action buttons labeled 'A,' 'B,' 'L,' 'R,' 'SELECT,' and 'START.' The top of the console has a link port that allows it to be connected to other Game Boy devices using a Game Link Cable or a Wireless Adapter, or the GameCube home console with a special GameCube – Game Boy Advance link cable.[29]

Technical specifications

[edit]
Game Boy Advance[40][41][42][43][44][33]
Height 82 mm (3.2 in)
Width 145 mm (5.7 in)
Depth 24 mm (0.94 in)
Weight 140 g (4.9 oz)
Display 2.9-inch (diagonal) reflective thin-film transistor (TFT) color liquid-crystal display (LCD), 40.8 mm × 61.2 mm (1.61 in × 2.41 in)
Resolution 240 (w) × 160 (h) pixels (3:2 aspect ratio)
Frame rate 59.727500569606 Hz[45]
Color support 32,768 colors, up to 511 simultaneously in character mode, all may displayed simultaneously in Bitmap mode
System on a chip (SoC) Nintendo CPU AGB
Processors
Memory
  • On SoC: 32 KB RAM, 98 KB Video RAM (includes 1 KB of object attribute memory and 1 KB of palette RAM)
  • Internal: 256 KB RAM
Power
Battery life Up to 15 hours
Sound
  • Channels: Dual 8-bit DAC for stereo sound (called Direct Sound), plus all legacy channels from Game Boy. The DACs can be used to play back streams of wave data, or used to output multiple wave samples processed or mixed in software by the CPU.
  • Outputs: Built-in mono speaker, stereo 3.5mm headphone jack
I/O
Controls
  • Eight-way control pad
  • Six action buttons (A, B, L, R, Start, Select)
  • Volume slider
  • Power switch

Color variants

[edit]

The Game Boy Advance was available in numerous colors and limited editions throughout its production. It was initially available in Arctic, Black, Orange (Japan Only), Fuchsia (translucent pink), Glacier (translucent blue), and Indigo. Later in the system's lifespan, additional colors and special editions were released, including: Red, Clear Orange/Black, Platinum, White, Gold (Japan Only), Hello Kitty edition (pink with Hello Kitty and logo on bezel), The King of Fighters edition (black with images on bezel and buttons), Chobits edition (translucent light blue, with images on bezel and buttons), Battle Network Rockman EXE 2 (light blue with images on bezel), Mario Bros. edition (Glacier with Mario and Luigi on bezel), and Yomiuri Giants edition (Glacier with images on bezel).

Several Pokémon-themed limited-edition systems were made available in Pokémon Center stores in Japan. These editions include: Gold Pokémon edition (Gold with Pikachu and Pichu on bezel), Suicune edition (blue/grey with greyscale Pikachu and Pichu on bezel, and a Pokémon Center sticker on the back), Celebi edition (olive green with Celebi images on bezel), and Latias/Latios edition (pink/red and purple, with images of Latias and Latios on bezel).

Games

[edit]
Main article: List of Game Boy Advance games
See also: List of best-selling Game Boy Advance video games and List of cancelled Game Boy Advance games
The Game Boy Advance Game Pak
Various Game Boy Advance Game Paks disassembled

With hardware performance comparable to the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, the Game Boy Advance represents progress for sprite-based technology. The system's library includes platformers, SNES-like role-playing video games, and games ported from various 8-bit and 16-bit systems of the previous generations. This includes the Super Mario Advance series, and the system's backward compatibility with all earlier Game Boy titles. Though most GBA games primarily employ 2D graphics, developers have ambitiously designed some 3D GBA games that push the limits of the hardware, including first-person shooters like a port of Doom, racing games like V-Rally 3, and even platformers, like Asterix & Obelix XXL.

Some cartridges are colored to resemble the game (usually for the Pokémon series; Pokémon Emerald, for example, being a clear emerald green). Others have special built-in features, including rumble features (Drill Dozer),[46] tilt sensors (WarioWare: Twisted!, Yoshi's Universal Gravitation),[47] and solar sensors (Boktai).[48]

In Japan, the final game to be released on the system was Final Fantasy VI Advance on November 30, 2006, which was also the final game published by Nintendo on the system.[49] In North America, the last game for the system was Samurai Deeper Kyo, released on February 12, 2008. In Europe, the last game for the system is The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night, released on November 2, 2007. The Japan-only Rhythm Tengoku, the first game in what would eventually become known outside Japan as the Rhythm Heaven/Rhythm Paradise series, is the final first-party-developed game for the system, released on August 3, 2006.

While those games were the last to be released at the time, a new one is expected to release in 2025. Titled Shantae Advance: Risky Revolution, it was originally in development until 2004, when work halted due to the lack of a publisher. Development resumed in 2023, using the same code and hardware.[50][51]

Launch games

[edit]
Title JP NA EU Notes
Army Men Advance No Yes Yes Top-down shooter
Boku wa Koukuu Kanseikan Yes No No Simulation game
Castlevania: Circle of the Moon Yes Yes Yes Platform game in the Castlevania series
ChuChu Rocket! Yes Yes No Port of the 1999 Dreamcast game
Earthworm Jim No Yes No Port of the 1994 platform game
EZ-Talk Shokyuuhen 1-6 Kan Set Yes No No One of the first games developed by NDcube
Fire Pro Wrestling Yes Yes Yes Top-down wrestler
F-Zero Maximum Velocity Yes Yes Yes Racing game, first F-Zero game to be released on a handheld game console, one of the first games developed by NDcube
Golf Master: Japan Golf Tour Yes No No Sports game
GT Advance Championship Racing Yes Yes Yes Racing game
Iridion 3D No Yes No Quasi-3D rail shooter game
J. League Pocket Yes No No Soccer game
Konami Krazy Racers Yes Yes Yes Kart racing game
Kuru Kuru Kururin Yes No Yes Puzzle game
Mega Man Battle Network Yes No No Real-time tactical RPG
Momotaru Matsuri Yes No No Role-playing game
Monster Guardians Yes No No Role-playing game
Mr. Driller 2 Yes No No Port of the 2000 arcade game
Namco Museum No Yes No Compilation consisting of Ms. Pac-Man, Galaga, Galaxian, Pole Position, and Dig Dug
Napoleon Yes No No Real-time strategy game
Pinobee: Wings of Adventure Yes Yes Yes First game developed by Artoon
Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure No Yes No Port of the 1994 platform game
Play Novel: Silent Hill Yes No No Visual novel based on the 1998 horror game
Power Pro Kun Pocket 3 Yes No No Baseball game
Rayman Advance No Yes Yes Port of the 1995 platform game
Ready 2 Rumble Boxing: Round 2 No Yes Yes Portable version of the 2000 boxing game
Super Dodge Ball Advance Yes Yes No Sports game
Super Mario Advance Yes Yes Yes Remake of Super Mario Bros. 2 (1988) and Mario Bros. (1983)
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 No Yes Yes Portable version of the 2000 skateboarding video game
Top Gear GT Championship Yes No Yes Racing game
Total Soccer Manager No No Yes Soccer manager
Tweety and the Magic Gems Yes No Yes Last Looney Tunes game published by Kemco
Winning Point Yes No No Horse racing game
Yu-Gi-Oh! Dungeon Dice Monsters Yes No No Dice-driven tactics game

Compatibility with other systems

[edit]
Game Boy Player under a GameCube

An add-on for the GameCube, known as the Game Boy Player, was released in 2003 as the successor to the Super Game Boy peripheral for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. This add-on allows Game Boy Advance, Game Boy, and Game Boy Color games to be played on the GameCube. However, some games may have compatibility issues due to certain features requiring extra hardware; for instance, WarioWare: Twisted! would require the console to be rotated manually due to its nature as a tilt sensor game.

The GBA is the last Nintendo handheld system to bear the Game Boy name. Games developed for it are incompatible with older Game Boy systems, and each game's box carries a label indicating that the game is "not compatible with other Game Boy systems." Conversely, games designed for older Game Boy systems are compatible with the Game Boy Advance, with options to play such games on either their standard aspect ratios or a stretched fullscreen.

Game Boy Advance cartridges are compatible with Nintendo DS models that support them with a dedicated GBA cartridge slot beneath the touch screen (specifically the original model and the Nintendo DS Lite), although they do not support multiplayer or features involving the use of GBA accessories due to the absence of the GBA's external peripheral port on the DS. They can also be used to unlock original content found in Nintendo DS games. The Nintendo DSi and Nintendo DSi XL lack a GBA cartridge slot, and therefore do not support backward compatibility with the GBA.

Digital re-releases

[edit]
See also: Virtual Console

Since the Game Boy Advance was discontinued, many of its games have been re-released via digital distribution on later Nintendo consoles, mainly in the form of emulation. As part of an Ambassador Program for early adopters of the Nintendo 3DS system, ten GBA games, along with ten Nintendo Entertainment System games, were made available free for players who bought a 3DS system before the price drop on August 12, 2011.[52] Unlike other Virtual Console games for the system, features such as the Home menu or save states are missing, since the games are running natively instead of via emulation. In January 2014, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata announced that Game Boy Advance games would be released on the Wii U's Virtual Console in April 2014.[53] The first set of GBA games, including Advance Wars, Metroid Fusion, and Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, were released on April 3, 2014.[54] All Virtual Console releases are single-player only, as they do not emulate multiplayer features enabled by Game Link cables.

In February 2023, Nintendo added Game Boy Advance games to its Nintendo Switch Online service, exclusively to those with the Expansion Pack tier. [55] For the first time, players are able to play multiplayer games in their emulated form, online. This application emulates the Game Boy Player, meaning that games that support GameCube controller rumble work with the vibration of the Switch controllers.

Accessories

[edit]

Official

[edit]
The Wireless Adapter was packed in with Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen.

Nintendo released various addons for the Game Boy Advance, which include:

  • Wireless Adapter: Released in 2004, this adapter hooks up to the back of the Game Boy Advance. It replaces link cables and allows many people to link together. It was marketed for US$20 (equivalent to $32 in 2023) and came included with Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen. Because it was released so late in the Game Boy Advance's life, fewer than 20 games support this hardware. A special version was released for the Game Boy Micro, which has full compatibility with other models.
  • Game Boy Advance Infra-Red Adapter: This adapter is only compatible with Cyberdrive Zoids, and was not sold separately. It is not compatible with the Game Boy Micro.
  • GameCube – Game Boy Advance link cable: Used to connect the Game Boy Advance to the GameCube for interoperability between corresponding games, such as are Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, Pac-Man Vs., and The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures.[29] The cable also enables using the handheld as a controller for select games.
  • Play-Yan: The Play-Yan is an MP3/MPEG4 player for the Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS. The cartridge is slightly broader than a normal Game Boy Advance cartridge and includes a built-in headphone port as well as an SD card slot. Music or videos that users have downloaded from the Internet can be transferred onto an SD card and slotted into the Play-Yan device. Nintendo released several mini-games for the Play-Yan that could be downloaded from their website, although this functionality was later removed through a firmware update. The Play-Yan was initially available in Japan only but was released in Europe as the Nintendo MP3 Player on December 8, 2006, with the MPEG4 functionality removed. The Play-Yan was never released in North America.
  • e-Reader: The e-Reader is a scanning device that plugs into the game cartridge slot of the Game Boy Advance. It was released in Japan in December 2001, and North America in September 2002. Specialized cards with codes along the side and bottom are slid through the slot, scanning the card into the Game Boy Advance. e-Reader cards include classic games like Donkey Kong and Excitebike that can be scanned for play on the handheld. Other cards were released that unlock in-game content in compatible GBA titles such as Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 and Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, and in GameCube games like Animal Crossing. The Pokémon Trading Card Game playing cards also adopt the e-Reader codes. The e-Reader works with the Game Boy Player and Game Boy Advance SP, but cannot fit into the Nintendo DS's Game Boy slot (however it can fit into the Nintendo DS Lite's Game Boy slot).
  • Game Boy Advance Video: First released in North America in May 2004, these cartridges included two episodes of thirty-minute cartoon programs such as Dragon Ball GT, Pokémon, SpongeBob SquarePants, Sonic X, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Yu-Gi-Oh!. Three feature-length movies, Shrek (2001), Shrek 2 (2004), and Shark Tale (2004) were also released for the format. These cartridges display an error when inserted into a GameCube via a Game Boy Player, to prevent users from attempting to record the episodes onto other media.
  • Mobile System GB: Connects the console to a mobile phone for remote play. It was released in Japan and was compatible with Pokémon Crystal.[56][57][58]

Unofficial

[edit]

Other accessories for the Game Boy Advance include:

  • Afterburner: The Afterburner is an internal front-lighting system manufactured by Triton Labs and released in mid-2002.[59] The installation consists of disassembling the system, removing some plastic from the interior of the case, attaching the lighting mechanism to the screen, and soldering two wires to the motherboard for power. Optionally, a potentiometer or an integrated circuit could be added to allow adjusting the brightness of the light. When the initial version of the Game Boy Advance SP was released, it included a very similar integrated lighting system. This was replaced in the subsequent version of the Game Boy Advance SP with a backlit display. According to Triton Labs, the Afterburner achieved considerable success during the lifespan of the GBA, with many gamers buying it. Though the kit voids the system's warranty, the company had minor trouble keeping up with demand for the accessory during the 2002 holiday season.[59]
  • WormCam: This camera by Nyko attaches to the top of the Game Boy Advance and connects to the link port. The snapshots can then be uploaded to a computer with the USB cable and software.[60][61]
  • Glucoboy: This is a blood glucose monitor with built-in games released in Australia in 2007 for children with diabetes.[62][63]

Revisions

[edit]

Game Boy Advance SP

[edit]
Main article: Game Boy Advance SP
Game Boy Advance SP

In early 2003, Nintendo introduced a new form-factor for the handheld, known as the Game Boy Advance SP (model AGS-001). The redesigned unit features a clamshell design that resembles a pocket-size laptop computer, including a folding case approximately one-half the size of the original unit. It has a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, a significantly brighter LCD screen, and an internal front-light that can be toggled on and off. The redesign was intended to address some common complaints about the original Game Boy Advance, which had been criticized for being somewhat uncomfortable to use, especially due to a dark screen.[64][65]

Backlit model (AGS-101)

[edit]
Main article: Game Boy Advance SP § Backlit model (AGS-101)

On September 19, 2005, Nintendo released a new version of the SP, model AGS-101, that features a brighter backlit display. The switch that controls the backlight now toggles between two brightness levels.[66]

Game Boy Micro

[edit]
Main article: Game Boy Micro
Game Boy Micro

In September 2005, Nintendo released a second redesign of the Game Boy Advance. This model, dubbed the Game Boy Micro, is similar in style to the original Game Boy Advance's horizontal orientation, but is much smaller and sleeker. The Game Boy Micro allows the user to switch between several colored faceplates to allow customization, a feature which Nintendo advertised heavily around the Game Boy Micro's launch. Nintendo also hoped that this "fashion" feature would help target audiences outside of typical video game players. Unlike the previous Game Boy Advance models, the Game Boy Micro is unable to support Game Boy and Game Boy Color titles. The Game Boy Micro did not make much of an impact in the video game market, as it was overshadowed by the Nintendo DS, which also played Game Boy Advance games through the GBA cartridge slot.[67]

Reception

[edit]

Upon its North American release, IGN praised the Game Boy Advance's graphical capabilities and battery life, but criticized the system's shoulder button placement and noted the system's high price tag which "may be a tad bit too high to swallow", ultimately scoring the system with an "8.0" out of 10. They also pointed out the system's lack of a backlight which occasionally got in the way of playing games.[68] ABC News praised the Game Boy Advance's graphics, grip, and larger screen, stating that "You've never had as much fun playing old games."[69]

Reviewing for CNET, Darren Gladstone scored the system with a 7.0 out of 10, praising its graphical performance and backward compatibility, but being considerably critical of the system's lack of a backlit screen, noting that it makes it "nearly impossible" to play in normal lighting conditions. Gladstone ultimately recommended the sleeker and backlit Game Boy Advance SP instead, despite noting that the cheaper price of the original model may "appeal to gamers on a lower budget."[70]

ROM hacks, fan games, and Homebrew games are developed for the GBA.

Sales

[edit]

Nintendo hoped to sell 1.1 million Game Boy Advance units by the end of March with the system's Japanese debut, and anticipated sales of 24 million units before the end of 2001; many marketing analysts believed this to be a realistic goal due to the company's lack of major competition in the handheld video game market.[71] Within the first week of its North American launch in June, the Game Boy Advance sold 500,000 units, making it the fastest-selling video game console in the United States at the time. In response to strong sales, Nintendo ordered 100,000 units to ship to retail stores, hoping to ship another half million of them by the end of June.[72] The Game Boy Advance also became the fastest-selling system in the United Kingdom, selling 81,000 units in its first week of release and beating the PlayStation 2's previous record of 20,000 units.[73] In 2004, the system's sales in the United Kingdom surpassed one million units.[74]

On December 1, 2006, Nintendo of America released launch-to-date information indicating that the company had sold 33.6 million units of the Game Boy Advance series in the United States.[75] In a Kotaku article published on January 18, 2008, Nintendo revealed that the Game Boy Advance series had sold 36.2 million units in the United States, as of January 1, 2008.[76] As of December 31, 2009, 81.51 million units of the Game Boy Advance series have been sold worldwide, 43.57 million of which are Game Boy Advance SP units and 2.42 million of which are Game Boy Micro units.[77]

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Japanese: ゲームボーイアドバンス, Hepburn: Gēmu Bōi Adobansu
  2. ^ 4.194304 MHz for Game Boy backward compatibility, 8.388608 MHz for Game Boy Color backward compatibility

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Ishihara; Morimoto. "Pokémon HeartGold Version & Pokémon SoulSilver Version". Iwata Asks (Interview: Transcript). Interviewed by Satoru Iwata. Nintendo. Archived from the original on November 24, 2022. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
  2. ^ Fielder, Lauren (May 16, 2001). "E3 2001: Nintendo unleashes GameCube software, a new Miyamoto game, and more". GameSpot. Archived from the original on November 15, 2020. Retrieved July 19, 2014.
  3. ^ "Game Boy Advance: It's Finally Unveiled". IGN. August 23, 2000. Archived from the original on July 25, 2014. Retrieved July 19, 2014.
  4. ^ Bramwell, Tom (March 21, 2001). "GBA Day: June 22nd". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on June 28, 2020. Retrieved July 19, 2014.
  5. ^ "Hyper 094". August 6, 2001 – via Internet Archive.
  6. ^ "The Real Cost of Gaming: Inflation, Time, and Purchasing Power". October 15, 2013. Archived from the original on September 15, 2020. Retrieved August 28, 2020.
  7. ^ a b c "Consolidated Sales Transition by Region" (PDF). Nintendo. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 27, 2016. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  8. ^ "Technical data". Nintendo of Europe GmbH. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
  9. ^ Rose, Mike (October 15, 2013). "Pokemon X & Y sell 4M copies in first weekend". Gamasutra. Think Services. Archived from the original on October 19, 2013. Retrieved July 19, 2014.
  10. ^ Wilson, Zoë Ettinger, Matthew. "The most popular tech gadget from the year you were born". Insider. Archived from the original on January 17, 2023. Retrieved April 21, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  11. ^ a b "7 Things Everyone Should Know About the Game Boy Advance". PCMag UK. June 11, 2016. Retrieved December 13, 2024.
  12. ^ McFarren, Damien (2016). Videogames Hardware Handbook. Vol. 1 (2nd ed.). Bournemouth: Imagine Publishing. pp. 157–163. ISBN 978-1-78546-239-9.
  13. ^ Ryan, Jeff (2011). Super Mario: How Nintendo Conquered America. New York: Portfolio Penguin. pp. 102–105. ISBN 978-1-59184-405-1.
  14. ^ a b Day, Ashley (2016). Videogames Hardware Handbook. Vol. 1 (2nd ed.). Bournemouth: Imagine Publishing. pp. 236–239. ISBN 978-1-78546-239-9.
  15. ^ "Nintendo's New Color Handheld". Next Generation. No. 18. Imagine Media. June 1996. p. 20.
  16. ^ "Nintendo's 32-Bit Color Portable "Project Atlantis" to Be Ready in Fall" (PDF). Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 83. Ziff Davis. June 1996. p. 18. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 16, 2018.
  17. ^ "Nintendo's Atlantis Emerges". Next Generation. No. 19. Imagine Media. July 1996. p. 16.
  18. ^ "Satoru Okada – Interview". Nintendo. Archived from the original on May 29, 2000. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
  19. ^ a b Kurokawa, Fumio (2022). "Satoru Okada – 2022 Retrospective Interview". 4gamer.net. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  20. ^ "The Lost Portable of Atlantis" (PDF). Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 97. Ziff Davis. August 1997. p. 116. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 27, 2020.
  21. ^ "Game Boy's Next Incarnation?". IGN. August 27, 1999. Archived from the original on August 15, 2000.
  22. ^ "It's Official: The Next Generation Game Boy". IGN. September 1, 1999. Archived from the original on November 27, 1999.
  23. ^ "Game Boy Advance Development Kit Revealed". IGN. Archived from the original on September 30, 2000.
  24. ^ Famitsu gets a hold of the Game Boy Advance Early - IGN, August 22, 2000, archived from the original on April 25, 2019, retrieved July 27, 2020
  25. ^ Gameboy Advance | WORKS - CURIOSITY - キュリオシティ - Archived July 26, 2017, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 21, 2015.
  26. ^ Van Tilburg, Caroline (2002). Curiosity: 30 Designs for Products and Interiors. Birkhauser Verlag AG. ISBN 978-3764367435. Archived from the original on January 17, 2023. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
  27. ^ "Game Boy Advance: It's Finally Unveiled". IGN. August 23, 2000. Archived from the original on October 3, 2000.
  28. ^ "Meet the Game Boy Advance - IGN". August 23, 2000. Archived from the original on April 25, 2019. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
  29. ^ a b c IGN Staff (September 14, 2001). "Connecting to the Cube". Archived from the original on November 28, 2020. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  30. ^ The Peripherals of the Game Boy Advance - IGN, August 28, 2000, archived from the original on August 6, 2020, retrieved July 27, 2020
  31. ^ Ahmed, Shahed (March 7, 2001). "Nintendo announces North American GBA launch details". GameSpot. Archived from the original on April 25, 2019. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
  32. ^ The US Price and Launch Titles for GBA - IGN, March 7, 2001, archived from the original on April 25, 2019, retrieved July 27, 2020
  33. ^ a b c d e f Copetti, Rodrigo (August 18, 2019). "Game Boy Advance Architecture - A Practical Analysis". Retrieved May 2, 2024.
  34. ^ Javanainen, Joonas (April 23, 2024). "Game Boy: Complete Technical Reference" (PDF). gekkio.fi.
  35. ^ "The Nintendo Game Boy, Part 1: The Intel 8080 and the Zilog Z80". RealBoy. January 2, 2013. Archived from the original on May 10, 2022. Retrieved August 29, 2017.
  36. ^ "CPU Comparison with Z80". Pan Docs. Retrieved April 29, 2024.
  37. ^ GameBoy Development Wiki (November 12, 2009). "Gameboy Bootstrap ROM". Archived from the original on August 18, 2010. Retrieved October 24, 2010.
  38. ^ Korth, Martin. "GBATEK: LCD I/O Display Control". Archived from the original on June 21, 2009. Retrieved January 2, 2014.
  39. ^ "Game Boy Advance Service Manual" (2nd ed.). Nintendo. p. 3. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  40. ^ "Technical data". Nintendo of Europe GmbH. Archived from the original on January 17, 2023. Retrieved July 15, 2020.
  41. ^ "GBATEK – GBA/NDS Technical Info". Archived from the original on July 27, 2016. Retrieved July 26, 2016.
  42. ^ "CowBite Virtual Hardware Specifications". cs.rit.edu. Archived from the original on September 18, 2021. Retrieved July 28, 2021.
  43. ^ "GBA ASM Tutorial". Archived from the original on August 5, 2016. Retrieved July 26, 2016.
  44. ^ "GBA Technical Specifications". Nintendo. Archived from the original on October 3, 2005. Retrieved December 23, 2018.
  45. ^ "TASVideos / Platform Framerates". tasvideos.org. Archived from the original on February 29, 2020. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
  46. ^ スクリューブレイカー 轟振どりるれろ | Wii U | 任天堂. 任天堂ホームページ. Archived from the original on April 27, 2021. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
  47. ^ Yoshi: Universal Gravitation - IGN, January 12, 2005, archived from the original on April 27, 2021, retrieved April 27, 2021
  48. ^ Staff, Ars (March 27, 2020). "Kojima's GBA experiment—and the sunny island childhood it changed forever". Ars Technica. Archived from the original on April 29, 2021. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
  49. ^ "Final Fantasy VI Advance Release Information for Game Boy Advance". GameFAQs. Archived from the original on May 13, 2010. Retrieved September 13, 2010.
  50. ^ Lane, Gavin (March 13, 2024). "'The Odds Seemed Just Astronomical' - Reviving Lost Media With Shantae Advance". Nintendo Life. Retrieved December 21, 2024.
  51. ^ Mejia, Ozzie (April 4, 2024). "Shantae Advance: Risky Revolution fits in just fine on the classic Game Boy Advance". Shacknews. Retrieved December 21, 2024.
  52. ^ "Nintendo 3DS Price Drops to $169.99, as Great Value and New 3D Games Come Together" (Press release). Nintendo of America. July 28, 2011. Archived from the original on May 18, 2022. Retrieved May 18, 2022. By the end of 2011, Nintendo will provide Ambassadors with 10 Game Boy Advance Virtual Console games. These include games like Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3, Mario Kart: Super Circuit, Metroid Fusion, WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$, and Mario vs. Donkey Kong. These games were made available to Ambassadors, and Nintendo has no plans to make these 10 games available to the general public on the Nintendo 3DS in the future.
  53. ^ "Wii U - Virtual Console". Archived from the original on January 24, 2014. Retrieved July 26, 2016.
  54. ^ Michael, Jay (March 31, 2014). "Wii U Virtual Console News: GameBoy Advance Classics Arrive in April; Nintendo Announces Metroid Fusion, Advance Wars, and More. On the DS there is a slot for GBA games". Christian Post. Archived from the original on April 7, 2014. Retrieved April 3, 2014.
  55. ^ Webster, Andrew (February 9, 2023). "Game Boy games make Nintendo Switch Online feel like the ultimate retro subscription". The Verge. Retrieved February 11, 2023.
  56. ^ "Game Boy Advance Mobile Adapter Compatible? - News at GameSpot". Gamespot. January 12, 2001. Archived from the original on September 29, 2012. Retrieved September 13, 2010.
  57. ^ Koeppel, Christopher. "Pokémon Crystal/Mobile Adapter GB Announced". Rpgamer.com. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved September 13, 2010.
  58. ^ Weiss, Justin (January 27, 2001). "Game Boy Mobile Adapter Delayed". Rpgamer.com. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved September 13, 2010.
  59. ^ a b "Enhanced GameBoy coming". CNN Money. January 6, 2003. Archived from the original on December 9, 2017. Retrieved December 8, 2017.
  60. ^ "NYKO WORMCAM REVIEW". IGN. November 20, 2002. Archived from the original on May 25, 2019. Retrieved May 25, 2019.
  61. ^ "Nyko WormCam". Nintendo World Report. December 17, 2002. Archived from the original on May 25, 2019. Retrieved May 25, 2019.
  62. ^ "Top 10 Strangest Health Gadgets". PCMag.com. PCMag. February 22, 2008. Archived from the original on January 17, 2016. Retrieved September 30, 2012.
  63. ^ "Game Historian Explains Blood Testing Devices For Nintendo Handhelds". Kotaku Australia. October 28, 2018. Archived from the original on June 5, 2022. Retrieved June 5, 2022.
  64. ^ Robbs, Matt. "Can You Make The Gameboy Advance Screen Brighter?". Retro Only. Archived from the original on January 25, 2022. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  65. ^ IGN Staff (June 11, 2001). "Game Boy Advance: System Review". IGN. Archived from the original on January 11, 2022. Retrieved January 8, 2022.
  66. ^ "Brighter SP coming to Europe". eurogamer.net. September 23, 2005. Archived from the original on June 12, 2010.
  67. ^ "Nintendo Co., Ltd. - Corporate Management Policy Briefing – Q&A". Nintendo Co., Ltd. p. 3. Archived from the original on December 20, 2008. Retrieved December 6, 2008. The sales of Micro did not meet our expectations ... However, toward the end of 2005, Nintendo had to focus almost all of our energies on the marketing of DS, which must have deprived the Micro of its momentum.
  68. ^ "Game Boy Advance: System Review". IGN. June 11, 2001. Archived from the original on December 7, 2017. Retrieved December 6, 2017.
  69. ^ Mazza, Edward (June 11, 2001). "Review: Nintendo's Game Boy Advance". ABC News. Archived from the original on December 6, 2017. Retrieved December 6, 2017.
  70. ^ Gladstone, Darren (October 10, 2002). "Nintendo Game Boy Advance review". CNET. Archived from the original on December 7, 2017. Retrieved December 6, 2017.
  71. ^ "Nintendo launched new GameBoy". BBC. March 21, 2001. Archived from the original on December 6, 2017. Retrieved December 6, 2017.
  72. ^ Eng, Paul (June 21, 2001). "Game Boy Advance Breaks Sales Records". ABC. Archived from the original on December 6, 2017. Retrieved December 5, 2017.
  73. ^ Branwell, Tom (June 26, 2001). "Record-Breaking GameBoy Advance sales". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on December 6, 2017. Retrieved December 5, 2017.
  74. ^ Fahey, Rob (January 27, 2009). "UK Game Boy Advance sales top 1 Million In 2004". Archived from the original on December 9, 2017. Retrieved December 8, 2017.
  75. ^ Behrens, Mattie (December 1, 2006). "Nintendo sales through end of November revealed". N-Sider Media. Archived from the original on February 24, 2021. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
  76. ^ Michael McWhertor (November 12, 2013). "Who's Winning The Console War In The US?". Kotaku. Archived from the original on March 2, 2008. Retrieved January 19, 2008. UPDATE: Nintendo was nice enough to forward on GBA figures, just so we can see how the other last-gen, still-on-the-market platform is holding up.
  77. ^ "Consolidated Financial Highlights" (PDF). Nintendo Co., Ltd. April 26, 2007. p. 8. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 12, 2007. Retrieved April 26, 2007.
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Game Boy Advance.
Wikibooks has a book on the topic of: GBA Development
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Game_Boy_Advance&oldid=1264377172"