Gaming Nintendo Reveals Technological Breakthrough (Very Pic Heavy)

[GhostofSalvtore]

Well I did see alot today(wal-mart), didn't buy one(no meseta,tee hee) But eventually I shall get one, I just have to see how much I have after Zelda.

[Posthumous]

[color=teal][size=1][b]I traded in my GBA and an old game today for the SP and boy I'm amazed.This is the best handheld system I have EVER seen.The backlight let's you actually see what your doing.And the battery charger is amazing.

I just can't wait for Advance Wars 2![/b][/size][/color]

[Semjaza]

Did you do that at EB? Are they still giving $40 for a GBA traded in towards SP?

I won't be needing my GBA once I get an SP, so might as well get something for it heh.

[Desbreko]

[color=indigo]The GameStop store in my city will give me $35 for my GBA and $15 for my GBC, and then I have some old GBC games and accessories that I don't need anymore, so I'm hoping it'll all add up to enough to get a GBA SP. And if not, I have about $20 more that I could put towards it, so I'm pretty sure I'll be able to get one.

I got to play a demo unit at Wal-Mart a few days ago, and I loved it. Even in one of those annoying metal case things, it was still just as comfortable as the original GBA, and I actually like the L and R buttons more than on the original. Just like I was hoping, they push down a little farther, and with the way I hold the system, I'm still pushing the buttons with the same part of my fingers as I do with the original. I didn't even notice that they were smaller until I actually looked down at them. Also, while playing Metroid Fusion (the game on display with it), I wasn't getting the L and R buttons mixed up for firingmMissiles and aiming diagonally. I don't know if I'm just finally used to it or if it was because I was more comfortable with the system, but either way it's a plus for me, heh.

In short, everything I was worrying about turned out just as good or better than the original, heh. Can't wait to get one of my own and fire up F-Zero and Mario Kart on it, to give those L and R buttons a real test.

Oh, a quick question: Does anyone know if they're going to bring out a black version of the SP? I'd seen pictures of a black GBA SP before it came out, but I've only seen platinum and cobalt blue in the ads and stores. I really want a black one, though if they aren't making them, I suppose I'll have to settle for platinum.[/color]

[Semjaza]

Alright, I got mine. Cobalt, like I wanted. Apparently, it's far less popular than Platinum... so that worked out. Pretty much every store I went to basically sold out completely though by the end of the night.

I'll give my own little impressions, even if it repeats some of yours heh.

First, Desbreko... there is a black model. It's known as Onyx (which got mistranslated to Devil's Kiss - which is like 10 times cooler, but whatever heh). Sadly, every country [i]except[/i] the US is getting this model. Japan had it at launch, and so will Europe for some odd reason.

Anyway, I got my box at Target for $99 even. They even gave me a free game: Driver 2. No idea how good that is... I really wish they kept the really small Japanese style boxes, but whatever.

I was somewhat worried that I wouldn't get to try it out until I charged it, but to my surprise it was fully charged in the box (most rechargable things like this don't seem to do that, such as my Minidisc player's batteries or my digital camera's).

[u][b]The Light[/u][/b]

So I popped in Pokemon Sapphire and tried it out. If you're outside, it's somewhat hard to tell that the light even turned on... But when it is on, it makes the screen way more easy to see. I wasn't expecting a difference in well lit conditions, but it definately helped.

Pokemon looked great. There is a slight color washout, but you soon become accustomed to it. Black seems to be hit by it the most, but it's not as bad as I expected. The lighting is basically completely uniform, so you don't have to worry about certain areas being brighter than others.

The game that seemed the most affected by the light was Mario Kart Advance. While it still looked good, it seemed as if ever color in it was slightly muted by the light... Especially blues.

I tried out some Gameboy Color games, and they were actually visible enough to play! Anyone that tried GBC games on a GBA knows that it makes those games extremely dark... And games like Dragon Warrior 3, which had very dark nighttime areas were nearly impossible to see. The light completely fixes this issue, and the colors seemed just as vivid.

I'm sure this will be addressed with upcoming games. For example, Final Fantasy Tactics Advance lets you choose from three color options when you start it up: GBA, GBA SP and Gameboy Player. It adjusts itself accordingly. Hopefully all companies will now take the SP into account.

[b][u]Comfort and All That[/b][/u]

I was worried that the SP would feel horrible. It's the same width as a GBC when you hold it, and the bottom half where your hands go is even thinner. I always used to have problems with the GBC/Gameboy Pocket on the D-pad side, as there isn't much room to move your thumb around. After a while it would hurt, although I got used to it.

This game up with the SP for a minute or too, but I quickly adjusted. The first thing you'll notice is that the buttons are completely changed, as well as their feel. The buttons are now a bit stiffer. They aren't any harder to press down... but they have a clicky feel to them, much like a cell phone's buttons. I find them to be 10 times more precise than the original GBA buttons, especially the D-pad... Pokemon Sapphire is far more responsive now.

The L and R buttons are on the corners of the unit. You have to press them with the insides of your index finger, rather than the tips. They are so much better than the GBA's L and Rs... Usually after using them on the GBA my fingers would feel horrible, but it hasn't been an issue on here. They have a nice amount of action on them too, and could possibly be mistaken for analog buttons because of it.

[b][u]The Battery[/b][/u]

I've not looked at the battery, but it's lithium ion. Supposedly it lasts about 3 years, after which you can order a replacement from Nintendo. When the unit was first announced, there were all these stories about how if the battery breaks, you have to ship the entire unit to Nintendo. This isn't the case.

In fact, you can open the back with a simple phillips screwdriver. Nintendo will sell you replacement batteries for only $15 each if you call them. They aren't on the Store website as of yet. I'm sure 3rd parties will make them available someday.

You charge the unit through a new port on the SP, which apparently can be used for other things (such as headphones, more on that later). Apparently, Nintendo finally used their patent on a collapsable plug. Other companies do this now, but Nintendo's seems a bit more sturdy and goes about it slightly differently. You'll see what I mean when you get one.

Not sure on the recharge time, but I imagine it can't be more than 2 hours (that's how long my digital camera takes, and that thing eats batteries... so it might take even less). It lasts 10 hours with the light on, and 18 without.

[b][u]Sound[/b][/u]

The speaker is now located in the center of the unit. Sadly, it's still just one speaker, but what can you do. It seems noticably clearer than the GBA speaker though, which is obviously a good thing. Instead of a dial, the volume is now controlled by a sliding switch.

If you want to use headphones, there is a catch. The SP has no headphone jack. You have to buy a little converter. Nintendo sells these on their site for $4.50, and they plug into the same port you charge the system through. There are 3rd party ones available at stores like Gamestop right now.

---------------------

Overall, I'm happy with the thing. It's way easier to see, it's more comfortable and it's a lot more repsonsive. It's what the GBA should have been in the first place.

I tried the E-Reader, GC cable and link cables out on it... Everything works just like it should (only thing that won't is Kirby's Tilt and Tumble, since games go in the SP the opposite direction).

I should mention this is my second SP. The first one had a pixel on the screen that was always white, so I exchanged it. Everyone, bring a game with and test it out before you get too far from the store... just in case.

[Subversive]

Even more reason to get one, but I WANTED BLACK! And from what I understand (unless I read wrong) I can't get it. *rants off*

[Semjaza]

Well, you could always import it and pay $130+ instead of the normal $100 heh. I would have gotten that awesome Pearl SP if it weren't for the cost (and that it's bundled with FFT, I don't want that in Japanese lol).

[Desbreko]

[color=indigo]Pearl SP? What's that one look like? Is it like a shiny white-ish, or something?

And bleh, if I can't have black, I guess I will just get platinum, then. I think platinum goes with the new design a lot better than the original, though, so it's not that bad. :)[/color]

[Semjaza]

[IMG]http://www.planetgamecube.com/media/hw018011407.JPG[/IMG]

I'm not finding a nice pic of it now... It looks silver in these photos, but it's a really nice shiny white.

[Desbreko]

[color=indigo]Right, I finally got a GBASP of my own today and played a few R and L button intensive games on it (F-Zero: Maximum Velocity, and Mario Kart: Super Circuit), and it totally lived up to my expectations. The R and L buttons are way easier and more comfortable to use when you're having to use them all the time. And in games like Zelda: LTP/FS, where you don't have to use them all the time, you can still let your index fingers hang down below the buttons until you need to use them, just like I would do with the original GBA, and have them still be comfortable.

The light also works absolutely gorgeously. There wasn't any glare at all unless you look at the screen from way off to the side, and it provides enough light to play in even total darkness. I'm going to absolutely love this for playing at night and when there are no lights around.

Then there's the folding design, one of the main reasons why I wanted a GBASP. I love how compact and light this thing is. I'm definitely going to be taking it to class to play during lunch and breaks. It fits right in a pocket, and you barely even notice it's there. If it were any smaller, you could attach it to a keychain, lol.[/color]

[Charles]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Desbreko [/i]
[B][color=indigo]Then there's the folding design, one of the main reasons why I wanted a GBASP. I love how compact and light this thing is. I'm definitely going to be taking it to class to play during lunch and breaks. It fits right in a pocket, and you barely even notice it's there. If it were any smaller, you could attach it to a keychain, lol.[/color] [/B][/QUOTE]

I know what you mean.

I took my original GBA with me somewhere and it was a real hassle. Because I needed an external light to see it indoors, it was a bothersome ordeal stuffing everything into my pockets. Having a constant huge bulge in my pocket was a little embarrassing.

Plus, the screen easily became smudged and got pocket lint on it. The SP totally rocks. I can take it with my anywhere. It's relaxing to pull it out and use for a study break while I'm in the library.

Four face buttons would have been nice, but regardless, it's still my favorite system, period.

[hiachi]

the only reasons why i want one (yes i know the other features are great, but they dont do anything for me....) is the folding feature, cuz its compact and protects the screen, and the rechargin batteries

[sandramaxwell06]

Well ive gotten the new gba. (took two weeks to find a copy!!) I must say that it is the best. The graphics are awesome and the fact that you don't need to buy batteries is great. The only drawback from it is that there is no headphone jack, but I can definitely live without one. I suggest that every game addict get one, but wait until it becomes cheaper. $99 (plus tax) is very expensive, considering you can buy a GameCube for another hundred.