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As a couple of people were still asking and you can’t post hardware reviews…
For nearly fifteen years Nintendo have always been able to rely on the Gameboy. Almost total market domination resulted from quality hardware and a string of fantastic games. However, there have always been problems, most notably struggling to get enough light to follow the on screen action. The SP sets out to rectify this, and other problems, adding a touch of style to a machine traditionally aimed at younger gamers.
The first thing that hits you about the SP is its size. It’s compact, largely because of the clam shell design and the space saving lithium ion battery. I’d go as far as saying it is the first genuinely portable console. Sure, you could always squeeze them into your pocket, but the SP falls in and melts away rather than jabbing into your leg with every step and causing an unsightly bulge in your trousers. In fact, that could be very useful. I tried to smuggle my original Gameboy into church when I was eight or nine and didn’t even get it out the door as Mum noticed the huge bulge on my thigh . So, you never know, the SP may somehow aid you in showing a distain for organized religion while at the same time providing gaming fun.
The machine feels rugged, solid yet still light-weight. The hinge that everything pivots around is also reassuringly sturdy, folding open with a satisfying clunk. While I’m obviously not about to test it out, it seems the unit could survive a fall even when unfolded. When open you are presented with a work surface far more manageable than early pictures suggested. So far I’ve found the buttons comfortable and being a 6 foot plus rugby player I can’t imagine that’s because of dainty hands. I think it is a combination between the lightness of the machine (so little strain in holding it) and the slight action of the buttons that means a smaller than usual control system is fine.
Being a clam-shell, the unit also protects the screen from scrapes and scratches when closed. You’ll want to keep that screen in top condition too, as it is fantastic. The front light makes such a difference, no longer does the Gameboy fan have to bend and twist to get a bright light source directly behind them. You can play in the dark now if you so wish! The screen is otherwise identical to the one on the current model of the GBA, so you’ve still got the same large, colourful display, just now there are no brightness concerns.
The last notable addition to the SP is the lithium ion battery. This is one of the main reasons the machine has been able to shrink, but as it is also rechargeable it’ll save you cash as you don’t have to shell out on any AAs (though as any Gameboy owner knows, these can always be “borrowed” from handy appliances dotted throughout the house at no personal expense). A full charge gives you 18 hours of play, though I am going on Nintendo’s own claim there as I haven’t tested it to flat myself. However, with these sorts of batteries it is the long term performance that’ll be more interesting as they usually degrade significantly with use.
So, all in all, the hardware does seem to have improved, but, the golden question; is it better than the almost half-the-price GBA? Firstly, if you’re the sort who buys lights and battery chargers those are incorporated into the SP anyway, and as part of the small, stylish unit rather than tacky, bulky add-ons. Apart from that it’s really down to you. I’d suggest the more you expect to be carrying it around with you, the more you should be leaning towards the SP’s small body and play-anywhere screen.
Hardware aside, what about the games? To be honest, the GBA is really the first proper portable games machine. I mean, Lynx, Game Gear, Nomad, PC Engine, original Gameboy, Gameboy Colour etc were all great, but come on! Those weren’t real games (or in the case of the Nomad, no way was that portable). Okay, so you could maybe just about squeeze a deceit RPG out, but in almost everything there were compromises. In a battle between Home Console and Portable Console there was no contest. The Neo-Geo Pocket was maybe the first real contender, but sadly its fantastic hardware and a selection of AAA software couldn’t gain a foothold in the market (though it did cause Nintendo to stop delaying the completed GBA hardware and bump the release forward). With the GBA we’ve got titles like Advance Wars, Golden Sun, a brace of Sonic titles and Metroid Fusion which genuinely stand up against almost anything the current generation of consoles can throw at them. There are also a number of quality conversions such as the Mario titles and Zelda which add to quite a bulk of gaming goodness (and I’m barely scratching the surface here; Breath of Fire, Mario Kart Advance, the Wario titles, the Castlevania titles, Kuru Kuru, Lunar Star... etc…). It’s only going to get better too; sequels for Advance Wars and Golden Sun as well as original titles like new instalments of the Final Fantasy franchise are pencilled into the release books alongside Nintendo’s continued effort to get every single SNES title converted to the GBA. Then there is Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire… expect an onslaught of crazy kids as from a couple of hours with an American copy of Sapphire the franchise is as good as ever.
Excellent hardware + quality games = must buy.
For nearly fifteen years Nintendo have always been able to rely on the Gameboy. Almost total market domination resulted from quality hardware and a string of fantastic games. However, there have always been problems, most notably struggling to get enough light to follow the on screen action. The SP sets out to rectify this, and other problems, adding a touch of style to a machine traditionally aimed at younger gamers.
The first thing that hits you about the SP is its size. It’s compact, largely because of the clam shell design and the space saving lithium ion battery. I’d go as far as saying it is the first genuinely portable console. Sure, you could always squeeze them into your pocket, but the SP falls in and melts away rather than jabbing into your leg with every step and causing an unsightly bulge in your trousers
The machine feels rugged, solid yet still light-weight. The hinge that everything pivots around is also reassuringly sturdy, folding open with a satisfying clunk. While I’m obviously not about to test it out, it seems the unit could survive a fall even when unfolded. When open you are presented with a work surface far more manageable than early pictures suggested. So far I’ve found the buttons comfortable and being a 6 foot plus rugby player I can’t imagine that’s because of dainty hands. I think it is a combination between the lightness of the machine (so little strain in holding it) and the slight action of the buttons that means a smaller than usual control system is fine.
Being a clam-shell, the unit also protects the screen from scrapes and scratches when closed. You’ll want to keep that screen in top condition too, as it is fantastic. The front light makes such a difference, no longer does the Gameboy fan have to bend and twist to get a bright light source directly behind them. You can play in the dark now if you so wish! The screen is otherwise identical to the one on the current model of the GBA, so you’ve still got the same large, colourful display, just now there are no brightness concerns.
The last notable addition to the SP is the lithium ion battery. This is one of the main reasons the machine has been able to shrink, but as it is also rechargeable it’ll save you cash as you don’t have to shell out on any AAs (though as any Gameboy owner knows, these can always be “borrowed” from handy appliances dotted throughout the house at no personal expense). A full charge gives you 18 hours of play, though I am going on Nintendo’s own claim there as I haven’t tested it to flat myself. However, with these sorts of batteries it is the long term performance that’ll be more interesting as they usually degrade significantly with use.
So, all in all, the hardware does seem to have improved, but, the golden question; is it better than the almost half-the-price GBA? Firstly, if you’re the sort who buys lights and battery chargers those are incorporated into the SP anyway, and as part of the small, stylish unit rather than tacky, bulky add-ons. Apart from that it’s really down to you. I’d suggest the more you expect to be carrying it around with you, the more you should be leaning towards the SP’s small body and play-anywhere screen.
Hardware aside, what about the games? To be honest, the GBA is really the first proper portable games machine. I mean, Lynx, Game Gear, Nomad, PC Engine, original Gameboy, Gameboy Colour etc were all great, but come on! Those weren’t real games (or in the case of the Nomad, no way was that portable). Okay, so you could maybe just about squeeze a deceit RPG out, but in almost everything there were compromises. In a battle between Home Console and Portable Console there was no contest. The Neo-Geo Pocket was maybe the first real contender, but sadly its fantastic hardware and a selection of AAA software couldn’t gain a foothold in the market (though it did cause Nintendo to stop delaying the completed GBA hardware and bump the release forward). With the GBA we’ve got titles like Advance Wars, Golden Sun, a brace of Sonic titles and Metroid Fusion which genuinely stand up against almost anything the current generation of consoles can throw at them. There are also a number of quality conversions such as the Mario titles and Zelda which add to quite a bulk of gaming goodness (and I’m barely scratching the surface here; Breath of Fire, Mario Kart Advance, the Wario titles, the Castlevania titles, Kuru Kuru, Lunar Star... etc…). It’s only going to get better too; sequels for Advance Wars and Golden Sun as well as original titles like new instalments of the Final Fantasy franchise are pencilled into the release books alongside Nintendo’s continued effort to get every single SNES title converted to the GBA. Then there is Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire… expect an onslaught of crazy kids as from a couple of hours with an American copy of Sapphire the franchise is as good as ever.
Excellent hardware + quality games = must buy.
You can get them imported for about a third the price of that - as we're on a game retailers websites I'll leave it for you to find out where.
get the Pokemon games on import for £32.99 from tqgames.com if you can't wait.
i play my sp so much now i run the battery down in 2 days
Dr Gonzo wrote:
> Got into bed at
> a far too late 3pm last night for a megre 4 hours sleep... then the SP
> caught my eye and I wasted three of those four hours playing Sapphire.
Resulting in me dying last night at about 7 and sleeping until now :)
> Got into bed at
> a far too late 3pm last night for a megre 4 hours sleep... then the SP
> caught my eye and I wasted three of those four hours playing Sapphire.
Resulting in me dying last night at about 7 and sleeping until now :)
I think I may give this new Pokemon a miss and hope that there will eb another GBA version which gives kind of a different game to play.
Sapphire and Ruby look all to similar to Red, Blue, Gold, Silver bla bla bla.
It does indeed kick when you get into it though.
Sapphire and Ruby look all to similar to Red, Blue, Gold, Silver bla bla bla.
It does indeed kick when you get into it though.
Pokemon just gets better and better - worried the guy at the Driving Test Centre by sitting and playing it during my MOT. Got into bed at a far too late 3pm last night for a megre 4 hours sleep... then the SP caught my eye and I wasted three of those four hours playing Sapphire.
I was looking up on Pokemon this morning. 1/7 was what I read.
My SP Should be on my doorstep tommorow, or the day after. If it takes any longer then that I have a big pole which needs using.
Hur hur.
My SP Should be on my doorstep tommorow, or the day after. If it takes any longer then that I have a big pole which needs using.
Hur hur.
I'm so tempted to run down to the shop and pick one up right now....but I won't.
I'll wait till the summer and get one for my b'day me thinks.
ANyone know when Pokemon gets a UK release?
I'll wait till the summer and get one for my b'day me thinks.
ANyone know when Pokemon gets a UK release?
As a couple of people were still asking and you can’t post hardware reviews…
For nearly fifteen years Nintendo have always been able to rely on the Gameboy. Almost total market domination resulted from quality hardware and a string of fantastic games. However, there have always been problems, most notably struggling to get enough light to follow the on screen action. The SP sets out to rectify this, and other problems, adding a touch of style to a machine traditionally aimed at younger gamers.
The first thing that hits you about the SP is its size. It’s compact, largely because of the clam shell design and the space saving lithium ion battery. I’d go as far as saying it is the first genuinely portable console. Sure, you could always squeeze them into your pocket, but the SP falls in and melts away rather than jabbing into your leg with every step and causing an unsightly bulge in your trousers. In fact, that could be very useful. I tried to smuggle my original Gameboy into church when I was eight or nine and didn’t even get it out the door as Mum noticed the huge bulge on my thigh . So, you never know, the SP may somehow aid you in showing a distain for organized religion while at the same time providing gaming fun.
The machine feels rugged, solid yet still light-weight. The hinge that everything pivots around is also reassuringly sturdy, folding open with a satisfying clunk. While I’m obviously not about to test it out, it seems the unit could survive a fall even when unfolded. When open you are presented with a work surface far more manageable than early pictures suggested. So far I’ve found the buttons comfortable and being a 6 foot plus rugby player I can’t imagine that’s because of dainty hands. I think it is a combination between the lightness of the machine (so little strain in holding it) and the slight action of the buttons that means a smaller than usual control system is fine.
Being a clam-shell, the unit also protects the screen from scrapes and scratches when closed. You’ll want to keep that screen in top condition too, as it is fantastic. The front light makes such a difference, no longer does the Gameboy fan have to bend and twist to get a bright light source directly behind them. You can play in the dark now if you so wish! The screen is otherwise identical to the one on the current model of the GBA, so you’ve still got the same large, colourful display, just now there are no brightness concerns.
The last notable addition to the SP is the lithium ion battery. This is one of the main reasons the machine has been able to shrink, but as it is also rechargeable it’ll save you cash as you don’t have to shell out on any AAs (though as any Gameboy owner knows, these can always be “borrowed” from handy appliances dotted throughout the house at no personal expense). A full charge gives you 18 hours of play, though I am going on Nintendo’s own claim there as I haven’t tested it to flat myself. However, with these sorts of batteries it is the long term performance that’ll be more interesting as they usually degrade significantly with use.
So, all in all, the hardware does seem to have improved, but, the golden question; is it better than the almost half-the-price GBA? Firstly, if you’re the sort who buys lights and battery chargers those are incorporated into the SP anyway, and as part of the small, stylish unit rather than tacky, bulky add-ons. Apart from that it’s really down to you. I’d suggest the more you expect to be carrying it around with you, the more you should be leaning towards the SP’s small body and play-anywhere screen.
Hardware aside, what about the games? To be honest, the GBA is really the first proper portable games machine. I mean, Lynx, Game Gear, Nomad, PC Engine, original Gameboy, Gameboy Colour etc were all great, but come on! Those weren’t real games (or in the case of the Nomad, no way was that portable). Okay, so you could maybe just about squeeze a deceit RPG out, but in almost everything there were compromises. In a battle between Home Console and Portable Console there was no contest. The Neo-Geo Pocket was maybe the first real contender, but sadly its fantastic hardware and a selection of AAA software couldn’t gain a foothold in the market (though it did cause Nintendo to stop delaying the completed GBA hardware and bump the release forward). With the GBA we’ve got titles like Advance Wars, Golden Sun, a brace of Sonic titles and Metroid Fusion which genuinely stand up against almost anything the current generation of consoles can throw at them. There are also a number of quality conversions such as the Mario titles and Zelda which add to quite a bulk of gaming goodness (and I’m barely scratching the surface here; Breath of Fire, Mario Kart Advance, the Wario titles, the Castlevania titles, Kuru Kuru, Lunar Star... etc…). It’s only going to get better too; sequels for Advance Wars and Golden Sun as well as original titles like new instalments of the Final Fantasy franchise are pencilled into the release books alongside Nintendo’s continued effort to get every single SNES title converted to the GBA. Then there is Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire… expect an onslaught of crazy kids as from a couple of hours with an American copy of Sapphire the franchise is as good as ever.
Excellent hardware + quality games = must buy.
For nearly fifteen years Nintendo have always been able to rely on the Gameboy. Almost total market domination resulted from quality hardware and a string of fantastic games. However, there have always been problems, most notably struggling to get enough light to follow the on screen action. The SP sets out to rectify this, and other problems, adding a touch of style to a machine traditionally aimed at younger gamers.
The first thing that hits you about the SP is its size. It’s compact, largely because of the clam shell design and the space saving lithium ion battery. I’d go as far as saying it is the first genuinely portable console. Sure, you could always squeeze them into your pocket, but the SP falls in and melts away rather than jabbing into your leg with every step and causing an unsightly bulge in your trousers
The machine feels rugged, solid yet still light-weight. The hinge that everything pivots around is also reassuringly sturdy, folding open with a satisfying clunk. While I’m obviously not about to test it out, it seems the unit could survive a fall even when unfolded. When open you are presented with a work surface far more manageable than early pictures suggested. So far I’ve found the buttons comfortable and being a 6 foot plus rugby player I can’t imagine that’s because of dainty hands. I think it is a combination between the lightness of the machine (so little strain in holding it) and the slight action of the buttons that means a smaller than usual control system is fine.
Being a clam-shell, the unit also protects the screen from scrapes and scratches when closed. You’ll want to keep that screen in top condition too, as it is fantastic. The front light makes such a difference, no longer does the Gameboy fan have to bend and twist to get a bright light source directly behind them. You can play in the dark now if you so wish! The screen is otherwise identical to the one on the current model of the GBA, so you’ve still got the same large, colourful display, just now there are no brightness concerns.
The last notable addition to the SP is the lithium ion battery. This is one of the main reasons the machine has been able to shrink, but as it is also rechargeable it’ll save you cash as you don’t have to shell out on any AAs (though as any Gameboy owner knows, these can always be “borrowed” from handy appliances dotted throughout the house at no personal expense). A full charge gives you 18 hours of play, though I am going on Nintendo’s own claim there as I haven’t tested it to flat myself. However, with these sorts of batteries it is the long term performance that’ll be more interesting as they usually degrade significantly with use.
So, all in all, the hardware does seem to have improved, but, the golden question; is it better than the almost half-the-price GBA? Firstly, if you’re the sort who buys lights and battery chargers those are incorporated into the SP anyway, and as part of the small, stylish unit rather than tacky, bulky add-ons. Apart from that it’s really down to you. I’d suggest the more you expect to be carrying it around with you, the more you should be leaning towards the SP’s small body and play-anywhere screen.
Hardware aside, what about the games? To be honest, the GBA is really the first proper portable games machine. I mean, Lynx, Game Gear, Nomad, PC Engine, original Gameboy, Gameboy Colour etc were all great, but come on! Those weren’t real games (or in the case of the Nomad, no way was that portable). Okay, so you could maybe just about squeeze a deceit RPG out, but in almost everything there were compromises. In a battle between Home Console and Portable Console there was no contest. The Neo-Geo Pocket was maybe the first real contender, but sadly its fantastic hardware and a selection of AAA software couldn’t gain a foothold in the market (though it did cause Nintendo to stop delaying the completed GBA hardware and bump the release forward). With the GBA we’ve got titles like Advance Wars, Golden Sun, a brace of Sonic titles and Metroid Fusion which genuinely stand up against almost anything the current generation of consoles can throw at them. There are also a number of quality conversions such as the Mario titles and Zelda which add to quite a bulk of gaming goodness (and I’m barely scratching the surface here; Breath of Fire, Mario Kart Advance, the Wario titles, the Castlevania titles, Kuru Kuru, Lunar Star... etc…). It’s only going to get better too; sequels for Advance Wars and Golden Sun as well as original titles like new instalments of the Final Fantasy franchise are pencilled into the release books alongside Nintendo’s continued effort to get every single SNES title converted to the GBA. Then there is Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire… expect an onslaught of crazy kids as from a couple of hours with an American copy of Sapphire the franchise is as good as ever.
Excellent hardware + quality games = must buy.