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In June 2001, Nintendo released the Game Boy Advance in the United States and the United Kingdom. With the promise of 32-bit games, and the ability to play any Game Boy game containing the 'Official Seal of Quality' released since the first Game Boy in 1989, people traded in their Game Boy Pockets and Game Boy Colors for what they thought was going to be a promising handheld console.
However, most of the games released were just ports of the games people already had, and those that were new weren't exactly amazing. Eventually, all the hype died down, some sold their Game Boy Advances, whilst others kept them for the few titles promised that actually looked good - Mario Kart: Super Circuit for example.
However, there was another reason why the Game Boy Advance sold so well initially. At the same time the Game Boy Advance was originally announced, so was the GameCube (then called Project Dolphin). Nintendo promised a link cable that would allow the Game Boy Advance to be used both as a controller and seperate screen for compatable GameCube games. Again, so far Nintendo fans have been disappointed as only one title is compatable with this cable, it's not even by Nintendo, and can only be used to transfer data in this game.
The Game Boy Advance has been the victim to a lot of criticism since it's release in the first year of the millenium. The main criticism was that the Game Boy Advance doesn't have an internal light, unlike the Game Gear from the early 1990s, and that the screen itself was too dark. Nintendo retalliated claiming that to include a backlight would make the Game Boy Advance bulky and would drain the batteries very quickly, yet in recent months, an unlicensed product called the Afterburner has become available to anyone who either wants to modify their Game Boy Advances, or you could by them pre-installed.
Nintendo seem to have realised now that their dark and hard to see screen is quite a major problem in that it's putting gamers off Game Boy products (except the wormlights that is) and if the customers aren't happy, Nintendo wont make as much money as they potentionally could.
So what have Nintendo done about it?
I don't know whether many of you noticed it, but a while ago, Nintendo dropped the price of the Game Boy Advance and shops have been selling them for between £60 and £65. A price drop didn't seem to unusual, afterall, the Nintendo GameCube was released and Nintendo wont want the consumers buying two consoles without any games seeing as it's the games that make the money.
However, it seems that this price drop could have been for another reason. Nintendo have recently announced on their official website that a new Game Boy Advance is due for release 'soon'. Sure, knowing Nintendo that could be anytime from now til 2010. Anyway, they haven't actually announced what the difference between this and the original ones are, the price or any other details as of yet, but rumours are suggesting a sharper screen, a contrast dial (like that of the original Game Boy) and a backlight. Although the last idea doesn't sound very likely as far as Nintendo are concerned, this does look like Nintendo's way of admitting they made a mistake! Cover it up with a 'New Version' and everybody's excited!
This could be very good news for consumers now! If Nintendo do release new versions, they're likely to reduce the original Game Boy Advance's price even more, and considering the future Advance games will still be compatable with the current versions, you wont be making any losses by buying one! If however, you wanted the newer version, you could trade in your Game Boy Advance and get money off the new one! If you're a collector of all things Nintendo, it's likely either one or the other is to be a collectors item at some stage, especially if you've got one in a rarer colour.
Whatever happens, Nintendo have made a mistake, they know it, have admitted it (although indirectly) and have attempted to correct it. Will it be worth getting the new version Game Boy Advance? We'll just have to wait and see.
However, most of the games released were just ports of the games people already had, and those that were new weren't exactly amazing. Eventually, all the hype died down, some sold their Game Boy Advances, whilst others kept them for the few titles promised that actually looked good - Mario Kart: Super Circuit for example.
However, there was another reason why the Game Boy Advance sold so well initially. At the same time the Game Boy Advance was originally announced, so was the GameCube (then called Project Dolphin). Nintendo promised a link cable that would allow the Game Boy Advance to be used both as a controller and seperate screen for compatable GameCube games. Again, so far Nintendo fans have been disappointed as only one title is compatable with this cable, it's not even by Nintendo, and can only be used to transfer data in this game.
The Game Boy Advance has been the victim to a lot of criticism since it's release in the first year of the millenium. The main criticism was that the Game Boy Advance doesn't have an internal light, unlike the Game Gear from the early 1990s, and that the screen itself was too dark. Nintendo retalliated claiming that to include a backlight would make the Game Boy Advance bulky and would drain the batteries very quickly, yet in recent months, an unlicensed product called the Afterburner has become available to anyone who either wants to modify their Game Boy Advances, or you could by them pre-installed.
Nintendo seem to have realised now that their dark and hard to see screen is quite a major problem in that it's putting gamers off Game Boy products (except the wormlights that is) and if the customers aren't happy, Nintendo wont make as much money as they potentionally could.
So what have Nintendo done about it?
I don't know whether many of you noticed it, but a while ago, Nintendo dropped the price of the Game Boy Advance and shops have been selling them for between £60 and £65. A price drop didn't seem to unusual, afterall, the Nintendo GameCube was released and Nintendo wont want the consumers buying two consoles without any games seeing as it's the games that make the money.
However, it seems that this price drop could have been for another reason. Nintendo have recently announced on their official website that a new Game Boy Advance is due for release 'soon'. Sure, knowing Nintendo that could be anytime from now til 2010. Anyway, they haven't actually announced what the difference between this and the original ones are, the price or any other details as of yet, but rumours are suggesting a sharper screen, a contrast dial (like that of the original Game Boy) and a backlight. Although the last idea doesn't sound very likely as far as Nintendo are concerned, this does look like Nintendo's way of admitting they made a mistake! Cover it up with a 'New Version' and everybody's excited!
This could be very good news for consumers now! If Nintendo do release new versions, they're likely to reduce the original Game Boy Advance's price even more, and considering the future Advance games will still be compatable with the current versions, you wont be making any losses by buying one! If however, you wanted the newer version, you could trade in your Game Boy Advance and get money off the new one! If you're a collector of all things Nintendo, it's likely either one or the other is to be a collectors item at some stage, especially if you've got one in a rarer colour.
Whatever happens, Nintendo have made a mistake, they know it, have admitted it (although indirectly) and have attempted to correct it. Will it be worth getting the new version Game Boy Advance? We'll just have to wait and see.
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I got this off Nintendo.co.uk when I emailed them about their GBA announcement as to what is different about the new GBA in comparison to the old:
"We have also heard of rumours coming out of Japan to this effect but nothing
has been confirmed as yet. Sorry."
rrriiiiiggggghhhht!
"We have also heard of rumours coming out of Japan to this effect but nothing
has been confirmed as yet. Sorry."
rrriiiiiggggghhhht!
Not to mention hand cramp after prolonged play.
It would be worth getting a hand grip, or whatever they're called just so you can hold it comfortably.
It would be worth getting a hand grip, or whatever they're called just so you can hold it comfortably.
No big deal.
Just a nicer screen with contrast, reduced glare and possibly backlit.
If I get one, I'll be waiting for this version.
Playing dark games are impossible unless you tilt the GBA at a certain angle causing all sorts of neck cramp...
Just a nicer screen with contrast, reduced glare and possibly backlit.
If I get one, I'll be waiting for this version.
Playing dark games are impossible unless you tilt the GBA at a certain angle causing all sorts of neck cramp...
New version of GBA? What?
That's old news - plus the reader will only be used to give you items in cames such as the Pokémon games using the e-card reader. You wont be playing NES games off a trading card.
That ain't all... I stumbled across this article the other day:
"Nintendo is releasing a new peripheral for the Gameboy Advance called the e-reader. This works by reading optical information encoded on trading cards using Olympus Optical Co's Dot Code Technology.
The first planned games are Pokemon games with some classics being lined up for later.
So, if you wanted a legal way to play NES games on the GBA, now you got one."
Sounds promising... I loved the old Master System 1 card slot, you could carry the games around in your wallet, haven't got a GBA (although theres a possibility I might buy one later on when there are more titles available) but being able to play old classics on it (there were 6375 games released on the NES, hopefully a large portion will be put on these cards) while the carts are no bigger than a credit card is very appealing.
"Nintendo is releasing a new peripheral for the Gameboy Advance called the e-reader. This works by reading optical information encoded on trading cards using Olympus Optical Co's Dot Code Technology.
The first planned games are Pokemon games with some classics being lined up for later.
So, if you wanted a legal way to play NES games on the GBA, now you got one."
Sounds promising... I loved the old Master System 1 card slot, you could carry the games around in your wallet, haven't got a GBA (although theres a possibility I might buy one later on when there are more titles available) but being able to play old classics on it (there were 6375 games released on the NES, hopefully a large portion will be put on these cards) while the carts are no bigger than a credit card is very appealing.
More news - Nintendo have announced they're soon to release their Platinum coloured Game Boy Advance in the UK.
I sold my GBA with tony hawks 2. At the time there were hardly any games around and didnt really like it that much but if there are good games coming out in the future i might get another GBA maybee.
what you say is true about Sharper Screens. Its because of such high demand in Japan, that Nintendo's main LCD-screen producer couldn't cope with the production demands. So Nintendo employed Mitsibushi (Panasonic) to help make screens as well. The Panasonic screens are sharper and brighter, only they're randomly installed in the black and spice colours.
what you say is true about Sharper Screens. Its because of such high demand in Japan, that Nintendo's main LCD-screen producer couldn't cope with the production demands. So Nintendo employed Mitsibushi (Panasonic) to help make screens as well. The Panasonic screens are sharper and brighter, only they're randomly installed in the black and spice colours.
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