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Thread: Super Retro Advance Adapter indepth Review

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    Default Super Retro Advance Adapter indepth Review

    Last year, Retro-Bit - a third party manufacturer of clone consoles, controllers, and accessories - released two extremely interesting devices - the RetroPort Adapter, which connects to a SNES and allows original NES games to be played, and the RetroGen Adapter, which connects to an SNES and allows Sega Genesis/MegaDrive games to be played. Now Retro-Bit continues their voodoo magic with the Super Retro Advance Adapter, which promises to bring a certain beloved handheld to the SNES.



    Since it was initially announced, fans speculated about how the GBA would change the future of portable gaming forever by bringing SNES-like game experiences to a handheld while also producing new franchises and perhaps even doing some things that wouldn't be possible on Nintendo's legendary 16-bit platform. Throughout it's life, all of this was proven time and again as the GameBoy Advance became for all intents and purposes, the second coming of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System.

    It is therefore with irony that Retro-Bit now has a product to bring GBA game experiences back to the SNES.

    How good is this device? Read on.


    Overview



    The Super Retro Advance Adapter is a standalone GBA clone that plugs into the SNES as if it were an SNES game itself. Using only the power provided from the SNES cartridge slot, the Retro-Bit Super Retro Advance Adapter has a self contained GBAOAC (GBA On A Chip) and interfaces with the SNES for standard button input.

    Just like the RetroPort and RetroGen, audio and video are not provided through the SNES, but instead an RCA to stereo 3.5mm headphone jack located in the side of the device. This is because unlike the Super GameBoy, RetroBit's line of adapters do not run Super Nintendo software as a framework for the other platforms. In essence, while the console treats the Super GameBoy as a SNES game, the Retro-Bit Adapter line are not utilizing the SNES PPU at all, therefore there is no video feed to route internally.

    It has been suggested that Retro-Bit could have solved this by writing a simple interface program, but that is easier said than done. SNES games were written in low level 65C816 assembly, a language so prone to errors it was abandoned in the mid '90s and isn't taught in programming classes anymore. There also aren't any C or C++ compilers for the highly custom 5A22 cpu Nintendo chose for the SNES.

    As is, the included cable is required when using an actual Super Nintendo or Super Famicom. However, this is only true of the original Nintendo hardware and older, non Retro-Bit clone consoles. Newer Retro-Bit clones such as the Retro Duo Portable and the upcoming Super Retro Trio will pass the video feed directly to it's own video output jacks without the need of the additional cable.


    It should also be noted that the Super Retro Advance Adapter, like other Retro-Bit products, is designed to universally fit with all SNES consoles worldwide, featuring the slim design of Super Famicom game shells while providing the slits for the North American SNES. This essentially means it is completely region free.


    Video output



    Like the RetroGen, the video encoder inside the Super Retro Advance Adapter provides extremely clean, clear and vivid NTSC composite video that looks great on any CRT television. Despite the fact that the device only provides composite video output as opposed to something higher quality such as S-Video or even RGB, the video clarity surpasses what many classic consoles are capable of producing, including the SNES itself. Games are bright, vibrant and clear. Early titles well known for being especially dark such as Castlevania Circle of the Moon are completely playable, and regardless of the composite signal, there is minimal color bleeding - allowing easy reading of text and visibility of even the smallest sprites.



    The original GameBoy Advance used an LCD with an aspect ratio of 3:2. When displayed on a 4:3 CRT television, the Super Retro Advance Adapter ever so slightly adjusts the image to display fullscreen. When using a 16:9 television, the slightly more widescreen nature of 3:2 is represented by nearly filling the entire widescreen display, but leaves a thin black border around the edges without any distortion. The device does not allow the user to adjust the aspect ratio, but I find it does a surprisingly decent job on its own. In fact, I prefer the full 4:3 display to the GameCube GameBoy Player's windowed display.

    Audio



    The cable provided includes clean, interference-free stereo sound, and the Super Retro Advance Adapter reproduces the GBA's sound format almost perfectly. Unlike some GBA clones, all of the musical ranges the GBA is capable of producing are reproduced exactly within the same octaves, allowing gamers to enjoy their favorite GBA tunes when using the Super Retro Advance.

    However, occasional Z-80 based sounds using the original GameBoy's sound hardware do not sound correct on the Super Retro Advance. Through rigorous testing, I so far have found this to only affect a small number of GBA titles in minor ways. For example, in the Pokemon games, the sound effect when you run into a solid object is far more subdued than on a real GBA. This is however such a minor issue that it may actually go unnoticed for those who aren't specifically listening for it.

    Controls

    The controls mapped to the SNES controller are 1:1 with their GBA counterparts. In other words, the buttons displayed on the SNES controller exactly reflect the mapping of the GBA controls. For example, pressing the SNES controller A button will activate the GBA's A button. For clarification, here is a chart of the mapping:



    Some may be put off that the B and A buttons on the GBA are not instead mapped to the Y and B buttons on the SNES controller, but I understand why Retro-Bit chose to do this. There are many GBA games that include in-game button prompts such as "Press A repeatedly". If the Y and B configuration was used, the GBA A button would be mapped to the SNES B button, creating some potentially confusing situations.

    Compatibility



    Like many emulators, the Super Retro Advance Adapter works by circumventing the boot bios, providing almost instant access to your favorite GBA titles and a legal loophole in what could otherwise be an illegal device to sell.

    I am pleased to report that to the best of my testing abilities, compatibility appears to be extremely strong and very well may be perfect across all GBA titles. I have tested dozens of GBA titles and each work flawlessly.

    The only compatibility issues I've encountered are with the Play-Yan Micro mp3/video player and running certain games via my M3 Simply SD Flashcart. The Play-Yan will refuse to boot up whatsoever. The M3 Simply will work for the majority of games I've tried. So far, the only problematic games using the M3 Simply are pseudo 3D titles such as Iridion II, Asterix & Obelix XXL, and Stuntman. Each of these will glitch out at certain points rendering them unplayable after a certain point. However, when I tested these games using the original cartridges, all worked without any problems.

    As neither the Play-Yan or M3 Perfect are true GBA games in of themselves, incompatibility is unsurprising and should not count towards any tally of actual GBA games that do not work, which I have not found any through my testing so far.

    Unfortunately, the Super Retro Advance Adapter completely lacks original GameBoy and GameBoy Color support. No GameBoy games will work on the device whatsoever, as the device lacks the original GameBoy hardware, just like the GameBoy Micro. GameBoy and GameBoy Color games will physically fit into the cartridge slot, but there's no point in even trying as they will do absolutely nothing.

    However, I was able to get several GameBoy and GameBoy Color games working and PocketNES through my flashcart, although with sound and graphical issues.

    Overall



    Good

    -Reasonably priced
    -Extremely easy to step up
    -Great video output that fills a 4:3 display
    -The SNES controller fits GBA games like a glove


    Bad

    -Completely lacks GB and GBC support
    -Certain GB sound effects are incorrect
    -Composite video output only, which is a shame considering the GBA could be made to produce S-Video or even RGB.

    Conclusion



    Following on the footsteps of the excellent RetroGen adapter, the Super Retro Advance adapter from Retro-Bit doesn't disappoint. It provides great software support with clean and clear video. Is it better than the GameBoy Player for GameCube? No. However, considering the costs of the GameBoy Player plus GameCube, and that the GameCube controller is hardly an ideal controller for GBA games, the Super Retro Advance is a great alternative for playing your GBA games on a tv, and makes for a great gift this holiday season.

    If you're interested in purchasing the Super Retro Advance, it can be found along with many other Retro-Bit products at thinkgeek.com, vintagestock.com, lukiegames.com and other retrogaming stores all across North America and worldwide.

    For retailers or resellers who may be interested in carrying the product, contact www.innexinc.com / service@innexinc.com
    Last edited by Satoshi_Matrix; 11-23-2013 at 04:33 PM.
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    Key (Level 9) wiggyx's Avatar
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    Why didn't they just make it a stand alone console? Sounds like it requires virtually none of the SNES' resources. Woulda been cooler as a stand alone IMO.
    Last edited by wiggyx; 11-23-2013 at 04:31 PM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by wiggyx View Post
    Why didn't they just make it a stand alone console? Sounds like it requires virtually none of the SNES' resources. Woulda been cooler as a stand alone IMO.
    Expense? Would be more costly to produce and buy as a full system.

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    Quote Originally Posted by JSoup View Post
    Expense? Would be more costly to produce and buy as a full system.
    That would by my only guess. This way they don't have to supply power supply or controllers.
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    Quote Originally Posted by JSoup View Post
    Expense? Would be more costly to produce and buy as a full system.
    But they'd be able to reach a far wider market. I.e. people who don't own a SNES. Just seems really short-sighted to me.

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    The A and B button thing is actually a deal breaker for me. I hate playing GBA games on the DS because the buttons are laid out awkwardly in a 4 button configuration. It makes playing fast paced action games a chore. Having that same problem on this makes it very unappealing.
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    Key (Level 9) Satoshi_Matrix's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by wiggyx View Post
    But they'd be able to reach a far wider market. I.e. people who don't own a SNES. Just seems really short-sighted to me.
    Retro-Bit heavily markets there line of Super Famiclones such as the RetroDuo and RetroDuo Portable. To them, something like this is an accessory to buy in addition to your RetroBit SNES clone. Indeed, this product was announced alongside their upcoming Super Retro Trio Genesis/SNES/NES clone.

    Quote Originally Posted by The Adventurer View Post
    The A and B button thing is actually a deal breaker for me. I hate playing GBA games on the DS because the buttons are laid out awkwardly in a 4 button configuration. It makes playing fast paced action games a chore. Having that same problem on this makes it very unappealing.
    I share your concerns, and agree with you that playing GBA games is a chore on the DS Phat or DS Lite, as both have tiny face buttons.

    But when using either an SNES or Super Famicom controller, the B and A configuration isn't as bad as you think. I've put several hours into testing the Super Retro Advance with everything form action platformers to racers and fighting games. Everything is quick and responsive with the B and A configuration. Before you declare it a "deal breaker", perhaps try playing games on an easily obtainable cheap Super GameBoy. The default control scheme for that is also the B and A setup. You may just find that you're transferring your distaste for the DS setup to the SNES unfairly.
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    If going the Super Game Boy route is out, I'd still be interested if they ever make a standalone Game Boy Advance console. Especially if an option for original aspect ratio and using Y & B was provided, S-Video or perhaps even component out was present, and they didn't limit the user to using a controller included with the device since I'd want to use something like an original SuperNes controller.

    Of course my GameCube with Game Boy Player already does that since the disc never leaves the drive, but the concept grabs me enough where I'd want to check it out where as this halfway approach they did here just turns me off unlike if it was a full GBA equivalent of the Super Game Boy or a full console.

    Quote Originally Posted by Satoshi_Matrix View Post
    However, I was able to get several GameBoy and GameBoy Color games working
    Were they running on a Game Boy emulator running off the GBA hardware? I presume so since I think it was you that told me that there wasn't a dedicated GB/GBC flash cart a few years ago.
    Last edited by Leo_A; 11-23-2013 at 09:24 PM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Leo_A View Post
    If going the Super Game Boy route is out, I'd still be interested if they ever make a standalone Game Boy Advance console. Especially if an option for original aspect ratio and using Y & B was provided, S-Video or perhaps even component out was present, and they didn't limit the user to using a controller included with the device since I'd want to use something like an original SuperNes controller.
    I see what you're saying, but I think a standalone GBA clone is more of a fantasy than something that Retro-Bit will ever actually make. In fact, if they did ever make a standalone clone, you can expect it to have none of what you just said. maintains the 3:2 aspect ratio no matter what? Nope. Uses a Y and B button layout? Well, maybe, if they designed their own controller. Anything other than composite? Unlikely. Use original SNES controllers? Highly doubtful, but even if they did, they'd do the B and A control again.


    Quote Originally Posted by Leo_A View Post
    Were they running on a Game Boy emulator running off the GBA hardware? I presume so since I think it was you that told me that there wasn't a dedicated GB/GBC flash cart a few years ago.
    Yes, through the flashcart. Sorry if that was confusing, I thought it was clear. I guess author's fail maybe?
    Last edited by Satoshi_Matrix; 11-23-2013 at 10:42 PM.
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    I don't expect a standalone GBA. Rather, I was explaining what I would buy.

    Since that's exactly what my GameCube is these days, I don't need such a thing and it would never replace the real hardware. But such a thing would get my curiosity going which is the only reason I have any interest in this thing (A feeling I suspect you can well understand judging by threads like this and your YouTube channel).

    Quote Originally Posted by Satoshi_Matrix View Post
    Yes, through the flashcart. Sorry if that was confusing, I thought it was clear. I guess author's fail maybe?
    It wasn't confusing, just was seeking confirmation that it was indeed emulation like I thought and that you weren't able to somehow interface this thing directly to a Game Boy or Game Boy Color rom image via your GBA flash cartridge or for some bizarre reason were able to make it interact with a GB/GBC flash cartridge (If one existed?) where it did nothing with the actual standalone retail cartridges.

    Do you happen to have Activision Anthology around? I'd be curious to see how that one panned out or any of the NES Classic/Famicom Mini lineup or similar commercial emulation releases like the Capcom collection. Partly to see how well they translate and partly to see what you think about how they look when this expands them back to their original 4:3 proportions on a CRT.

    Not only are they a good stress test of this (As is any emulator), but I imagine the missing horizontal lines of resolution on the NES releases (Done of course to adapt a 4:3 game to a 3:2 AR) will provide a rather strange appearance on the big screen and running in full 4:3.
    Last edited by Leo_A; 11-23-2013 at 11:38 PM.

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    Very nice review, it sounds like a nice little device.

    As mentioned, it would be interesting to know how the Classic NES/Famicom Mini games stand as they were among the few games I've known to deliberately fail (maybe Nintendo didn't want other companies using their emulator to release their games without licensing the emu from Nintendo)?
    The Kunio or Hudson compilations might be worth checking as well. They did some kind of wavy motion thing to get around the resolution limits that looks awful on VBA but isn't as eye-searing on actual hardware. (compared to Nintendo who I believe actually modified the NES graphics around the necessary cropping).
    And maybe for s the GBA Videos. My guess is they probably work because they probably specifically check for the GBPlayer.
    WarioWare Twisted/Yoshi Topsy Turvy are likely to work but be very difficult/annoying to play.
    Quote Originally Posted by Satoshi_Matrix View Post
    SNES games were written in low level 65C816 assembly, a language so prone to errors it was abandoned in the mid '90s and isn't taught in programming classes anymore.

    More like 65xx CPUs probably were considered too outdated.

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    Key (Level 9) Satoshi_Matrix's Avatar
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    Guys, give me a list of specific titles you want me to test on the Super Retro Advance and I'll get back to you with results tomorrow.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Satoshi_Matrix View Post
    Guys, give me a list of specific titles you want me to test on the Super Retro Advance and I'll get back to you with results tomorrow.
    How about Activision Anthology and the Classic NES release of Super Mario Brothers?

    Just be sure to give them a spin on real hardware like the Game Boy Player first to see how they run. Many of the 2600 games like River Raid run a bit slow for instance but that's due to the constraints of the GBA that made 2600 emulation nearly impractical (Rather than a Super Retro Advance issue) and so you can see how Super Mario Brothers looks with missing scanlines at its proper 3:2 AR.

    And a good 3D intensive GBA game would be V-Rally 3 or Stuntman. That engine is the most capable 3D engine I've seen on the GBA and probably would be a good test for this adapter.
    Last edited by Leo_A; 11-24-2013 at 03:07 AM.

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    Any Classic NES/Famicom Mini game (antipiracy)
    Any "Kunio-kun Collection" (3 volumes) or "Hudson Best Collection" (6 volumes) game. A test of the non-Nintendo NES emulator.
    Any "Game Boy Advance Video" (a series of video-only cartridges, the precursor to kiddie-TV smartphone apps, contained anti-GBP code)
    WarioWare: Twisted or Yoshi's Topsy-Turvy (gyro-sensor games)
    There's a Top Gun game (I can't remember which of the two) that deliberately tries to screw with emulators. (emus would look for certain text strings in the ROM to determine what type of save memory a game uses. This game deliberately declares all the types it DOESN'T use, and of course goes antipiracy if any of them are detected successful.)

    I haven't played WWT, but if you haven't played Yoshi, it's pretty difficult to explain. It's a platformer but the gimmick was that when you rotate the cart, inside the attached console with the attached screen, it shifts the direction of gravity. Ideally regardless of which way the screen is turned (within the sensor's range), gravity would be towards the real-world ground. Also why the game had a start menu where you choose which console you are using: original GBA (cart is inserted upright) or SP/DS (cart is inserted upside-down) So, you got a floor and wall at a 90 degree angle _____|. You turn the console 45 degrees, and now it functions as a hill \/. Pretty disorienting even on the original hardware (where most of the screen doesn't change but sprites like Yoshi do). Don't know about you guys but I rarely hold my portables perfectly level when playing so my eyes are used to compensating for that, like ground is relative to the bottom of the console, but then this game comes and says no, ground in the game is relative to the real ground.

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    How would the price of the Gameboy Player for the Gamecube compare to the price to this?

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    Quote Originally Posted by Satoshi_Matrix View Post
    Retro-Bit heavily markets there line of Super Famiclones such as the RetroDuo and RetroDuo Portable. To them, something like this is an accessory to buy in addition to your RetroBit SNES clone. Indeed, this product was announced alongside their upcoming Super Retro Trio Genesis/SNES/NES clone.



    I share your concerns, and agree with you that playing GBA games is a chore on the DS Phat or DS Lite, as both have tiny face buttons.

    But when using either an SNES or Super Famicom controller, the B and A configuration isn't as bad as you think. I've put several hours into testing the Super Retro Advance with everything form action platformers to racers and fighting games. Everything is quick and responsive with the B and A configuration. Before you declare it a "deal breaker", perhaps try playing games on an easily obtainable cheap Super GameBoy. The default control scheme for that is also the B and A setup. You may just find that you're transferring your distaste for the DS setup to the SNES unfairly.
    For me it's just that when playing games that require you to hold down a run button i.e. Mario and Donkey Kong, the B, A placement on SNES is just too awkward to do that with. You have to angle your thumb way up in the opposite direction. The NES dogbone controller was pushing it but still not too bad, but SNES is way at an angle.
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    Quote Originally Posted by treismac View Post
    How would the price of the Gameboy Player for the Gamecube compare to the price to this?
    They go for like 30-40 bucks, making this completely pointless. Why play gba on some cheesy aftermarket player when there's an excellent OEM option? They shoulda spent their time on something unique instead of this.

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    Key (Level 9) Satoshi_Matrix's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by treismac View Post
    How would the price of the Gameboy Player for the Gamecube compare to the price to this?
    Typically for between $30-60. I've seen them sell recently for wild ranges. There are cheaper ones on ebay, but many without the boot disc. A GameBoy Player without the boot disc is little more than a paper weight, and finding boot discs by themselves is a near impossible task.

    Quote Originally Posted by Rickstilwell1 View Post
    For me it's just that when playing games that require you to hold down a run button i.e. Mario and Donkey Kong, the B, A placement on SNES is just too awkward to do that with. You have to angle your thumb way up in the opposite direction. The NES dogbone controller was pushing it but still not too bad, but SNES is way at an angle.
    I honestly don't think its a problem, but if you're the kind of person to complain about the excellent NES-101 'dogbone' controller, then I suppose an OEM controller will not satisfy you. You may want to consider alternative Japanese controllers that would solve the problem.


    The first is the Super GameBoy Commander, a controller designed with the SNES B and A buttons in mind as the primary buttons. This creates a problem of playing some games that require the shoulder triggers as they are moved to the face, but I think it's a great solution.


    The other alternative I can think of is the Hori Fighting Commander, which uses a six button Genesis style layout. Again, the triggers are moved to the face, making some GBA games too awkward to play using this, but it sounds perfect for games like Mario vs Donkey Kong, which you complained about.


    Quote Originally Posted by wiggyx View Post
    They go for like 30-40 bucks, making this completely pointless. Why play gba on some cheesy aftermarket player when there's an excellent OEM option? They shoulda spent their time on something unique instead of this.
    I like the GameBoy Player. It's the primary reason I keep a GameCube around, since my modded Wii can play all GameCube games from any region. But there's a couple reasons why the GameBoy Player does not make the Super Retro Advance pointless.

    First of all, the video output of the GameBoy Player is quite blurry, using a softening filter that is present even though component video.Using the same games and the same tv, I can tell you the video output of the Super Retro Advance is cleaner, clearer, and the colors more vivid. When I get a chance, I will take side by side comparison screenshots if you'd like.

    Moving on to audio, this is another case where the Super Retro Advance outclasses the GameBoy Player. When compared, the GameBoy Player audio output is much more muffled and softer sounding to the audio output form an actual GameBoy Advance or the Super Retro Advance.

    Although I'm not an audio expert by any means, I was told by ace9921:

    On the GameBoy Advance's CPU, there are two analog audio outputs, one for the left channel, the other for the right.
    But on the GameCube's Parallel port where the GameBoy Player plugs into, there are no analog audio inputs!
    So what's done instead is to pass the audio through an ADC to make it digital, then it gets converted to analog again with the DAC inside the GameCube along with its RIDICULOUS low-pass filtering.
    Analog to digital, and then back to analog.

    Leaving the larger screen filling video output of the SRA vs the windowed GameBoy Player up to presonal preference and not something I'm going to argue for or against, the other big negative the GameBoy Player has is the controller.

    Even with the Hori Digital Controller, the GameCube controller is NOT well suited for GameBoy Advance games, with its massive A and undersized B buttons. The SNES controller is a much more natural fit.


    The one advantage the GB Player has is the ability to play GB and GBC games which the SRA does not, which is unfortunate. However, examining the motherboard, it says the revsion is only 1.0. It is possible GB/GBC support may be added in later.



    Anyhow, I'll be testing games and give a report of a list of games I've tried and the outcomes of each.
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    Key (Level 9) Satoshi_Matrix's Avatar
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    Here is a full report of everything that I have tried with the Super Retro Advance Adapter so far, and the results.


    Activision Anthology - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Advance Wars - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Advance Wars 2 Black Hole Rising - very minor graphic glitch during the capture a city animation. Doesn't affect gameplay.
    Alien Hominid - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Asterix & Obelix XXL - completely glitch free, works 100%
    AstroBoy Omega Factor - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Ballistic - Ecks vs Sever - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Bubble Bobble Old & New - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Capcom Classics Collection Mini Mix - Mighty Final Fight seems to have some slight slowdown. I'm not sure if this is caused by the game or the SRA.
    Castlevania Circle of the Moon - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Castlevania Harmony of Dissidence - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Castlevania Aria of Sorrow - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Classic NES Series Super Mario Bros. - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Classic NES Series Legend of Zelda - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Classic NES Series Zelda II - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Dr. Mario & Panel De Pon - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Drill Dozer - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Doom II - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Donkey Kong Country 2 - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Dragonball Z Legacy of Goku II - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Dragonball Z Buu's Fury - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Famicom Classics Balloon Fight - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Famicom Classics Famicom Detective Club Part II - Graphical issues that case portions of menus to disappear occasionally. The music plays in slow motion.
    Famicom Classics Super Mario Bros. 2 (J) - Top left corner of the scoreboard where it displays MARIO x05 is black. There is noticeable slowdown when there are more than five sprites on screen at once.
    Famicom Classics Zelda II Link no Bouken completely glitch free, works 100%. FDS FM Audio intact, sounds perfect
    Final Fantasy I & II Dawn of Souls - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Final Fantasy IV Advance - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Final Fantasy V Advance - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Final Fantasy VI Advance - completely glitch free, works 100%
    GameBoy Advance Video Vol. 1 Pokemon - works perfectly. Also proclaims "NOT compatible with GameBoy Player". The video quality is pretty low, subpar compared to what the Play-Yan can do, but it does work.
    Golden Sun - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Golden Sun The Lost Age - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Gradius Galaxaies - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Hudson Collections 1-6 - All games work but the sound is really awful. Confirmed that the sound is awful on a real GBA too, so this has nothing to do with the adapter. Princess Tomato in Salad Kingdom text hard to read, as it is a bit blurry for some reason, much like Phantasy Stat 1 on the Phantasy Star Collection.
    Ice Nine - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Iridion 3D - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Iridion II - On real cart, completely glitch free, works 100% on M3 Perfect, it crashes during boss battles
    Kunio-Kun Collection Vol 1-3 [Famicom games] - all work, but Super Dodgeball has sprite flickering and slowdown. Not sure if this is the adapter's fault as this was the case in the original game.
    Kirby - Nightmare in Dreamland - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Klonoa Empire of Dreams - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Konami Krazy Racers - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Legend of Zelda LTTP & Four Swords - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Legend of Zelda Minish Cap - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Lunar Legend - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Mario Kart Advance - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Mario Vs Donkey Kong - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Megaman & Bass - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Megaman Battle Network - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Megaman Battle Network 2 - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Megaman Battle Network 3 - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Megaman Battle Network 4 - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Megaman Battle Network 5 - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Megaman Battle Network 6 - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Megaman Zero - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Megaman Zero 2 - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Megaman Zero 3 - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Megaman Zero 4 - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Metal Slug Advance - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Metroid Fusion - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Metroid Zero Mission - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Mother 3 - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Need for Speed Most Wanted - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Ninja Five-O - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Pac-Man Collection - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Play-Yan Micro - Does not work at all.
    Phantasy Star Collection - everything works, but Phantasy Stat 1 SMS is blurry for some reason.
    Pocky & Rocky with Becky - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Pokemon Ruby - The sound effect when you bang into something is muffled. Otherwise, completely glitch free, works 100%
    Pokemon Emerald The sound effect when you bang into something is muffled. Otherwise, completely glitch free, works 100%
    Pokemon Fire Red - The sound effect when you bang into something is muffled. Otherwise, completely glitch free, works 100%
    Riviera - the Promised Land - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Sonic Advance - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Sonic Advance 2 - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Sonic Advance 3 - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Star Wars Flight of the Falcon - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Super Mario Advance: Super Mario Bros. 2 - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Super Mario Advance 2: Super Mario World - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Super Mario Advance 3: Yoshi's Island - Transition fade out effects do not display properly when going down a warp pipe or selecting a stage. does not affect gameplay in any way.
    Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 - completely glitch free, works 100%
    Tales of Phantasia - completely glitch free, works 100%
    WarioWare - completely glitch free, works 100%
    WarioWare Twisted - completely glitch free, works 100%. Gryoscope functions properly


    I'll be happy to amend this list with additional games. Just tell me what you'd like to know if it works and if there's any problems.
    check out my classic gaming review site: http://satoshimatrix.wordpress.com/

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    Quote Originally Posted by Satoshi_Matrix View Post
    Typically for between $30-60. I've seen them sell recently for wild ranges. There are cheaper ones on ebay, but many without the boot disc. A GameBoy Player without the boot disc is little more than a paper weight, and finding boot discs by themselves is a near impossible task.



    I honestly don't think its a problem, but if you're the kind of person to complain about the excellent NES-101 'dogbone' controller, then I suppose an OEM controller will not satisfy you. You may want to consider alternative Japanese controllers that would solve the problem.


    The first is the Super GameBoy Commander, a controller designed with the SNES B and A buttons in mind as the primary buttons. This creates a problem of playing some games that require the shoulder triggers as they are moved to the face, but I think it's a great solution.


    The other alternative I can think of is the Hori Fighting Commander, which uses a six button Genesis style layout. Again, the triggers are moved to the face, making some GBA games too awkward to play using this, but it sounds perfect for games like Mario vs Donkey Kong, which you complained about.




    I like the GameBoy Player. It's the primary reason I keep a GameCube around, since my modded Wii can play all GameCube games from any region. But there's a couple reasons why the GameBoy Player does not make the Super Retro Advance pointless.

    First of all, the video output of the GameBoy Player is quite blurry, using a softening filter that is present even though component video.Using the same games and the same tv, I can tell you the video output of the Super Retro Advance is cleaner, clearer, and the colors more vivid. When I get a chance, I will take side by side comparison screenshots if you'd like.

    Moving on to audio, this is another case where the Super Retro Advance outclasses the GameBoy Player. When compared, the GameBoy Player audio output is much more muffled and softer sounding to the audio output form an actual GameBoy Advance or the Super Retro Advance.

    Although I'm not an audio expert by any means, I was told by ace9921:

    On the GameBoy Advance's CPU, there are two analog audio outputs, one for the left channel, the other for the right.
    But on the GameCube's Parallel port where the GameBoy Player plugs into, there are no analog audio inputs!
    So what's done instead is to pass the audio through an ADC to make it digital, then it gets converted to analog again with the DAC inside the GameCube along with its RIDICULOUS low-pass filtering.
    Analog to digital, and then back to analog.

    Leaving the larger screen filling video output of the SRA vs the windowed GameBoy Player up to presonal preference and not something I'm going to argue for or against, the other big negative the GameBoy Player has is the controller.

    Even with the Hori Digital Controller, the GameCube controller is NOT well suited for GameBoy Advance games, with its massive A and undersized B buttons. The SNES controller is a much more natural fit.


    The one advantage the GB Player has is the ability to play GB and GBC games which the SRA does not, which is unfortunate. However, examining the motherboard, it says the revsion is only 1.0. It is possible GB/GBC support may be added in later.



    Anyhow, I'll be testing games and give a report of a list of games I've tried and the outcomes of each.

    Your own thread, no less

    http://www.digitpress.com/forum/show...r-video-review


    Definitely interested in a side-by-side. Looking forward to it

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