What Gameboy to get?

[stuffedmonkey]

I've decided to get a gameboy - that was the easy part. There are a large number of gameboy exclusive games, and it seems to be the only source for new 2d style games I enjoy. So now I have a dilemma - which has only been made worse by the new GB Micro announcement.

I thought I would come here for a recommendation from current owners, since there are probably a dencent number of people here that have had multiple of these systems. Should I:

1) Get a GBA used, since it is "teh cheap"? downside - no backlit screen.

2) Get a new GBA-SP? The new all black one looks very slick. Downside - can't play DS games

3) Hold out for a GBA micro - it looks like it would be the most portable of the lot. Downside - small screen, I hate waiting.

4) Grab a DS. I would then be able to play the new Mario Bros when it comes out... plus a few other DS games. I would still be mainly using it to play GBA games though. Downside - would be the most expensive, a lot of the DS games seem gimmicky, I don't know how great it would be to play on one screen of a two screen machine designed for other games.


So any recommendations from the GBA experts?

[shvnsth]

i would say get a sp now, you could easily find them used around for $50, and get some games with it, althought i think ds's are selling on ebay now for cheap, and a lot of good games are planned for the next year.

so an sp is a sure thing, and a ds is a gamble, take your pick

[jonjandran]

Wait for the Micro.

The DS doesn't play Gb or GBC games. And you say you aren't that interested in DS games anyway.

The unlit GBA stinks without a light, and the GBA Sp light is washed out and ugly compared to the DS backlight.

And the rumour is that the Micro is going to have the best looking Backlit Screen on any Nintendo handheld to date.

[Sam]

I'd say wait and try out a micro next to an SP when it's out and see what you prefer. As mentioned, if you have older games you'll need a gameboy to play them - I'm also waiting for the new Mario Bros game before considering a DS.

Either way you need a backlight, it makes a really huge differance - once you have tried a backlight you can't go back. Well unless you get one of those afterburner kits of they still make those? Or buy a GBA that already has one fitted...

[Jibbajaba]

I say pick up a used SP for $59 at EBGames. When the micro comes out, get rid of the SP and buy it. We arent talking about a lot of money, here.

Chris

[tededfred]

Wait for a mirco. It will have a great screen and a built in headphone jack. Plus I'd rather miss out on a few DS games than all of the GB and GBC library.

[Sam]

Up until this thread I had a horrible feeling I was the only person looking forward to the micro. :P

Probably will hold off a while though as I do have an SP and no DS.

[dan2357]

My Circuit City has the GBASP on sale for $59.99 It was in there memorial day ad.
So you could get a new one for the price of a used one.

[Mattiekrome]

Personally, I have hit the stage in my life where the newest most expensive gaming system just doesnt make sense for me anymore. I just got my GC for christmas (Double Dash platinum pack w/2 controllers) for like $100.00. If I were in your shoes I would definitely go with the SP. Its fairly cheap, its backlit, has a solid foundation of good games, easy to find accessories, etc. Thats what I would do (but than again, I'm not as hardcore as about 75% of the gamers on here) :)

[AlexKidd]

I would get a ds. It has the best backlit screen for game boy games. The screen is bigger than the micro and the system is out now so there's no waiting. As for ds games you may not be too excited about the games out now but there are tons of good games planned for this year(castlevania,metroid,mario kart,animal crossing etc) Also the new blue ds comes out next week. I love the ds but I keep my sp around too to play old school game boy games on it. sp is your best bet if you want to play those.

[Slate]

Get an SP.

I don't own an SP (I still use the original GBA) But i'd get an SP.

Trust me- You don't want to be squinting at a screen that isn't even as big as the Game cart!

[calthaer]

SP is a good choice.

Micro will have some advantages the SP won't; pick and choose here.

DS is not a great choice as you can't do multiplayer (should you want to do this) with GBA games. Get a DS for the DS games, not for its GBA functionality.

[Nz17]

Forget the Micro. The whole goal of the thing is to be Nintendo's take on the iPod Mini. They wanted something small and fashionable. That's why the Micro is so tiny and has skins available for it like cell phones do. The downside to all this is that they removed the hardware necessary to play original and color Game Boy games to get the size down.

Don't get me wrong, I want a Game Boy Micro. It's the lightest, most portable Game Boy yet, and some of those skin designs are really cool. But if you want to play old Game Boy games, this isn't the handheld for you.

If you want something that is easy to see and plays all the Game Boy games, get a GBASP. If you don't care about backlit and want to save money, get a GBA. If you don't care about old games, get a Micro. If you want to play DS games, get a DS.

Or you could just get a DS so you can always have two games loaded at once. :P GBA and DS in one system at one time! @_@

[Videogamerdaryll]

SP all the way....

[tholly]

i know what i would say for myself.....but, based on what you have said, i would probably say "see if you can get an sp from circuit city for the above mentioned $60 sale price on a new one....who wants a used sp (portables are usually used in the bathroom.....)"

[MegaDrive20XX]

I'm waiting on the Mirco as well...so nice..yet I am tempted to get an SP to hold off...

I'd say, if you have a Cube, grab a GB Player

[SuperNES]

i know what i would say for myself.....but, based on what you have said, i would probably say "see if you can get an sp from circuit city for the above mentioned $60 sale price on a new one....who wants a used sp (portables are usually used in the bathroom.....)"

eww gross cooties!!! :P

meh.. the GBA micro seemed cool for a while but i think i'll stick to my GBA sp and it's larger screen instead of paying top dollar so i can squint at a half-inch screen. i see nothing wrong with the current design.

and i don't have a lot of cash to spend in the first place, and also i have other hobbies like upgrading my computer and paintball. i'm gonna be a rebel (not like i have a choice) and not buy a DS or a PSP. ha! :P

[Bluteg]

Get a DS and an old Game Boy Color for old Gameboy/GBC games and a DS for DS and GBA games... thats how they will look the best IMHO.

[zektor]

Walmart has had an awesome deal on an original Gameboy Advance ($30 I believe) for quite some time if you can deal without the backlit screen.

If you are just interested in GBA games, I would say to get a DS for them. The DS's screen just looks so much better for GBA games than the GBA or GBA-SP....and I guess you can consider it a nice side effect that it can also play all of those current and upcoming DS titles! :)

[Julio III]

I'd say get a DS. The screene are excellent, super backlit and for GBA games you can choose to use either screen which is nice. I frequently change which screen i use depending on how i'm sitting. True, you can't play multiplayer GBA games but were you planning to do that anyway? For the DS, you get a lot of new games and loads more coming out (see http://www.digitpress.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=61590 for a big list of games) including many 2D style games which you may enjoy including Mario, Sonic, Castlevania, Metroid etc. As a bonus for portability you get to keep two games in the machine at once! You even get a normal headphone socket.

The downsides are that you can't play any of the original GB or GBC games. However if you really want to play them you might as well pick up a GBC second hand as they are dirt cheap. I don't think the Micro is worth waiting for. Its going to be expensive, the screen is small, you can't play GB/GBC games either and it looks far to small to hold (let alone see properly).

[PDorr3]

If you are looking forward to the DS games by all means get a DS, it has alot better screen quality than a SP, eventhough it is the largest of all the gameboys you can buy.
I am still going to be buying a micro, just because it is extremely portable and cute :)

[Avatard]

GBA. How else can you play Kirby: Tilt and Tumble? The SP sure can't.

I'm not a SP fan. Hurts my hands.

[nate1749]

I'd get an SP now, they are cheap and at first I didn't play mine, but now I can't put it down. It takes a little bit to feel right in your hand though, I wouldn't go w/the black one though - I like the unique japanese only colors - mine's pearl pink =)

Nate

[s1lence]

Get the SP now and get a micro later. Its not an expensive proposition either way.

[Jagasian]

I have bought practically every Gameboy ever released. I am going to get a Micro, as it will be small enough to have in my pocket all the time. I plan on using it with a 2Gb flash cart, so that I don't have to carry around multiple carts either.

[stuffedmonkey]

My Circuit City has the GBASP on sale for $59.99 It was in there memorial day ad.
So you could get a new one for the price of a used one.

Thanks Dan - that was too cheap to pass up! It turns out that price was a typo - and CC will not honor it, but other stores will. So using that ad I was able to go to Compusa and get myself a new Onyx GBA SP for cheap. Thanks to everyone else that responded too! This board is a great resource for recommendations!