Game Boy Advance SP or Game Boy Player?

[josekortez]

Is anyone planning to buy either of these when they come out? My vote is for the Game Boy Player, and I might even spring for one of those Hori SNES style controllers.

IMO, the SP is a rip-off. It looks stylish and has the backlight, but I hardly ever go anywhere. Also, Gamestop will allow you to get an SP for only 60 bucks if you're nice enough to trade in your old GBA.

I'd rather play RPGs and fighting games in the comfort of my own home with a screen big enough so I can read the text and with a controller big enough for my hands.

[Six Switch]

What about getting both? :hmm:

[Arcade Antics]

Is anyone planning to buy either of these when they come out? My vote is for the Game Boy Player, and I might even spring for one of those Hori SNES style controllers.

IMO, the SP is a rip-off. It looks stylish and has the backlight, but I hardly ever go anywhere. Also, Gamestop will allow you to get an SP for only 60 bucks if you're nice enough to trade in your old GBA.

How is the SP a rip off? You don't have to buy it from / trade it in at Gamestop. :-D

I'll definitely get the SP, probably both.

[Achika]

I'm going for both. When I'm in the studio and don't have a TV I like to play my GBA, or in my current situation, on the train. The GB Player so I can play while I'm home. Of course, the GBA is nice when I'm out in the summer sun tanning.

I have a question: how exactly is the SP a 'rip-off'. The GB Advanced is about $60 add $25+ for the Afterburner (+ if you pay for a pre-built kit as a fee--Lik-Sang) Oh, and add a few more $ to get something to protect the screen (like the flip does). So there's about $100 right there for the GBA with the same features.

The only other "official" backlit GB is the Japan only Game Boy Pocket Light. But then again, that doesn't play GBC only & GBA games.

[buttasuperb]

I'll stay away from the SP until the price drops to 50-60 bucks. I already have a GBA with afterburner, and that is truly backlit, and looks a lot more comfortable than the SP. The shoulder buttons on the SP don't look to be very well placed or comfortable, so I'd consider the SP a rip off until it goes down to 60 bucks.

Only thing I like about the SP is it's style/colors.

[NE146]

Both.. I can't play the GC one while standing around the clothing section of a dept store for 2-3 hours while the wife shops :roll:

[Mr-E_MaN]

I am planing to get a Gameboy Advance soon but I'll stick to the original. The new one looks like it would hurt my hands the way its shaped.

[Daniel Thomas]

Oh, I'll definitely grab the new Advance SP. To be honest, I just don't like the original GBA design. It looks cheap, plastic, like a novelty toy that was rushed out without much thought. Now the SP...that's what a modern handheld should look like. Very stylish. The kicker, of course, is the lighted screen. I can't believe we had to wait this damn long to play a GameBoy with a light!

The price is a little higher, yes, but it's the same price the original GB sold for way back when. Now the only real problem with GBA is the software. When are we gonna see some new, original games that are any good? This whole SNES shovelware is getting tired.

[Nature Boy]

I already have a GBA, so I'm not going to pick up an SP until it drops in price. I've purchased a set of handles that makes the GBA look like a PS2 controller and it's much easier to hold. If the SP doesn't have anything simillar available I'm not sure I'll play it.

I'm definitely getting a Game Boy Player shortly after release though.

The problem with my GBA is that I usually ignore it until I'm on a trip. With the player maybe I'll be more likely to play games until completion at once instead of it dragging over months and years.

[buttasuperb]

When are we gonna see some new, original games that are any good?

Play Metroid Fusion. Better than almost everything on the consoles.

Also the 2 castlevania games and a third one that will be out later this year.

[jonjandran]

I already have a GBA with afterburner, and that is truly backlit, and looks a lot more comfortable than the SP. .

Actually a Gameboy Advance with an Afterburner is Front lit. The light is in front or on top of the screen. And the SP is front lit too. So technically they're about the same.

[Starcade]

I am going to get an Sp, and not open it, and just keep playing my GBA, and just have the SP for a collectable.

[Achika]

I already have a GBA with afterburner, and that is truly backlit, and looks a lot more comfortable than the SP. .

Actually a Gameboy Advance with an Afterburner is Front lit. The light is in front or on top of the screen. And the SP is front lit too. So technically they're about the same.

If you really want to get technical, the SP is side lit.

[Daniel Thomas]

Play Metroid Fusion. Better than almost everything on the consoles.

Also the 2 castlevania games and a third one that will be out later this year.

Those are some excellent examples. I would also point out Advance Wars, probably the best original title for the GBA.

But, on the other hand, the lion's share of Advance games are simple ports from the SNES. It's great to see Super Mario World and Yoshi's Island and Zelda III, and (goodness knows) I'd kill to see the best Genesis games to come over, but what's left?

Metroid Fusion is good, but am I the only one who's slightly disappointed by the way the game holds you by the hand? The two Castlevania's are great, but these are just reinventions of Symphony of the Night on the PSX. That's okay for now, but I'm getting tired of whipping through yet another damn Metroid castle. I'm not interested in playing the same games over and over; I want to see something new.

Maybe that's one of the Lynx's hidden blessings. Had it been more successful, and had Atari actually supported it better, there'd be three or four versions of all our favorites, and no matter how much you liked Warbirds or Blue Lightning, paying full price for "Blue Lightning 4" is a waste.

Here's hoping the GBA has some genuine surprises in store in the future.

[stonecutter]

I will probably end up with both soon after release I am sure.

[Mr Mort]

I'll definately pick up both, because I simply want to own one of each, but I'll get the GBA player first, and wait a little while to get the SP. I really never take my GBA out of the house honestly, and I enjoy playing games at home, so the GBA player makes lots of sense to me.

Besides, playing Castlevania, Street Fighter Alpha 3, Metroid Fusion, Final Fight, and Pinball of the Dead on my TV in full screen, in the comfort of my own home, with a WaveBird no less, is a very big deal to me.

[mitmoe]

My wife is buying the SP for me for my 30th birthday(already pre ordered). I just pre ordered the Gameboy Player today from EB.

[IGotTheDot]

Or does not compute. I only understand the word and when it comes to a decision between 2 things.

Must collect all!!!!

[Tritoch]

Game Boy Player, and then later a SP. Not in a big hurry for the latter.

[Dobie]

I just sold my GBA this week, and plunked down the cash I got from it to reserve the SP. Don't plan on getting the player anytime soon.

In the meantime, I guess its Gameboy Color games for me.

[le geek]

It's a toss up, since I don't have a GBA yet and I have a Gamecube.

I'll probably get both, but probably get a GBA SP first.

Cheers,
le geek

[scooterb23]

I'm going to get both. The GB player will be good for me, since the GBA is a little cramped...

The SP just flat out looks cool, so I will buy one of those as well, and I'll give my current GBA to my sister

[zektor]

I probably used my GBA outside of the home once. I really am not the portable gamer I used to be back when the old monochrome gb game out. I do love the GBA games however. I would say the cube add-on is the way to go at least for me. It's like getting a Snes all over again, but with new games! I can't judge how the SP is feel-wise yet, but I can tell you the GBA really cramps up my fingers...especially my thumbs. I really can't play it for more than 30 minutes on most games (especially crash bandicoot)

[jonjandran]

I already have a GBA with afterburner, and that is truly backlit, and looks a lot more comfortable than the SP. .

Actually a Gameboy Advance with an Afterburner is Front lit. The light is in front or on top of the screen. And the SP is front lit too. So technically they're about the same.

If you really want to get technical, the SP is side lit.

Actually it's front lit. You can only light a screen from the front or back. Even if the light is actually located on the side it must illuminate the front or back . This is done various ways. Like the afterburner has the light technically on the side but a piece of glass distributes it over the top. So like I said it doesn't matter where the light is it either is a backlight or a frontlight , and in the case of the SP it's front lit.

[Zaxxon]

Neither. The Nokia N-gage. Color game system with built in cell phone, MP3 player, FM radio, wireless gaming over T-mobile and built in Bluetooth for wireless across the room.