Exhibit: Nintendo Game Boy Advance (2001–2010)
Released: March 21, 2001 (Japan) · June 22, 2001 (UK)
Manufacturer: Nintendo
Units Sold: 81.51 million worldwide
Status: The SNES in your pocket
A Generational Leap
The Game Boy Advance arrived in 2001 as a dramatic leap forward from the Game Boy Color. Its 32-bit ARM processor delivered graphics comparable to the Super Nintendo — a remarkable achievement for a handheld. The wide, landscape form factor was new for Nintendo handhelds, and the library that followed was extraordinary.
The GBA SP, released in 2003, addressed the original's most significant flaw — the lack of a backlit screen — with a clamshell design and front-lit display. The SP became the definitive GBA experience.
Iconic Games
- Pokémon Ruby & Sapphire — the third generation, with full colour and new mechanics
- Metroid Fusion — atmospheric, tense, and brilliantly designed
- Golden Sun — the JRPG that showcased the GBA's capabilities
- Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow — the finest Castlevania on the platform
- Fire Emblem — the strategy RPG that introduced the West to the franchise
- Mother 3 — Japan-only, fan-translated, and one of gaming's most emotional experiences
Collector's Corner
The GBA SP is particularly collectible, especially the AGS-101 model with its superior backlit screen. Special editions — the Pokémon Centre editions, the Famicom edition SP — command significant premiums. The original GBA in its various colours is increasingly sought after.
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