10 out of 10 people found this review helpful.
Advanced, but not quite enough.
Date of Review: Jul 3, 2003
The Bottom Line: Great console, must have. But if you hate seeing spots that don't go away (like dust), avoid until a better model comes out.
When I had learned about the GBA SP, I was stoked. I immediately fell in love with it's design and decided I had to get one before everyone else. I decided that because the GBA design does not have a territorial lockout (like other consoles do, which means you can only play games for the region you live in), I would import one.
I chose the black colored Japanese model, because the US was not getting it initially, and eager and impatiently waited for it to arrive. I kept checking the order status, and when I saw it was shipping and soon to arrive I was even happier.
The day it arrived I was in video game nirvana. I was amazed at how small and cube shaped the Japanese box was compared to the rectangular shape of the American units. With shaking and excited hands I pulled it out of the box, yanked the AC adapter out (By The Way - the Japanese model works flawlessly in the States, but you can't get support for it from Nintendo of America) and started charging it. I played my other GBA games on my old Platinum colored GBA, and kept checking to see if the SP had finished charging. As soon as it was done charging, I grabbed it up and plopped a game in post haste.
For the first time, I could enjoy and play my games in the dark without a bulky add-on or bright light source. The first game I had to try was Metroid Fusion. I powered the unit on with childish glee, and looked at the title screen for a second like something was different. I couldn't put my finger on the problem until I went to the next few dark screens when I saw the problem. I had dust under the cover and on the LCD! My heart sunk and I felt a knot in my throat.
I've had PDAs in the past that had reflective displays and all models with reflective screen technology I tried - where there is a front or side light that literally reflects off of the LCD to light it up - had problems with dust. I was worried about this being a problem with the SP, and it looks like some GBA SPs do have dust under the screen.
Now, from what I've learned don't worry if your unit has dust when you get it. Thankfully the LCD area is sealed rather well and the chance of more dust getting in there is highly unlikely. If you have a unit with a ton of dust particles, see if the retailer you bought it from will allow you to exchange it.
Aside from the big glaring problem with dust under the screen, my GBA SP worked flawlessly. Despite the smaller size, it was a lot more comfortable to hold then my old GBA! I have medium sized hands, and with the old GBA they would start cramping after 30 minutes of play. With the SP, I could play for hours before I felt any fatigue in my hands.
Another problem for some, is to listen to sound without disturbing others you need to buy an accessory for your headphones! GAH, Money Hungry Nintendo! Why did you do this to us? Like I mentioned for some this will be a big issue.
Another gripe regarding this same issue is the port the adapter plugs into is the same one used to charge the unit. What this translates to is you cannot listen to music privately while charging and visa versa. A third party company, MadCatz, supposedly has an adapter that has a pass-through that allows you to use headsets and charge at the same time. I beleive it will be in their GBA SP Macro Kit.
Sadly, I did not have my GBA SP for long. I decided to sell it recently when I heard about the flame color coming out, and because mine was one of the few with a lot of dust under the screen.
Bottom line - if you want an ultra-portable gaming system, and don't mind the possible problems with dust, the GBA SP is highly recommended even with it's other flaws and gripes. Right now, I'm trying to hold off and wait for September for the Flame colored (red) one to come out. It's hard to do, because I hate my current bulky GBA setup. I wish it was September already!
UPDATE:
Well, I couldn't wait until September and decided to get the cobalt colored GBA and the MadCatz Macro Kit. Thankfully blue and red go together so my accesories won't clash with each other when I get the flame colored unit.
Like I feared, though, my GBA SP had a single speck of dust under the screen in the lower right-hand area. I decided that if I can tolerate a bit of dust on the screen, one small speck under the screen won't kill me. And for the games that the spot might really annoy me with, there is always my trusty (and bulky) GBA with the Floodlight accessory and rechargeable battery pack/grip.
