I’m blasting this grotesque alien boss with my missiles, trying to avoid his
sharp claws and fireball breath, jumping above me to grab onto a ledge to dodge
his attacks before heading back in for the kill. No, I’m not lounging on the
couch playing a next-gen console; I’m in the middle of my commute. And for once
I wish it were longer.
That’s the power of Nintendo’s truly advanced Game Boy Advance SP, which answers the biggest criticism of the Game Boy Advance by adding a front light to the 2.9-inch color LCD. No longer do you have to tilt your pocket arcade to capture the right amount of light above you. Nor do you have to spring for a snap-on accessory just to see the action. You can get your game on wherever you feel like killing time. A button below the screen turns the light off to save on battery power, but we doubt you’ll ever use it.
The SP pleases the senses in other ways. A marvel of miniaturization, this five-ounce Game Boy looks like a laptop that was hit with a shrink ray. The sleek clamshell design protects the screen when you’re not rushing down the sideline in Madden 2003 or spinning at light speed through Sonic Advance 2.
When it comes to ergonomics, the GBA SP shines. The directional pad and the A and B buttons have great feel, as do the left and right shoulder buttons. The latter controls on the back of the device are a little on the small side but they let you execute more advanced moves with ease. During Metroid Fusion, for example, power bombs can be dropped at will by pressing and holding the R button and then pressing the B button.
Around back you’ll find the AC adapter plug to charge the SP’s lithium-ion battery. That’s right, you can’t throw in a new pair of AAs when you’re low on juice, which is a bummer when there’s no outlet to be found. The good news is that this Game Boy goes the distance, lasting up to ten hours. Plus, the collapsible charger is as portable as the ones used for most cell phones.
More frustrating is the SP’s lack of a headphone jack. While the built-in mono speaker provides plenty of volume, if you want to play in public you either have to turn the sound all the way down or hope that the guy sitting next to you on the park bench doesn’t throw your Game Boy in the nearest pond.
Nintendo offers a $4.25 headphone jack accessory (which was on back order as of press time) and, in a shrewd marketing move, a free pair of headphones so long as you subscribe to Nintendo Power for $19.95. We recommend you buy Intec’s $7.95 headphones online.
The other port on the back of the SP will come in handy only if you own a GameCube console. With a Game Boy Advance cable (sold separately) you can unlock new features of certain games, including Rayman 3, Metroid Prime, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, and Splinter Cell. With Splinter Cell, when the SP is connected to your console it displays a map of the action that shows you where the enemies are. You also get sticky bombs added to your arsenal, a weapon that the Xbox and PS2 versions of this title don’t have.
The GameCube functionality is a nice perk, but it all comes down to the games. With more than 300 titles available, including engrossing new hits like Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and Castlevania, plus satisfying button-mashers like the Incredible Hulk, your thumbs will be as happy as your eyes.
-- by Mark Spoonauer
Nintendo Game Boy Advance SP $99
Nintendo
(800) 255-3700
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