The Game Boy Advance often shortened to GBA) is a 32-bit handheld video game console
developed, manufactured and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the popular Game Boy Color.
It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia on
June 22, 2001, in Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China on June 8,
2004 (excluding Hong Kong).
In 1996, magazines including issues 53 and 54 of Total! and the July 1996 issue of
Game Informer featured reports of a new Game Boy, codenamed Project Atlantis.
Although the expected release date of "early 1997" would make this machine seem to be the
Game Boy Color, it was described as having "a 32-bit RISC processor" and "allowing similar
to SNES standard games-playing to be played in the palm of your hand"—a description that
more closely matches the Game Boy Advance.
This was also the first in the Gameboy system line to have a widescreen picture.
In early 2003, Nintendo upgraded the Game Boy Advance giving it an internal front-light
that can be turned on or off, a rechargeable lithium ion battery, as well as a folding
case approximately half the original size. It was designed to address some common complaints
with the original Game Boy Advance which was criticized for being very uncomfortable.
The Game Boy Advance SP also came with a new and much brighter LCD screen for improved playability.
Around the same time as the release of the Game Boy Micro, Nintendo released a new backlit
version of the SP in North America (commonly referred to as the "GBA SP+"). The switch that
controls the light now toggles between "normal" (which itself is already brighter than the
original Game Boy Advance SP's screen), and "bright," an intense brightness level similar
to an LCD television set.
|
|
Student Login
©
2007 Nasson Institute