Game Boy Advance SP
Encyclopedia
The , released in February 2003, is an upgraded version of Nintendo
's Game Boy Advance
. The "SP" in Game Boy Advance SP stands for Special. The SP was marketed at US$
99.99 at launch. In September 2004, Nintendo lowered the price to US$79.99. The SP is accompanied by the Nintendo DS
(released in November 2004) and the Game Boy Micro
(released in September 2005).
In Japan, it was marketed at ¥
12,500 on February 14, 2003. In Canada, it was marketed at CA$
149.95 on March 22, 2003. In Australia, it was marketed at A$
199.99 on March 28, 2003. In Europe, it was marketed at €
129.99 on March 28, 2003.
The GBA SP is slightly more than half the size of the GBA when closed and roughly the height of Nintendo's Game Boy Color
when open. The clamshell or laptop design protects the screen from scratches and dust, reminiscent of two-screen Game & Watch
units. However, the casing is made from a different material, making it more prone to scratches than previous Game Boy systems. The slot for cartridges has been moved to the front of the system, facing towards the user.
The GBA SP AC adapter comes with the package to recharge its lithium ion battery, something previous Game Boys did not have. The software library and general hardware specifications are identical to those of the Game Boy Advance. This adapter is also compatible with the original version of the DS.
In Japan it was released in a variety of standard colors and special packages. In most other regions it was released in Platinum Silver and Charcoal Black. Later, a Flame Red version was released. Six special editions have also been released: a NES Classics model with the same color scheme as a classic NES controller (and designed to resemble a NES deck
when closed), a SpongeBob SquarePants
model, a Pikachu
model, and a silver model with a tattoo design engraved on it, called the 'Tribal Edition'. In other regions, such as Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, additional colors have been released, such as Pearl Green and Starlight Gold. Additionally, two new special versions have been released in Asia exclusive to that region.
Nintendo was planning to have the SP be 3D-compatible, but the resolution of LCD was too low, resulting in Nintendo scrapping it.
Nintendo removed the headphone jack from the SP, which had been included on all previous Game Boy models. Headphones designed specifically for the GBA SP can be purchased, or standard headphones can be attached with an optional adapter that plugs into the same port as the AC
adapter.
As both AC adapter and headphones use the same port, it is not possible to charge the SP and listen to headphones at the same time with the Nintendo brand adapter. There are, however, third-party solutions, such as an adapter that "splits" into two different cords; The power jack on one side, and a normal headphone jack on the other. Another solution is an adapter that plugs into the charging port and has another charging port along with the headphone jack.
's release, Nintendo released an improved version of the Game Boy Advance SP in North America
, featuring a brighter backlit screen instead of the previous version's frontlit screen.
The new model can be distinguished by the following features:
The North American backlit version comes in three standard colors: "Pearl Blue", "Pearl Pink" and "Graphite" (a grayer version of Onyx Black). There were also two Toys "R" Us exclusive backlit models; a "SpongeBob SquarePants
" model and a "Limited Edition Pikachu
" model.
In 2006, the AGS-101 backlit model also saw a very limited release in Europe
. Few models made it to market, likely due to the release of the Game Boy Advance
-compatible Nintendo DS
one year prior. The Europe
an version was released in "Surf Blue" as well as re-issued "Pink" and "Tribal" editions.
Unlike the North American release, the European box does not feature any prominent text to distinguish the backlit models from the older frontlit models. In addition, only the "Surf Blue" color was unique to the AGS-101, the other two colors "Pink" and "Tribal" had already been released as frontlit models - for these reasons it can be very difficult to identify a European backlit SP. Apart from the AGS-101 model number on the base of the unit, the only other obvious distinguishing feature of the European backlit model is the large picture of the Game Boy Advance SP featured on the front of the box. (The European frontlit models of "Pink" and "Tribal" only feature small pictures of the Game Boy Advance SP on the sides of the box and Flower/Tattoo patterns on the front respectively.)
So far the European AGS-101 model has only been reported in Denmark, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands and Spain so it may not have been released in all European countries.
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
's Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
. The "SP" in Game Boy Advance SP stands for Special. The SP was marketed at US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
99.99 at launch. In September 2004, Nintendo lowered the price to US$79.99. The SP is accompanied by the Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
(released in November 2004) and the Game Boy Micro
Game Boy Micro
is a handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was first released in September 2005 in the market. The system is the last console of the Game Boy line...
(released in September 2005).
In Japan, it was marketed at ¥
Japanese yen
The is the official currency of Japan. It is the third most traded currency in the foreign exchange market after the United States dollar and the euro. It is also widely used as a reserve currency after the U.S. dollar, the euro and the pound sterling...
12,500 on February 14, 2003. In Canada, it was marketed at CA$
Canadian dollar
The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
149.95 on March 22, 2003. In Australia, it was marketed at A$
Australian dollar
The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
199.99 on March 28, 2003. In Europe, it was marketed at €
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
129.99 on March 28, 2003.
Physical
- Size (closed): Approximately 8.4 × 8.2 × 2.44 cm (3.3 × 3.23 × 0.96 inches).
- Weight: 142 grams (approximately 5 ounces)
- ScreenDisplay deviceA display device is an output device for presentation of information in visual or tactile form...
: 2.9 inch Reflective TFT ColorColorColor or colour is the visual perceptual property corresponding in humans to the categories called red, green, blue and others. Color derives from the spectrum of light interacting in the eye with the spectral sensitivities of the light receptors...
LCD. - LightLightLight or visible light is electromagnetic radiation that is visible to the human eye, and is responsible for the sense of sight. Visible light has wavelength in a range from about 380 nanometres to about 740 nm, with a frequency range of about 405 THz to 790 THz...
source: FrontlightFrontlightA frontlight is a means of illuminating a display device, usually a liquid crystal display , which would otherwise be viewed in ambient light. This improves its performance in poor lighting conditions. Frontlights are inferior to backlights and are usually found as an auxiliary feature.An LCD...
integrated LCD. - Power: Rechargeable lithium ion batteryBattery (electricity)An electrical battery is one or more electrochemical cells that convert stored chemical energy into electrical energy. Since the invention of the first battery in 1800 by Alessandro Volta and especially since the technically improved Daniell cell in 1836, batteries have become a common power...
. - Battery life: 10 hours continuous play with light on, 18 hours with light off; needs at most 3 hours recharging.
- Hardware colors: Onyx, Flame, Platinum, Cobalt Blue , Pearl Pink, Pearl Blue, Graphite, Midnight Blue, CharizardPokémonis a media franchise published and owned by the video game company Nintendo and created by Satoshi Tajiri in 1996. Originally released as a pair of interlinkable Game Boy role-playing video games developed by Game Freak, Pokémon has since become the second most successful and lucrative video...
Fire Red, TorchicPokémonis a media franchise published and owned by the video game company Nintendo and created by Satoshi Tajiri in 1996. Originally released as a pair of interlinkable Game Boy role-playing video games developed by Game Freak, Pokémon has since become the second most successful and lucrative video...
Orange, VenusaurPokémonis a media franchise published and owned by the video game company Nintendo and created by Satoshi Tajiri in 1996. Originally released as a pair of interlinkable Game Boy role-playing video games developed by Game Freak, Pokémon has since become the second most successful and lucrative video...
Leaf Green, NESNintendo Entertainment SystemThe Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
classic design, and PikachuPikachuis one of the species of Pokémon creatures from the Pokémon media franchise—a collection of video games, anime, manga, books, trading cards, and other media created by Satoshi Tajiri. As do all Pokémon, Pikachu fight other Pokémon in battles central to the anime, manga, and games of the series...
Yellow. A limited gold edition was available at one point as well. In September 2005, a Surf Blue edition was sold through Best BuyBest BuyBest Buy Co., Inc. is an American specialty retailer of consumer electronics in the United States, accounting for 19% of the market. It also operates in Mexico, Canada & China. The company's subsidiaries include Geek Squad, CinemaNow, Magnolia Audio Video, Pacific Sales, and, in Canada operates...
. A special Pokémon Emerald pack contained a limited edition Green Rayquaza SP and the Emerald game. A limited edition backlit edition exists. There is also an All BlacksAll BlacksThe New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
edition. An Orange and red version was made as a prize for a speed run competition for Metroid Zero Mission. A red SP with a circle with an M in it, modeled after Mario's capMariois a fictional character in his video game series, created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. Serving as Nintendo's mascot and the main protagonist of the series, Mario has appeared in over 200 video games since his creation...
, was also made in a special pack that included the Mario Vs. Donkey Kong game.
The GBA SP is slightly more than half the size of the GBA when closed and roughly the height of Nintendo's Game Boy Color
Game Boy Color
The is Nintendo's successor to the 8-bit Game Boy handheld game console, and was released on October 21, 1998 in Japan, November 19, 1998 in North America, November 23, 1998 in Europe and November 27, 1998 in the United Kingdom. It features a color screen and is slightly thicker and taller than...
when open. The clamshell or laptop design protects the screen from scratches and dust, reminiscent of two-screen Game & Watch
Game & Watch
is a line of handheld electronic games produced by Nintendo from to . Created by game designer Gunpei Yokoi, each Game & Watch features a single game to be played on an LCD screen in addition to a clock and an alarm ....
units. However, the casing is made from a different material, making it more prone to scratches than previous Game Boy systems. The slot for cartridges has been moved to the front of the system, facing towards the user.
The GBA SP AC adapter comes with the package to recharge its lithium ion battery, something previous Game Boys did not have. The software library and general hardware specifications are identical to those of the Game Boy Advance. This adapter is also compatible with the original version of the DS.
In Japan it was released in a variety of standard colors and special packages. In most other regions it was released in Platinum Silver and Charcoal Black. Later, a Flame Red version was released. Six special editions have also been released: a NES Classics model with the same color scheme as a classic NES controller (and designed to resemble a NES deck
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
when closed), a SpongeBob SquarePants
SpongeBob SquarePants
SpongeBob SquarePants is an American animated television series, created by marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg. Much of the series centers on the exploits and adventures of the title character and his various friends in the underwater city of "Bikini Bottom"...
model, a Pikachu
Pikachu
is one of the species of Pokémon creatures from the Pokémon media franchise—a collection of video games, anime, manga, books, trading cards, and other media created by Satoshi Tajiri. As do all Pokémon, Pikachu fight other Pokémon in battles central to the anime, manga, and games of the series...
model, and a silver model with a tattoo design engraved on it, called the 'Tribal Edition'. In other regions, such as Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, additional colors have been released, such as Pearl Green and Starlight Gold. Additionally, two new special versions have been released in Asia exclusive to that region.
Nintendo was planning to have the SP be 3D-compatible, but the resolution of LCD was too low, resulting in Nintendo scrapping it.
Internal
- CPU: 32-bit ARM7TDMIARM7TDMIARM7 is a generation of ARM processor designs. This generation introduced the Thumb 16-bit instruction set providing improved code density compared to previous designs. The most widely used ARM7 designs implement the ARMv4T architecture, but some implement ARMv3 or ARMv5TEJ...
with embedded memory. - Co-processor: 8-bit Zilog Z80
- Memory: 32 kilobyteKilobyteThe kilobyte is a multiple of the unit byte for digital information. Although the prefix kilo- means 1000, the term kilobyte and symbol KB have historically been used to refer to either 1024 bytes or 1000 bytes, dependent upon context, in the fields of computer science and information...
+96 kilobyte VRAM (internal CPU), 256 kilobyte WRAMDynamic random access memoryDynamic random-access memory is a type of random-access memory that stores each bit of data in a separate capacitor within an integrated circuit. The capacitor can be either charged or discharged; these two states are taken to represent the two values of a bit, conventionally called 0 and 1...
(external CPU). - Resolution: 240 × 160 pixels.
- Color: Can display 511 simultaneous colors in character mode and 32,768 simultaneous colors in bitmap mode.
- Software: Fully compatible with Game BoyGame BoyThe , is an 8-bit handheld video game device developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was released in Japan on , in North America in , and in Europe on...
and Game Boy ColorGame Boy ColorThe is Nintendo's successor to the 8-bit Game Boy handheld game console, and was released on October 21, 1998 in Japan, November 19, 1998 in North America, November 23, 1998 in Europe and November 27, 1998 in the United Kingdom. It features a color screen and is slightly thicker and taller than...
games. Game Boy games can be played using the same selectable color palettes as on the Game Boy Color.
Headphone jack
Alternating current
In alternating current the movement of electric charge periodically reverses direction. In direct current , the flow of electric charge is only in one direction....
adapter.
As both AC adapter and headphones use the same port, it is not possible to charge the SP and listen to headphones at the same time with the Nintendo brand adapter. There are, however, third-party solutions, such as an adapter that "splits" into two different cords; The power jack on one side, and a normal headphone jack on the other. Another solution is an adapter that plugs into the charging port and has another charging port along with the headphone jack.
Backlit Model (AGS-101)
In September 2005, around the time of the Game Boy MicroGame Boy Micro
is a handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was first released in September 2005 in the market. The system is the last console of the Game Boy line...
's release, Nintendo released an improved version of the Game Boy Advance SP in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, featuring a brighter backlit screen instead of the previous version's frontlit screen.
The new model can be distinguished by the following features:
- The box states "Now with a BRIGHTER backlit screen!" to distinguish the new model from the older, frontlit models.
- The backlit SP has the Model Number AGS-101 on the label on the bottom of the unit, whereas the original frontlit SP has the Model Number AGS-001
- The switch at the top center of the console's lower face is now referred to in the manual as the "Brightness Switch" and selects between two levels of brightness, "Normal"(Low) and "Bright"(High) with no off setting. On the frontlit models this switch turned the frontlight on or off only. With the backlight set to "Normal"(Low) the brightness still surpasses the original AGS-001 with the frontlight on.
The North American backlit version comes in three standard colors: "Pearl Blue", "Pearl Pink" and "Graphite" (a grayer version of Onyx Black). There were also two Toys "R" Us exclusive backlit models; a "SpongeBob SquarePants
SpongeBob SquarePants
SpongeBob SquarePants is an American animated television series, created by marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg. Much of the series centers on the exploits and adventures of the title character and his various friends in the underwater city of "Bikini Bottom"...
" model and a "Limited Edition Pikachu
Pikachu
is one of the species of Pokémon creatures from the Pokémon media franchise—a collection of video games, anime, manga, books, trading cards, and other media created by Satoshi Tajiri. As do all Pokémon, Pikachu fight other Pokémon in battles central to the anime, manga, and games of the series...
" model.
In 2006, the AGS-101 backlit model also saw a very limited release in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. Few models made it to market, likely due to the release of the Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
-compatible Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
one year prior. The Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an version was released in "Surf Blue" as well as re-issued "Pink" and "Tribal" editions.
Unlike the North American release, the European box does not feature any prominent text to distinguish the backlit models from the older frontlit models. In addition, only the "Surf Blue" color was unique to the AGS-101, the other two colors "Pink" and "Tribal" had already been released as frontlit models - for these reasons it can be very difficult to identify a European backlit SP. Apart from the AGS-101 model number on the base of the unit, the only other obvious distinguishing feature of the European backlit model is the large picture of the Game Boy Advance SP featured on the front of the box. (The European frontlit models of "Pink" and "Tribal" only feature small pictures of the Game Boy Advance SP on the sides of the box and Flower/Tattoo patterns on the front respectively.)
So far the European AGS-101 model has only been reported in Denmark, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands and Spain so it may not have been released in all European countries.
Sales information
As of June 30, 2009, the Game Boy Advance series has sold 81.48 million units worldwide, of which 43.54 million are Game Boy Advance SP units.| Date | Japan | Americas | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-03-31 | 0.82 million | 0.83 million | 0.46 million | 2.11 million |
| 2003-06-30 | 4.84 million | |||
| 2003-09-30 | 2.33 million | 4.32 million | 2.38 million | 9.04 million |
| 2003-12-31 | 3.14 million | 7.82 million | 4.34 million | 15.30 million |
| 2004-03-31 | 3.68 million | 8.78 million | 4.70 million | 17.16 million |
| 2004-06-30 | 19.33 million | |||
| 2004-09-30 | 5.02 million | 12.46 million | 6.21 million | 23.68 million |
| 2004-12-31 | 5.94 million | 16.13 million | 8.67 million | 30.73 million |
| 2005-03-31 | 6.00 million | 16.69 million | 9.10 million | 31.79 million |
| 2005-06-30 | ||||
| 2005-09-30 | 6.16 million | 18.08 million | 10.08 million | 34.32 million |
| 2005-12-31 | 6.35 million | 20.40 million | 10.64 million | 37.40 million |
| 2006-03-31 | 6.42 million | 20.95 million | 10.86 million | 38.23 million |
| 2006-06-30 | 6.46 million | 21.30 million | 11.08 million | 38.84 million |
| 2006-09-30 | 6.48 million | 21.95 million | 11.37 million | 39.79 million |
| 2006-12-31 | 6.50 million | 23.06 million | 11.78 million | 41.33 million |
| 2007-03-31 | 6.50 million | 23.47 million | 11.95 million | 41.92 million |
| 2007-06-30 | 6.50 million | 23.78 million | 12.14 million | 42.43 million |
| 2007-09-30 | 6.51 million | 24.01 million | 12.31 million | 42.82 million |
| 2007-12-31 | 6.51 million | 24.01 million | 12.51 million | 43.02 million |
| 2008-03-31 | 6.51 million | 24.00 million | 12.71 million | 43.23 million |
| 2008-06-30 | 6.51 million | 24.00 million | 12.89 million | 43.41 million |
| 2008-09-30 | 6.51 million | 24.00 million | 12.97 million | 43.49 million |
| 2008-12-31 | 6.51 million | 24.00 million | 13.00 million | 43.52 million |
External links
- Official website
- Game Boy Advance at Nintendo.com (archived versions at the Internet Archive Wayback Machine)
- Comparison of GBA SP 101 vs 001