Game Boy Advance SP

Game Boy Advance SP
ゲームボーイアドバンスSP Gēmu Bōi Adobansu Essu Pī
Technical Details Media Game Boy Advance Game Pak Storage capacity 32 kilobyte+96 kilobyte VRAM (internal CPU), 256 kilobyte DRAM (external CPU) CPU 32-bit 16.78 MHz ARM7TDMI, 8 or 4 MHz Z80 coprocessor Model no. AGS-001 (original) AGS-101 (later release)
Compatibility & Connectivity Connectible with Game Boy Advance, Nintendo GameCube Input D-pad, face buttons, shoulder buttons Backwards compatible with Game Boy, Game Boy Color Forward compatible with Nintendo DS / DS Lite Services provided N/A
Time Launch date NA: March 23, 2003 JP: February 14, 2003 PAL: March 28, 2003 Lifetime 2003-2007 Discontinue date 2007 Units sold Total (WW): 43.57 million NA: 24 million JP: 6.51 million Other: 13.05 million

The Game Boy Advance SP ("special") is the first redesign of the Game Boy Advance, and the fifth system to be released as part of the Game Boy line. The system was released in 2003, and in addition to having a different form factor, there are several changes to the hardware to cut the price.

Features

The Game Boy Advance SP is notable for being a complete redesign of the hardware. Rather than using a similar form factor to the original, the SP instead uses a more condensed "clamshell" design, calling back to the dual-screen Game & Watch units, meaning that the system can be closed to make transporting it easier. The top half is dedicated to the screen, while the bottom half features the buttons and speaker.

The Game Boy Advance SP is the first Nintendo handheld console to use a rechargeable battery rather than requiring separate batteries; it can be charged using an included AC Adapter wall plug (AGS-002). It is also the first Nintendo handheld to make use of built-in screen lighting; the Game Boy Advance SP has a frontlit screen, which can be turned on or off using the top center button on the system (later models would use a backlit screen). The external Game Link Cable port remains on the back of the system, along with an added "Port 2" for the charger, while the Game Pak slot has been added to the bottom of the system.

Games

Main article: Category:Game Boy Advance games

The Game Boy Advance SP uses similar internal hardware to the Game Boy Advance, and as such is compatible with all games released for the system, including backwards compatibility for Game Boy and Game Boy Color games.

Accessories

Main article: Game Boy Advance#Accessories

The Game Boy Advance SP is compatible with most accessories and peripherals released for the Game Boy Advance.

Game Boy Advance SP Headphone Adapter

Main article: Game Boy Advance SP Headphone Adapter

The Game Boy Advance SP Headpohne Adapter is an adapter cable that allows compatibility with any 3.5mm audio jack when using a Game Boy Advance, as the hardware on its own does not have a port. The adapter plugs into Port 2 on the back of the SP, meaning that headphones and the AC Adapter cannot be used at the same time.

Play-Yan

Main article: Play-Yan

Play-Yan is a multimedia cartridge capable of playing audio and video files on a Game Boy Advance SP or Game Boy micro. While compatible with the original Game Boy Advance, it is not recommended due to the cartridge's power requirement.

AGS-101

Released in September 2005 in North America and in 2006 in Europe, the Game Boy Advance SP model no. AGS-101 is an updated re-release of the hardware. The most notable difference between the original model and this version is the inclusion of a backlit screen rather than a frontlit one, similar to that seen on the Game Boy micro and Nintendo DS. In addition, the function of the lighting button has been adjusted to be a "Brightness Switch", which selects between two levels of brightness rather than turning the backlight on or off.

Appearances in games

Game	Year	Appearance(s)
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga	2003	Professor E. Gadd gives Mario and Luigi the Game Boy Horror SP as the final gift he can give them at the Starbeans Café. The Game Boy Horror SP causes enemies to drop a rare item in every fight.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door	2004	Mario has the Mailbox SP, which he uses to receive and read e-mails from other characters.
WarioWare: Touched!	2004	Wario starts the game having stolen a Game Boy Advance and a Game Boy Advance SP, but trips and drops both into a sewer. The Sewer Guru then flies up, asking whether he dropped the two handhelds or a new device, to which Wario responds by trying to take them all. A Game Boy Advance SP is one of the consoles that can appear in the "Pushing Buttons" microgame.

External links

• Game Boy Advance SP on Wikipedia

References

Home consoles Console Famicom • Disk System Model NES-101 M82 Accessories Games VC games FDS games Console Model SNS-101 Nintendo Super System Accessories Games VC games Console iQue Player Accessories Games (by serial code) VC games Console Panasonic Q Accessories Games Console Family Edition • mini Accessories Games Wii Channels WiiWare Virtual Console Console Accessories Games Virtual Console Console Lite OLED model Accessories Games
Handhelds Hardware Games Console Pocket • Light Accessories Games VC games Console Games Console Accessories Games VC games Console SP • Micro Visteon Dockable Entertainment System Accessories Games Console Lite DSi • XL Accessories Games DSiWare Console XL • 2DS New Nintendo 3DS • XL • 2DS XL Accessories Games Virtual Console
Other Standalone consoles Arcade Pokémon Classics Cancelled Color TV-Game 6 • 15 Racing 112 Block Breaker Computer TV-Game Computer Mah-jong Yakuman Nintendo Vs. System Nintendo PlayChoice-10 Nintendo Super System Triforce Games VC games Pokémon Pikachu • 2 GS Pokémon mini Games NES Classic Edition • Nintendo Classic Mini: Famicom Super NES Classic Edition Game Boy Advance predecessor IRIS