Photo: Evan-Amos · Public domain · via Wikimedia Commons
Nintendo Game Boy Advance
Nintendo · Released Mar 2001 · GBA (AGB-001)
The 32-bit Game Boy Advance brought near-SNES-quality 2D gaming to the palm, with a stellar library — held back only by its notoriously dim screen.
Pros
- +Big leap to 32-bit ARM performance
- +Outstanding library of 2D classics
- +Backward compatible with GB and GBC
- +Excellent battery life
Cons
- −Infamously dark, unlit screen
- −Wide ergonomics tire some hands
- −Requires an adapter for headphones
What can it play?
Emulation performance by platform, based on real-world testing.
Full specifications
Hardware
- Chipset (SoC)
- Nintendo AGB (ARM7TDMI)
- CPU
- 32-bit ARM7TDMI @ 16.78 MHz (+ Z80 for GB)
- GPU
- Integrated 2D engine
- RAM
- 32 KB internal + 256 KB external
- Storage
- Cartridge Game Pak ROM
- Weight
- 140 g
- Dimensions
- 82 x 145 x 25 mm
- Cooling
- Passive
Display
- Size
- 2.9″
- Resolution
- 240x160
- Panel
- Reflective TFT (unlit)
- Refresh rate
- 60 Hz
- Touchscreen
- No
Battery & Connectivity
- Battery
- 1000 mAh
- Real-world life
- ~15 hours
- Wi-Fi
- None
- Bluetooth
- None
- Ports
- Link Cable, 3.5mm headphone (adapter)
- Expandable storage
- No
Controls
- Analog sticks
- 0
- D-pad
- Yes
- Face buttons
- Yes
- Analog triggers
- No
- Gyroscope
- No
- Hall effect sticks
- No
Software & custom firmware
Ships with: None (cartridge-booted)
Also plays natively: Game Boy Advance cartridges, Game Boy / Color cartridges
No third-party custom firmware tracked for this device.
Our verdict
The GBA was a massive step up, delivering rich 2D games approaching SNES quality and full backward compatibility with the Game Boy catalogue. Its great battery life and superb software made it a smash hit; its only real flaw was the unlit screen, which Nintendo addressed with the later SP revision. It remains one of the most fondly remembered handhelds ever made.