Talk:Game Boy Advance

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Contents

[edit] GBA specs.

I might put out my photos of it. Damian Yerrick summarized old talk:

Game Boy products contain a "integral 8 bit CISC CPU for compatibility," namely the same Sharp Z80-like CPU (not an official Zilog design) used in the Game Boy Color. It runs at 4 MHz when playing GB titles and 8 MHz when playing GBC titles. GBA does not contain a 6502 processor (as somebody changed); Z80 instructions are completely incompatible with MOS Technologies 6502 instructions. Z80 and 6502 are not members of the same family; their instruction sets and timings aren't even close. We're not sure whether the ARM7TDMI and the GBZ80 are on the same die.

Just for reference, the 6502 processor (with BCD mode removed) was used in NES; the Super NES used a WDC 65C816. However, the existence of the PocketNES emulator for GBA proves that NES emulation (and thus 6502 emulation) on ARM is far from impossible. --Damian Yerrick

[edit] Games

ok i added a small section about games - thought it was kind of important.

I'm hoping someone will pick this one up and run with it. I may have been too negative, feel free to address the balance.

List of standout games is subjective of course and could change. These were sort of off the top of my head.

--Tomheaton 13:59, 13 Sep 2004 (UTC)

I thought Advance Wars was just a port of the old BS Super Famicom Wars game. That wouldn't constitute an "original" game, would it?

  • No its an original game not a port. Jedi6 03:54, 8 February 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Picture?

Is there an explanation for how/why the Gameboy Advance in the picture is displaying a Wikipedia logo? I'm sure many visitors to the article are curious about this... --LostLeviathan 01:01, 24 Oct 2004 (UTC)

Don't think it would be a useful part of the article. It could be photoshopped but more likely someone wrote a quick program to put the logo onto the screen.--Tomheaton 10:27, 24 Oct 2004 (UTC)
I doubt it: which is going to be easier, hacking a program to "bootstrap" the GBA, and transfer and display an image on the screen (possible, I guess, given the existence of the serial connector, but still requiring quite complex hard- and software hacking); or superimposing a transparent-backed image of the logo onto a digital photo of a switched-off GBA. I'd be willing to bet it's just image manipulation; still, looks like the image's creator is still around, and he is a CS graduate, so maybe he'll come and make me eat my words! ;) - IMSoP 00:14, 28 Nov 2004 (UTC)
It's easy if you know how! And plenty of people have the hardware to do it.--Tomheaton 17:17, 28 Nov 2004 (UTC)
I didn't falsify anything. --Damian Yerrick 06:20, 28 Nov 2004 (UTC)
Bah! Well, I'll be...! ;) [Now, if only I could do that with my Game Gear...] - IMSoP 14:56, 28 Nov 2004 (UTC)
Someone should do something similar on the PSP, but for real. Using the Wipeout Pure browser hack, one could actually visit the Wikipedia via the PSP. Armaced 23:43, 17 May 2005 (UTC)

[edit] DS

The Nintendo DS isn't part of the Game Boy line, though it does play Game Boy Advance games—in a separate port.—Boarder8925 00:48, 13 Nov 2004 (UTC)

[edit] Wikipedia Logo

How did they get the Wikipedia logo on the GBA. Wikipedia on GBA? If there is I wanna get that.

See above, and Image talk:Gba.jpg. - IMSoP 00:14, 28 Nov 2004 (UTC)
You know, it's a cute picture and all, but it'd probably be more useful to have a photo with a more typical screen image, like perhaps the Nintendo logo. Pimlottc 15:16, 12 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Added stuff...

I added an 'Other Hardware' section and a section named 'The Future?' detailing what details there are about the Game Boy Evolution.

[edit] GameBoy Video

The article claims that the Video cartridges were released on June 24th, 2004. This is not true. On June 6th, 2004 I owned two of them. By June 10th ones other than the ones originally released were coming out. Maybe it was supposed to be May 24th? Steveo2

[edit] Needs re-write

The hardware section is extremely technical and needs to be supplemented with a high-level hardware description. Maybe just split the current section into sub-sections so that people would know when they hit the really technical part.

Just added some subsections, but parts of the article remain almost incoherent. Anetode 06:52, 13 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Can GBA play GBC or GB games?

A friend wants to know, can the Gameboy Advance play old Gameboy Color or Gameboy games?

Yes. - A Link to the Past (talk) 21:06, August 26, 2005 (UTC)
I think it would be a good idea if someone added information about what cartridges it accepts, and how it can play GB/GBC games. I myself am just interested how, and in what ways, Nintendo has supported backwards compatibility .--Bazarnz 07:18, 19 September 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Play-Yan confirmation?

I am curious about the following line:

"The Play-Yan is currently available in Japan only, but an American release has been confirmed."

Can anyone provide a reference to NoA 'confirming' the Play-Yan for North American release? I cannot find anything (and believe me - I have been looking!)

[edit] GBA/SP/Micro Merge

  • Oppose---the article is already at the limit and there is enough info. to have separate articles. Jedi6 03:54, 8 February 2006 (UTC)
  • Strong Oppose---the GBA article is long enough, and the SP deserves it's own page due to it's continuing significant impact compared to the now long defunct original model. Tphi 02:54, 9 February 2006 (UTC)
  • Oppose, merging would be ridiculous. K1Bond007 07:13, 10 February 2006 (UTC)
  • Oppose No purpose for it. --Link25 04:52, 11 February 2006 (UTC)

I've removed the merge tags as everyone seems in agreement and they've already been taken off the SP/Micro pages by someone else. Tphi 13:47, 11 February 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Dimensions?

Shouldn't there be some mention of the size of the GBA/SP/Micro on their respective pages?

[edit] -> Connectivity

To link GBA games, a GBA link cable is required. To link regular GB or GB Color games, the older GB link cable is required, even if two GBAs are being used.

Should it be mentioned that the older GB/Universal Link Cable isn't actually required and that you can use two GBA Link Cables looped together for GB/GBC Multiplayer Games? If so, I'm not certian how to phrase that... TheUncleBob 11:25, 23 April 2006 (UTC)

[edit] -> Game Boy micro Image?

Anyone know why the crisp, clean image of the Game Boy micro (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:GameBoyMicro.jpg) was replaced with this rather ugly image of the GBm (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Gameboy-micro.jpg)? If no one objects, I'd perfer to go back to the older (i.e.: nicer) image... TheUncleBob 14:22, 4 May 2006 (UTC)

Because Wikipedia Fair use policy states that Fair use images can only be used if there are no free alternatives. Image:GameBoyMicro.jpg is released with a Fair use license, while Image:Gameboy-micro.jpg is released under a free license. You cannot use a Fair use image if there is a free alternative (policy, first point). -- ReyBrujo 16:31, 4 May 2006 (UTC)
Yip, the one policy that sometimes hampers Wikipedia. I mean, look at all the actors we can't have pictures of because there might be crappy free alternatives. That said, in this particular case, you can probably upload a pretty good alternative, and unlike "unfree" photos, you can digitally manipulate them to make them look better. I'll take a look at doing that, if it still looks crappy. -- trlkly 13:06, 1 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] removed duplicate dimensions

The article has two sections that discusses the dimensions. I see no purpose for the second section. Someone can move the current section.

Length: 144.5 mm

Width: 24.5 mm

Height: 82 mm

Weight: 140 grams —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Starionwolf (talk • contribs) .

[edit] Left and Right shoulder buttons?

Could somebody add to the article that the L and R shoulder buttons across the top of the GBA (original) are gone. Some games used them but cannot because the GBA-SP and Micro no longer have shoulder buttons. --x1987x(talk) 21:30, 12 June 2006 (UTC)

This is just nonsense. All GBA modells and both DS modells have shoulder buttons. --19:24, 10 August 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Need battery life stats

There's no mention of what kind or how many batteries the original GBA needed, nor how long it lasted. I'm curious myself, so can someone tell me. 71.0.96.218 04:55, 18 June 2006 (UTC)

  • The original GBA needs two AA batteries. --62.214.238.107 19:30, 10 August 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Graphic Specs

Resolutions? Colours? Max Colours on screen at one time? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 85.138.0.158 (talk • contribs) .

Resolution is in there. it would be nice if this had a specs chart like most consoles instead of working it into paragraphs. Ace of Sevens 01:27, 9 July 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Project: Atlantis

The codename "Project: Atlantis" actually referred to the Game Boy Colour, not the GBA. I'm not sure what the codename for the GBA was.

I'm sure Project Atlantis was, in fact, the Game Boy Advance. I never heard the term until Game Boy Color had been out a while, and a quick Google search found several sources all say Project Atlantis was Game Boy Advance. N-sider is probably the best one.[1] Do yo have any sources? Ace of Sevens 02:51, 14 July 2006 (UTC)

I don't still have them, but I can tell you that Australian gaming magazines were referring to the Game Boy Color as Project: Atlantis from (at least) December 1996 until it was officially named. Both Hyper and Nintendo Magazine System (an officially Nintendo-endorsed publication) referred to the GBC as the Atlantis.

Here's a scan from Next Generation from before the Game Boy Color came out. Some of the specs are wrong, but Project Atlantis is clearly Game Boy Advance, not Game boy Color. [2] Ace of Sevens 01:06, 18 July 2006 (UTC)

I think I remeber an article in the german TOTAL! magazine which stated Project: Atlantis as a proposed sucessor of the original Game Boy (and which shouldn't be compatible with older games), which has however scrapped in favor of the GBC. Maybe the project name was reused later, but it must have already been in use as of 1999. 87.193.5.102 18:28, 19 August 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Emulation

Is it worth noting that the first emulators for this system were out before the system itself? Genocidal 19:46, 17 July 2006 (UTC)

I'd think so, if you can find a reliable source. -- trlkly 13:08, 1 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] GBA compatible with most or all GB/GBC games?

"The Game Boy Advance is backward compatible with most games previously released for the Game Boy or the Game Boy Color," Anyone know if there really are one or more GB/GBC games that don't work on the GBA or GBA SP? wubb 14:25, 20 July 2006 (UTC)

According to a GameFAQS article (not the best source, I know), all games work. A few have sound problems, but those were never released in the U.S. [3] Ace of Sevens 15:10, 20 July 2006 (UTC)
Kirby's Tilt and Tumble doesn't work, I think. Tarzan also has sound problems (it was released in USA) --I Am Magnustalk 02:32, 6 January 2007 (UTC)
Kirby's Tilt and Tumble works, it's just hard to play on the SP because the controls are reversed (due to the upside-downness of the cartridge). EllipsesBent 02:16, 7 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Future plans for successors?

Since the Nintendo DS is NOT supposed to be the successor directly, but a third line, what is Nintendo's plans for the future about the GBA and teh Game Boy line? How long is the estimated lifespan Nintendo will give it, and what is the plan when the GBA will get it's last game?

[edit] Sound hardware

Could someone with the knowledge comment on the GBA's sound hardware? Something about 2 PWM DACs, I understand the ARM handles some of it in software. Apparently there's some hardware support in the BIOS for MIDI instruments. Some clarification would be nice.

[edit] Pokemon Titles under Games

Surely we only need one? Same for Metroid. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 130.95.106.154 (talk • contribs) .

[edit] vandalism

specifically the image on the top right, "the wii was named after this" get rid of this crap —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 220.253.115.61 (talk) 16:58, 10 December 2006 (UTC).

[edit] Back light, Afterburner and "hidden" brightness control

It is perhaps worth mentioning the controversial lack of back light in the original GBA, as well as the unofficial Afterburner modification that supplies one. Also, there is a way to tinker with the hardware to adjust the screen's brightness, although it is not a real fix, but a risky workaround that can do more damage than good, according to this article. Kelvingreen 23:56, 26 December 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Competitors

Can anyone explain just how Sega's Nomad competes with the Game Boy Advance, with a release date difference of 5 years? I hesitate to take out the reference since there may be some truth to it. crazyviolinist 04:05, 27 December 2006 (UTC)

I also found this odd. Maybe the Nokia N-Gage should get a mention here instead. Rob Enduro 03:54, 27 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] About.com

I removed about.com links from various gameboy related pages where they were not relevant. I don't think it belongs on this page either as it does not directly contain info on the gba. it seems like an advertisement but i think it deserves a discussion as it somewhat applies to the article. 24.15.91.80 02:30, 1 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Hold the phone..

What's the article saying that it could display 15/16 values of RBG, I thought the GBA was a 32-bit console? o_O 88.107.55.251 10:55, 24 March 2007 (UTC)

When people talk about computers+consoles being N-bit, this normally refers to the word-size of the CPU- hence the GBA is 32-bit because it has an ARM CPU which is 32-bit. The colour-depth of the graphics is independant of this. EG, though there have been "64-bit" consoles and computers for quite some time now, there are no(well, not that I know of) displays with 64-bit colour. (I presume BTW you meant "15/16-bit RGB", not "15/16 colours" by that- the latter would be rather odd even though strictly possible- even the GBC had more colours than that!) --195.92.168.164 12:53, 26 March 2007 (UTC)

[edit] GBA video carts =

I've rewritten the section on GBA video carts. It made reference to the fact that you can now pick the carts up for $4.99, which I think is unnecessary. The phrasing of "First released in North America in May 2004, they were US$19.99 at the time of release ... they have since decreased in popularity and can be seen being sold for as low as US$4.99." implies that people have got bored of them and so the price has dropped, when in reality the price drop must also be attributed to other factors such as the DS being launched, MP4 players gaining popularity, etc. The globetrotter 20:57, 19 April 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Datel!?

The "unofficial accessories" section stated that InterAct Accessories changed its name to Datel. This is false. Datel is a different company based in the United Kingdom that makes the Action Replay. Fixed.

[edit] Piracy

I came to wikipedia looking for information on how to see if a GBA cartridge is original or not. There are many (authentic looking) asian bootlegs floating about finding there way onto e-bay and second hand stores where they are (sometimes unwittingly) passed off as the real thing.

I got the following from an e-bay sellers page ():

I am tired of sellers offering fake Game Boy games on ebay, other internet sites, and flea markets. I do my best to report them. These fake games are normally made in Asia and the internal battery (which saves your game data) often last just a few weeks. You will also notice you may have to force the cartridge into your system. The size of the cartridges and prongs are not exact and can damage your systems connectors, ruining your system. Avoid listings that do not show you a photo of the actual cartridge or listings where the seller is registered in Hong Kong or an unfamiliar country. Often these fake games do not even attempt to match the official Nintendo released label, a sure give away. Some of the fake labels look pretty close to the original but here are a few ways to tell.... ALL AUTHENTIC GAME BOY CARTRIDGES HAVE AN INDENTED LOT NUMBER ON THE LABEL. Hold any Game Boy cartridge at an angle under a light, you will see the lot number, it is usually on the right hand side of the label. It will be a number like 22, 47 or something similiar, it is not hard to see. Also, on the Advance cartridges, if you look just above the metal prongs at an angle under a good light, you will see NINTENDO stamped just above the metal prongs. The fake games do not have either feature. One more note, a few of these fake games can be found at used video game stores like EB Games, Electronic Boutique, Game Stop, & Game Crazy. Usually this happens when someone trades in their games and the clerk is not paying attention or simply could care less, so be careful.

This made me qurious: can anyone confirm that GBA carts use batteries for the save games? Was that before the time of flash mememory? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 146.232.75.208 (talk) 12:08, August 30, 2007 (UTC) --Anonymous 21:27, 11 June 2007 (UTC)

As far as I know, Nintendo didn't move away from battery-backed until the DS. That said, there's an easy way to check. Can you save in the game, shut it off, and come back to it? If the game requires a battery, this will be impossible. Unfortunately, that would qualify as original research on your part, and thus wouldn't be useful in the article. As always, that is unless you can find a reliable source to back either of us up. -- trlkly 13:14, 1 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] End of the run?

Is there any information on when will the GBA run end? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.81.220.132 (talk) 15:01, 1 September 2007 (UTC)

Is the Game Boy still an active product? Nintendo.com only lists DS and Wii. I can't find any new GBA game release information on IGN. Is it officially, non-officially dead? --70.167.58.6 (talk) 03:31, 10 March 2008 (UTC)
Well, it's far from conclusive, but Nintendo links the GBA to its section on systems it no longer makes. Check out http://www.nintendo.com/channel/gba . -- trlkly 13:27, 1 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Link it Up! Game Play

Would anyone be interested in compiling a list of GBA titles that feature the Link it Up! mode of game play where multiple players can use one game pak? TheUncleBob (talk) 03:13, 20 April 2008 (UTC)