The Game Boy Advance SP (SP stands for "Special") is a 32-bit handheld game console made by Nintendo. It was released in Japan on February 14, 2003, and in other countries in March of the same year. The SP is an improved version of the Game Boy Advance, featuring a smaller, hinged design that folds shut.

The SP was the first Game Boy device to include a rechargeable battery. It was also the first widely sold model with a built-in screen light. Early versions had front lighting, while later versions used backlighting. This light made it easier to play in dimly lit areas compared to earlier models, which used screens that relied on reflected light. The Game Boy Advance SP was later followed by the Game Boy Micro in 2005.

History

The Game Boy Advance SP was led by Satoru Okada, who directed the creation of the original Game Boy Advance. When Okada first presented the idea of a small, thin Game Boy Advance that used a rechargeable battery to Nintendo leaders, most of their responses were negative. Undeterred, Okada asked one of his engineers to build a prototype that was as small and thin as possible, even if it was not practical to make. This led to the clamshell design of the Game Boy Advance SP. When Okada showed this prototype to the same leaders who had rejected his original idea, they were quickly convinced.

In addition to being smaller and using a rechargeable battery, the Game Boy Advance SP fixed a problem with the original Game Boy Advance: its color display was hard to see in the dark.

The first Game Boy Advance SP had a frontlight that shone on the front of the screen and a reflective surface behind the screen that sent light back through the liquid crystal pixels to the viewer. A later version replaced the frontlight and reflective surface with a backlight that lit up the liquid crystal pixels from behind.

All Game Boy Advance SP models were stopped being sold worldwide by the end of 2010, lasting two years longer than the Game Boy Micro.

Hardware

Nintendo removed the 3.5 mm headphone jack from the SP model, which was included in all earlier Game Boy models. Headphones made for the GBA SP can be purchased, or standard headphones can be used with an optional adapter that connects to the same port as the AC adapter. Because both the AC adapter and headphones use the same port, it is not possible to charge the SP and use headphones at the same time with the Nintendo-brand adapter. However, third-party adapters are available that split into two separate cords: one for the power jack and one for the headphone jack.

Backlit model (AGS-101)

On September 19, 2005 — shortly after the Game Boy Micro was released and about a year after the Nintendo DS launched — Nintendo released an updated Game Boy Advance SP in North America. This new version had a brighter backlit screen instead of the earlier model’s frontlit display.

This was Nintendo’s first handheld system released worldwide with an integrated backlight. However, the Japan-only Game Boy Light had used a special type of backlit display several years earlier.

The AGS-101 version was not officially sold in Japan. The frontlit AGS-001 model remained available until production stopped.

The new model can be identified by these features:

• The box includes a label that says, “Now with a BRIGHTER backlit screen!” to show it is different from older frontlit models.
• The backlit SP has the model number AGS-101, while the original frontlit SP has the model number AGS-001. These numbers are listed on a label at the bottom of the unit.
• A small button at the top center of the console’s lower face is now called the “Brightness Switch” in the manual. It allows users to choose between two brightness levels: “Normal” (Low) and “Bright” (High). This button does not turn the screen off. On the frontlit models, this button only turned the frontlight on or off. Even on the lowest brightness setting, the screen is brighter than the original AGS-001 with the frontlight on.
• When the console is turned off, the backlit model’s screen is completely black, but the frontlit model’s screen remains lighter.

In North America, the backlit version came in three standard colors: “Pearl Blue,” “Pearl Pink,” and “Graphite” (a greyer version of Onyx Black). Two special backlit models were also sold only at Toys “R” Us: a “SpongeBob SquarePants” model and a “Limited Edition Pikachu” model.

In 2006, the AGS-101 backlit model was released in Europe in very limited numbers. The European version was sold in “Surf Blue” and later re-released in “Pink” and “Tribal” editions.

Unlike the North American version, the European box does not have clear text to show the difference between backlit and frontlit models. Only the “Surf Blue” color was unique to the AGS-101. The other colors, “Pink” and “Tribal,” had already been used for frontlit models. Because of this, it can be hard to tell if a European backlit SP is the AGS-101 model. The only other clear way to identify the European backlit model is by the large picture of the Game Boy Advance SP on the front of the box. The European frontlit models of “Pink” and “Tribal” only have small pictures of the Game Boy Advance SP on the sides of the box and feature flower or tattoo patterns on the front.

The AGS-101 Game Boy Advance SP was the last Nintendo handheld to support playing Game Boy and Game Boy Color games in North America and Europe.

Unit colors

The GBA SP was first sold in Platinum Silver and Cobalt Blue. Later, it was also sold in Onyx in Europe and Japan. Additional colors released later included Flame Red, Pearl Pink, Pearl Blue, Graphite, Midnight Blue, Charizard Fire Red, Torchic Orange, Venusaur Leaf Green, Groudon Red, Kyogre Blue, Rayquaza Green, NES classic design, and Pikachu Yellow. A special gold version with a Triforce and the Hyrule Royal Family crest was sold in Europe and included a copy of The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap. In 2003, Toys "R" Us sold a special gold version (without Zelda symbols) in the United States starting on Black Friday of that year, which came with a copy of Super Mario Advance 4.

In Japan, the GBA SP was sold in many standard colors and special packages. In most other regions, it was sold in Platinum Silver and Charcoal Black. Later, a Flame Red version was released. Six special editions were also released: an NES Classics model with the same color as a classic NES controller (and designed to look like an NES console when closed), a SpongeBob SquarePants model, a Pikachu model, and a silver model with a tattoo design, called the 'Tribal Edition.' In other regions, such as Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, additional colors were released, including Pearl Green and Starlight Gold.

Reception

M. Wiley of IGN said the Game Boy Advance SP was a step in the right direction for Nintendo, complimenting the system's new design compared to the original GBA. He noted the inclusion of a backlit screen and a rechargeable battery, though he pointed out that the system did not have a headphone jack. Engadget gave it a global score of 84 out of 100, also complimenting the new features while mentioning the absence of a headphone jack. Lawson Wong of Fresh Gear described the device as "very close to perfect," except for the missing headphone jack. Matthew D. Sarrel of PC Magazine recommended it as an improvement over the original model, praising the backlight, built-in charger, and better visual quality. However, he noted that players with larger hands might find the system's size uncomfortable to use.

Sales

By June 30, 2009, the Game Boy Advance series sold 81.48 million units worldwide, including 43.52 million Game Boy Advance SP units.