Josh’s Diary of a Retro Gamer – Gameboy Advance SP
Just recently, I inherited an original Gameboy Advance SP from my little brother. He had used it as a child and like many children, didn’t treat it gently. It still worked when it got to me but it was beat up and had a terrible battery life. Yet, I enjoyed the light weight, sleek feel of the system and its ability to fold up, making it easy slip into my pocket. This also gave the added bonus of protecting the screen from damage, the only thing that kept his SP working. My favorite part was the front lit screen that allowed you to be able to see at night. For gamers who owned the Gameboy Color, they knew what it was like to have the tiny LED light that plugged into the side of the device, slowly draining the battery. With all of these new features in mind, I decided to buy myself one in mint condition to solve my issues with the dying battery.
When I searched online to find another copy the results were incredible to me. Within two years the Gameboy SP had been upgraded to the far superior AGS 101 which introduced the back lit screen, completely revolutionizing the system. What this meant to the gamer was that unlike a front lit screen which looked like a built in version of the classic mini LED, it appeared as if it was on a television or computer screen. The difference was startling and I couldn’t believe they had jumped so far into the future of gaming in just two years. I knew I had to pick one up.
When I turned it on for the first time and saw the screen with my own eyes, I was overjoyed that it lived up to all of the hype. It felt like I was holding a modern system though it was made in 2005. After a few incredible hours of playing Pokemon, I knew I had made the right choice. Now, as I sit here in quarantine watching the days drag by, I feel more and more grateful for my purchase.