should i buy a gameboy?

[erinz]

hi! erin here!!

having recently bought my 3ds, i've been thinking about buying a gameboy - specifically a gameboy advance or advance SP - in order to play the older pokémon games.

i like to collect things, and if i had a gameboy i would be able to buy more of the older pokémon games which i have never played!

would it be worth investing, and if so how long should i wait?

i'd like to finish pokémon violet and pokémon sun before i do end up with one, however i also know there's a few games i can pick up for my 3ds, such as pokémon ultra sun and pokémon x and y...

idk what do you guys think?

 

[Alex_Among_Foxes]

I've owned a GBA and a GBA-SP, and while I loved my SP while it was working, I would suggest you find yourself a DS Lite instead. It does the same thing that the SP did, but was a bit easier to hold, and would also let you transfer Pokemon from the Gen 3 Pokemon games to the Gen 4 games if that's of interest to you.

 

[_confused_piplup_]

I bought a GBA sp this Summer. I have never owned one, but I always loved the games, so I felt like i had to buy one.
Listen to Alex's advice about the Nintendo DS Lite, especially if you plan on transferring the Pokemon to the new games.
If you're still interested in the GBA, I advice you not to be fast and use different websites and check for offers, because some GBAs go for crazy prices. I got myself a good deal, but you have to be a bit flexible on some things (in my case, the outer part was a bit scratched but it's not much of a big deal for me, even because i might just buy a new Shell).
The other thing to take into account is the game prices. So, it looks like they are now becoming quite expensive as well, because there are lots of fakes. As far as I know, the problem with fake cartridges is that the battery lasts less or anyway, they're less durable. I also remember reading something about battery problems in the cartridge that could erease data, so you should look into this issue and try to buy one of those items that allow you to extract the save file from the cartridge to keep it safe on your computer.

 

[giradialkia]

I have kept all my Gameboys since childhood, and have bought a couple since hitting adulthood. I found a few YouTube channels for modding consoles and tried it out myself, and became hooked.

I've got:
- 1x GB Pocket
- 2x GB Color
- 1x GBA
- 1x GBA SP
- 1x GBA SP unhinged mod.

I love each of them. Once I hit my late teens I essentially emulated everything, and only used my consoles for newer releases, but there's something wonderful about playing games on the systems for which they were designed.

If you're going to do it, there's no real "good" time to do so. By now they're collector's items, and as such can carry a significant price tag.

I recommend looking at your local marketplaces. I looked on an Irish equivalent of Craigslist (more or less) and snagged some for a better price than eBay was offering (without totally gouging the seller!).

It's also worth remembering that these consoles are fairly basic; until GBA SP we had no backlights - and even then, the standard SP backlight left a lot to be desired, but it's absolutely better than nothing.

Don't break your bank but keep expectations reasonable, and if you're buying online/from abroad, be wary of too-good a deal. There are reproductions/knock-offs, and that'd be hugely disappointing.

 

[Reginald Cosmic]

I've heard terrible things about the GBA (not SP)'s screen via a Sonic Advance review, so if you want to play any sort of action game where you'd need to react quickly to what's happening on screen, definitely go for the SP over the regular GBA. "Is it worth it?" Well, Gen III of Pokemon is by far my favorite of the series. [Looks left and right for the copyright police] <Whispering> Just emulate them.

 

[Lapis_Laz95]

Like what the others said above i think you should go after the DS lite instead the DS lite can do GBA and DS games hopefully last longer and cheaper to buy and find

But be careful looking for GBA games online there are lots of fakes out there. Try the thrift store or yard sales first if you can. Shame Nintendo closed the eShop VC would help with the older games.

 

[Elite Overlord LeSabre™]

I still have my GBA. Fired up Leaf Green recently and was absolutely stunned at how DARK the screen was even under decent indoor light. I don't know if years of backlit displays have re-acclimated my eyes or whether it's a result of age, but I asked myself, "How in the heck did I even SEE this screen when I was younger?"

Two things I have to say about the DS Lite is that the hinges on mine "half broke" so the top lid/screen tends to flop around like a Magikarp and the GBA cart will stick out of the slot like a sore thumb. Original big silver DS seemed to have stronger hinges and the GBA cart fit more nicely into the slot, but the DS Lite will be the newer machine that can still play GBA games. I believe the DS Lite screen is brighter too.

Now, if you're looking to play the original 1st and 2nd gen original Game Boy releases, then the GBA will will be able to play those as well, whereas the DS family will not. Of course, good luck finding original carts that are (a) genuine and (b) still have working save batteries. (3rd gen started the use of flash memory which tends to last much longer.)

 

[Zeostar]

If you invest, the GameBoy SP has much better lighting.

Had multiple of them in our household. Tried the normal gameboy advance and it felt awful because of the screen dimness.

 

[CoolKid575]

Like everyone else, I recommend a DS due to the larger library and guaranteed backlit screen. But an AGS-101 SP (brighter backlit) could also be worth it if you want to play multiplayer; don't bother with the AGS-001 or any other GB models unless you're willing to install a backlight.

 

[Megan]

Afaik some places offer modded Gamboys. Like regular GBAs with backlight and rechargeable batteries. The latter is another thing to keep in mind: the GBA SP is the first one that came with rechargeable batteries. For all the others you need to regularly replace their batteries. They're AA ones, as well.