GB(C), GBA(SP) History

After years of continued growth and success, with multi-million unit sales each year, Nintendo released the Super Game Boy accessory in 1994 that enabled gamers to play Game Boy games on the Super NES. With Game Boy interest waning, Nintendo tried to renew interest in its handheld. First, in 1995, it introduced the "Play It Loud!" series of colored Game Boy systems. Then in 1996, Nintendo introduced Game Boy Pocket, a smaller version of the original unit. Sales improved but eventually tailed off.

In 1998, however, Game Boy experienced a renaissance in the word's very definition. Starting with the summer introduction of Game Boy Camera and Printer, Nintendo brought new life to interactive entertainment's longest-running system. Finally, in November of 1998, Nintendo released what the world had been asking for years: a Game Boy with a color screen. In addition, Pokémon became the killer application for the next generation of Game Boy players.

*Information courtesy of: Archive 64

The Game Boy Advance (GBA) is a handheld video game console developed, manufactured and marketed by Nintendo. It is one of the latest in the Game Boy series of consoles, and the successor to the popular Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001, in North America on June 11, 2001, and in Europe on June 22, 2001.

The Game Boy Advance SP, released in early 2003, is an upgrade to Nintendo's Game Boy Advance. The "SP" stands for "Special"—not "Special Project" as some believe.

Improvements over the original Game Boy Advance include an internal light, a rechargeable lithium ion battery and a folding case which is approximately half the size of the GBA when closed and similar to Nintendo's Game Boy Color when open. The folding case design also protects the screen. Nintendo removed the headphone jack due to technical limitations, which had previously been implemented on all Game Boy models, but headphones can be used with an adapter that plugs into the same port as the charger/AC adapter.

Nintendo claimed that technological advances meant that it was possible for the SP to include an internal light and a rechargeable battery and launch at the same price as the original had launched at in 2001 ($99.99). An additional motivation may have been a need to respond to Triton Labs' Afterburner aftermarket internal light kit, which proved that the original GBA could support an internal light with an acceptable drop in battery life.

In September 2004, Nintendo announced that the Game Boy Advance SP's price would drop to $79.99 USD.

The GBA SP has been accompanied in the marketplace by the Nintendo DS; Nintendo has described the latter system as a "third pillar" alongside their home console line and the Game Boy.

In 2005, Nintendo released the Game Boy Micro - another version of the Game Boy Advance, only this time it was much smaller - about two times bigger than an iPod mini, but only a third of the weight. It also features the backlit screen and rechargeable battery as well as interchangeable faceplates for customization.

*Information courtesy of: Console Database

The Game Boy and Game Boy Color

*Information courtesy of: Console Database