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Well, there's always room for beginners in the world of the GBA. The Game Boy Advance is the follow up to the Game Boy Color and the original monochrome Game Boy, and is a hand-held games system made by Nintendo. The games come in the form of cartridges which are plugged into the back of the system, and the machine runs off two AA batteries. Unlike past Game Boy systems from Nintendo, the GBA has a more horizontal design thanks to its wider screen. Here is a selection of pictures of the GBA from all angles, click on one to open up a larger version of that image. The GBA is shipping in three standard colours all over the world. These are Indigo (purple with a bluish tint), Glacier (see-through blue) and Arctic (white). However, there are other models available in other places. You can find out more about this company by reading 32 Ryu's review of their services. Previous Game Boys have been 8-bit, and no handheld has had more than a 16-bit processor before. It is capable of displaying high colour graphics at a resolution of 240x160 pixels, at up to 60 frames per second. It also has much more memory than previous Game Boy systems, and because a portion of this is embedded in the processor, it can transfer data at lightning speeds. It has been said that the GBA can match anything up to the Dreamcast in terms of 2D graphics. The GBA can produce 3D graphics, but it is much more adept at producing 2D visuals. In addition, the development kits that GBA developers receive from Nintendo contain ready-made libraries for 2D games whereas those who want to use the third dimension must program everything themselves. This makes 3D games far less frequent, but that isn't a bad thing as 2D programming is much easier anyway and allows developers to spend more time perfecting the gameplay. Besides, intricate 3D worlds would be difficult to see on the GBA's small screen. Early benchmark tests showed that the GBA's 3D capabilities roughly matched those of a Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) using a Super FX 2 custom chip. If you've ever seen any 3D SNES games, such as Star Fox (Starwing) and Stunt Race FX (Wildtrax), you'll know what to expect. In short, nothing special, which is why sticking to 2D is probably for the best. Mode 7 is a form of fake 3D that was pioneered on the SNES. It uses a flat background surface which is rotated at different angles to look like the player is moving across it from a first-person view point. If you've ever played the SNES games F-Zero, Pilotwings or Super Mario Kart, you'll have seen Mode 7 in action. It's being used a lot on the GBA because the system is far better and powering 2D graphics than 3D. By making 2D graphics look like 3D, developers can save a lot of processor power and make the game look better. The batteries in the GBA will last 15 hours (although using a light will lower this); Nintendo wanted to discourage developers from porting SNES games, forcing them to make brand new ones instead. Looking at the number of SNES classics currently winging their way to the GBA (including several from Nintendo themselves), it doesn't seem to have worked. The GBA game cartridges are roughly half the size of those used for the Game Boy and Game Boy Color. The GBA offers multi-player support for up to four players via a new link cable, and reputedly also allows you to play games even if you only have one copy. However, what Nintendo don't want you to know is that this only applies to certain games - usually the simpler ones. Some games offer a compromise by allowing players with only one cart to play a limited multiplayer, often with only one level available and stripped-down graphics. The GBA only has 256K of it - not enough to store the complex data of games like Konami Krazy Racers which needs to be passed on to the GBAs without the cartridge via the link cable. The official line on this was given by Ken Lobb (Nintendo of America) in an interview before the GBA's launch. The fact of the matter is that the backlight simply didn't work out in testing and, as a result, it was decided that one shouldn't be included, so as not to inconvenience the player with any of the problems testers were experiencing. The screen is almost exactly the same as the Game Boy Color's screen, so if you haven't had any problems with that you shouldn't expect too many problems with the GBA. Just ensure you either play in a well lit room or outside in the sun. After that it's just a matter of holding the system at the right angle so you can see the screen and don't get glare from the lighting. Unless you plan on playing under cover of darkness, a light is by no means as essential as certain companies that sell them would have you believe, although, of course, it's nicer to have a well-lit screen. I heard that people in Japan can access the internet using Game Boys. The Mobile GB adapter allows Game Boy Colors and GBAs to hook up to Nintendo's network using cell phones and lets players challenge each other online. As for whether this is looking likely to happen anywhere else, I'll be blunt: No. The reason is that, while Japan has a standard for mobile phones, nowhere else does. This means a different adapter would have to be developed for every brand of phone in countries such as the UK or America, as each one is designed completely differently. How will my Game Boy and Game Boy Color games play on a GBA? The problem is that the games have to be played in a compressed area on the GBA's wide screen (GBC games only have a resolution of 160x140), and this makes them dark and hard to see. While they can be expanded to fill the whole screen using the shoulder buttons, the difference in screen dimensions means that they look stretched and distorted. Another problem is the fact that Game Boy Color games will look a lot darker on the GBA's screen, resulting in a disappointing image. A few games, such as the Legend of Zelda: Oracle games feature optimised Color palettes for play on the GBA, but its only a minority of games that feature this. The best advice is to keep your GBC and use the GBA to play GBA games. The GBA has been out for over a year now, which games would you recommend? Here are five 'must own' titles, no collection should be without these! Throw in a great battle system, and Golden Sun is an all-round winner. If you haven't played and completed the SNES original, this is an essential purchase. The music is great, the graphics are moody, and the game itself is very challenging, yet thoroughly enjoyable. The easy to master controls and unique Japanese presentation make this strategy title a great and unique addition to your collection. As with the past three models of the Game Boy, you will be able to play imported games from any country on your GBA. For more information on playing imported games, please read ' 44 The Import Article'. Where can I find more information about Game Boy Advance games? We update GBA Central daily, so you can be sure to find the latest information here. If you have a certain question regarding you would like to be answered, you can always email us or submit a question to the mailbag 45 here.
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