OK...so I'm actually considering springing for a GBA SP, and could use some advice since I'm so late to the party that even the potato chip crumbs are gone. A couple of questions first:
1) How long does the battery last with typical use? (I'm assuming that you play with backlight on at all times.) How long does it take to recharge the battery? How long will a battery pack last before it has to be replaced, and how much does a new pack cost?
2) What accessories are included with the GBA SP, and what other items are in the must-purchase category? Is it possible to buy the headphone adapter WITHOUT also buying another crappy pair of earbuds? (I have more headphones than I know what to do with already...) I don't think I need a link cable at this point since I would be using it for solo play almost exclusively.
3) Other than color preference, is there any difference between the various styles of GBA SP? I'm leaning towards silver...unless there is a reason to pick one of the others. (Is the headphone adapter required for all models? Is a different color more scratch-resistant?)
As for game recommendations, I'd be looking for your opinions on the following games, as well as additional recommendations in the following categories. Unfortunately, I simply DESPISE RPGs, so I'm not looking for anything in that genre. Normally, I'm not a huge RTS player either, but I would probably give Advance Wars a shot since it's so highly recommended.
Puzzle: WarioWare has gotten some rave reviews. Any other ideas, other than Tetris, which is the spawn of Satan? Any games which would be accessible and fun for girls?
Racing: I'm most interested in Mario Kart Super Circuit, but I saw a Crash Team Racing variant in the store which intrigued me since I loved CTR on the PS1 so much. Any opinions about which is better? How is F-Zero?
Adventure: If I've never played a Zelda game before, would I enjoy LttP?
Platform: Is Metroid Fusion or Metroid: Zero Mission better for a beginner? Is Sonic Advance 3 or Super Mario Advance 4 better? Castlevania: CotM or AoS?
Sports: Are ANY of the sports games good? Is there a decent blackjack game for the GBA SP? (I need casino rules, or I'm not interested...)
Thanks for your advice...
1) How long does the battery last with typical use? (I'm assuming that you play with backlight on at all times.) How long does it take to recharge the battery? How long will a battery pack last before it has to be replaced, and how much does a new pack cost?
2) What accessories are included with the GBA SP, and what other items are in the must-purchase category? Is it possible to buy the headphone adapter WITHOUT also buying another crappy pair of earbuds? (I have more headphones than I know what to do with already...) I don't think I need a link cable at this point since I would be using it for solo play almost exclusively.
3) Other than color preference, is there any difference between the various styles of GBA SP? I'm leaning towards silver...unless there is a reason to pick one of the others. (Is the headphone adapter required for all models? Is a different color more scratch-resistant?)
As for game recommendations, I'd be looking for your opinions on the following games, as well as additional recommendations in the following categories. Unfortunately, I simply DESPISE RPGs, so I'm not looking for anything in that genre. Normally, I'm not a huge RTS player either, but I would probably give Advance Wars a shot since it's so highly recommended.
Puzzle: WarioWare has gotten some rave reviews. Any other ideas, other than Tetris, which is the spawn of Satan? Any games which would be accessible and fun for girls?
Racing: I'm most interested in Mario Kart Super Circuit, but I saw a Crash Team Racing variant in the store which intrigued me since I loved CTR on the PS1 so much. Any opinions about which is better? How is F-Zero?
Adventure: If I've never played a Zelda game before, would I enjoy LttP?
Platform: Is Metroid Fusion or Metroid: Zero Mission better for a beginner? Is Sonic Advance 3 or Super Mario Advance 4 better? Castlevania: CotM or AoS?
Sports: Are ANY of the sports games good? Is there a decent blackjack game for the GBA SP? (I need casino rules, or I'm not interested...)
Thanks for your advice...