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GB/GBC/GBA Collecting Thread

Wolfe

Member
Call me crazy:

The faceplate and back will also have some custom skin/sticks on them.

If I had a second Micro (can't bring myself to do it with the Famicom one) I would have done that as well, things are too glossy for my taste.

@Grief.exe: I've been wanting to replay golden sun for a while now but currently only have the second game, need to pick up the first so I can marathon through them both sometime.
 

putermcgee

Junior Member
Found this at the local Book Off, and am quite pleased with the shape it's in. I'm told those stickers are not originally on the back of the cart, but one says "rumble" on it, and they fit so perfectly. I can't imagine what the stickers were for otherwise. It also came in the original box, which is in pretty decent shape aside from typical dents and stuff. All told, it was only ¥105.

My brother-in-law happened to have a GBC, and lent it to me. I think this is a fantastic pinball game, but the GBA Pokemon Pinball vastly improved the model.
10005553_692749940768534_1805669891_n.jpg
 
Sigh. I'm really having a hard time finding GB/GBA games locally.

Last summer I moved from a mid sized city in north central Illinois to Charleston, SC. Back in Illinois, I had three mom and pop game shops that I frequented, one of which in particular had a great selection of old Nintendo portable stuff.

Here in Charleston, there are no mom and pop video game stores. This metro area is three times the size but instead of any kind of local scene, there is just a gamestop every four blocks. Craigslist here is also pretty weak. :(
 

prateeko

Member
Sigh. I'm really having a hard time finding GB/GBA games locally.

Last summer I moved from a mid sized city in north central Illinois to Charleston, SC. Back in Illinois, I had three mom and pop game shops that I frequented, one of which in particular had a great selection of old Nintendo portable stuff.

Here in Charleston, there are no mom and pop video game stores. This metro area is three times the size but instead of any kind of local scene, there is just a gamestop every four blocks. Craigslist here is also pretty weak. :(


I need to find some mom and pop stores but I'm so busy these days I end up hitting eBay. I used to have a truly magnificent collection till my folks home was robbed. Mostly got to my portable (GB/GBC/GBA/NDS). I was able to buy much of the NDS stuff again but the GBA has been brutal. It's worse with all the fakes out there. Leaves me paying more to be sure it's a legit item/auction.

I seriously need a garage sale with a mom who's about to ruin her sons life when he comes back from college...
 

Rich!

Member
started a new game on warioland today. just over an hour later:


not sure how it took me 2 years when I was a kid to finish, and even then I only managed to get a fucking birdhouse at the end
 

Zalman

Member
Finally got a backlit GBA SP... Man, the difference is crazy! The screen is so much better. Very happy with it.

I need your help, though. I didn't get a charger with this, but I already have the one I got with my 001 machine. Will I be able to use the same charger or do I need to buy a new one?
 

Galdius

Member
I've decided to post some pics of my Gameboy and Gameboy Color collection. I still need to take photos of my Gameboy Advance collection.

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I'm still waiting for a Ninja Gaiden for the GB that I bought on January and still haven't arrived but it's the only title missing from the ones that I've bought already. I started really collecting GB games almost three years ago but I already had some games from my childhood.

I collect brazilian (since I live in Brazil), US and EU games for the GB, GBC and GBA.
 

prateeko

Member
Galdius that is an amazing collection. The only thing that feels off is the absence of an ESRB rating. I'm so used to them now that it looks funny not seeing them in the corner
 

Rich!

Member
Sorry for the double post, but

The Everdrive GB is back in stock at retrogate.

http://shop.retrogate.com/Everdrive-GB-EDGB.htm

I just bought one - £57 for a cased unit shipped to the UK which is superb value. Resellers are adding another £20 or so onto the top of that (and that's just for the PCB!!), so be quick. Retrogate sold out in merely half a day last time.
 

prateeko

Member
Sorry for the double post, but

The Everdrive GB is back in stock at retrogate.

http://shop.retrogate.com/Everdrive-GB-EDGB.htm

I just bought one - £57 for a cased unit shipped to the UK which is superb value. Resellers are adding another £20 or so onto the top of that (and that's just for the PCB!!), so be quick. Retrogate sold out in merely half a day last time.

Need to find 9 other people and it'll run $65 instead of $88....anyone?
 

Peagles

Member
I'd go for an EZ Flash IV, it's good and it's also the only one you can still buy. It's $40 from a place called RealHotStuff.
 
10296975_801014713243902_1981472144_n.jpg


This showed up on my instagram feed and I nostalgia'd hard. This was my first Game Boy. Same packaging and color. I still have the Game Boy and case but that Play it Loud paper insert is long gone.
source
 

Jazzem

Member
How does the AGS-101 screen compare to the Micro's? It's difficult to justify the ebay price for one, but it'd be nice to own given how many GB/GBC/GBA carts I have lying about...I do like the Micro but I find the screen a bit lacklustre these days, the colours aren't as vibrant compared to modern handheld screens.

Most of my GB playing is done on the 3DS VC these days, though I dearly wish they'd let you play them in GBC mode =/ I always liked the (admittedly limited) colour palette that added to games, especially given that the BIOS had built in ones for a lot of the more popular games.
 

maxcriden

Member
How does the AGS-101 screen compare to the Micro's? It's difficult to justify the ebay price for one, but it'd be nice to own given how many GB/GBC/GBA carts I have lying about...I do like the Micro but I find the screen a bit lacklustre these days, the colours aren't as vibrant compared to modern handheld screens.

Most of my GB playing is done on the 3DS VC these days, though I dearly wish they'd let you play them in GBC mode =/ I always liked the (admittedly limited) colour palette that added to games, especially given that the BIOS had built in ones for a lot of the more popular games.

It is strange that the 3DS VC doesn't allow you to play in GBC mode. The limited color palette, as you said, did still add a lot to the games at the time. I assume you already know how to scale the screen using the GB/GBC borders?

As to your question, IIRC the Micro screen is similar in quality to the AGS-101 screen. I don't think I ever had the impression the AGS-101 was significantly better, but I'm sure someone can provide some more concrete knowledge on this if I'm mistaken.
 

Jazzem

Member
It is strange that the 3DS VC doesn't allow you to play in GBC mode. The limited color palette, as you said, did still add a lot to the games at the time. I assume you already know how to scale the screen using the GB/GBC borders?

As to your question, IIRC the Micro screen is similar in quality to the AGS-101 screen. I don't think I ever had the impression the AGS-101 was significantly better, but I'm sure someone can provide some more concrete knowledge on this if I'm mistaken.

Thanks for the answer, aye I do know about the scaling; is annoying to have to hold down start for every game but makes a world of difference :) Is nice to finally play Shantae after all these years of curiosity, looks very sharp at the 1:1 resolution!

To be fair, even a Micro-quality screen would be nice for GBC/GBC games. It was a bit disappointing that the Micro didn't look as vibrant as I remembered it but it's still a cool handheld, Gunstar Future Heroes was amazing on it back on release.
 

Wolfe

Member
How does the AGS-101 screen compare to the Micro's? It's difficult to justify the ebay price for one, but it'd be nice to own given how many GB/GBC/GBA carts I have lying about...I do like the Micro but I find the screen a bit lacklustre these days, the colours aren't as vibrant compared to modern handheld screens.

The 101 definitely has the upper hand when viewing them both side by side, it's colors are more vibrant by far and in comparison the Micro's screen looks slightly washed out.

Make no mistake the Micro's screen is still great and it's never something I've thought about or even noticed while actually playing on it, this observation comes purely from comparing them together at the same time with the same games.

The AGS-101 is the clear winner in this contest unless you're explicitly going for the smaller form factor or better pixel density.
 

Dishwalla

Banned
I tend to buy Game Boy games in lots off eBay(usually only go for grey or black cartridges), but the down side to this is now I own like a dozen copies of Tetris, six copies of Mario Land 2, and four copies of Mario Land 1 and Pokemon Yellow. I like when the lots don't have these common games(seeing stuff like Catrap is great), even when I get dumb stuff like Mary Kate and Ashley Olson games.
 

televator

Member
Could you guys please stop making me jealous of your magnificent brightly light GBAs? I don't even like playing on handhelds. I prefer playing on a big screen, but god damn there's something about those modded GBAs...
 

TnK

Member
It is finally done:



Pretty awesome.
OK, someone needs to teach me how to make on of these. Or maybe baphomet can sell some?

I still have my OG GBA, but it is the purple color. I really love the transparent handhelds, so I may look into getting a modded one.

Will there be an everdrive GBA flashcart? I own the M3 perfect (?) GBA sized cart, and I heard the batteries die on those. That was it deletes any save game you have. I think if I hit reset when playing on the GameBoy player may allow for the game to save? The game usually saves after you close the system for this flash cart.
 

Peagles

Member
Could you guys please stop making me jealous of your magnificent brightly light GBAs? I don't even like playing on handhelds. I prefer playing on a big screen, but god damn there's something about those modded GBAs...

I'll be sure to update with pics when I've modded my midnight blue one above :p
 

Wolfe

Member
It is finally done:

Pretty awesome.

Looks great dude, well done. Modding consoles can feel pretty rewarding once you finish everything and get to enjoy it. Really wish I hadn't sold the one I installed an afterglow in, I'd gladly swap one of these screens or whatever in. I still really like the flat GBA design and ergonomics the best out of the 3 models.

Maybe sometime in the near future I'll pick one up. Prolly go with a see through color again, had the clear purple before.
 

MarkusRJR

Member
Found a mint condition Game Boy Pocket at a local garage sale and bought it for $20. It's one of the first run models that didn't have the battery LED. It looks brand new. Not a since scratch or mark on the entire unit. Honestly so impressed. They must have left it in a box right after getting it (they did also have a bunch of other worse condition Game Boy's so I'm assuming I'm not too far from the truth).

Also, I want to mention my bad experience with Rose Colored Gaming. I bought one of their Game Boy Color's (ones that were modded with a backlight and new casing). When it arrived I had to be $50-$60 in import fees (higher than usual, but probably not their fault) and the "new" screen was coated in deep, deep scratches. I'm assuming they used really cheap (soft) plastic. Then when I turned it on I saw what could possibly be the least appealing screen ever (not sure if it's due to the scratches or if the backlight is bad). The worst part is that the actual unit turns off if it gets tilted while on. Even just lifting it off a table causes the power to turn off. Basically not only if the outside pre-scratched, the internals are fucked up too.

Absolutely infuriating, especially since I'd probably need to pay similar import fees + shipping fees if I wanted to make a fuss and get a replacement. I'm not even going to attempt to replace it knowing the trouble it'd be. Isn't worth the time nor money. From what I hear their GBAs are much better (presumably because they use glass instead of plastic on the screens), but I'm not even going to risk it.
 

Tempy

don't ask me for codes
Found a mint condition Game Boy Pocket at a local garage sale and bought it for $20. It's one of the first run models that didn't have the battery LED. It looks brand new. Not a since scratch or mark on the entire unit. Honestly so impressed. They must have left it in a box right after getting it (they did also have a bunch of other worse condition Game Boy's so I'm assuming I'm not too far from the truth).

Also, I want to mention my bad experience with Rose Colored Gaming. I bought one of their Game Boy Color's (ones that were modded with a backlight and new casing). When it arrived I had to be $50-$60 in import fees (higher than usual, but probably not their fault) and the "new" screen was coated in deep, deep scratches. I'm assuming they used really cheap (soft) plastic. Then when I turned it on I saw what could possibly be the least appealing screen ever (not sure if it's due to the scratches or if the backlight is bad). The worst part is that the actual unit turns off if it gets tilted while on. Even just lifting it off a table causes the power to turn off. Basically not only if the outside pre-scratched, the internals are fucked up too.

Absolutely infuriating, especially since I'd probably need to pay similar import fees + shipping fees if I wanted to make a fuss and get a replacement. I'm not even going to attempt to replace it knowing the trouble it'd be. Isn't worth the time nor money. From what I hear their GBAs are much better (presumably because they use glass instead of plastic on the screens), but I'm not even going to risk it.

There's no backlit mod for the GBC; they're all front-lit with a GBA SP AGS-001 frontlight. Front-lit mods are not ideal as they make the colors seem washed out and it's a preference thing whether you prefer un-modded or front-lit. It's definitely never gonna be nearly as nice as backlit screen though!

That said, the scratches are a bad thing. I think the switch issue can be resolved by taking it apart and making sure the power switch is seated properly (assuming that's the issue).
 

MarkusRJR

Member
There's no backlit mod for the GBC; they're all front-lit with a GBA SP AGS-001 frontlight. Front-lit mods are not ideal as they make the colors seem washed out and it's a preference thing whether you prefer un-modded or front-lit. It's definitely never gonna be nearly as nice as backlit screen though!

That said, the scratches are a bad thing. I think the switch issue can be resolved by taking it apart and making sure the power switch is seated properly (assuming that's the issue).
Oh, well it being front lit explains a lot. It still looks really bad though. There's like a weird weave sort of effect (probably from the scratches) and the back light is an off blue, making colors look bleh. My old front light modded GBA from 2003 looks infinitely better by comparison.

In regards to the power issues, do you know anywhere I could find a guide to repair that?
 

Jazzem

Member
The 101 definitely has the upper hand when viewing them both side by side, it's colors are more vibrant by far and in comparison the Micro's screen looks slightly washed out.

Make no mistake the Micro's screen is still great and it's never something I've thought about or even noticed while actually playing on it, this observation comes purely from comparing them together at the same time with the same games.

The AGS-101 is the clear winner in this contest unless you're explicitly going for the smaller form factor or better pixel density.

Thanks for the helpful response, damn that really makes me want an AGS-101 now! Might be about to add such a thing to my ebay watchlist...

And pixel density isn't so much an issue for me, after the 3DS XL I must have my handheld screens to be as big as possible :p
 

Zalman

Member
Love seeing you guys' collections. Might be able to show mine again later this week. It has expanded quite a bit since my last picture.
 

Rich!

Member
Yeah someone earlier in the thread mentioned it was coming

Well, it was more of an assumption from myself. GBA is pretty much the remaining cart based system that Krikzz hasn't made an Everdrive for - so it's gotta be next. Also, a lot of the tech developed for the Everdrive GB can naturally be carried on. Also, it'll be a success - look at how sought after the EZ Flash IV is even now, and just how outdated it is nowadays.

All we know for sure is that if an Everdrive Advance does come out, it will be amazing. Drag and drop, up to 32gb memory, fast loading, built in cheats, etc.
 

Rich!

Member
Yep. The only thing about the GBA is the size - fucking tiny cartridges, and each Everdrive PCB so far has taken up pretty much the entire cart casing for each system. It's going to definitely be harder for him if he does attempt it.
 
Yep. The only thing about the GBA is the size - fucking tiny cartridges, and each Everdrive so far has taken up almost the entire cart for each system. It's going to definitely be harder for him if he does attempt it.

Worse case scenario it could always stick out like when you put a GB/GBC cart in a GBA, lol.
 
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