nicoga3000
Saint Nic
The Tony Hawk games on GBA were AMAZINGLY good games. Shockingly good.
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The Game Boy Advance Was A Monster System
- Thread starter HotHamBoy
- Start date
THPS2 and Castlevania CotM were my two launch day games and holy shit.
The shortness of the GBA's life tends to be increasingly exaggerated. It had a fine year of releases in 2005. It was certainly being shooed out the door past that, but something as notable as FFVI Advance saw western release in 2007.
As far as the GBA vs. DS debate goes, I'm team GBA all the way:
2 great 2D Metroids >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Hunters & Pinball
Minish Cap & LTTP >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Phantom Hourglass & Spirit Tracks
Warioland 4, WarioWare & Twisted >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Master of Disguise, Touched, & DIY
FE6, 7, & Sacred Stones >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Shadow Dragon & Heroes of Light & Shadow
Advance Wars 1&2 >>>>>>>>>>> Dual Strike & Days of Ruin
Ports of the best Mario games w/ additional content >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> bland-ass NSMB
Mario Golf & Tennis >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>No Mario Golf or Tennis
Mario vs. DK 1 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>any other Mario vs. DK that came afterward
Mario & Luigi Superstar Saga >>> any other M&L game (Bowser's Inside Story is close, tho)
Golden Sun & TLA >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Dark Moon
Rhythm Tengoku >>> Rhythm Heaven Gold
Megaman Zero & Battle Network series >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> ZX & StarForce
Aria of Sorrow >>>>>>>>> any DS Castlevania
As far as the GBA vs. DS debate goes, I'm team GBA all the way:
2 great 2D Metroids >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Hunters & Pinball
Minish Cap & LTTP >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Phantom Hourglass & Spirit Tracks
Warioland 4, WarioWare & Twisted >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Master of Disguise, Touched, & DIY
FE6, 7, & Sacred Stones >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Shadow Dragon & Heroes of Light & Shadow
Advance Wars 1&2 >>>>>>>>>>> Dual Strike & Days of Ruin
Ports of the best Mario games w/ additional content >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> bland-ass NSMB
Mario Golf & Tennis >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>No Mario Golf or Tennis
Mario vs. DK 1 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>any other Mario vs. DK that came afterward
Mario & Luigi Superstar Saga >>> any other M&L game (Bowser's Inside Story is close, tho)
Golden Sun & TLA >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Dark Moon
Rhythm Tengoku >>> Rhythm Heaven Gold
Megaman Zero & Battle Network series >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> ZX & StarForce
Aria of Sorrow >>>>>>>>> any DS Castlevania
I agree with all of these except Aria vs Dawn. Aria is incredible, Dawn is perfection.
Sora the Cat
Member
Oh, those images. I want consoles to look like toys again, I miss that 
Easy to be the SNES of portables when so many SNES games have been ported to it, heh.
Sora the Cat
Member
How hard is it to do the backlit mod? I'm actually thinking on ordering the SP screen to do it but I never modded a console before
It's really not. I started making them with zero modding or soldering experience and haven't ran into any issues. There's a lot of good resources out there, but if you need any advice I'd be happy to help.
D
Deleted member 125677
Unconfirmed Member
It has the best versions of the two best Final Fantasy games as well! I love my GBA sp, still use it a lot
Sora the Cat
Member
Well that answers my question too, so thanks! I think I'll try to do it.
minor effort
Banned
Still my favorite Nintendo handheld. Still home to the best Rhythm Tengoku game.
Just replied to another post, but I definitely recommend trying it out! The tutorial I used was from YouTube user This Does Not Compute (https://youtu.be/eL52H3mnHpI). Just order the right parts and take your time!
Doctrine Dark
Member
I loved the many DBZ games that were on GBA. Great pocket console.
Very nice, based off the Space World demo unit right? Always wished they'd released it in those colours.
You got good eyes. Its funny, I requested this look in particular from Rosecoloredgaming before he even started making them to the public, just wished I got the other color too. They are both smexy
n0razi
Member
If you buy the right kit (ie correct cables with pinout) then its pretty straight forward:
- disassemble body (very easy, just a few screws)
- swap out panel and pop in the new ribbon cable
The only hard part might be pulling out the old panel since theres some glue but if you not using the old panel then it doesnt matter if you mess it up.
KojiKnight
Member
Out of curiosity, I checked the GB micro situation... $80+ for used systems... yeah...
The GBA was a gem of a system. Even for its short lifespan, there were more good games than I had money to buy or time to play and I got that system at launch. I do hope the Switch has a robust GBA virtual console, it would get a fair amount of use from me.
As an aside, I will say that I think I'm one of the rare ones that never really had too big an issue with the darkness of the OG GBA's screen. Even COTM was perfectly playable to me. That said, the later GBAs were still 100% improvements screen-wise even to me.
As an aside, I will say that I think I'm one of the rare ones that never really had too big an issue with the darkness of the OG GBA's screen. Even COTM was perfectly playable to me. That said, the later GBAs were still 100% improvements screen-wise even to me.
AmaterasuOkami076
Member
Amazing system. It has a great lineup of games that I probably would have had a lot of fun collecting for. But the sheer number of fakes out there has totally put me off.
Now I'm remembering making fun of my cousin for picking a Tony Hawk game for his SP thinking "how do you even adapt TP to this? It's probably garbage" and then trying it myself and being completely amazed haha, it was so good. I think the same team adapted Jet Set Radio to the same formula afterwards?
The Legacy of Goku games (barring the first one) were so cool, Supersonic Warriors was great too. Hell, technically DB, but Advanced Adventure might be one of the best Dragon Ball games ever.
The Legacy of Goku games (barring the first one) were so cool, Supersonic Warriors was great too. Hell, technically DB, but Advanced Adventure might be one of the best Dragon Ball games ever.
n0razi
Member
I bought my kit on ebay and it hasnt come in yet... that pic is from someone else. I have some experience modding consoles and I did my research so I don't think it will have any issues but I will post back after I finish it.
The difference in quality from AGS-001 to AGS-101 is staggering IMHO
Hibiki Kurosawa
Member
Ugh, I dunno where to begin. That thing truly was a monster. The game library was so fucking awesome. I still haven't gotten to playing every game on it that I want to.
Snowybreak
Member
Hmm... Almost makes me want to start rebuilding my DS/GBA library. Thankfully the DS market was completely saturated after the launch of the lite that picking up a system is usually really easy and cheap.
Man... I remember getting Kirby and The Amazing Mirror for my birthday and playing it non-stop for ages. It was the first game I actually 100%-ed, after which I got Tony Hawk American Sk8land.
Maybe now is the time to go back and replay some of those games I forgot about.
Man... I remember getting Kirby and The Amazing Mirror for my birthday and playing it non-stop for ages. It was the first game I actually 100%-ed, after which I got Tony Hawk American Sk8land.
Maybe now is the time to go back and replay some of those games I forgot about.
I bought my kit on ebay and it hasnt come in yet... that pic is from someone else. I have some experience modding consoles and I did my research so I don't think it will have any issues but I will post back after I finish it.
The difference in quality from AGS-001 to AGS-101 is staggering IMHO
Woah, woah, woah.
You have a purple AGS-101 and a black AGS-001?
I thought it was the other way around. I'm so confused by which SPs are AGS-101 in NA. I want a black one, although that purple looks nice, too.
Sora the Cat
Member
This is the part where I think I will fuck it up because of my stupid hands https://youtu.be/eL52H3mnHpI?t=251 lol (Shaving down the plastic). I'll try to do it anyway tho
While I prefer the DS' library, what's incredible about the GBA is how much it achieved in it's short lifespan.
During the 6th gen, my GBA was primarily a Pokemon, Metroid and Advance Wars machine with a few extra games on top (Mario Kart, A Link to the Past, Super Mario World). It was only when I got into both Igavanias and RPGs circa 2008 that I really took advantage of the system's incredible library.
I know have a fairly conclusive GBA library when the 3DS Ambassador games and the WiiU Virtual Console is taken into account. Off the top of the head, I still need to get Astro Boy, Gunstar Future/Super Heroes, Tactics Ogre: TKoL, and the Megaman Zero games.
During the 6th gen, my GBA was primarily a Pokemon, Metroid and Advance Wars machine with a few extra games on top (Mario Kart, A Link to the Past, Super Mario World). It was only when I got into both Igavanias and RPGs circa 2008 that I really took advantage of the system's incredible library.
I know have a fairly conclusive GBA library when the 3DS Ambassador games and the WiiU Virtual Console is taken into account. Off the top of the head, I still need to get Astro Boy, Gunstar Future/Super Heroes, Tactics Ogre: TKoL, and the Megaman Zero games.
sixteen-bit
Member
If you're afraid of ruining the case, buy a 3rd part clone case with that section already filed down.
PseudoViper
Member
Yep, it was quite legendary.
The birth and death (sadly) of Megaman Battle Network series.
So many great games like, Megaman and Bass, Golden Sun, Boktai: Solar Boy Django, Zelda: Minish Cap, FF: Tactics, of course Pokemon (in its prime), and many more gems. Damn what a great era I'm proud to have been apart of.
The birth and death (sadly) of Megaman Battle Network series.
So many great games like, Megaman and Bass, Golden Sun, Boktai: Solar Boy Django, Zelda: Minish Cap, FF: Tactics, of course Pokemon (in its prime), and many more gems. Damn what a great era I'm proud to have been apart of.
Haha this was my 2nd main concern right behind the soldering, but it was pretty simple. It's supposing how easy the plastic pulls away, if you make solid vertical cuts with a blade you can really just grab the sections to be removed with pliers and twist them out, then a little patience is involved in smoothing the remainder to be flush with the surrounding plastic. I used an old box cutter, which was OK, but the x-acto in the video is probably more ideal.
As someone else mentioned there are aftermarket cases, but I honestly do not recommend them. Off you are building this from your own personal GBA you will lose some of the nostalgia value by switching cases, but more importantly the aftermarket buttons do not feel as good. If you are going for aesthetics moreso or do not mind the change in button feel, the cases are sold cheap on eBay and other places.
Once I get home from work I might be able to provide you with better help, trying to do this from my phone is a bit of a pain.
Lightning Lord
Banned
There's no denying that the DS's 3rd party support was top notch, but Nintendo's own output on the GBA was just straight up better.
Pretty sure his purple is a custom, unless that's just really weird tint on a Cobalt one. There was no purple colorway for the GBA SP.
This thread makes me bummed I sold off my OG Arctic GBA. Should have kept it around for a backlight mod. Oh wells, at least I've got a spiffy Pearl White SP and a black Micro with several faceplates.
Then why is is his Black AGS-001? I'm pretty sure they weren't.
whalleywhat
Member
It would be cool if I could purchase a lot of these games to play on my 3DS.
n0razi
Member
No those are all ex pics I grabbed online... I just have a single OG glacier GBA and waiting for my AGS-101 panel to get here for the mod... Ill post my pics after
Yup, I lost my battery cover on my glacier GBA and got a 3rd party one on ebay, the color is waay off. The only other problem I have with my old GBA is the power switch. Its kind of loose and makes the power LED flicker when it wiggles.
DS games look terrible on the 3DS due to the resolution scaling, I would assume the GBA would be worse and hence the reason for using original hardware.
ZoltanXerxes
Member
Damn right! I'm still rockin my Advanced SP!
Nah, black was available for both 001 and 101. 001s were called 'Onyx', 101s were dubbed 'Graphite'. The Graphite was a bit more metallic, kind of a dark gunmetal.
sixteen-bit
Member
nothing beats real hardware imo
Lionel Richie
Member
Personally I like the DS Lite a lot for GBA games. I don't own a modded OG GBA but that's pretty high on my wishlist.
It depends. It's rough for games with strict timing, like Rhythm Tengoku and Mother 3. It's fine for most everything else, though some games have emulation issues.
The Wii U's Game Boy Advance emulator is pretty fucking stellar. You can hack a Wii U through the web browser, without even modding the hardware or the OS - this is totally impermanent. By doing this you can play any GBA game via the Wii U's emulator. This is how I played through Mother 3 in English and it was pretty good. I recommend it.
Not advocating piracy but everyone should play Mother 3 and the only way to play in English is through a rom.
You can run the roms on the original hardware, too, of course... for a shockingly small investment.
moltonasty
Member
definitely not
Yep, it kind of takes a full case replacement if you're going to do it otherwise they never really look the same. I do see original battery covers on eBay every now and then, just have to watch.
My power switch is the same, I wonder if it's just inherent of the design! I'll check some of my extras when I get home, but it might be worth cleaning that switch when you do the backlight mod just in case
ebullientprism
Member
The GBA Micro might just be the most beautiful console ever made.
I think there used to be a GAF collectors thread for that console with some gorgeous pics. Cant find it now.
I think there used to be a GAF collectors thread for that console with some gorgeous pics. Cant find it now.
Sooooo conflicted!
I LOVE the simplicity of the OGB but I prefer the simpler way to code on GBA (or so I've seen I'll comment in a few years when I actually try).
I like the GBA games, but some DS games are clearly better.
I love the DS interface (buttons and all) but the way the GBA pops up to life directly on the game is fantastic.
I can't choose!
Except for the 3DS, I guess I really only prefer the 3DS pokemon games when I can't play any other for crap now...
I LOVE the simplicity of the OGB but I prefer the simpler way to code on GBA (or so I've seen I'll comment in a few years when I actually try).
I like the GBA games, but some DS games are clearly better.
I love the DS interface (buttons and all) but the way the GBA pops up to life directly on the game is fantastic.
I can't choose!
Except for the 3DS, I guess I really only prefer the 3DS pokemon games when I can't play any other for crap now...
entremet
Member
Too bad the sound chip was garbage and it was Mono, right? And the SP removed the Aux port! Nintendo copying Apple in reverse lol.
The best choice for lunch breaks spent alone. I always try to keep it and a USB charger with me.
