Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance is a video game platform.
The third platform in the Game Boy line, the Game Boy Advance was offered in a multitude of colors and had three hardware offerings, the sideways Game Boy Advance, the flip Game Boy Advance SP and the tiny Game Boy Advance Micro.
Overview 
The Game Boy Advance logo
This is the third platform in the Game Boy handheld line. Like it's predecessors, the Game Boy Advance established itself as the top in the portable market. The Game Boy Advance continued the Game Boy Color trend of offering different colors and special branded limited editions. It also established the trend of a periodic hardware redesign (see below), which was carried on with the Nintendo DS and DS Lite.
The Game Boy Advance logo
A typical Game Boy Advance cartridge.
A typical Game Boy Advance cartridge.
Games
The Game Boy Advance's hardware was very similar to the SNES's, which made it perfect for sprite-based games. It had many SNES titles that were ported. It also had many SNES style RPGs. Because of this, the Game Boy Advance is an incredibly popular console among old school gamers.
Hardware Revisions
There were three different models offered during the lifespan of the Game Boy Advance. 
Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance (GBA)
- Launch Date June 11, 2001
- Launch Price $149.99
The original Game Boy Advance was released with a sideways design. This model is backwards compatible with games for the Game Boy and Game Boy Color.
Hardware Specs
- CPU: 32-bit RISC CPU with embedded memory
- Screen: 2.9" Reflective TFT Color LCD
- Display Size: 1.6" by 2.4" (40.8 by 61.2 mm)
- Resolution: 240 x 160 pixels
- Colors: 512 simultaneous colors from a palette of 32,768
- Size: 3.2 by 5.6 by 1 inch (82 by 144.5 by 24.5 mm)
- Weight: Approximately 5 ounces (140 grams)
- Power Supply: 2 AA alkaline batteries
- Battery Life: Approximately 15 hours continuous play
Game Boy Advance SP
Game Boy Advance SP (SP)
- Launch March 23, 2003
- Launch Price $99.99
This version not only saw a major change with it's flip design, but also added a rechargeable battery and a front mounted light. Like the original GBA, the SP is backwards compatible with the Game Boy and Game Boy Color games. This version did not have a standard headphone jack.
In September of 2005, a backlit mode of the SP was released. This version of the hardware is recognizable by the model number AGS-101on the bottom of the unit.
Hardware Specs
- CPU: 32-bit RISC-CPU with embedded memory
- Screen: 2.9" Reflective TFT Color LCD
- Display Size: 1.61" x 2.41"
- Resolution: 240 x 160 pixels
- Color: Simultaneously display more than 32,000 colors
- Size (Closed): Height 3.33 inches, width 3.23 inches, depth 0.96 inches
- Weight: Approximately 5 ounces (140 grams)
- Power Supply: Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery
- Battery Life: Approximately 10 hours of continuous play with light, 18 hours without light
Game Boy Micro
Game Boy Micro
- Launched Sept 19 2005
- Launch Price $99.99
Tiny in size, the third design borrowed from the then popular cell phone trend of having interchangeable faceplates. Features a brighter screen than the SP with 5 levels of adjustable brightness. A standard headphone jack can be found at the bottom of the unit, and its external port is unique to the unit and will not take a standard GBA link cable.
Plays Game Boy Advance games only. This version of the platform never achieved the success of the previous two versions.
Hardware Specs
- CPU: 32-bit RISC-CPU (16.78 MHz)
- Screen: 2-inch diagonal screen TFT
- Display Size: 1.61" x 2.41"
- Resolution: 240 x 160 pixels
- Color: 512 out of a maximum 32,000 colors
- Size: Measures 4 by 0.7 by 2 inches
- Weight: Approximately 2.8 ounces
- Power Supply: Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery
- Battery Life: Approximately 6 to 10 hours, depending on brightness level.
Official Nintendo Accessories
Many accessories were created for the Game Boy Advance line.
Game Link Cable
Link Cable
With this cable, the GBA could be hooked up to other Game Boys for multiplayer and trading.
Link Cable for Gamecube
This cable allowed you to use your GBA as a controller for your Gamecube.
Game Boy Wireless Adapter
e-Reader
This scanner worked with special cards to unlock bonus content in games or to play a game.
Game Boy Advance SP Headphone Jack Adapter
Turned the charging port of the SP into a headphone jack.
Game Boy Player
Game Boy Player
Game Boy Advance games
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General Information
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| Platform Name: | Game Boy Advance |
| Release Date: | March 22, 2001 |
| Online Support: | False |
| Install Base: | 81,440,000 |
| Original Price: | $150 |
| Producing Company: | Nintendo |
| Total Games: | games |
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