The Game Boy Advance (ゲームボーイアドバンス) is Nintendo's third handheld console.
Overview
The Game Boy Advance is the successor to the original Game Boy and Game Boy Color. The original model of the GBA departs from the vertical brick design of the original Game Boy and Game Boy Color for a wider, horizontal design. The hardware is significantly improved from is predecessor, mainly featuring a more powerful processor for more detailed graphics and sound. The Game Boy Advance also adds two shoulder buttons for more control options. The handheld is also fully backward compatible with games produced for both the original Game Boy and Game Boy Color.
Similar to the prior Game Boy devices, the GBA can connect to other GBA handhelds through a peripheral link cable. A wireless adapter released in 2004 allowed GBAs to connect wirelessly, but was only compatible with a subset of GBA titles. A separate, wired adapter allows the GBA to connect to the Nintendo GameCube for game-specific purposes.
In 2003, the Game Boy Advance SP was released. This model revision features a clam shell design with a control layout similar to the original Game Boy and Game Boy Color. The SP also is the first Nintendo handheld system to feature a backlit screen, allowing for easier use in dim or dark lighting without the need of an external light source or light-producing peripheral.
A second revision, released in 2005, as well as the final release in the line of devices bearing the Game Boy name, was the Game Boy Micro. As the name implies, the Micro is an extra-small model of the Game Boy Advance, capable of fitting a standard pants pocket. This model does not support backward compatibility and can only play GBA titles. It was also released nearly an year after the original Nintendo DS.
The Game Boy Advance was the first platform to see the official international release of a Fire Emblem title in Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade, followed by Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones.
The release of the first GBA Advance Wars title in 2001, which saw international success, was a contributing factor in the decision to begin localizing Fire Emblem titles.
Fire Emblem Games
- Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade (Japan only)
- Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade
- Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
External links
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