Brighter SP coming to Europe

By Ellie Gibson Published 23 September, 2005

Same price as current models.

Nintendo has confirmed to Eurogamer that the new backlit version of the Game Boy Advance SP is coming to Europe.

New Graphite and Pearl Blue versions of the handheld were released in the US on September 19, complete with backlit screens, and a Nintendo spokesperson informed us that: "All GBA SPs manufactured in the future will feature backlights, which makes for a brighter, clearer image.

"The SP's screen is now comparable to that of the GB Micro in terms of clarity and sharpness," he explained.

Earlier SPs are lit from the front and sides, but "Now the technology has come down in price enough for backlights to be affordable," according to Nintendo. So no, you won't have to hand over any more cash for the privilege.

Nintendo is planning to roll out the new SPs all over the world, but they're not offering a definite date for when the first batch will arrive in Europe - so keep your eyes peeled and your sunglasses on in the meantime.

Picture of Ellie.

About Ellie Gibson

Since joining Eurogamer in the mid 2000s, Ellie has written about subjects as diverse as the fall of Gizmondo, the rise of Hollyoaks actresses in Red Alert games and the noise a bear makes under NSFW circumstances.

Read more articles from Ellie by visiting the Ellie Gibson archive page.

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Comments (36) Latest comment 6 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • bionutz #1 6 years ago

    I'd be curious to know how many GBA's they're still selling. Who's still buying them???

  • beep #2 6 years ago

    Well that settles it. I don't want to buy the Micro now if they're bringing out a SP with the same quality screen except bigger.

  • w00t #3 6 years ago

    How many different versions of Game Boys have there been now? 10? 15?

  • Eraser #4 6 years ago

    Not including the different colors and fronts for micro and everything, there is (AFAIK):

    Gameboy
    Gameboy Color
    Gameboy Advance
    Gameboy Advance SP
    Gameboy Advance SP (now with brighter screen!!!)
    Gameboy Micro

  • Bill-Lumberg #5 6 years ago

    You forgot the GameBoy Pocket!

  • RabidMonkey #6 6 years ago

    Don't forget the Japan-only Gameboy Light

  • Cloudane #7 6 years ago

    And the billion colour combinations!

    Game Boy > Game Boy Pocket > Game Boy (Light/Lite) > Game Boy Colour > Game Boy Advance > Game Boy SP > Game Boy Micro > Game Boy SP ("Now With a Brighter Screen";) > Game Boy Nano > Game Boy oH mY gOd It Is SmAlLeR tHaN aN aNt Edition and so on...

    Talk about milking it.

  • GuiltySpark #8 6 years ago

    who would buy this over a gb micro???
    erm actually..who would buy this over a ds???

  • RabidMonkey #9 6 years ago

    People who want the biggest, brightest screen, maybe?

  • myiagros #10 6 years ago

    "People who want the biggest, brightest screen, maybe? "

    if they wanted the biggest brightest screen they would have bought a PSP.

  • RabidMonkey #11 6 years ago

    I meant the biggest, brightest screen on a GB.

  • mattius30 #12 6 years ago

    I am just waiting for someone to complain that Nintendo are treating their customers like scum by 'making' them have to buy all the new versions of GBA.

    The more the merrier I say, but I do feel sorry for non-plussed parents that head down to the shops and forget which version of the GBA they are supposed to be buying as a christmas present for their little one.

  • SlackMaster #13 6 years ago

    Is it just me or didn't the SP already have a backlight... is this just a brighter one? it was already brighter to begin with an WTF the Micro is out soon so whats the point of pissing in your own bath water??? :s

  • Tiiti #14 6 years ago

    Milky, milky!

  • GuiltySpark #15 6 years ago

    didnt the original sp have a frontlight???

  • RabidMonkey #16 6 years ago

    "I do feel sorry for non-plussed parents that head down to the shops and forget which version of the GBA they are supposed to be buying as a christmas present for their little one."

    Your right, this is just going to confuse the hell out of clueless parents.

    And this coming from the same company that wants to attract non-gamers by making things simpler.

  • gamingdave #17 6 years ago

    Why are people counting original gameboys and gameboy colours as part of the "advance" range?

    Youve now got the simplke choice of an SP (new version with frontlight) or Micro for straight GBA, or a DS.

    Im assuming the old SP will be phased out just like the orginal GBA was. ANd you dont have to buy a new one, your old one still works. I dont think a company can be criticised for enhancing their products. At the time of the SP the backlight LCD was too expensive, so they went with frontlight. Now things have progressed they are too.

  • binky #18 6 years ago

    After selling my DS, I might actually have to get one of these if the price is right.

  • Xerx3s #19 6 years ago

    "Game Boy oH mY gOd It Is SmAlLeR tHaN aN aNt Edition and so on...

    Talk about milking it." - Atleast its better than the "ohmygodifthatthingfallsontopofmeillbecrushed" psp edition.

    "if they wanted the biggest brightest screen they would have bought a PSP. " - True, except ppl actually want to play fun games and not just fidel around with "options" that arnt really functional after a while.

  • Kami #20 6 years ago

    Quote by Cloudane:
    "Talk about milking it."

    And what exactly is the difference between what Nintendo is doing, and what Apple are doing with their iPods?

  • w00t #21 6 years ago

    Bloody Apple! ;)

  • mattius30 #22 6 years ago

    Very good point Kami!

  • Cloudane #23 6 years ago

    Kami:

    I think Apple put a fair amount of effort in their iPod range because I use to own the original iPod and on Monday I got the iPod Nano - HUGE difference in terms of size, features and comfort despite the lower GB but who really listens to over 1-2 thousand songs?

    Nintendo simply toss a brighter screen in the unit because the technology is simply cheaper and I have no problem with it except it seem too much from the Game Boy Advance to the Micro/SP (lite) - what about a new Game Boy instead?

    You could also argue about the PlayStation brand too - PSX ~ PSone and the PS2 ~ PStwo but they had a 4-5 year gap between the units, so fair play to Sony.

  • gerg #24 6 years ago

    Well the last time I saw sales of DS vs PSP vs GBA for America, the GBA was just slightly behind the PSP, with the meager DS sales pushing Nintendo in front.

    So I think it's still not too late. People who thought the GBA SP is the most near perfect handeheld out there can now get one even better and the market that 'doesn't do' handhelds can get a GBM.

  • paralipsis #25 6 years ago

    "I use to own the original iPod and on Monday I got the iPod Nano - HUGE difference in terms of size, features and comfort"

    Cloudane, those items are many generations removed from one another, and many of the steps that got there were only incremental changes. It is unfair to compare that scenario to the shift from frontlight to backlight on the SP, which is just a single incremental shift.

  • Sabre #26 6 years ago

    Nothing wrong with this, nobody complains about the 100 versions of Nokia phones avaliable.

  • RobertFoster #27 6 years ago

    It's just an incremental change, it's not an entirely new thing. They're going to phase out the front-lit screens as the back-lit tech is now cheaper. I don't see any problem with it tbh. It's not as if anyone who already has a GBASP is going to buy the back-lit version. It's for those who have yet to buy one.

  • RobTheBuilder #28 6 years ago

    Whats the problem? Its the same price as the SP, just with a better screen!
    Surely thats a good thing!

  • AOFanboi #29 6 years ago

    <em>Is it just me or didn't the SP already have a backlight... is this just a brighter one?</em>

    Read the bleeding article, the current SP has lighting from the sides and "above", not behind.

    As for bigger and brighter screen, that would be the DS - just look at the border added when you play GBA titles. IMHO the only reason to buy the SP over DS apart from form factor is that you have some GB/GBC games lying about that you still enjoy.
    Edited by 1 at 24/09/05 @ 08:13

  • IP #30 6 years ago

    To all those people complaining, do you moan when Dell or Apple releases a slightly upgraded PC? Do you complain when car manufacturers update a model, because a certain piece of technology becomes affordable? Do you scream with rage when a model of DVD player suddenly has a new feature? This is a SMALL upgrade that means an existing model is going to be slightly improved—nothing more. It's not being mooted as a NEW GBA, nor is Nintendo really making a big deal out of it. Overall, this is a GOOD thing.

  • smelly #31 6 years ago

    Well said IP.

    Some people (Well gamers on message boards mainly) really do like to moan dont they? Especially when its about a hardware manufacturer which isnt the one they're currently having wet dreams over.. which in itself is quite sad isnt it?

    ho hum.

  • smelly #32 6 years ago

    "You mean like when you slag off anything that is not from Nintendo and orgasm continuously over anything they say and do? "

    Well as you're a homophobic twat who is apparently (according to your post) currently ignoring me, then you wont read this reply, which is a shame, as it'll just go to show you for being the idiot you are.

    Since when have i slagged anythign which isnt nitnendo? I currently own a pc, xbox, psp, ds and cube. I have also owned a ps2, but got rid when i realised all the good stuff on it came out on the xbox, but with more features/better gfx (im tempted to get rid of the psp as well.. but will hold off for a month or two to see if anything actually good comes out on it).

    Just because i applaud nintendo for innovation with the revolution pad, and their 1st party games (which although few and far between, are almost always brilliant), that doesnt mean im the sort of sad twat who jacks off over their hardware, and wont admit anything else is worth getting. Take a look in the mirror, you'll see the kind of sad spotty, billy no mates kid i'm talking about here.

    I'm a fan of games, not the hardware. If you're sad enough to not look past that, then i feel sorry for you.

    Also it seems that you have about as good an understanding as irony as alanis morrisette. There is nothing ironic in anything you've just said.. Mornic, maybe.. but ironic?

    "I'm not going to shell out on one that has a slightly better screen though"

    No-one is expecting you to. If someone WANTS to buy a new gba-sp, they will recieve a better screen as well for same price as what they wouldve got before hand. What's the problem? Something for nothing? Although that said, why anyone would get the sp when the micro fits in yer pocket better, and the ds/psp are technically superior - is beyond me.

    Oh, and btw... if i AM a fanboy of ANY console, if i look to see which machine i play the most on, it's the xbox.. so i guess i'm a fan of that. That said, i have no current interest in the 360.. but that's just me not caring about just playing slightly prettier games.. I want more than just pretty gfx to be honest.

    (I cant believe ive been so nice to you in this reply)
    Edited by 1 at 26/09/05 @ 00:10

  • GuiltySpark #33 6 years ago

    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
    haha
    his names smelly

    (hes also right)

  • invinciblegod #34 6 years ago

    Wink, you should stop trying to offend people and post constructively. Second, since you choose to ignore all points that everyone else said, I will reiterate. THE NEW SP REPLACES THE OLD ONE. IN OTHER WORDS, IT IS LIKE IF THEY SUDDENLY STOPPED MANUFACTURING THE OLD SP AND REPLACED IT WITH THE NEW ONE. Except of course, for the one that are still on store shelves. Eventually, the frontlight ones will no longer be sold. Some people want to play their old gameboy games which is why nintendo is still selling the sp. The ds and micro cant play gameboy games.
    Edited by 1 at 30/09/05 @ 01:51

  • Galvanizer #35 6 years ago

    I want of these and Game Boy Micro.

  • HUYI #36 6 years ago

    i imported it, the screen is very nice :D

  • msephton #37 6 years ago

    Where can I get me one of these? Import friendly or UK based. Thanks.