GBA Posting

[WynnDawnstrider]

Hey guys, it's been a while! I thought I would make a post about my current reobsession with my GBA SP. It's in pretty sad shape on the outside, I used to chew on the corners when I was frustrated as a kid, oops.

I've decided to order a new shell for it as well as a new battery and a screen lens. I'm not replacing the whole screen because I'm pretty sure I'm one of like 3 people ever who like the original 001 GBA SP screens. For anyone who doesn't know the difference, 001 screens are front lit, 101 screens are back lit and IPS screens are reproduction backlit screens with a couple of other features. Most people don't like the 001 screens because they tend to be washed out looking, their only real benefit is they look great outside in sunlight. Oh well, I guess I'm just weird.

Anyway, I'm getting a Boxy Pixel hinged shell, in black anodized aluminum, with a custom designed, Pokemon themed engraving on the lid.

I also ordered a way too expensive copy of Fire Red that should be legit, it doesn't have a label which is a bit unsatisfying but shaved probably about $50 off the price so I won't whine too hard. I just have to make a custom one I guess? It ended up being ~$100usd after shipping costs. But hey it's the only one of the 5 GBA Pokemon games I've been missing, I have the other 4 already so I really couldn't not get it. My RSE games need new batteries but I don't currently have a soldering iron nor do I really know how to use one, so that's out of the question for now.

In the meantime, I went and dug up my dad's old GBA and my old link cable, both of which still work! That means I can trade between all my games eventually, which will be great because it means I can shiny hunt all the starters for everything in the long run. I'll be focusing on FRLG for now because they don't have the internal batteries and therefore have correct soft reset RNG.

After that, I'd like to maybe put some attention onto my Gamecube? It would be cool to hombrew it and get a rom for Pokemon Box, allowing me to store everything. Or maybe I'll think about a GBA flashcart? If I can get my hands on some blank cartridges and  flashcart I can play romhacks on original hardware which would be cool.

Who knows, I'll post more here once my GBA shell comes in and you guys can look at how gross the inside of the poor thing is, I've already changed the battery and that was already full of grime lol.

[BlackMageGaming]

Oh man, I'll have to come back to this topic in a few months to show off my GBA SP. I used to be OBSESSED with the GBA, and it was all thanks to the 3DS of all things!
Incase you didn't know, when Nintendo released the 3DS it was an absurd price! $250! But I still remember my mom buying it for me when I was younger because I got good grades.  Anyways, Nintendo let everyone who bought the 3DS at it's original price download 10 NES games and 10 GBA games!

So for a long time I was playing games like Warioware, Metroid Fusion, Mario Kart, etc. It was so much fun!
Also, when I was a kid and got my first phone, I immediately figured out how to emulate games, but shhhhhh don't tell Nintendo that! 

Then, one day I was looking through my parents old things, and I found an old GBA SP, NES Edition. And it had a copy of Metroid: Zero Mission in it! And let me tell you, I was in awe, a piece of technology that was even older than me was sitting in a desk all this time. I played Zero Mission to completion, then other games like Donkey Kong Land, Pokemon Silver, other games.
I remember going to an old used games store (RIP Rare Drops) and buying all their GBA Video carts, and they gave them to me for super cheap because I was "the only kid going to buy them."

I seriously love the GBA! 

[Yoylecake420]

Me and my sister owned a GBA SP for a while. I remember play Hamtaro Ham Ham Games and some Spyro.

BTW I'm planning on doing Golf Ball Advance, where people roleplay as the final 14 of BFB contestants playing GBA games in a blog/Neocities website.

[candycanearter07]

I never owned a GBA, but they were my go to games to emulate back in the day! I now moreso play them on my modded 3DS :D

[Corrupted Unicorn]

GBA, my beloved GBA! Perfectly pocket sized for games on the go 

The GBA SP was also my first console! I lost/broke/donated my childhood one (silver), but eventually got a metallized pink one    It's a bit scratched and gnawed from its previous owner, but I decorate it with stickers... currently, it has a big fanmade one of Hamtaro Heartbreak I bought from a mangacon! 

Now, when it comes to games, my GBA is the domain of Pokémon and Hamtaro.

I've been REALLY invested in the 3rd generation of Pokémon and I've been collecting its cartridges like the Dragon Balls / Infinity Stones. I currently play as to complete the Pokédex, play themed playthroughs, and try out some glitches  Gen 3 glitches have developed A LOT these last years, and for me they are AS, if not even more interesting as Red/Blue/Yellow glitches. I recently got a Link Cable (and a second GBA, this time blue  ) so things can run smoother: before that, I had to rely on trading with the Gamecube games... I also have the Mystery Dungeon and Pinball spinoffs! 

As for Hamtaro, I own Ham-Ham Heartbreak, of course  and also Rainbow Rescue  It always surprises me to remember this is an European-exclusive game and thus, quite rare  Another thing that surprises me is that, for licensed games, these two are pretty solid adventure games with loads of charm  There's a reason I didn't donate these two...

Other memorable mentions are Yoshi's Island, which came free with the Pink GBA; and a cartridge with both Sonic Pinball Party and Sonic Fighters. I picked the later because of the Chao Garden, but a third surprise came in when I learnt Sonic Pinball was created by the same team behind Pokemon Pinball R/S! 

[WynnDawnstrider]

Incase you didn't know, when Nintendo released the 3DS it was an absurd price! $250! But I still remember my mom buying it for me when I was younger because I got good grades.  Anyways, Nintendo let everyone who bought the 3DS at it's original price download 10 NES games and 10 GBA games!

Oh yeah I had an OG 3ds too, idk where it is anymore though and I'm pissed because it has my OG copy of heartgold in it 

Also the rest of you are reminding me I should try playing HamHam Heartbreak again lmao

I totally emulate GBA games too but I have the physical hardware, I should just use that more often, its a little more comfortable on my hands than my phone is which is where I usually play emulated games

[jensen]

I grew up with a DS Lite since the GBA released before I was born! 

However, my older sister did infact get the metallic pink GBA SP when it came out, and my parents drove a LONG way to make sure they got it in metallic pink. She ditched it pretty much as soon as we got our DS Lites, so it has been hanging out in my collection of hardware for many many years. She only ever had 5 games for it (Dogz, Bratz, Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase, Disney Princess and Shrek 2), so I currently have 6. I managed to pick up a legit copy of Pokemon Emerald for dirt cheap in maybe 2015!

I can't share memories so I'll share pictures of my GBA SP!

Unfortunately for this sucker, it takes a lot to get it to work. 9/10 times it will turn on but just display "Game Boy." 

[Melooon]

it takes a lot to get it to work. 9/10 times it will turn on but just display "Game Boy."

It might just need contact cleaning! You can get IPA contact cleaning spray in most good hobby-ish computer shops; spray it into the GBAs cart slot and onto the carts connector, then put-in and take-out the game a few times. (Then wait a few mins before turning it on to let the IPA evaporate - also don't get the spray on the games sticker because it will make it fall off)

A friendly electronics repair shop might also do it for you or let you use their spray.

[jensen]

It might just need contact cleaning!

I assumed it would be something like that, thanks for the advice! When I get around to it I'll do that and see if it fixes the issue.

[dietcokeorchoke]

I love this website for the things I learn through other people's interests. I had no idea this was something ppl do! I am obsessed with GBA, DS1 and PS1 games. Now i'm learning I can change the shells? Yes please lol

[candycanearter07]

I grew up with a DS Lite since the GBA released before I was born! 

Same! Except I got the DSi (that had a camera in exchange for no gba compatibility). I was always confused by the internet talking about how the DS was backwards compatible because I never realized the difference until like years later. Anyway, I lost that one but I still have the ripped roms.

[milo]

I love the GBA!

I was in middle school when it first came out, and seeing Super Nintendo (and better) quality graphics on a handheld was mind blowing. I literally thought handheld graphics couldn't get better than that.

My first GBA was a silver one in the original form factor. I loved that thing to death. One day I opened my backpack to find the screen had got smashed somehow. :(

A few months later for Christmas my mom got me and my brother matching silver GBA SP consoles which we both played into the ground until the DS came out.

For some reason I was really fascinated by the licensed games that came out on the system. This was the era of that sort of stuff, with every movie or TV show getting its own game adaptation. I downloaded and emulated games based on movies that I wasn't even into just cause I was really curious about them.

[Yoylecake420]

Is anyone up for something called Golf Ball Advance?

How it goes is that we make a blog page where we roleplay as BFB contestants playing GBA games for a review. There are 14 contestants you can pick from: Firey, Leafy, Bubble, Flower, Spongy, Teardrop, Woody, Gelatin, Ruby, Balloony, Taco, Lollipop, Loser, and Profily. And you get to pick the GBA game you want to review.

[villain]

I got my GBA off a friend! It was an original before the SP came out, with this "floodlight" accessory so you could actually see the damn screen. pic pinched from reddit:


My most beloved game was Sonic Advance... I was so in love with the pixel art in that game, editing those sprites into my sonic OCs was how I taught myself pixel art in the first place and then ended up in my current career (domino effect meme). It's not the best sonic game but I have a very strong affection for it :') at some point i plan to make a sonic shrine on my site that talks about my favourite less popular entries in the series, and Advance will definitely feature!

[BlackMageGaming]

After that, I'd like to maybe put some attention onto my Gamecube? It would be cool to hombrew it and get a rom for Pokemon Box, allowing me to store everything.

I think it would be a bit easier to mod a Gamecube compatible Wii, but if you want to mod a classic Gamecube, have you heard of the FlippyDrive? It's a solderless drive emulator that lets you load iso files natively onto the Gamecube.

I've been interested in using it to mod my Gamecube for a while now, because my Gamecube's disc drive is failing