View Full Version : Buying a GBA SP
mickeyp
03-11-2008, 10:00 PM
Hi, My friend is looking to buy a GBA SP , I suggested to make sure it was one of the new ones with the backlit. I suggested buying used at gamestop, I see they have it for 49.99 and if it does not work well you have 30 days to return. Are these suggestions good? Do you have any other ideas for her. Thanks
( She does not want to spend the $ for the DS lite)
sweeetja713
03-12-2008, 12:46 PM
Well you'll likely have to clean it off and it may be front lit not backit but it seems like a pretty good deal, especially since they're getting rarer and rarer to find in the wild.
mike.m
03-12-2008, 12:56 PM
I've got one in my tradelist. The outside casing has scratches, but it works perfect. Literally found it in the street one day. I have a charger for it too.
yayece
03-12-2008, 02:03 PM
Eh, personally I'd prefer new over used... Especially on something like handhelds, or controllers. You never know what kind of gunk people get in there. New ones are probably $70-80 new if you can find them in stores. They also come with Nintendo's 1 year warranty which is pretty good.
If you're buying a used backlit SP, there is one thing to look out for though. On some of the early models of the backlit SP, you could press straight down on the D-pad, essentially causing it to register all 4 directions at once. I guess it was missing the pivot point in the center.
Vinny
03-12-2008, 06:31 PM
Eh, personally I'd prefer new over used... Especially on something like handhelds, or controllers. You never know what kind of gunk people get in there. New ones are probably $70-80 new if you can find them in stores. They also come with Nintendo's 1 year warranty which is pretty good.
If you're buying a used backlit SP, there is one thing to look out for though. On some of the early models of the backlit SP, you could press straight down on the D-pad, essentially causing it to register all 4 directions at once. I guess it was missing the pivot point in the center.
Good luck finding new ones in store... they're been cleared out by hoarders as these things sell for crazy high prices on Ebay.
And as for gunk/germs/poop... that's why they made rubbing alcohol is for.
Purkeynator
03-12-2008, 08:55 PM
Eh, personally I'd prefer new over used... Especially on something like handhelds, or controllers. You never know what kind of gunk people get in there. New ones are probably $70-80 new if you can find them in stores. They also come with Nintendo's 1 year warranty which is pretty good.
If you're buying a used backlit SP, there is one thing to look out for though. On some of the early models of the backlit SP, you could press straight down on the D-pad, essentially causing it to register all 4 directions at once. I guess it was missing the pivot point in the center.
Yeah I remember that. As I recall the black ones had the most problems. I think it was that they could register up, down, left, and right, but not diagonal (properly). I bought the Pearl Blue one because they supposedly did not have any problems (even though I wanted black) and sure enough the d-pad works perfectly. ( I think the pink ones were ok also)
Is she planning to play any GB and GBC games? Why not a Micro.
mickeyp
03-12-2008, 10:14 PM
She is buying it for her 6 year old son. I guess a micro could be fun if I could find a place that has one. I bought mine at Sears for like 35.00 but I bought the last one last year.
I was trying to convince her to buy a ds. She did not like the idea that it was so expensive. Of course I think the $ would be better spent on a DS. I am trying to at least get her not to waste money on a GBA sp that does not have the new brighter screen.
does she knows that there are no new GBA games coming out? If you want a new mico playasia is selling one for $60
mickeyp
03-12-2008, 11:18 PM
I don't know if she realizes it. I think she was interested in used cheap games. It is a good point though and I will be sure to point it out. There are a lot of used games available in gamestops though.
banpeikun
03-13-2008, 02:44 AM
GBA does have a great library of games to be sure
mickeyp
03-15-2008, 10:55 PM
Update : My friend bought a new ds lite the cobalt blue one. I was so surprised she changed her mind. I told her she can get GBA games also but she heard they don't play well because they are only on one screen. I told her they play fine. She bought Namco museum ds with it.