Anyone else seen the new backlit GBA SP?

[quote name='bmarquardt']Any new SP colors coming out soon besides this one below?

Darn, that's ugly.[/QUOTE]

I remember a thread saying that a couple of other stores will be getting exclusive GBAs, but I none were mentioned besides the Spongebob one. I know what's going to happen. I'm going to end up buying a Pearl one, and a new store exclusive version will come out and I'll want that too. That leads to another question - Will the store exclusives be the new brighter screen versions? I would assume so, but I don't know.
 
[quote name='Trakan']I remember a thread saying that a couple of other stores will be getting exclusive GBAs, but I none were mentioned besides the Spongebob one. I know what's going to happen. I'm going to end up buying a Pearl one, and a new store exclusive version will come out and I'll want that too. That leads to another question - Will the store exclusives be the new brighter screen versions? I would assume so, but I don't know.[/QUOTE]

IGN said the spongebob one would have a brighter screen as well. I think it would be safe to assume any SPs from here on in will have the brighter screen unless it is old stock.
 
Frisky, I feel your pain, but honestly, you suddenly realize that you've been missing out the whole time when you see how rich and vibrant the colors are.
 
[quote name='jkam']IGN said the spongebob one would have a brighter screen as well. I think it would be safe to assume any SPs from here on in will have the brighter screen unless it is old stock.[/QUOTE]

saw the spongebob SP at toys r us this afternoon... it does in fact come with the brighter screen... says so right on the box, just like all the other new ones.
 
[quote name='jkam'] I think it would be safe to assume any SPs from here on in will have the brighter screen unless it is old stock.[/QUOTE]

I hope so. I've always wanted a Flame SP, but since I have a Platinum from launch I had no real reason to get one . With the brighter screen, I have an excuse now.
 
[quote name='Ultimatallica0']WHOAMG.... I may have to get a Micro AND one of those!![/QUOTE]

and people wonder why nintendo keeps on pushing the same GBA on us over and over again.
 
[quote name='munch']and people wonder why nintendo keeps on pushing the same GBA on us over and over again.[/QUOTE]


Amen to that.



Even though I REALLY want one.
 
[quote name='niceguyshawne']Amen to that.



Even though I REALLY want one.[/QUOTE]

me too. damn you nintendo and your sexy products!
 
I picked one up today at Target. ( Graphite ) The Screen is fantastic !! It makes my DS screen look bleh and my old SP like total crap. Thank you Nintendo for being stupid and releasing this before the Micro.
 
Pearl Blue has a very light hint of Blue. The color is a little bit lighter then the 'Ice Blue' Gameboy Pocket from years back.
 
Just got a graphite one. The screen is simply amazing. I bought it to try it out and was going to take it back if it wasn't that big of a change. It's a HUGE change, so now my Cobalt SP is up for sale if anyone wants it. :)

daroga
 
Woo.

Yeah, I popped one of these open when my store got one (the seal was flapping off the box when it arrived), and I was floored at how lush Shark's Tale (what, it's what I grabbed) looked on it. After hearing about ghosting issues, I'll probably check it out tomorrow since I work, but I've already offered to sell my precious Flame SP (complete and such still) to someone for $50.

$20 isn't much of an upgrade for a screen that literally took the words from my mouth.

And has anyone heard anything whether Nintendo is going to be outfitting their older GBA SP colors (Onyx, Flame, Platinum, Cobalt) with these nice, new screens? If that's the case, I'd much rather wait for an improved Flame color to come out.
 
Got one today.

Damn you Nintendo.

The colors are a bit to rich on some stuff, still, it's probably the most perfect of all GBAs. Only way it could be better would be for it be both backlit and NES Classic.

When I asked the clerk at Gamestop for a SP he said, "Those have actually been discountinued because the new GB micro is coming out." He then tried to sell me a GB micro.
 
[quote name='doctorfaustus']When I asked the clerk at Gamestop for a SP he said, "Those have actually been discountinued because the new GB micro is coming out." He then tried to sell me a GB micro.[/QUOTE]

:roll: Good heavens.

Anyway, does anyone have a new SP and a Micro? I've seen a few pictures, but I'd be interested in hearing a written comparison of the two screens.

daroga
 
I grabbed a graphite one yesterday. I traded in my onyx one. The screen is fantastic. I thought it looked awesome then I realized when you turn the unit on it defaults to the lower setting of brightness....then you hit the button and the screen gets even more amazing.

If I have anything to complain about it would be that if you want the max brightness setting you have to hit the button on top every time you turn the unit on. I also did the Super Mario Bros. run blur test and I have to say it is noticeable. It won't really hamper your gameplay in any way and it wasn't noticeable while playing Zelda LTTP. It's a fair enough trade off and now I will definitely get around to playing Oracle of Ages and Seasons. All in all though worth the trade up. I don't think I'll be getting a micro. I like the idea of its size but the small screen is kind of scaring me away. I notice after I play the SP for awhile my eyes get tired....I think that may be worse on the micro. Ugh.
 
[quote name='doctorfaustus']When I asked the clerk at Gamestop for a SP he said, "Those have actually been discountinued because the new GB micro is coming out." He then tried to sell me a GB micro.[/QUOTE]

:roll:

So I'm guessing you went somewhere else? :lol:
 
[quote name='Purkeynator']I would be sold on getting a new one if they had the NES decals. Does anyone know if you can buy NES nockoff decals somewhere?[/QUOTE]

I got one for my DS early this past summer from decalgirl.com. They don't appear to have any for the GBA nor the DS ones anymore. You might email them and ask though. For the DS it was called "Classic."

daroga
 
I got one last night, it pisses me off though how shitty the DS screens are in comparison. I can finally play my GBA games in the daytime! I hope Nintendo starts making the DS screen this high in quality instead of the weird projection/crappy backlight they have in the now.

The new GBA sp screens are equal the quality of the PSP. It took Nintendo six tries to make a Gameboy that doesn't blind people,and I bought in every freaking time.
 
[quote name='gizmogc']Got mine....Here are some pics of my Pearl Blue...sorry for the quality...

[/QUOTE]
McKids! Awesome.

[quote name='FriskyTanuki']I'll be damned if I get rid of my NES SP for a regular backlit SP. :evil:[/QUOTE]
Now's a good excuse to lock up your collectable. I always felt guilty playing/touching my NES SP.

[quote name='Purkeynator']I would be sold on getting a new one if they had the NES decals. Does anyone know if you can buy NES nockoff decals somewhere?[/QUOTE]
I know when the NES SP came out, there were people all over eBay selling decals. You could check there or Google for other "video game skin" e-stores.
 
[quote name='dafunkk12']I always felt guilty playing/touching my NES SP.
[/QUOTE]Yeah, I heard if you do it too much, you go blind.
 
[quote name='sblymnlcrymnl']:roll:

So I'm guessing you went somewhere else? :lol:[/QUOTE]

Yeah, I went next door to a Gamecrazy/hollywood video store.
When I asked the clerk if they had any Sp's I he said "Yeah, and they have brighter screens now." However, he also tried to sell me a GB micro :).
 
[quote name='Arkay Firestar']Frisky, I feel your pain, but honestly, you suddenly realize that you've been missing out the whole time when you see how rich and vibrant the colors are.[/QUOTE]
If I don't see one, they don't exact. :whistle2:\"
[quote name='dafunkk12']Now's a good excuse to lock up your collectable. I always felt guilty playing/touching my NES SP.[/QUOTE]
I don't collect them, I play them. I don't see $80 worth of upgrade to this and I'm sure as hell not getting rid of my NES SP.
 
[quote name='nogard']I hope they put one of those screens for the original GBA, I like those designs better.[/QUOTE]

They don't even make those anymore.
 
[quote name='doctorfaustus']Yeah, I went next door to a Gamecrazy/hollywood video store.
When I asked the clerk if they had any Sp's I he said "Yeah, and they have brighter screens now." However, he also tried to sell me a GB micro :).[/QUOTE]

I don't see why stores do that ... their first priority should be "get the money", then the up sell. It's too bad there are so many uninformed people out there who fall for their shit. :roll:

Oh well. If they were smarter it wouldn't happen to them. :lol:
 
I bought the Graphite model and compared it side by side with my Onyx SP. The difference is incredible. Even on the low brightness on the new model, the old SP frontlit screen looks washed out, colorless, and dim.

I thought I would want to keep an old model, but honestly after seeing the new screen, there is no going back. For instance I booted up 2 copies of Metroid Fusion simultaneously on both systems in the dark. The new screen reveals colors and detail that you cannot even see on the old screen. The opening cinema of the sky on the old model shows a slight blue cloud and some stars, but the new screen shows a multi-blue hue of colors all over the screen, incredible difference.

Then I tried 2 copies of Pinball of the Dead. The old screen does not even reveal the correct colors represented on the new screen. For instance on the table with the clock on the bottom, the old screen had everything brown. The new screen revealed a vibrant green color as well. The red table was a whole new experience on the screen as well. The vibrant colors of the new screen are really night and day to the old one.

Now for the Motion Blur issue.
There is definately some motion blur going on, but not alot. It seems that you only notice on certain images depending on the background. For instance there is an area in Super Mario World where it was very noticeable. I have finished the game so the Dragon coins have an image of Princess Peach on them. These coins are especially noticeable on the new screen as they seem to shimmer as you move past them. this is as they move in and out of the pixels. These Dragon Coins have fine lines in them so the shift is quite noticeable. So, I booted up the old SP, went to same spot and tried to notice the difference. It was not as obvious but it was difficult to tell because the old screen is so dim and washed out in camparison.

I remember reading that the old SP did have some motion blur but never noticed it. I think this is because it is so dim, and the colors so washed out that it is hard to see. The old SP screen in my opinion hides the motion blur.

Now for the slowdown issue.
YES, there is some slowdown that I noticed on Super Mario World that is not there in the old screen. The screen kind of jerks as the pixels fill in the vertical lines on some of the images. It is mildly annoying, but not a big deal.

So, I played Mario World for a while on the new screen. Then I played the same level on the old screen. The now noticeable motion blur and slight slowdown are totally worth the trade off for a proper LCD screen. You are just seeing so much more of the colors and images. I am seeing stuff on every game that I never knew was there, and I always play in low light. I bounced back and forth between the systems, and the old one just plain sucks in comparison.

The new screen lets you see the colors and graphics as they were meant to be seen. There is so much more detail and the colors just jump at you.

I now feel that the frontlight was a band-aid and this is the screen that should have been released all along.

Now the Battery Life issue.
The AC adapter for the new model is smaller and specific to this model. You cannot use the old SP adapter, but you can use the DS one. Battery life on the new model is stated in the manual at 13 hours on the low setting. I can't see ever using the brighter setting except in sunlight, so this is 3 hours longer than the old model. I havent looked at the battery, but it may be the 1000mha one that Japan had as an add on a while back, but they may have found a way to get the same 700mha battery to work for 13 hours with this screen.

In conclusion, yes there is motion blur and a tad bit of slowdown, but the trade-off for correct and vibrant color, brightness, and image clarity make it totally worth it. I can't go back to frontlit model. With each game I put in, it is like a whole new experience. Finally Nintendo gets it right. Oh, and the Micro screen is too small compared to this. Now that this new screen is in here I am gonna pass on the Micro.
 
Does anyone know if Blockbuster/Gamerush will be getting these as well? Will this be the new SP standard, or is this a temporary thing? I ask because I am curious if they are just selling off the old ones first. I didn't see them available there and have some credit I need to use up.
 
Thanks for the description Niphilim very descriptive. I think I may just get one and order some "retro" decals. I am now considering though- will Nintendo offer this in a bundle pack with a game for $10 more for the holiday season? I saw game bundles all the time with the regular sp. I saw it bundled with games like Metroid Zero, Final Fantasy Tactics, Mario and Luigi. So I am betting it is only a matter of time.........
 
[quote name='-Phantom-']Does anyone know if Blockbuster/Gamerush will be getting these as well? Will this be the new SP standard, or is this a temporary thing? I ask because I am curious if they are just selling off the old ones first. I didn't see them available there and have some credit I need to use up.[/QUOTE]


I am quite sure that all new model GBA SP's will have this new screen. I assume there will be a phase out of the frontlit models after the Holidays. They may just start making the Onyx, Cobalt and Flame with the new screen, but who knows.

I guess we will just have to look for the boxes with the NEW BACKLIT SCREEN text.

For now it's Graphite, Pearl Blue, and the Toys R Us Spongebob models with the new screen. Hopefully we will get some more new colors in the next year of so. Nintendo is famous for Ltd Editions and bundle packs, so keep an eye out. I want an Orange one.

The Graphite is nice, I dont care for the girly pearl blue, as in low light, the lighter color GBA's tend to get some reflection on the edges of the screen. Not to mention that this is a similar color to the dreaded Platinum, which had reports of the paint coming off, yuck.
 
[quote name='Nephilim']I am quite sure that all new model GBA SP's will have this new screen. I assume there will be a phase out of the frontlit models after the Holidays. They may just start making the Onyx, Cobalt and Flame with the new screen, but who knows.

I guess we will just have to look for the boxes with the NEW BACKLIT SCREEN text.

For now it's Graphite, Pearl Blue, and the Toys R Us Spongebob models with the new screen. Hopefully we will get some more new colors in the next year of so. Nintendo is famous for Ltd Editions and bundle packs, so keep an eye out. I want an Orange one.

The Graphite is nice, I dont care for the girly pearl blue, as in low light, the lighter color GBA's tend to get some reflection on the edges of the screen. Not to mention that this is a similar color to the dreaded Platinum, which had reports of the paint coming off, yuck.[/QUOTE]
Well I've had the platinum for over a year and so far have had no problem with paint coming off.
 
[quote name='Nephilim']I bought the Graphite model and compared it side by side with my Onyx SP. The difference is incredible. Even on the low brightness on the new model, the old SP frontlit screen looks washed out, colorless, and dim.

I thought I would want to keep an old model, but honestly after seeing the new screen, there is no going back. For instance I booted up 2 copies of Metroid Fusion simultaneously on both systems in the dark. The new screen reveals colors and detail that you cannot even see on the old screen. The opening cinema of the sky on the old model shows a slight blue cloud and some stars, but the new screen shows a multi-blue hue of colors all over the screen, incredible difference.

Then I tried 2 copies of Pinball of the Dead. The old screen does not even reveal the correct colors represented on the new screen. For instance on the table with the clock on the bottom, the old screen had everything brown. The new screen revealed a vibrant green color as well. The red table was a whole new experience on the screen as well. The vibrant colors of the new screen are really night and day to the old one.

Now for the Motion Blur issue.
There is definately some motion blur going on, but not alot. It seems that you only notice on certain images depending on the background. For instance there is an area in Super Mario World where it was very noticeable. I have finished the game so the Dragon coins have an image of Princess Peach on them. These coins are especially noticeable on the new screen as they seem to shimmer as you move past them. this is as they move in and out of the pixels. These Dragon Coins have fine lines in them so the shift is quite noticeable. So, I booted up the old SP, went to same spot and tried to notice the difference. It was not as obvious but it was difficult to tell because the old screen is so dim and washed out in camparison.

I remember reading that the old SP did have some motion blur but never noticed it. I think this is because it is so dim, and the colors so washed out that it is hard to see. The old SP screen in my opinion hides the motion blur.

Now for the slowdown issue.
YES, there is some slowdown that I noticed on Super Mario World that is not there in the old screen. The screen kind of jerks as the pixels fill in the vertical lines on some of the images. It is mildly annoying, but not a big deal.

So, I played Mario World for a while on the new screen. Then I played the same level on the old screen. The now noticeable motion blur and slight slowdown are totally worth the trade off for a proper LCD screen. You are just seeing so much more of the colors and images. I am seeing stuff on every game that I never knew was there, and I always play in low light. I bounced back and forth between the systems, and the old one just plain sucks in comparison.

The new screen lets you see the colors and graphics as they were meant to be seen. There is so much more detail and the colors just jump at you.

I now feel that the frontlight was a band-aid and this is the screen that should have been released all along.

Now the Battery Life issue.
The AC adapter for the new model is smaller and specific to this model. You cannot use the old SP adapter, but you can use the DS one. Battery life on the new model is stated in the manual at 13 hours on the low setting. I can't see ever using the brighter setting except in sunlight, so this is 3 hours longer than the old model. I havent looked at the battery, but it may be the 1000mha one that Japan had as an add on a while back, but they may have found a way to get the same 700mha battery to work for 13 hours with this screen.

In conclusion, yes there is motion blur and a tad bit of slowdown, but the trade-off for correct and vibrant color, brightness, and image clarity make it totally worth it. I can't go back to frontlit model. With each game I put in, it is like a whole new experience. Finally Nintendo gets it right. Oh, and the Micro screen is too small compared to this. Now that this new screen is in here I am gonna pass on the Micro.[/QUOTE]


"From: Nephhilim | Posted: 9/23/2005 8:56:57 PM | Message Detail
I bought the Graphite model and compared it side by side with my Onyx SP. The difference is incredible. Even on the low brightness on the new model, the old SP frontlit screen looks washed out, colorless, and dim.

I thought I would want to keep an old model, but honestly after seeing the new screen, there is no going back. For instance I booted up 2 copies of Metroid Fusion simultaneously on both systems in the dark. The new screen reveals colors and detail that you cannot even see on the old screen. The opening cinema of the sky on the old model shows a slight blue cloud and some stars, but the new screen shows a multi-blue hue of colors all over the screen, incredible difference.

Then I tried 2 copies of Pinball of the Dead. The old screen does not even reveal the correct colors represented on the new screen. For instance on the table with the clock on the bottom, the old screen had everything brown. The new screen revealed a vibrant green color as well. The red table was a whole new experience on the screen as well. The vibrant colors of the new screen are really night and day to the old one.

Now for the Motion Blur issue. There is definately some motion blur going on, but not alot. It seems that you only notice on certain images depending on the background. For instance there is an area in Super Mario World where it was very noticeable. I have finished the game so the Dragon coins have an image of Princess Peach on them. These coins are especially noticeable on the new screen as they seem to shimmer as you move past them. this is as they move in and out of the pixels. These Dragon Coins have fine lines in them so the shift is quite noticeable. So, I booted up the old SP, went to same spot and tried to notice the difference. It was not as obvious but it was difficult to tell because the old screen is so dim and washed out in camparison.

I remember reading that the old SP did have some motion blur but never noticed it. I think this is because it is so dim, and the colors so washed out that it is hard to see. The old SP screen in my opinion hides the motion blur.

Now for the slowdown issue. YES, there is some slowdown that I noticed on Super Mario World that is not there in the old screen. The screen kind of jerks as the pixels fill in the vertical lines on some of the images. It is mildly annoying, but not a big deal.

So, I played Mario World for a while on the new screen. Then I played the same level on the old screen. The now noticeable motion blur and slight slowdown are totally worth the trade off for a proper LCD screen. You are just seeing so much more of the colors and images. I am seeing stuff on every game that I never knew was there, and I always play in low light. I bounced back and forth between the systems, and the old one just plain sucks in comparison.

The new screen lets you see the colors and graphics as they were meant to be seen. There is so much more detail and the colors just jump at you.

I now feel that the frontlight was a band-aid and this is the screen that should have been released all along.

Now the Battery Life issue. The AC adapter for the new model is smaller and specific to this model. You cannot use the old SP adapter, but you can use the DS one. Battery life on the new model is stated in the manual at 13 hours on the low setting. I can't see ever using the brighter setting except in sunlight, so this is 3 hours longer than the old model. I havent looked at the battery, but it may be the 1000mha one that Japan had as an add on a while back, but they may have found a way to get the same 700mha battery to work for 13 hours with this screen.

In conclusion, yes there is motion blur and a tad bit of slowdown, but the trade-off for correct and vibrant color, brightness, and image clarity make it totally worth it. I can't go back to frontlit model."

Double-post!!!
 
I used my old charger with my new Graphite SP and it worked just fine.
The new charger is still wrapped & in the Box.
 
Maybe the AC adaptor is just the same as the DS one. The DS one is smaller and charges the DS and the old SP. Probably they phased out the old one because this one is more compact.
 
Both the DS and GBA ones are the same voltage. Nintendo's probably just covering their rear by saying it can't be used on the other systems, because I've used older GBA ACs on my DS with no problem at all.

daroga
 
[quote name='daroga']Both the DS and GBA ones are the same voltage. Nintendo's probably just covering their rear by saying it can't be used on the other systems, because I've used older GBA ACs on my DS with no problem at all.

daroga[/QUOTE]

Hmm, I would rather use the correct one. Why would they mention it in the manual unless something is different. I am sure they had to pay for these nice screens, so why not just use the old adapter if it was possible to not redesign them?
 
i think this has been asked before, but i dont remember the answer...is Nintendo gonna also make new DS's with the new backlighting since they got a deal or whatever for the backlight technology or is it just gonna be for the SP's?
 
[quote name='Nephilim']Hmm, I would rather use the correct one. Why would they mention it in the manual unless something is different. I am sure they had to pay for these nice screens, so why not just use the old adapter if it was possible to not redesign them?[/QUOTE]

*shrug* My DS adapter and the new GBA adapter are the same model.
 
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