The Game Boy Advance released in 2001, manufactured by Nintendo as the successor to the hit Game Boy Color, was a historic success beyond what even Nintendo could have imagined. Over its seven-year lifespan the GBA had multiple iterations and improvements, but it cemented itself among the most important video game consoles ever made.
Whilst the Game Boy Advance had many competitors and contemporaries, none of them were able to match the GBA’s success. More importantly, none were able to capture that magic that led to nearly a 100 million sales worldwide. These are some of the factors that led to the GBA blowing all competition out of the water, and what it did better than most handheld consoles even today.
6 The Graphics
The development in graphics this console saw were incredible. One of the most notable advancements was its ability to display graphics in much higher resolution than previous Gameboy models, allowing for more detailed and immersive gameplay experiences. The GBA also featured a strong processor and more memory than previous Gameboys, which allowed for more complex and fast-paced gameplay. This was particularly important for action games which had been difficult to replicate on previous Gameboy models.
The Gameboy Advance also featured a more varied color palette than previous Gameboys, allowing for more vibrant and visually striking games. This was particularly impressive given the limitations of other handheld consoles at the time, which often struggled to produce anything beyond basic, monochromatic graphics. These features were further developed with the GBA SP as well.
5 Portability
Handheld consoles’ unique selling point is their portability, but none did it as well as the GBA. The Gameboy Advance's compact size and lightweight design made it easy to carry around, whether in a pocket, bag or purse. This allowed players to take their games with them on trips, commutes, or even just to play during breaks at work or school.
What made it even better was that the GBA had an incredible battery life for the time, much better than most other handheld devices, making it a truly practical device. Again, the GBA SP was even smaller and weighed even less, while its battery life was about on par. These consoles blew everything else out of the water when it came to portability.
4 Backwards Compatibility
Another key feature of the Game Boy Advance was its compatibility with previous Game Boy games, allowing players to continue playing their favorites on the new console. This was a huge selling point for many players, as it meant they wouldn't have to give up their beloved games just because they upgraded to the new console.
Tied with this was the simple fact that GBA games were much cheaper than other portable counterparts, and much, much cheaper than other consoles. This made it a no-brainer for players to fork out the cash for a GBA.
3 Multiplayer
The GBA featured a link cable port, which allowed players to connect two or more Game boy Advances together for multiplayer gaming. This was a feature that many other handheld consoles at the time lacked, and it greatly expanded the gaming possibilities for Game Boy Advance players.
Players would see that their friends had GBA’s and would thus follow suit, the device had its own ecosystem around it.
2 Games Catalogue
The Game Boy Advance's success can be attributed in large part to its extensive and diverse game library. From the moment the console was released, it had a wide variety of games available to players, from classic franchises like Mario and Pokemon to new and original titles.
The Game Boy Advance's games library also featured a diverse range of genres. From traditional side-scrolling platformers like Super Mario Advance, to action-adventure games like The Legend of Zelda, to strategy games like Advance Wars and Fire Emblem, the GBA had a game for every type of player. This diversity helped to attract a wide range of gamers to the console, from casual players to hardcore gamers. There were also a ton of third-party games, owing to the ease of access developers had to the GBA kit. Some GBA cartridges featured over a hundred games condensed into one cartridge. With so much variety, it didn’t make sense to purchase any other console.
1 It Was Always Ready To Adapt
One of the key features that made the GBA so successful was that it was innovative. Not only did it push the limits on what a handheld console could play, it pushed the limits on how many games a console could have. It made strides in adding multiplayer through link cables, backwards compatibility, easily accessible and cheap games, and of course, a new host of high quality games to play
Even with the incredible success the GBA had, Nintendo at the time was ready to push forward. The 2003 GBA SP was an improvement on all accounts, and it shaped the console market for years to come. Rather than resting on their laurels, Nintendo made sure they’d capture the market permanently.