Game Boy Advance



The Game Boy Advance (ゲームボーイアドバンス Gēmu Bōi Adobansu, often shortened to GBA) is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo and is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China on June 8, 2004 (excluding Hong Kong).

The console features backward compatibility for Game Boy and Game Boy Color games and a link port at the top of the unit which allows it to be connected to other devices via use of a Nintendo Game Link cable or GameCube cable. When playing Game Boy or Game Boy Color games on the Game Boy Advance, the L and R buttons can be used to toggle between a stretched widescreen format (240×144) and the original screen ratio of the Game Boy (160×144). Game Boy games can be played using the same selectable color palettes as on the Game Boy Color. The console was also released in two other models: the Game Boy Advance SP and the Game Boy Micro.

Every Nintendo handheld system following the release of the original Game Boy Advance (SP and Micro versions of the Game Boy Advance, as well as the Nintendo DS, DS Lite, and DSi) has included a built-in light and rechargeable battery.