Still possible to find a GameBoy Advance?

surlaw · Jul 20, 2017

I remember being a kid and being absolutely OBSESSED with GBA games. Recently, I decided to bite the bullet and get an emulator on my phone to play them wherever I go. It's awesome, but I really crave the feel of the original handheld device.

Is it still possible to find a working GameBoy Advance, with charger, for an affordable price? And, follow-up question, how expensive are GBA games nowadays? Is it worth my time and money to buy one, or will I be unable to find the games I want? I never played anything especially niche - most of the games I can remember were pretty huge. Harvest Moon, Pokemon, etc.

What do you guys think?

TsuyoyRival · Jul 20, 2017

I have a Gameboy Color pink version if you want ahah Joking aside, i think is easy to get a Gameboy Advance at an affordable price, about 20€ (max). When it was released, it cost about 150€. I feel like maybe i should place my Gameboy Color for sale since I didn't touch it for years, I bet it still works :smilingimp:

PenguinManiac · Jul 20, 2017

Oh, definitely. Both the GBA and the GBA SP sold incredibly well, and the fact that it's still a pretty recent device, all in all, combined with the above average availability makes it ideal to buy even now. Obviously you'll have to go with second-hand devices, but if they're good enough to be sold you shouldn't worry too much. Chargers are usually included, but the GBA SP has the same charger as the Nintendo DS, and they're very easy to find.
Prices will vary. Maybe you can get lucky and find one at a thrift shop for 20/30$, but you'll find plenty even on eBay for about the same price, with a bit of patience. Non-special edition probably gets as expensive as 50$ tops.
Since you're focusing on big games, don't worry about prices, they'll throw Pokémon cartridges at you. Try to look for bundles, they tend to be cheaper (this kind of sellers doesn't really realize the value of these games).

The GBA is definitely worth your money. It's one of my favourite consoles of all time, there are games for all likings. I hope you'll find a good deal!

Blaine019 · Jul 20, 2017

If you want to play gba games then i recommend buying a nintendo ds lite and other versions that can play gba games. It's like hitting two birds with one stone, plus it's easier to find nintendo ds than gba. Good luck!

pichugirl · Jul 20, 2017

Of course, many people decide sell theirs so, there's still a chance for you to get one.The problem is that you may not find it cheap.

surlaw · Jul 20, 2017

PenguinManiac said:
Oh, definitely. Both the GBA and the GBA SP sold incredibly well, and the fact that it's still a pretty recent device, all in all, combined with the above average availability makes it ideal to buy even now. Obviously you'll have to go with second-hand devices, but if they're good enough to be sold you shouldn't worry too much. Chargers are usually included, but the GBA SP has the same charger as the Nintendo DS, and they're very easy to find.
Prices will vary. Maybe you can get lucky and find one at a thrift shop for 20/30$, but you'll find plenty even on eBay for about the same price, with a bit of patience. Non-special edition probably gets as expensive as 50$ tops.
Since you're focusing on big games, don't worry about prices, they'll throw Pokémon cartridges at you. Try to look for bundles, they tend to be cheaper (this kind of sellers doesn't really realize the value of these games).

The GBA is definitely worth your money. It's one of my favourite consoles of all time, there are games for all likings. I hope you'll find a good deal!

This makes me SO happy! I'm gonna start Game Boy Advance hunting this weekend, then. Thank you so much for the tip about bundles, too, I hadn't thought of that! I'll definitely try to buy games in lots/bundles if I can find them. Also, I had no clue that the GBA SP chargers were the same as the Nintendo DS ones - that helps a ton.

Plus, it's really awesome to hear that the games shouldn't be too expensive, that was one of my biggest worries about trying to jump back into playing with a GBA. Thank you so much, PenguinManiac!

Jonathan Solomon · Jul 21, 2017

Well, I think it is. Personally, I find it more difficult to get certain gaming classics from that era, rather than the console itself. It also depends on how connected you are to the retro gaming trading network in your city. My last resort would be from an online market if I was interested in buying a Gameboy Advance. Like @PenguinManiac said, prices will vary depending on the overall quality and state of condition of the device. But shouldn't be too costly.

PenguinManiac · Jul 21, 2017

surlaw said:
This makes me SO happy! I'm gonna start Game Boy Advance hunting this weekend, then. Thank you so much for the tip about bundles, too, I hadn't thought of that! I'll definitely try to buy games in lots/bundles if I can find them. Also, I had no clue that the GBA SP chargers were the same as the Nintendo DS ones - that helps a ton.

Plus, it's really awesome to hear that the games shouldn't be too expensive, that was one of my biggest worries about trying to jump back into playing with a GBA. Thank you so much, PenguinManiac!

My pleasure to help! The GBA is a wonderful console and I believe everyone should give it a shot.
Just a couple more advices that popped up just now in my mind: first of all, only the original (fat) Nintendo DS's charger is compatible with the GBA SP, not Lite's. Every charger from the DS Lite onwards won't be compatible, so mind that.
Second, if you want to save some more money on games and you don't mind too much about boxes, you could buy cartridge-only games, which are cheaper (15-20$, approximately). If you want to go even cheaper and you don't care much about the cartridge being original as long as it's working, you could go with bootleg/replicas (5$, hard to find anything higher).

lindbergh · Jul 23, 2017

My suggestion is to follow these steps:
1. grab an Android smartphone (assuming you still don't have one)
2. Install the Gameboy Advance Emulator app - MyBoy! Free from the Play Store.
3. Download Gameboy Advance Roms from your PC (You can do this simultaneously while downloading the emulator app)
4. Transfer the Roms to your phone.

That's it! You can now play Gameboy Advance Roms on your phone!

surlaw · Jul 24, 2017

lindbergh said:
My suggestion is to follow these steps:
1. grab an Android smartphone (assuming you still don't have one)
2. Install the Gameboy Advance Emulator app - MyBoy! Free from the Play Store.
3. Download Gameboy Advance Roms from your PC (You can do this simultaneously while downloading the emulator app)
4. Transfer the Roms to your phone.

That's it! You can now play Gameboy Advance Roms on your phone!

I have that emulator, and I love playing it, I just missed the feel of playing the GBA like I was younger, you know? There's something nostalgic about it, and like PenguinManiac said, I think it's just a generally really good device.

There are also some really great emulators for the PC - I like Visual Boy Advance the most. For Android though, MyBoy! definitely takes the cake.

inked · Jul 30, 2017

I think you can find what youre looking for on letgo. One of my friends came across a gameboy advance a few days ago.

GameCube · Sep 24, 2017

Generally speaking, anything is on Amazon and eBay so it should be a problem. Also, there are mom and pop gaming stores which sell old equipment and GameStop. Of course, finally, you might want to check out flea markets and consignment shops.

Not Sag · Sep 28, 2017

It's actually quite easy to find Gameboys on eBay. I myself actually own a Gameboy advance and original Gameboy with games such as super Mario bros and Pokemon emerald.

JaiGuru · Oct 7, 2017

If you're willing to throw a little loot at it, I'm certain you can still find new old stock, still in its wrapper! GBA was a massive hit and was significantly over produced. I wouldn't promise any specific model, given how many redesigns there were, but you can definitely find one. You could even find an original DS which had a GBA slot and a properly backlit screen. Plus, then you could play old DS games which were actually quite good! The Megaman ZX series is a hidden gem that sadly too few people know about.

Referal · Feb 19, 2020

lindbergh said:
My suggestion is to follow these steps:
1. grab an Android smartphone (assuming you still don't have one)
2. Install the Gameboy Advance Emulator app - MyBoy! Free from the Play Store.
3. Download Gameboy Advance Roms from your PC (You can do this simultaneously while downloading the emulator app)
4. Transfer the Roms to your phone.

That's it! You can now play Gameboy Advance Roms on your phone!

Awesome gonna give this a try. I also own a gameboy advance console so is there a way to transfer those consoles to my phone while I download the emulator on my phone??

Still possible to find a GameBoy Advance?

surlaw

Active Member

TsuyoyRival

Active Member

PenguinManiac

Active Member

Blaine019

Active Member

pichugirl

Active Member

surlaw

Active Member

Jonathan Solomon

Active Member

PenguinManiac

Active Member

lindbergh

Active Member

surlaw

Active Member

inked

Active Member

GameCube

Active Member

Not Sag

CW Super Admin

JaiGuru

Active Member

Referal

Well-Known Member