Gaming China Gameboy Advance SP

Strainer

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Hi,

I have been looking for a GBA SP, mostly to play GB and GBC games on and of course for GBA multiplayer. While searching, I have found this offer:

Link to offer

It is from a chinese factory, the feature list is promising:

1 .BUILT-IN LIGHTED SCREEN
2 .TIME SETTING
3 .MULTI LANGUAGES.
4 .SAVE STATE AND LOAD STATE
5 .SOFT RESET
6 .BUILD IN 99999 kinds of GAMES

This sounds fine and all, but there were still some questions left, so I wrote an e-mail to the company:

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen!

I have a few questions about your item "GBA SP Advance system+99999games".

1. Are the 99999 games stored on a game cartridge or in an internal system memory?
2. Does this system support normal GBA cartridges and flash cards?
3. Does the multiplayer work?
4. Which screen is used in this system, the old AGS-001(frontlit) or the new backlit AGS-101?
5. Are normal GB and GBC cartridges supported? (Like on original NDS)

Thank you for your answer.


They answered the following:


Hi,

1.the 99999 games built in the console,in an internal system memory.

2.this system support normal GBA cartridges and flash cards
3.the multiplayer can work

the console is really same with original GBA SP,here let you know ,the function is same

best regard
sunki


My conclusion is, that this unit is a normal GBA SP with integrated memory where games and some kind of system menu (for savestates) is stored. This is actually new to me, so I thought about posting it here and getting some more opinions on this.

As I said, my main priority is full original GBA SP functionality, as I absolutely need GBC to work. I haven't yet seen a "clone" that did this, especially with full link cable support.

So please tell me what you think about this offer. I highly consider buying it, as the price is the same I would pay for a (used) GBA SP with backlight (AGS-101) on eBay and in local stores.

The best thing would be some form of review, but I couldn't find anyone that owns one of these.

Thanks for all your feedback, it is highly appreciated.

Edit: I have just seen the GameBoy Advance category is a subcategory of this one, so sorry for my mistake, please move this topic if possible.
 

Rydian

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FAST6191

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I will also note that before that K1 there were a handful of considerably lesser clones/imitations as well- this offer looks somewhat like the latter.

Also 99999 - I do not doubt they can claim that number but a bit of basic maths says even at the smallest size that is somewhere in the half a terabyte range assuming I have not fluffed the maths. On top of that GBA release lists count to just shy of 2800 and homebrew, v1.1. versions and beta releases are not going to bridge the gap so that number is probably many cheats instead.
 

Strainer

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Thanks for your answer Rydian. I have checked the K101, but I like the form factor of the GBA SP a lot.

I assumed GBC functionality from the phrase "the console is really same with original GBA SP,here let you know ,the function is same" but I agree it could mean same for GBA functionality only. It is also not guaranteed the hardware is not emulated, although I don't know of an emulation solution that supports link cables on portables.

With the price point at 45$, this is tempting, and the K101SP goes for 69$ afaik.
 

Fishaman P

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That device is Chinese crap, and it isn't worth the cheap plastic it's housed in.
The K1 GBA SP is a LOT better, though they just released the K101 GBA with fixed buttons, and we ('Tempers) are hoping that they'll backport those changes to the K1 and create the ultimate SP!

EDIT: AFAIK, no GBA clone can play GBC games. Sorry.
Guess we'll have to hope for that in the K102.
 

Foxi4

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I strongly suggest getting a GBA SP and a flashcart rather than a clone. All "additions" aside, original Nintendo hardware tends to be more reliable, especially the Game Boy line - those things are incredibly durable.
 

Strainer

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Yes, that was my first thought, getting an original GBA SP with the better backlit screen. Go for about the same the Chinese console costs, but will play my GBC games guaranteed and a Supercard MiniSD isn't that expensive either.

If I don't get any better feedback, this will probably be the solution.
 

Foxi4

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Yes, that was my first thought, getting an original GBA SP with the better backlit screen. Go for about the same the Chinese console costs, but will play my GBC games guaranteed and a Supercard MiniSD isn't that expensive either.

If I don't get any better feedback, this will probably be the solution.
Built-in space aside, I don't see any benefits of getting a clone - what I do see are potential compatibility issues, as nothing will guarantee that the hardware is a 1:1 clone - certain games may be fussy on clones. The possibility is slim, but existant. That, and there's really no comparison reliability-wise, not to mention that it's relatively easy to get spare parts/accessories for an original GBA SP, while when a clone is damaged or needs some extra perhaptials, you're screwed 9 out of 10 times.

Now, if this was hardware that relied on emulation, like the Dingoo series, the situation is completely different - the benefits of having an actual OS, a myriad of homebrew software, emulators and a stronger machine outweigh the con's. A simple GBA clone does not have those benefits.
 

Parasite X

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I saw a YouTube video of something like that it was called the GB station light it couldn't play GBA games and the cart slot was to small the 99999 games were a really bad joke.some of them were copies of games that were already loaded on the cart if you ask me the Revo with Soc or with EZIV are better deals.
 

dickfour

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There's really only a handful of consoles that can even emulate gba well. PSP, K1, GCW 0. Even the android emulator I tried was less than stellar. If you want to play GBA games with GB and GBC your best and most inexpensive route might just be a DS lite with an ez 3in1 and some variant of a cheap r4
 

Strainer

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I already own a DSlite with ez 3in1 and DSTWO, also a PSP, so I'm more than covered emulation-wise. What I wanted is a console that supported multiplayer on old GB, GBC and GBA games (as there are multiplayer emulators for NES and SNES, just not the handhelds).

So as this isn't possible with any emulator, the GBA SP seems to be the only solution. As I said, while looking for a price I was actually willing to pay (eBay lists most of the AGS-101 at 99$). But a local shop seems to have a unit for around 45$, I just have to check how the screen looks.

And yes, I imagine the 99999 games to be utter crap, there also seems to be no way to actually replace games, as this would be a nice feature. (USB Storage).

Well, if they developed something that sweet, I guess they would tell. I just wonder what exactly they mean with Save States and Real time Saving, I think it is a mere emulation machine and a blatant lie that it supports everything the original GBA SP did right now.
 

Strainer

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I have gotten another reply from them:


My message:

Thank you for your answers.

What's most important to me: Does this console play original Gameboy and Gameboy Color cartridges (like an original GBA SP)?

This is the most important thing to me, second is the multiplayer.

By "the same with original GBA SP", do you mean the hardware is identical, only that there is some sort of internal memory integrated or is the GBA emulated?



Answer:

hi Strainer

the console can play original Gameboy and Gameboy Color cartridges (like an original GBA SP)

I mean is the console is GBA sp

here let you know
sunki
 

dickfour

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If you want multi player just get a gba sp and an ez flash vi. The cool thing about that is the gb games have the real Nintendo color palates. I'm pretty sure the only other handheld device that supports multi player would be the K1
 

FAST6191

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If you want multi player just get a gba sp and an ez flash vi. The cool thing about that is the gb games have the real Nintendo color palates. I'm pretty sure the only other handheld device that supports multi player would be the K1

Typo I know but for the sake of others reading you want the EZ IV aka EZ4- the EZ5 (which confusingly got a DSi/3ds version called the EZVi or EZ5i) is a DS flash cart.

On palettes I am not sure what ultimate effect was but seen as the GBC BIOS was finally dumped a couple of years back they should be the right ones if you have- http://www.fpgb.org/?page_id=17 (the super game boy was also dumped around the same time).
 

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