Why did the GBA lack two buttons?

[Creamu]

Hello,

prepare for the absolute collapse of civil society.

Its weird. The snes had 4 buttons for the right thumb the GBA only two. Why?????

 

[Shadow#1]

Hello,

prepare for the absolute collapse of civil society.

Its weird. The snes had 4 buttons for the right thumb the GBA only two. Why?????

Because the snes was designed around that many buttons so as the gba was

 

[Creamu]

Because the snes was designed around that many buttons so as the gba was

Its a major downgrade, as well as the soundchip. The gba could have been so much better. Imagine Star Fox on the GBA.

 

[Shadow#1]

Its a major downgrade, as well as the soundchip. The gba could have been so much better. Imagine Star Fox on the GBA.

Nah it didn't need to be

 

[Creamu]

Nah it didn't need to be

Wrong. The GBA SP would be the perfecr console if it wasnt for this immense flaw. Look at ps1 4. SNES 4. XBOX 4. PS5 4. The 4 button layout for the right thumb is objectivly correct

 

[sup3rgh0st]

Are you really comparing a 2003 handheld to the PS5? With that logic the GBA is missing raytracing as well.

 

[Tomobobo]

Why didn't they put a second analog stick on the psp or the og 3ds?

 

[Shadow#1]

Are you really comparing a 2003 handheld to the PS5? With that logic the GBA is missing raytracing as well.

Not only that the others r all CONSOLES

 

[Creamu]

Why didn't they put a second analog stick on the psp or the og 3ds?

Yes. The psp had psx games on it but no dual stick??????????

 

[Creamu]

Are you really comparing a 2003 handheld to the PS5? With that logic the GBA is missing raytracing as well.

Snes had four, psp had four. There is no excuse. Nintendo is just sadistic.

 

[Shadow#1]

Yes. The psp had psx games on it but no dual stick??????????

Psx games didn't need dual analog sticks for any game officaly released on the PSN store

 

[Shadow#1]

Snes had four, psp had four. There is no excuse. Nintendo is just sadistic.

Psp is a different generation that be ds and psp and ds has 4

 

[Shadow#1]

Name a gba competitor made by sony?

 

[Creamu]

Name a gba competitor made by sony?

Psp

 

[Shadow#1]

Psp

Again debunked above

 

[Creamu]

Psp is a different generation that be ds and psp and ds has 4

Thats how you know they knew they f*cked up.

 

[AxlSt00pid]

Because the GBA was designed as some kind of next evolution, beefed-up console in the GameBoy line.

The OG Gameboy had 2 buttons, so did the Advanced GameBoy

 

[Creamu]

Again debunked above

When the psp came out the gba was sti on the market with new releases. Competing consles.

 

[Shadow#1]

Thats how you know they knew they f*cked up.

Nope comparing future generations is your flaw

 

[The Real Jdbye]

Yes. The psp had psx games on it but no dual stick??????????

Most PSX games didn't support analog sticks in my experience (not the ones I play anyway) so that is no great loss.

Hello,

prepare for the absolute collapse of civil society.

Its weird. The snes had 4 buttons for the right thumb the GBA only two. Why?????

Only the people who designed it would be able to answer that question. I can't think of a single reason, other than that the previous Game Boys all had 2 buttons so they were just continuing what was already proven to be a winning formula. Maybe they thought because the GBA is backwards compatible, it should keep the same button layout and if they were to add more buttons, they'd have to rearrange the buttons slightly and some games might be less comfortable to play.
But more likely, they didn't think it needed more buttons, because handheld games were traditionally simpler than home console games. I'm sure it came up and the decision ended up being a case of "the Game Boy line is more than capable enough with 2 buttons, look at all these great games that are just fine with 2 buttons - so we don't need to add more"