Hardware Why no GBA backwards compatibility ?

[pachura]

DS is backwards compatible with GBA.
3DS is backwards compatible with DS.

DS and GBA share a very similar hardware architecture; the chip responsible for generating graphics is especially very alike.

No$GBA started as GBA emulator, ended up as DS emulator.

Relatively small sizes of GBA games makes them convenient for download.

WHY NO GBA COMPATIBILITY THEN ?

 

[shamiko_]

ask yourself why the dsi doesn't have a gba slot

and why don't you see gba games on the dsi shop

 

[Blaze163]

There's no way of playing GBA cartridges on the 3DS because that way you have to pay to download them again from the eStore or whatever the hell they're calling it now. Thus raking in yet more cash. It's all about money. Nothing else. Not about fan service, not about giving us everything we want. It's about draining the maximum ammount of cash from us as often as possible.

 

[KingAsix]

ask yourself why the dsi doesn't have a gba slot

and why don't you see gba games on the dsi shop

Why is that...Aren't there gonna be GB/GBC title in the 3DS virtual channel?

 

[shamiko_]

ask yourself why the dsi doesn't have a gba slot

and why don't you see gba games on the dsi shop

Why is that...Aren't there gonna be GB/GBC title in the 3DS virtual channel?

don't ask me, how do you think im suppose to know...


although i still don't know why the dsi shop doesn't have gba games

 

[PeregrinFig]

The fact that they removed Slot-2 from the DSi rendered it completely unsurprising to me that the 3DS lacks GBA compatibility.

 

[Issac]

No. The DS has two different cpus or whatever... one ARM9 and one ARM7 iirc. and the ARM7 is used for the GBA, and the DSi and 3DS doesn't have the ARM7...

 

[xakota]

Because Nintendo always keeps backwards compatibility with the last system but not the one before. End of story. Given its power if the thing is ever hacked we will probably be able to emulate GBA games pretty easily.

 

[Rayder]

Because Ninty no longer produces GBA games, they make no profit off of GBA game sales. Since they make no profit off of GBA games, they have no incentive to continue providing GBA support in newer hand held systems.

Possibly though, with the 3DS, they may provide some GBA games as online downloads, but you'll be expected to pay for them all over again.

Many seem to think of Nintendo as your buddies and pals, but they aren't, they only care about your money. They won't waste their time with stuff that isn't profitable. The only reason they provide BC at all is to continue to rake in profit on stuff they do still produce and to help facilitate the transition to the newer system.

You can be fairly sure that if Ninty creates a 3DS revision a couple of years from now, it won't have DS BC anymore either, especially if DS games are no longer produced at that time.

 

[lostdwarf]

No. The DS has two different cpus or whatever... one ARM9 and one ARM7 iirc. and the ARM7 is used for the GBA, and the DSi and 3DS doesn't have the ARM7...

this

..and..

this:
With GameBoy games and GameBoy Colour games available from the eshop's day one, Nintendo would not want to take away customer intrest in them by allowing you to buy more 'Advanced' Games for the GBA. hehe
In other words, once they are happy with the total downloads for GB and GBC they will announce the amazing feature around Christmas of also getting downloadable GBA games content to the store! (it HAS to expand so don't be suprised to also see downloadable GAMECUBE games, as they were only 1.5GB average and we all want Rogue Squadron 3D don't we?)

 

[muckers]

Because no-one has bought a GBA game in years and years.

It's like asking why the DSi didn't have the ability to play GBC games.

 

[dills2]

because this new graphics whores generation of gamers will not buy it and if like any business ninty don't make a profit whats the point

 

[TheNikkoMan]

I can see the possibility for GBA downloads, as GBA had lots of good games.
Also, wouldn't it be stupid of them to include every handheld console(GB, GBC, NDS), except for GBA?

 

[awssk8er]

Every generation, they eliminate two generations ago.

GBA - Had Gameboy.
DS - Had GBA compatibility, but no GB.
3DS - Has DS, but no GBA.

I don't have a problem with it. It makes the handheld smaller, lighter, and look nicer. They might have GBA games on the 3DS shop eventually.

 

[Ikki]

They might have GBA games on the 3DS shop eventually.

Most likely. It'd be dumb of Ninty if they didn't.

 

[pachura]

I meant: ability to play GBA games bought & downloaded from Nintendo's eShop.

People would be much more interested in buying GBA games than really outdated GB & GBC ones, won't they ?
And emulating GBA on 3DS must be a piece of cake if they've already managed to emulate DS...

 

[twiztidsinz]

I meant: ability to play GBA games bought & downloaded from Nintendo's eShop.

People would be much more interested in buying GBA games than really outdated GB & GBC ones, won't they ?
And emulating GBA on 3DS must be a piece of cake if they've already managed to emulate DS...

DS Mode =/= Emulation.

 

[Aijelsop]

You CAN but GBC games. I swear I saw a picture of a Link's Awakening on a 3DS (on the official Nintendo site)

 

[Midna]

You CAN but GBC games. I swear I saw a picture of a Link's Awakening on a 3DS (on the official Nintendo site)

That's a GameBoy version. It had a GBC rerelease.

 

[MFDC12]

I meant: ability to play GBA games bought & downloaded from Nintendo's eShop.

People would be much more interested in buying GBA games than really outdated GB & GBC ones, won't they ?
And emulating GBA on 3DS must be a piece of cake if they've already managed to emulate DS...

outdated? i would rather play one of the many good gb/gbc games than play a ton of the games that are currently made for the ds or even some gba games.

and they are not emulating the ds.