And it still works today.
This was and is a great handheld console to have on the go. I used to bring this thing everywhere that I went and played it just as much until I could see the A and B buttons imprinted in my thumb. It is more rectangular than it's predecessor and comes with it's own backlight which was the main selling point for it in my opinion because now you didn't have to buy an extra light to plug into your charger port. The only downside for me is that there isn't a headphone jack anywhere to be found. If you want headphones, you will have to buy an adapter that plugs into your charger port. Graphics Quality Now for the time that this console came out, the graphics were awesome. Majority of these games were in 2D (sometimes pre-rendered 3D). Very rarely would you find 3D being utilized in these games but since it's 3D capabilities were low, it was to be expected. Now that doesn't mean that the graphics are horrible by any means. That couldn't be farther from the truth. The art of some of these games can be outstanding and sometimes overwhelming. It really reminds you of the hard work that a lot of developers put into these games. Game Variety Some of the games for this console were among the best that I've ever played such as "Gunstar Super Heroes" and "Metroid Fusion". There were a lot of games out there compatible with this console. Racers, platformers, shooters you name it. The Game boy advance had it all. There were probably more platformers on this console than any other handheld console before it. It also has backwards compatibility with not Game boy color games, but the older Game boy games as well, increasing it's value dramatically. I'm still looking for games for this console today. Controller Comfort For the most part it's still comfortable to hold. However as an adult it isn't as comfortable as when I was a kid. I was however geared towards children so it is to be expected. Ease of Use Put the game in and play. It can't get anymore easier than that. This handheld was made before everything needed to have menus and an interface. I just had one simple function: to play video games. There were times where the game wouldn't start, but that was usually due to dust within the cartridge slot. Blow into it and your good to go. Durability It is very durable and much more portable than the original GBA. With its ability to fold it easily becomes even more durable. Mine still works today as well as my brothers and I'm never going to let mine go anytime soon.
Electron62
USA