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[Blame!]

ran into this nice little feature on the last days of the GBA @ 1up.

http://www.1up.com/do/feature?cId=3141966

besisdes the previews of a handful of must-buy GBA games (looks like orbital media is kicking ass), this article hits upon some really good poitns....

It can't be denied: Game Boy's twilight days have arrived. Sure, dozens of games are still on their way for GBA, but the vast majority of them are kid-oriented licensed titles of questionable merit -- a sure sign that hardcore gamers (and the games that appeal to them) have moved along to greener pastures. Like the PlayStation before it, the GBA has fallen off the radar of gaming's tastemakers and is now the domain of low-effort material aimed directly at parents who want safe, inexpensive games for their kids.

But not everyone is ready to throw in the towel. Despite the fact that the media has forgotten the GBA in favor of arguing to death the comparative merits of DS vs. PSP, despite the fact that dedicated gamers are waiting for worthwhile next-gen portable content, a small handful of creators are banking on the system's high installed base and the quality of their work to make continued support of the GBA a profitable venture -- despite its aging hardware.

personally i'm waiting for gunstar

 

[bionic77]

GBA > DS + PSP

 

[Oracle Dragon]

Works for me. Im just starting to get into GBA stuff, so now all of the software should be hitting bargain bins everywhere. Or it will become incredibly hard to get, and cost me a fortune on ebay. One of the two.

 

[captmcblack]

All I want in Gunstar, Dragonball Advance Adventure and the GBA Micro. Then the GBA can be dead.

 

[Superfrog]

No GBA game over yet:

http://www.orbitalmedia.com

 

[ikalugar]

The GBA had a good run, I played the shit out of mine, too bad its run is over. At this point GBA slaughters both DS and PSP but that will most likely change. <3 GBA

 

[NintendosBooger]

Wouldn't a more accurate title be "Is it finally over for the Game Boy Advance?"? Last I heard, the Game Boy line hasn't be discontinued.

 

[Blame!]

Wouldn't a more accurate title be "Is it finally over for the Game Boy Advance?"? Last I heard, the Game Boy line hasn't be discontinued.

actually, the feature does say that in tis title... my bad

 

[radios shipping overview]

Dragonball Advance Adventure

This still doesn't have a US release scheduled does it?

 

[Tiktaalik]

Where is Mother 3 ???

 

[gamewhooper]

Eh... there'll still be...

Gunstar Super Heroes
Rebelstar: Tactical Command
Donkey Kong Country 3
Mega Man Zero 4
Sigma Star Saga
Mario Power Tennis

...and maybe a couple others I might be looking forward to.

Of course, I'll be playing them on my DS and will be getting the best handheld games of both worlds, but I'm still anticipating some of them as much as I am Nintendogs or Lunar: Dragon Song.

 

[Barry Lightning]

is it really that dire? i guess i take it for granted.

 

[TheJollyCorner]

Where is Mother 3 ???

hopefully being developed for far better technology than GameBoy...

 

[Ikaris]

I'm not a big GBA player myself, but I will say one thing:

The GBA and it's SKUs sell like NUTS.

Seriously.

For game developers, it can be a gold mine. You'd be surprised.

Is it outdated technology ? Yes.

Should it be phased out ? Not necessarily... there's always room for 2D and I don't think anyone wants to see it go away.

I still love the fact that it helped to bring back some classic old school 2D gaming goodness though.

(Just give me some HDTV resolution Street Fighter soon ! 1024 x 1024 sprite animations would be insane )

 

[puck1337]

Great article. From the sounds of it, developers are probably abandoning the GBA too early.

 

[WrathOfOtaibah]

I'd say this year is probably the last decent years. Most of the big dogs have moved onto DS and PSP. GBA will probably still see releases for a couple more years due to the userbase and development costs. Although its glory days are done and have been done for quite some time.

 

[Teddman]

I used to be miffed that the DS was cutting short the GBA's lifespan, but now that I've seen that 2D games, and especially excellent 2.5D style games, will live on in the DS I'm not mourning as much anymore.

 

[NintendosBooger]

*pours liquor for the last of the pure 2D game driven machines*

 

[Pimpbaa]

I always thought the GBA was kinda ruined by it's absolutely horrible audio. Thankfully Nintendo put decent audio in the DS.

 

[jarrod]

GBA's still got some life yet... coming up...

-Digitylish Series (Nintendo)
-Screw Breaker (Nintendo/Game Freak Entertainment)
-DK: King of Swing (Nintendo/Paon)
-Donkey Kong Country 3 (Nintendo/Rare)
-Mother 3 (Nintendo)
-Mario Tennis Advance (Nintendo/Camelot Software Planning)
-Dynasty Warriors Advance (Nintendo/Koei)
-Custom Robo Ace (Nintendo/Noise)
-Gunstar Super Heroes (Sega/Treasure Video Games)
-Mega Man Zero 4 (Capcom)
-Mega Man Anniversary Collection (Capcom/Hanaho Asia)
-Metal Slug 1: Super Vehicle (SNK Playmore)
-The King of Fighters Advance (SNK Playmore)
-Juka and the Monophonic Menace (Orbital Media)
-Scurge: Hive (Orbital Media)
-Pirate Battle (Orbital Media)
-Racing Gears 2 (Orbital Media)
-Rebelstar: Tactical Command (Namco/CODO Games)
-Sigma Star Saga (Namco/Wayforward Technologies)
-Kunio-Kun Nekketsu Collection Vol. 1-3 (Atlus/Million)
-Harvest Moon: More Friends of Mineral Town (Natsume/Mavelous Interactive)
-Yu-Gi-OH! Duel Monsters GX (Konami)
-Shin Boktai: Gyakushuu no Sabata (Konami)
-Shaman King: Master of Spirits 2 (Konami)
-Peter Jackson's King Kong (Ubisoft)
-Prince of Persia: Kindred Blades (Ubisoft)
-One Piece: Grand Battle (Bandai/Dimps)
-Kidou Gekidan Haro Ichiza: Haro no Puyo Puyo (Bandai/Carat House)
-Dragon Ball: Red Ribbon Army Saga (Atari/Banpresto)
-Alien Hominid (Zoo Digital/The Behemoth)
-Zooo (Ignition/Success)
-Top Spin 2 (2K Games/Indie Built)
-CT Special Forces 3: Navy Ops (HIP Interactive/LSP)

 

[Vandiger]

I'm hoping GBA micro would officially end GBA but that will not happen considering how cheap the games sell for and the vast library compared to competing handhelds. There will always be money to be made on GBA platform.

 

[stonedwal]

This still doesn't have a US release scheduled does it?

Set for September release here in Australia - should be sometime around then, I'd imagine.

 

[Zeo]

GBA > DS + PSP, yes.

But obviously, GBA has been out a little longer. I was never as pumped for a GBA lineup like I am the upcoming DS lineup for this fall. If this keeps up, DS > GBA, by far (and with far less ports).

But, it's not like PSP can't end up better than GBA too. If they start announcing games as good as some of the launch games, then PSP will kick ass.

To be honest, I thought handheld gaming was complete crap up until GBA, with the exception of great Game Gear, GB, and GBC games here and there.

 

[dicklaurent]

Set for September release here in Australia - should be sometime around then, I'd imagine.

It isn't out in the US or Australia yet? wtf. It's been out here, Europe, for a while.

 

[Andy787]

Just give me a domestic Mother 1+2, Nintendo. Please.

 

[bionic77]

GBA > DS + PSP, yes.

But obviously, GBA has been out a little longer. I was never as pumped for a GBA lineup like I am the upcoming DS lineup for this fall. If this keeps up, DS > GBA, by far (and with far less ports).

But, it's not like PSP can't end up better than GBA too. If they start announcing games as good as some of the launch games, then PSP will kick ass.

To be honest, I thought handheld gaming was complete crap up until GBA, with the exception of great Game Gear, GB, and GBC games here and there.

I will always find the GBA better than both because the GBA is the last system made for 2D. DS seems to have a lot of 2D too, but I am not a big fan of the stylus.

The PSP gives me the same shit I get on any home console, so nuts to that unless it gives me something different.

 

[Prine]

Good, now 3rd parties can concentrate on PSP

 

[AniHawk]

Good, now 3rd parties can concentrate on PSP

Yeah. This is whats been holding them back

 

[gamewhooper]

EA and Activision can put their games on the PSP while Capcom can add their ports. I'd rather have the Sonics, Castlevanias, Final Fantasies, and hell, even Trauma Center that the DS is getting.

 

[Ranger X]

Scurge The Hive wasn't canned for a DS release only?

And OMGWTF Mother 3??? How come i didn't hear about this one? I'm such an Earthbound whore!!

 

[cvxfreak]

The Micro will easily delay the death of the GBA for as much as 3 years.

 

[Yusaku]

Third pillar indeed.

 

[Swordian]

And OMGWTF Mother 3??? How come i didn't hear about this one? I'm such an Earthbound whore!!

It was "announced" in a commercial for Mother 1+2.

 

[Gantz]

I always thought the GBA was kinda ruined by it's absolutely horrible audio. Thankfully Nintendo put decent audio in the DS.

Not as bad as the PSP audio. :lol

 

[jgkspsx]

And the ones that look very good to excellent to me are...

-Digitylish Series (Nintendo) <- needs to be on DS, tho
-Screw Breaker (Nintendo/Game Freak Entertainment)
-DK: King of Swing (Nintendo/Paon) <- it IS excellent... the spiritual sequel to Clu Clu Land
-Mother 3 (Nintendo)
-Gunstar Super Heroes (Sega/Treasure Video Games)
-Mega Man Zero 4 (Capcom)
-Scurge: Hive (Orbital Media)
-Pirate Battle (Orbital Media)
-Racing Gears 2 (Orbital Media)
-Rebelstar: Tactical Command (Namco/CODO Games)
-Sigma Star Saga (Namco/Wayforward Technologies)
-Kunio-Kun Nekketsu Collection Vol. 1-3 (Atlus/Million)
-Harvest Moon: More Friends of Mineral Town (Natsume/Mavelous Interactive)
-Shin Boktai: Gyakushuu no Sabata (Konami)
-Alien Hominid (Zoo Digital/The Behemoth)

I'd call that alive for the time being.

 

[radios shipping overview]

Not as bad as the PSP audio. :lol

...what?

 

[gamewhooper]

The PSP's audio can be fairly good at some times but in a lot of games the sound is just underwhelming and soft. It also isn't as crisp or clear as the speakers on the DS. I blame the tiny squares for speakers.

 

[radios shipping overview]

Sound through headphones is all that matters. I would never expect decent sound through tiny speakers like that, on any system.

 

[Scrow]

Yeah. This is whats been holding them back

:lol

*thumbs up*

 

[monchi-kun]

GB Micro + Digitylish

that is all...

 

[SantaC]

Yeah. This is whats been holding them back

:lol

 

[Musashi Wins!]

Good article. Still a lot I'm looking forward to on the GBA.

One of the game magazines had an actual size photo of the micro....there's no way in hell I'm buying that thing. The screen is waaaaay too fucking small.

 

[Father_Brain]

What exactly is Digitylish? I've heard of it, but can't really find a good preview.

 

[jgkspsx]

What exactly is Digitylish? I've heard of it, but can't really find a good preview.

It's a collection of very stylish arcade/puzzle games. It don't remember the various games, but there are a number of clones of existing games (Pong, Tetris) and a number of new games. I think it's about four and four. The style was very cool, the music was rather unique, and the gameplay seemed promising.

Wireless multiplay and touch-screen control (for Pong and a few of the others) make the DS a much better platform for this, though. I'm not going to get too excited until they get further along and start publishing actual official info, but I'm cautiously optimistic that this will be a kickass fast action compilation.