Game Boy Advance

Gameboy Advance
Manufacturer	Nintendo
Type	Handheld
Generation	Sixth
Media	Cartridge
Release Date	JP March 21, 2001 US June 11, 2001 EU June 22, 2001 CN June 8, 2004
Units Sold	76.79 million
Top Game	Pokemon Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald
Compatibility	Gameboy, Gameboy Color
Predecessor	Gameboy Color
Successor	Nintendo DS

The Gameboy Advance is the third and, so far, final product in the Gameboy line. The Gameboy Advance features better graphics than the Gameboy Color as well as being backwards compatible with Gameboy and Gameboy Color. It was released in 2001 in Japan, America, and Europe. It wasn't released in China until 2004.

There were reports of the Gameboy Advance, then known as "Project Atlantis", as early as 1996. The early reports of the Gameboy Advance being able to display graphics on par with the Super Nintendo were surprisingly accurate.

Designs

Gameboy Advance

The original Gameboy Advance had an oblong shape. It also lacked the later designs' backlit screen. The Gameboy Advance came in violet, milky blue, white, orange, silver, and gold. Special editions include platinum, silver, Target Red, Target Grape, Toys'R'Us Midnight Blue, Pokemon Center New York gold, Pokemon Center Japan red and blue, Chobits clear blue, King of Fighters clear black, and Megaman blue.

Gameboy Advance SP

The Gameboy Advance SP is considerably smaller than the original Gameboy Advance. It's hinged with all the buttons on the lower half and the screen on the upper half. Most importantly, the screen is backlit. It was originally available in Platinum Silver, Azulite Blue, and Onyx Black. Pearl Pink, Pearl Blue, and Famicom Color were later added.

Japanese exclusives include Kingdom Hearts edition, Donkey Kong edition, Naruto edition, Bandai edition, Famicom 20th Anniversary edition, Star Light Gold, Mana Blue edition, Jango Reed and Black, Final Fantasy Tactics Advance edition, Rayquaza edition, Charizard edition, Venusaur edition, Groudon edition, Kyogre edition, and Torchic orange.

European exclusives Mario edition(half red, half silver), Zelda edition(Gold with Triforce), pink, Tribal edition, and Girls edition(Spain only). U.S. exclusives include Lime/Orange, Surf Blue, Lime, Platinum and Onyx, Cobalt, Flame, Who Are You? edition(Black with "Who Are You?" logo), NES edition, and Tattoo edition. Other exclusives include the Dragon edition(China), Pearl(Future shop in Canada), Rip Curl(Australia), and All Blacks(Australia).

Gameboy Micro

The Gameboy Micro redesign was not as popular as the Gameboy Advance SP. A little smaller than the average credit card, the Gameboy Micro was harder to play.

The original Gameboy Micro was silver. The Gameboy Micro had a Mother 3 edition, aFinal Fantasy IV edition, and a Famicom-stylized version.