Game Boy Advance Has Best Xmas Ever
Portable gives DS and PSP something to aim for.
With the hubbub surrounding the impending release of the Nintendo DS and Sony's PSP, it's easy to forget that there is already a dominant portable gaming system sitting on shelves.
The Game Boy Advance was launched in the UK in June 2001 and has experienced continuous success ever since. In 2003, Nintendo released the Game Boy Advance SP, a redesign of the portable that gave it a clamshell design and, more importantly, a backlight.
Last year was another big one for Nintendo and the Game Boy Advance SP, with more than 1 million sold during 2004 on the back of hit games including Wario Ware Inc: Minigame Mania and Legend Of Zelda: The Minish Cap. There are now 14 million Game Boy Advances in pockets around Europe alone, setting the challenge for the two newcomer systems.
And what about the Game Boy name? Currently, Nintendo insists that the Nintendo DS is not the successor to the Game Boy Advance. A true successor is thought to be in development and there are already unacknowledged hardware specifications floating around.
There has been no official confirmation, though, and as it stands now, Nintendo will continue to support both the Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS.
Alex Wollenschlaeger
Editor, Kikizo Games
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