What's the best way to play Game Boy Advance games today?

[Robonaut]

I've been playing the heck out of Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift lately, which has got me interested in picking up Final Fantasy Tactics Advance.

Sadly, I know *nothing* about the Game Boy Advance. Is there a particular model I should be looking for? Also, is there a way to get the output on a bigger screen (for example, I have a box for my Sony PSP that let's me hook it up to my TV via HDMI).

I don't mind spending a bit of $$$ if it leads to a better gaming experience.

[CRTGAMER]

I've been playing the heck out of Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift lately, which has got me interested in picking up Final Fantasy Tactics Advance.

Sadly, I know *nothing* about the Game Boy Advance. Is there a particular model I should be looking for? Also, is there a way to get the output on a bigger screen (for example, I have a box for my Sony PSP that let's me hook it up to my TV via HDMI).

I don't mind spending a bit of $$$ if it leads to a better gaming experience.

Some like the older GBA due to wider button placement, I prefer the folding GBA 101 for compactness and brighter screen.

Surprised you have not discovered the Gamecube GB Player for converting Gameboy games to the big screen.

[dsheinem]

I've been playing the heck out of Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift lately, which has got me interested in picking up Final Fantasy Tactics Advance.

Sadly, I know *nothing* about the Game Boy Advance. Is there a particular model I should be looking for? Also, is there a way to get the output on a bigger screen (for example, I have a box for my Sony PSP that let's me hook it up to my TV via HDMI).

I don't mind spending a bit of $$$ if it leads to a better gaming experience.

A Retron 5 would be the best option for you to play via HDMI: http://hyperkin.com/Retron5/

[Fragems]

If you want to play GBA on TV there are a couple clone systems out there the best of which is probably the Retron 5. If you want to do it officially there is the Gameboy player for the Game Cube.

If you are fine with play it on a handheld I personally like the GBA SP since it's back lit and compact however some people find the controls to be a little cramped especially if you have bigger hands. Most people tend to prefer the Nintendo DS and DS Lite which both support GBA games as well.

Ninjas

[Sarge]

Yeah, the DS Lite works very well for GBA games. I used a phat DS for years, and that's a solid choice as well. I think the screens in that are the same as those in the AGS-101 GBA SP in terms of brightness.

There is also the Game Boy Player as others have mentioned, which is a bolt-on attachment for the Gamecube. Make sure if you get one that it has the boot disc with it, or you've got a large paperweight.

My current setup involves a DS Lite with a 3-in-1 Expansion Cart, a GB Player, and if I'm being lazy, emulated using VBA-M on PC. I usually don't play on my legit carts anymore, I dumped them all using my DS Lite.

[ElkinFencer10]

I, too, echo the Retron 5 solution. Foregoing that, however, I'd say that the GBA SP or DS Lite are still tough to top.

[Robonaut]

Wow, thanks for the quick responses, everyone!

Surprised you have not discovered the Gamecube GB Player for converting Gameboy games to the big screen.

Ooh, that looks exactly like what I'm looking for (I already own a Gamecube). The trick seems to be finding one that comes with the start up disc?

[darsparx]

If you're going big screen I'll echo r5 and GBP for NGC. NGC is awesome official, just wish i could afford that wavebird to do it right that would make it awesome. Otherwise gba sp with a grip attached(that's how i'm doing it right now), but if it must be ogba then you could try buying the ones where people have already modded it for backlight, though admittedly those are getting super expensive and it's not much cheaper to DIY from the looks of it now that there's a supposed shortage of parts for it. Same goes for NGC gba player. That disc isn't cheap either since not many apparently bought it back then and still want to sell it so yeah....

[Robonaut]

Also, it seems like Game Boy Advance game saves are stored on the cartridge itself?

So, if I got the Gamecube adapter thingy for playing at home and, say, a DS Lite for playing on the go, I could just transfer the cartridge from system to system and I would have access to my saved games?

[Fragems]

Yes everything is saved on cart.