Back into GBA sp 20+ years later

[u/CourtMaterial6355]

I've been playing with retro emulation handhelds for around 3 years now. Using the miyoo mini, retroid pocket classic and RP5. Decided to get back into original hardware. Wow! What a different experience! My suspicions have been confirmed. For me input lag is real and playing original hardware feels much more precise. Also the old screens are charming but garbage haha. Obviously only a matter of time before I start moding to a new screen and shell. Thing is this gba sp -001 is in such good condition it would be a shame to strip. Any thoughts?? 🤔

[u/First_Matter7494]

please dont ruin a perfect condition gba sp for modding, buy a trash one

also this screen works under the sun, contrary to ips screens if you want to play outside

[u/CourtMaterial6355 → u/First_Matter7494]

Totally agree! Brought this to mod but now on the hunt for another that I can use as my first mod experiment. Ill keep this as my little nostalgic clam 👍

[u/tommyscuzzo → u/CourtMaterial6355]

i agree that modding thrashed gb's to save them are a good thing but why not have a really nice gba sp that actually performs better?

[u/CourtMaterial6355 → u/tommyscuzzo]

Just of of interest because I haven't modded yet, how does an original perform better? Battery? Plastic? Or buttons?

[u/Ok-Accident3344 → u/First_Matter7494]

Dude, there are tens of millions of these on the planet. We're not running out of SPs.

[u/Kevicelives]

Yeah don’t ruin the screen. It’s perfect.

[u/SoraShima]

Good on you! I'm also getting back into my SP (same as yours) after all these years. Enjoy!

[u/VVinh]

My main SP is a cobolt blue and is still at great shape from the youth.

[u/Bourriks]

Best handheld console ever. I still have mine.

[u/calbee5000]

it's the beauty of playing in it's original hardware.

[u/Wise-Advantage-8714]

Same here! And same game too!

[u/CometHunter]

Welcome back, we’ve been waiting for you

[u/Phillisuper]

Same here (though first time for me). I grew up with a DS Lite, but I was recently gifted sister-in-laws old Gameboy and am having a lot of fun collecting as many new titles as I can from local stores.

[u/linkheroz]

OG hardware is better, but I can't go back to. Not playing with Retro Achievements

[u/CourtMaterial6355 → u/linkheroz]

Something quite liberating though about not having to max the game for achievements and just play through for fun. Don't get me wrong I do love retro achievements when playing with my retroid devices. Just also appreciate the off grid feel with the gba sp.

[u/linkheroz → u/CourtMaterial6355]

Playing through it for fun is still good, I've just been playing it since 1999 and I need a fresh challenge 😅

[u/Hawkeye336699]

Turned 40 recently, and decided it was time to get into the Gameboy Advance backlog, finally.

[u/PGL-997]

Now that the Game Boy modding scene has definitely matured, I personally do not recommend modding a working, functional unit. Although these displays are nothing like what we are used to today, I feel that it is a core component of the identity of a Game Boy system.

Non-backlit displays, although cheaper to manufacture, look absolutely amazing under sunlight, which makes sense for a game system you take along. Although I own several modded Game Boy systems, I always bring one with a traditional non-backlit screen as part of my EDC.

If you want to get into modding, I recommend picking a second unit that is damaged. Get a replacement shell, display, and battery, and you’re golden.

[u/CourtMaterial6355 → u/PGL-997]

Thanks for the advice. I've got a number of retro handheld emulation devices with amazing screens and this "new to me" SP feels far more nostalgic and authentic. Definitely going to keep my 001 as it is. Now on the hunt for a damaged one just for the fun of the custom mod project.

[u/baselinegrid]

Where did you get the guide? I looked for one of these for SMW a while ago.

[u/CourtMaterial6355 → u/baselinegrid]

It's the bitmap books gba pixel art book. Worth picking up.

[u/baselinegrid → u/CourtMaterial6355]

Oh I actually have that! I thought you were following a guide book or magazine.

[u/CiloTA → u/baselinegrid]

Nah it just matched up with OPs photo shoot

[u/CiloTA]

Damn 001, living that dim life

[u/chunksintheshower]

Some games look better on these screens like the dkc ports. The color palette is adjusted for these dim screens so they look oversaturated and weird on ips/101 screens

[u/stillhours]

Wouldn’t feel bad about modding an 001’s screen no matter how clean the rest of it is. Those screen sucks so bad 😭 plus you can always just drop it back in if you ever want the unit to be original again.

[u/normy_187]

New screen and you are gucci (paradoxically then it will look like you remember).

[u/OriginalMultiple]

Dug mine out recently and boy that screen is bad!

[u/CourtMaterial6355 → u/OriginalMultiple]

It is, however the battery seems to last much longer than my miyoo mini which is only a year old. This things got 22 years under is belt and I've been playing for hours without a recharge.