Troubleshooting

Having trouble with your Game Boy Advance? Check out Game Boy Advance Troubleshooting page.

Background

The Game Boy Advance is a hand held gaming console manufactured by Nintendo. When it was released in 2001, it was popular because it had a 32-bit RISC processor that allows the user to play Super Nintendo games in your hand. It was the second Game Boy to have color graphics after the Game Boy Color.

The Game Boy Advance comes in a variety of colors and styles: Arctic, Black, Fuchsia, Glacier, Indigo, Hello Kitty, Red, Platinum, and Gold which is rare.

It can play older games from previous Game Boy generations and it can link with other Game Boy systems with the Game Link or GameCube cable.

The Game Boy Advance was replaced by the Game Boy Advance SP in 2003. The new model has rechargeable lithium-ion batteries and a built in screen.

Identification

A departure from the vertical orientation in the original Game Boy and Game Boy Color, the Game Boy Advance (Model number: AGB-001) has a horizontal rectangular body, with the game cartridge slot located on the top rear edge. It comes in various colors and limited edition variants, but the most common colors are Indigo and Glacier (translucent blue). It is easily identified by the "Game Boy Advance" labeling on the lower screen bezel. The model number AGB-001 is printed on a black label on the rear housing. Not to be confused with the Game Boy Advance SP, which has a flip-screen clamshell design.

  • Dimensions: 145 mm (5.7 in) x 82 mm (3.2 in) x 24 mm (0.94 in) (WxHxD)
  • Battery life: Approximately 15 hours on two AA batteries
  • Input:
    • Eight-way control pad
    • Six tactile buttons (A, B, L, R, Start, Select)
    • Volume slider
    • Power switch
    • Serial I/O ("Link cable")
    • Cartridge I/O
    • 3.5 mm headphone jack
  • Display: 240x160 pixels; no backlight.

Additional Information