The GBA-SP NES edition

[Daveman]

[shameful admission] I traded in my older platinum GBA-SP (a spare mostly used for the occasional two-player GBA/GC game) and an older game to pick up this new edition.  Yes, I like Nintendo and this design tickled my nostalgia bone. [/shameful admission]

So I figured I'd post my impressions about it here.  I'm pretty ambivalent about Nintendo releasing various colors/edition of the GBA... it's not like they're forcing you to buy them, or including various "features" other than cosmetic differences.  

Since I no longer have my platinum GBA-SP I can't compare the two directly, but I think the lighter shade of the NES edition isn't quite the same... at least it seems more light gray than silver to me.  At any rate, they reproduce the two-tone gray look of the NES very well, along with the gray "grille" marked on the top.  What really sets this GBA-SP apart is on the inside...

If you've seen pictures you know it looks like the original NES controller.  What I couldn't tell from pictures online (or even on the box) was if this was simply painted on, some kind of sticker or laminate stuck to the surface, etc.  Turns out it's some kind of laminate, but it's inlaid and flush with the surface of the GBA, not just stuck on top.  Furthermore, it's textured, giving it a very nice feel.  It's been too long for me to remember if the original NES controllers had that texturing, but it works either way.

All told, for a special edition this is notably more than just a different color scheme.  If the idea of a special edition has any appeal to you at all, this is certainly one to get.  The only thing that I find "upsetting" is the notion that they tried to pass off the two-toned onyx/platinum GBA-SP here in the US as a "limited edition" some months ago that just looked like a manufacturing error in comparison with this.

[Nth Power]

I'll just chime in and say I think the retro GBA SP looks pretty darn cool.  I almost wish I had a reason to own two, so I would have a reason to get it.

[kathode]

Never been one for much nostalgia, so I think it looks pretty darn retarded  But I guess when you think about it, that's the entire point!  

[Hetz]

I picked one of these up yesterday. It looks pretty damn cool, but then I am big into retro stuff and this thing really brings back fond memories of my childhood...