Retrospective: Gameboy to DS

[The Jade Fist]

So, past few days I've dusted out my old school original Gameboy, as well as my Gameboy advance. I must stop and question myself, how did I ever play anything on these? (I had a gameboy color as well at one time but no longer)
They are just so uncomfortable to use, and hard to see the screen.
You have to hold them at the perfect angle to catch light but not too much.

The modern use of back-lighting on the DS just makes it so hard to pick these older consoles up again.

How did I ever sink so many hours into my gameboys. How did I take the time to complete games. How did I enjoy these consoles so much, they are literally painful to use.

While the systems had some great games, I have to question the systems themselves. You ever try playing Zelda 2 on the GBA? Good luck beating it.

 

[Ventus]

I use my GBASP without Backlight to this day, I don't see a problem without backlight whatsoever. Yeah, you need to find that RIGHT ANGLE but beyond that? I find them to be some of the most comfortable handhelds out there. Certainly better than the DSi XL or the 3DS XL.

 

[Salem]

In my younger days, I tend to play gameboy games on to super gameboy whenever I'm at home and no one else was using the snes. the worst is when you out in the car and its night and you can only see the screen when the street light shines...

I also bought that light thingy that you connect to the gameboy advance to shine light in it, it wasn't very helpful...

 

[The Jade Fist]

Maybe the SP's shape makes it a bit easier to hold and catch the light. I've got the normal GBA,

...complete with a tape on battery cover...

edit :

at sora, ya I hear ya, at night the system became useless.

my original game boy still has a handyboy, but I can't use it with out finding an AC power adapter to work for it.

 

[Hanyou]

I found both the Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance very difficult to use.

Fortunately, I bought a magnifier with a light for the Game Boy Color, which helped but used up batteries quickly, and I got the Game Boy Player as soon as I could. Game Boy Advance games look pretty good on SDTVs--particularly my favorites like Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow and Harvest Moon: Friends of Mineral Town.

I find them to be some of the most comfortable handhelds out there. Certainly better than the DSi XL or the 3DS XL.

Really? I think the 3DS XL is the most comfortable handheld I've ever used by far. Most of the other Nintendo handhelds feel like they're made for tiny hands--very uncomfortable for long gaming sessions.

 

[Ventus]

Maybe the SP's shape makes it a bit easier to hold and catch the light. I've got the normal GBA,

...complete with a tape on battery cover...

Oh yeah, I agree the normal GBA was a pain to use at times regarding lighting, but that still wasn't a bother for me because I played it for like an hour then stopped for the rest of the day.

I freaking LOVED not having the battery cover, for some reason the cover felt like it was in the way

 

[The Jade Fist]

Oh yeah, I agree the normal GBA was a pain to use at times regarding lighting, but that still wasn't a bother for me because I played it for like an hour then stopped for the rest of the day.

I freaking LOVED not having the battery cover, for some reason the cover felt like it was in the way

I know right? It makes getting batteries in and out of the system while its powered on so inconvenient.

 

[Blue Star]

Not only are the old Gameboys hard to see, but they're also hard to hold compared to the modern gaming devices of today. I didn't have a problem back in my high school days, but maybe I was enjoying the games so much that I just didn't notice. XD

 

[Ventus]

Most of the other Nintendo handhelds feel like they're made for tiny hands

I agree with this, but I've long since adapted to "tiny hand" peripherals. For example, Sony's DualShock controller is often cited as "too small", but it feels just right for me. On the same level, people clamor over larger versions of standard handhelds, such as the DSi XL and the 3DS XL, but I'm very used to the smaller handhelds not just because of exposure to those particular devices, but because I use small items in general.

I own very small baseball bats, somewhat small catcher's mitts, a smaller mouse, a small TV...everything I own is small.

For the record, I have big hands as well.

 

[Krazy4Krash]

The Gameboy, Gameboy Color and Gameboy Advance are way too bulky for comfort. The Gameboy Advance SP is okay, actually a little small. The lighting on these systems are rubbish unless in the prime conditions. Huge turn-off.

I'm not going to pin these systems alone due to the fact I find no portable comfortable in lengthy sessions, but it's easy to enjoy the DS Lite and 3DS. Can't say the same for the Gameboy line. I haven't personally tried out the original DS, DSi or either XL system, so I have no place for comment there.

 

[Night Owl]

The game boy advance is actually my favorite of Nintendo handhelds. I found it to be the most comfortable to use for long periods of time. It also played the old gameboy games.
I never needed it to get repaired, it was as solid as they get, the ds-3ds if you look at it the wrong way you'll have buttons quit working. (L and R especially)
I even had an accessory that was like a street lamp so you could play it in the dark. I found that it works the best for road trips, the light from windows always washes out the ds-3ds unless you have it all the way bright. I still bring out my GBA to play the old games.



I keep finding the XL's a pain because they didn't adjust the buttons to make it more comfortable, though the huge screen is nice.

(I found the light thing worked the best if the light wasn't aimed directly at the screen, otherwise all you get is glare.)