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Portables (Games) Entertainment Games

Nintendo Announces Wireless GBA Adapter 164

Posted by simoniker from the no-trailing-wires-for-multiplayer dept.
Thanks to an anonymous reader for pointing to the Yahoo press release announcing Nintendo is using Motorola technology to produce a wireless adapter for the GameBoy Advance. According to the release, "The 2.4GHz radio frequency (RF) chipset enables up to five players to play each other wirelessly, allowing for flexible, mobile game playing", and it "...will be launched in Japan first half of 2004." Motorola is also hosting a picture of the device, showing how it connects to the GBA.
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Nintendo Announces Wireless GBA Adapter More

Nintendo Announces Wireless GBA Adapter

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  • Data port speed (Score:4, Interesting)

    by acxr is wasted ( 653126 ) * on Friday September 26, 2003 @02:38AM (#7061627)
    technology offers robust performance with a high-speed data rate

    I thought that the GBAs data port was limited to an extremely slow transfer rate. (2kb/s?) Is it faster on the sp? Does anyone have info on this?

    • Re:Data port speed (Score:4, Insightful)

      by rabbit994 ( 686936 ) on Friday September 26, 2003 @03:02AM (#7061700)
      Real question is does it matter? If 2k is all you need then your good. Before anyone pulls out Bill Gates 640K quote this isn't a computer, it's a gameboy which can't be upgraded by your common person and like consoles, developers are used to working within requirements. I'm sure the data port is fast enough for all GBA games here and future.
      • gameboy which can't be upgraded by your common person

        What about the Afterburner? [tritonlabs.com]
        • What about the Afterburner?

          Sadly, most "common people" don't have the soldering skills required to install an Afterburner nor the patience to go through the eighteen steps required; they'd much rather buy an SP.

          • You get far better results from the SP than Afterburner. I was one of the first people to buy an afterburner and I can tell you it was no easy job installing and getting acceptable results. At it's very best the afterburner still pales in comparison to the SP. The price difference between an SP and a gameboy advance is insignificant if you want a lighted display.

        • Re:Data port speed (Score:3, Interesting)

          by Chewie ( 24912 )
          Obligatory Penny Arcade [penny-arcade.com] response to the Afterburner.
    • The GBA-SP has a second 'accessory' type port, so I'm guessing it's higher speed than the original GBA's... The press release claims it's compatible with the original GBA, so it may have a 'low speed' mode, as well.

      I'm wondering (like most others here, I'm sure,) if it's Bluetooth.

    • Re:Data port speed (Score:5, Informative)

      by Rolman ( 120909 ) on Friday September 26, 2003 @03:05AM (#7061709)
      IIRC, the GBA's port is 115kbps maximum. Of course that's slow by today's standards, but it still is quite useful for multiplayer.

      Also, for those hoping this technology would be compatible with Wi-Fi because it's on the 2.4GHz range, forget it, the GBA has a minuscule 256KB System RAM, which is just fine when the cartridge's ROM is within the CPU's addressable space, but not enough for anything useful beyond gaming. Keep also in mind this wireless technology needs to have low power consumption.

  • So, how long... (Score:4, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Friday September 26, 2003 @02:38AM (#7061628)
    Until I can start doing Gameboy Warchalking?

  • Cool. (Score:3, Interesting)

    by JonStewart ( 663472 ) on Friday September 26, 2003 @02:39AM (#7061630)
    How long do you think it will be before GBA emulators use Wi-Fi cards to do the same thing?

    • Re:Cool. (Score:5, Informative)

      by PurpleFloyd ( 149812 ) <zeno20@attb i . c om> on Friday September 26, 2003 @03:01AM (#7061698) Homepage
      A long time. While 802.11b and the GBA wireless adaptor work on a similar frequency, that doesn't mean that they're using the same underlying protocols. In fact, this is almost certainly closer to Bluetooth than anything, although I haven't seen any tech details other than those provided in the article.

      While GBA emulators can certainly communicate with each other (via any sort of TCP/IP network, including one over 802.11x), it's going to take some time and some brilliant hacking and RF geekery to get GBAs and PCs talking wirelessly (without special hardware from Nintendo intended for developers).

      In the mean time, it would almost certainly be cheaper and easier to interface to the GBA's wired link port - hacking up a USB interface, while not exactly easy, would be child's play compared to getting a 2.4 GHz wireless link with a proprietary protocol working between a GBA and a PC.

      • No GBA emulator will perfectly duplicate the routines of the GBA, so there's very little chance that an emulator writer will be able to write the proper code to support linking between an emulator and a GBA. If it were that easy, you would probably already see setups available with a GBA->PC USB cable.

        • Re:More to it than that... (Score:5, Interesting)

          by Microlith ( 54737 ) on Friday September 26, 2003 @03:12AM (#7061723)
          That's totally possible.

          It's how the GBA -> GCN link works. GBAs can boot off of the data port, and this lets you have companion programs included on game discs (which is how FF: CC works.)

          It's also how multiplayer, single cart games work. Only limiting factor is that the entire program has to be held in ram.

          This is how, incidentally, all the new flashrom carts from HK work. No cart-writer needed, just a USB -> GBA cable. Boots a writer program, stick the cart in, and you're done.
          • The problem is that GBA game linking requires the platforms to be identical -- running the games in exactly the same way. PC emulators don't work exactly the same way as a GBA, so they're not going to be able to link properly.

            I had seen a very good explanation as to why this was impossible (written by an emu writer, I believe), but I can't find the link.
            • I had seen a very good explanation as to why this was impossible (written by an emu writer, I believe), but I can't find the link.
              Linky [emuhq.com]
              • That link only says that creating a link feature between two handheld emulators is incredibly difficult, not that it's impossible. It also didn't mention linking a handheld to an emulator via a PC.

                "Nothing is impossible. Not when you can imagine it. That's what being a scientist is all about." - Hubert J. Farnsworth

              • That might have been what I was remembering, but I could have sworn that I saw a detailed explanaiton on why it would never be possible to link a GBA to an emulator via a flash link cable.
        • GBA->PC USB Cable, You mean like this one?

          http://www.flash2advance.com

          While there hasn't been any Emulator written that will connect up to a GBA for multiplayer linking using a Flash2Advance, there is no reason why theoretically it could not be done.

          The GBA powers on and checks that port, and what it finds there is totally up to the PC on the other side. With some clever software trickery, it should be no major task to fool the GBA into thinking it's connected to another GBA via a link cable.
      • This technology offers robust performance with a high-speed data rate, utilizing a TDMA (time division multiple access) communication protocol to provide game users a fast receive-and-respond capability similar to a wired experience.

        Bluetooth uses frequency hopping TDMA, but it's a bit odd that the press release doesn't mention Bluetooth.

        Perhaps the Bluetooth hype - the universal wireless link (which no one actually uses) - has become a liability instead of a selling point.

  • tetris? (Score:1, Funny)

    by narkotix ( 576944 )
    So when can i play tetris against someone else simultaneously?

    • Re:tetris? (Score:2, Funny)

      by Guppy06 ( 410832 )
      "So when can i play tetris against someone else simultaneously?"

      For that you'll have to wait until some time after 1989.
    • You'll have to wait for the upcoming Tengen Tetris for the NES... I hear it's coming out some time in...oh 1988. And by wait I mean pirate it, or wait for the legal tetris mess to settle down in a few hundred years or so.

  • wireless (Score:3, Insightful)

    by Anonymous Coward on Friday September 26, 2003 @02:41AM (#7061634)
    Great. now I have to worry about some students gameboy interfering with our campus' wireless network.
    Like microwaves, and portable phones werent enough.

    • ISM Bands (Score:4, Funny)

      by Detritus ( 11846 ) on Friday September 26, 2003 @02:55AM (#7061684) Homepage
      When you live in the sewer, it's considered rude to complain about the other rats.
    • Now on sale, Super Hack Bros 4. Help Mario hack your school network as he searches (again) for his missing Princess Peach, rm -rf'ed by the evil Sysadmin B0ws3r. Challenge yourself with 40 levels of security! Available: June 2004 Requires GBA Wireless Link Cable
    • Motorola's chipset also features radio signal interference prevention and low power consumption ensuring users a long battery life for extended game play.

      This combination means that a) the signal is going to be pretty low strength and therefore won't be able to interfere with longer range protocols/signals such as 802.11b/g and b) the device will probably be frequency agile at least along the lines of cordless phones which switch until they find a clean frequency or even potentially like Bluetooth devices

  • In case the page is hosted on a GBA (Score:1, Informative)

    by Anonymous Coward
    Motorola and Nintendo Join Forces to Define Wireless Portable Gaming

    Friday September 26, 12:01 am ET

    Wireless Accessory for Game Boy(R) Advance and Game Boy Advance SP Unleashes the Game Playing Experience

    TOKYO, Sept. 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Motorola Inc.'s (NYSE: MOT - News) Semiconductor Products Sector is supplying high-speed, low-power chipsets to enable an advanced wireless adapter accessory for use with Nintendo's Game Boy Advance and Game Boy Advance SP. This fusion of Nintendo's leadership in

  • Shoulder buttons? (Score:2, Interesting)

    by MonaXier ( 563400 )
    Great idea, but I'm wondering about the design. From the image, it looks like the edges will be either flush with or slightly overlapping the L and R buttons of the GBA SP. This might make playing some games slightly problematic.
    Otherwise, I'm looking forward to it. Too bad it won't ship in time for the Return of the King premiere line-up.
    • Neither the GBA -> GCN adaptor nor this cover the L & R buttons.

      Anything that did that would be badly designed, and between the GBA -> GCN adapter and the light sensor for "Bokura no Taiyo" there's been plenty of work done on this sort of addon.
      • Yeah, but the width of the adapter keeps your fingers from going much beyond the end of the rear buttons. If you examine the photo closely, it looks like the L and R shoulder buttons are duplicated on the new adapter(the darker, less transparent pointy-out-thingies on either side of the bulge). At first glance, this seems like it might be (excuse the pun-ish usage)handy for those with longer fingers/bigger hands.
        • Those pointy things are the clip hinges.

          You squeeze those in to hook and unhook the adapter. Same as on the GBA -> GCN connector.

          The L & R will remain fingertip buttons, as they always have been on the SP.
        • Unless, of course, they're just to open the clasp, in which case I'll make the excuse that I'm just really sleepy...

      • What about the headphone jack? This and the GBA->GCN cable seem to cover the GBA SP system's oddly shaped headphone jack.

        • If you're playing multiplayer, why would you use headphones? What fun is multiplayer if you can't hear your friends whine when you beat them?

          • If you're playing multiplayer, why would you use headphones?

            To hear the other players' characters' footsteps so I can sneak up behind them. To avoid the din of several slightly-out-of-sync music engines.

            What fun is multiplayer if you can't hear your friends whine when you beat them?

            That's why I take one earpiece off at the end of a round.

        • That's not just the headphone jack - it's also the AC adaptor port. Since wireless usually is a large power drain, I would have hoped that they would have left that port unblocked. Plus, as you mentioned, it's also the headphone port, so you can either play wireless or play with headphones. When playing multiplayer, often headphones are quite nice because they allow you to concentrate on the sounds that effect you and not the other player. Blocking that ability on the SPC would be quite a drawback.

          Of

          • I don't know about you, but I prefer to not be tethered by a power cable. I could save alot of cash and just buy a link cable if I was going to be tethered to one spot while gaming.

            I do think that blocking headphone access is really stupid though. You'll piss off alot of people with repetitive music in public places.

  • But will it work with the GCN (Score:5, Interesting)

    by siegesama ( 450116 ) on Friday September 26, 2003 @02:50AM (#7061664) Homepage

    The article only mentions this as usable for GBA/GBA connections. I hope that this will also work with GBA/GCN connections, allowing gamecube games which link with the gameboy to finally be free of cabling.

    The wavebird took care of this on the controller end, and with upcoming games taking more advantage of the GBA as a supplemental or primary controller, a wireless adapter could really rock (FF: Crystal Chronicals, for example). Considering it's the same port, I don't see why they wouldn't offer it...

    • It is possible, however Nintendo needs to develop a 2.4GHz transceiver adapter specifically for the GCN.

      It would have been a killer idea if the Wavebird RF Receiver could be used because that way there's no need to buy an adapter. But that's impossible because the Wavebird is only one way (GCN receives, never transmits), and it's on the 900MHz band.

      Maybe some third-party will see a market for it and release such an adapter, but I'm willing to say the chances that Nintendo would release it officially are n
      • Ah, of course. The bi-directional requirements would also double the price, as you'd need the same equipment on both ends, yeesh. Still, we can hope!
      • Maybe some third-party will see a market for it and release such an adapter, but I'm willing to say the chances that Nintendo would release it officially are next to null.

        There's always hope with the third-parties, as can be seen by the Pelican rechargable battery pack for the Wavebird (after trying it out on one Wavebird, I now have these in all of my Wavebirds). I'm not going to hold my breath, though.
  • Yeah, that's nice and all ... but can it run Linux?
  • I am no expert at all on wireless networking. Hell, I only switched to twisted pair a few years ago when I finally got rid of all the 10base2 coaxial ethernet on my home LAN. But wouldn't this networking interfere with the 802.11 people? I can see roving gangs of kids with GameBoy Advances encroaching on wireless network users. I see a bandwidth conflict looming, in an area of spectrum where everyone is unlicensed and supposed to cooperate.
  • Hey moms and dads,

    Time to start thinking about buying batteries in bulk!

  • Already done before? (Score:2, Interesting)

    by Menkhaf ( 627996 )
    I think (well, I'm not sure) that I was another device like this made by some guys from Norway about a year ago or so. They'd made their own to hook up to a GB, and they used mobile phones for connecting the two GB's.

    Anyone got a link?

  • Don't fix the real problem with a GameBoy... (Score:5, Funny)

    by WegianWarrior ( 649800 ) on Friday September 26, 2003 @03:32AM (#7061781) Journal

    While getting rid of the cable is a step in the right direction, my GameBoyAdvance still don't look like a proper PDA when I pull it up during booring meetings...

  • but it looks like this is the deathknell for the N-Gage already. The only thing it had going for it as a gaming system was the much touted wireless multiplayer gaming. Now that Nintendo has added the feature to the Game Boy, the only thing that the N-Gage is relegated to is an overpriced cellphone.
  • Now the only advantage the N-Gage has is headache inducing effects. Even this could probably be accomplished using a cheap magnifying attachment from Gamester or someone.

  • Shot over Nokia's Bow (Score:4, Insightful)

    by swdunlop ( 103066 ) <swdunlop.gmail@com> on Friday September 26, 2003 @03:41AM (#7061818) Homepage
    It looks like Nintendo isn't exactly ignoring the threat of N-Gage and Zodiac to its current market niche. Granted, this thing doesn't give the GBA the potential of N-Gage for multiplayer, since it doesn't tie in to GSM/GPRS, nor does it give the GBA any claim to serious business usability. But if they keep the price down, it should muddy the waters enough to ensure both appliances don't get much market share.

    If Zodiac or N-Gage had some actual first-run games, especially a killer multiplayer game, they might still have a chance, but both platforms have been more interested in licensing tried and true games.. A pity, some competition might produce some better games; the GBA's software has been rife with movie tie-ins, console adaptations and sequels.
    • I think you will find, if you look here [zodiacgamer.com], that the Zodiac *HAS* first-run games on the way.

      Personally, I would much rather have a gaming PDA with the Zodiacs specs over a 16mhz toy.

      Plus the fact that GBA games will be running on the Zodiac soon...uh, forget I said that, mmmkay?

      • If the GBA games are running on the Zodiac, that will be great; is Nintendo setting up a licensing arrangement for this, or are we talking about emulation and possible lawsuits. The cost of the item is still going to stop market penetration; $300 for an easily misplaced gizmo is a bit much for the children that tend to drive console sales.

        I have the feeling that the Zodiac is, at best, going to land where the Sega and Atari portables did in the market; beloved, but with only a tiny share.
        • You are missing an important point about the Zodiac. It is a Palm PDA with a 200MHZ ARM9 CPU, very good ATI graphics chip, good sound chip and an excellent 480x32 display. It will run the thousands of Palm OS apps already out.

          Oh, it plays games too (with very nice game controls).

          This is a new beast. Take it to meetings, use it for your contacts, play Doom and MAME, listen to MP3s, watch movies, whatever.

  • Sucks to be Nokia (Score:4, Interesting)

    by Kris_J ( 10111 ) on Friday September 26, 2003 @03:44AM (#7061823) Homepage Journal
    Much as Nokia have just released info about some funky-looking products for next year, their foray into portable gaming is probably over before it's really begun. The "N-Gage" (*shudder*) was touting wireless multiplay as a big feature. Now it's no big thing. I have a GBAsp on my desk beside me, I'm not going to buy a whole new phone for a feature the GBA can gain with a small add-on.
  • If this [x-trafun.com] page is to believed, that is. Granted, this cartridge won't play GBA games over wifi but seems fairly innovative, turning your GBA into a wireless PDA.

  • Killer app: VNC (Score:4, Funny)

    by alephnull42 ( 202254 ) on Friday September 26, 2003 @03:57AM (#7061848) Homepage Journal
    Either Nintendo or some 3rd party hackers should implement a VNC client for this.

    I can just see the sysadmins in the coffee room, feet on the table, busily tapping on their GBAs

    Boss: What the hellare you doing ?!?!

    Admin: Working, what does it look like?

  • This is just a wireless replacement for gba-gba link cables. It won't do anything that a link cable couldn't be used to do. I would like to see a model for the gamecube to eliminate the gba-gcn link cable, or even just an adapter to let you use one of these with your gamecube.

    Triton Labs [tritonlabs.com] (makers of the afterburner) announced a product very similar to this called the stealth link [tritonlabs.com] several months ago. Maybe they showed their hand a little early.

    It's interesting that the press release says 5 players. I
  • I foresee a minor problem with this. As of right now the most players that a multi-player GBA game can support is 4, through the use of three link cables (or one, if you sprung for the 4-port one). The blurb mentions being able to have five players simultaneously. This raises the question: Will the wireless capability be compatible with pre-existing link games? Will future link games allow the use of wired cables if two wireless adapters are not present? Is it possible to mix wired and wireless play?
    • This raises the question: Will the wireless capability be compatible with pre-existing link games? Will future link games allow the use of wired cables if two wireless adapters are not present? Is it possible to mix wired and wireless play?

      I wouldn't think so, as the GBA only has one link port, and thus only one link adapter can be attached (wired or wireless). Unless someone puts out a combo adapter, I'd say the two camps will probably have to play in their own sandboxes.
    • Time for a bit of logic here...

      Last I knew the limit on the number of players for multi-link games wasn't imposed by the hardware, but by the software. IIRC, when you're daisy-chaining GBAs together there is always going to be an open port into which another link cable can be connected (provided you're not using the 4-way adapter previously mentioned).

      Example:
      Andy links to Bob.
      Chuck plugs into the port on the Andy-Bob cable.
      Dave plugs into the port on Chuck's cable.
      Four players.
      In theory, Fred could plug

      • "As for mix of wired and wireless... unless Motorola makes some sort of pass-through port on this thing, I would say that it's unlikely. But any GB player who buys this thing is probably already going to have a link cable sitting around, too..."

        Here's a thought, although it probably won't work. Link 2 GBA's with a cable, and then attach the wireless adapter to the port on the cable.

        -----

  • I'm really hoping that this is using Bluetooth or WiFi however that press release doesn't mention either.

    If they've come up with something unique that's all we need. My DECT digital cordless phone has already died with the advent of a WiFi installation nearby. In fact we had to switch our WiFi to get ours usable again.

    I recently came close to buying a video sender but at the last moment noticed the dreaded 2.4GHz frequency range again.

    How much more stuff is going to sit on this frequency and not play n
    • ...it is unregulated bandwidth. Microwaves, cordless phones, etc. all generated singal in this area long before Bluetooth.

      Its easy to generate a signal at reasonable powerlevels. Its easy to build antena/reflectors/repeaters because the wavelengths are long enough (or short depending on how you look). It really is the general all purpose low power transmition frequency of choice.

  • The N-Gage comments.... (Score:3, Interesting)

    by purrpurrpussy ( 445892 ) on Friday September 26, 2003 @04:46AM (#7061973)
    Have you tried to use an N-Gage? I played about a dozen or so games at ECTS and IT SUCKS!!!

    I mean... I had high(ish) hopes for the thing and REALLY can't see them battling the Big N on their own territory but this is a terribly designed system and the press keep trying to put a good spin on it but as a games I flat out wouldn't buy one.

    1 - The screen is tiny and vertically mounted - it just doesn't work for games. Sonic was damn annoying as the width of the play area is too wide for the screen. It's clear enough but WAY too small.

    2 - The keypad SUCKS!! It's useless for gaming although it could be useful for strategy games. You hit just about every other button on the keypad before you hit the onw you want and the surface is so smooth you really have to concentrate on where your fingers are - and thus not the game. The D-Pad is said to be excellent but I found it too smooth and flat - too easy for a thumb to slip off - too hard to detect any response...

    3 - There are no L and R buttons even though that's exactly where your fingers are.

    4 - There are lots of other buttons on the keypad such as "phone/sms etc" if you accidently push on of these whilst playing a game your gaming experience seems to just stop....

    5 - YOU HAVE TO TAKE THE DAMN THING APART TO CHANGE GAMES!!

    6 - Nokia's marketing monkies are spewing BS everyday talking about the GBA being a "kiddies toy" (they're trying to make there product look "cool" in a PS sort of way. However most people I see playing GBA are 20/30/40 somethings on tubes and trains playing stuff like Advance Wars. IMNSHO Nokia's marketing line is BS.

    7 - THERE ARE LOADING SCREENS!! WTF!! I played a coupla games (some pseudo 3D platformer and a motorbike racer) and there were HUGE (30seconds to a minute) loading screens. DAMN IT! I want to play this on a 10 minute tube journey!!

    8 - WHY DO YOU HAVE TO TAKE IT APART TO CHANGE GAMES!!!

    9 - The frame rates on a lot of the games are just NOT very good at all. Sonic plays at about 10 to 15 and seemed to have some SERIOUS slow down. As did a lot of the other games (esp. the pseudo 3D stuff)

    10 - And this is the one that will kill the N-Gage. People upgrade phones like they change underwear. This thing is going to last 2 years MAX and at that point Nokia have to release an upgrade OR incorporate this functionality into all their phones.

    11 - Don't ever believe the Big N is asleep. The games on the Nokia system just feel unfinished and unpolished - frame rate skipping - cheesey loading screens - by contrast when Nintendo launched the GBA a whole chunk of polished gaming came with it.

    The wireless adapter isn't a bad plan from Nintendo but it is just a peripheral - not everyone will buy it (in fact few will) but it will give Nintendo a little bit more knowledge to prepare for the onslaught of PSP (which I reckon is going to get screwed because any graphically decent games will drain the battery in about 30 minutes.... but we'll see about that!)

    Matthew.
    • EGM has a good story on the N-Gage and how much it sucks this month. I didn't realize how you have to take off the front plate and the battery underneath to switch out a game. So much for swapping games out on the fly, especially if you don't have a screwdriver with you.
  • That just the perfect gadget to be bundled with the next pokemon release...

    and of course it's also a milestone on the road to a GBA SP2 with integrated wireless capabilites, some GP 32 [lik-sang.com] way.

    Well I think we can thank N-Gage for that, even if at Nintendo they will swear that they were in no way inspired by Nokia.
  • From a Nintendo Fansite:

    "Iwata also mentioned that events or stores can have special base stations installed and connected to the Internet for players to transfer data from distant locations."
  • I am surprised no one has mentioned the obvious: the sony portable is going to have wireless lan built in. I have a GBA and love it, but I'm probably going to get the sony portable. It's not a replacement, you can't carry it in your pocket because it's about the size of a walkman, but I expect the technology will be a bit more advanced.
    • I doubt it scares them that much!! Probably not as much as PS2 (and PS3). There are going to be several serious advantages Nintendo have.

      1 - A HUGE catalogue of games already out there

      2 - A HUGE number of devoted Nintendo fans

      3 - The price of the PSP is going to be set far higher than the GBA.

      4 - Battery life - a full 3D game running off mechanical optical media is going to eat batteries. Nintendo have always pushed battery life as a key feature and indeed it is.

      5 - Nintendo are not asleep at the wheel
      • Actually the PSP scare the crap out of Nintendo...

        To address your points:

        1 - A HUGE catalogue of games already out there
        -- Of which 90% suck. Most GBA titles are shovel-ware and people know it.

        2 - A HUGE number of devoted Nintendo fans
        -- That may be the case but they will go where the good games are. (note the lack of GC success Nintendo has)

        3 - The price of the PSP is going to be set far higher than the GBA.
        -- Only about 100 more and when people can have PS2 level graphics in a small form factor at tha
        • To address your points:

          1 - A HUGE catalogue of games already out there
          -- Of which 90% suck. Most GBA titles are shovel-ware and people know it.

          Hasn't hurt Sony on the PS1/2 side, has it?

          2 - A HUGE number of devoted Nintendo fans
          -- That may be the case but they will go where the good games are. (note the lack of GC success Nintendo has)

          Notice how well the PS2 vs. GC arguments swap sides with PSP vs. GBA. The GBA's current sales are higher than the PS2's. The GBA has a catalogue (and back catalogue) th
  • Am I the only one to notice that it looks like you can't plug in headphones while using the wireless adapter? That's kind of bad. It would be nice if they added a headphone adapter to the device as well. Sure, gameboy music/sound effects are not that good, but that doesn't mean you should have to choose between wireless and sound.

    I actually think the gameboy advanced SP is too small. It would be nice if they made it just a little bigger and integrated wireless and such into the unit.

  • Already exists. (Score:2, Interesting)

    by tetsuji ( 572812 )
    A friend of mine has been working on games that use the X-Trafun [x-trafun.com] BlueTooth cards for the GBA for over a year now. The fact that Motorola's doing it will certainly get more attention in the mainstream, but they are by no means the first to develop this technology.

    Of course, X-Trafun's quite a small shop, so they haven't been able to market their product sufficiently to get much real attention. Unfortunately, although they were first, they're now going to be thoroughly stomped out of the market by the power

    • A PDA/Bluetooth *cartridge* vs. a wireless link cable replacement are two different things. The Motorolla unit will work with existing games that use the link cable for multiplayer (it mounts to the same expansion port that the link cable mounts to), whereas the X-Trafun cartridge is a cartridge, and therefore takes the place of the games.

      In other words, Motorolla and X-Trafun aren't even competing here. If people want PDA functionality and internet access on their GBA, the Motorolla accessory isn't going
  • Aww yeah, bathroom multiplayer!

    Nothing like playing some mario kart with your "stallmates"

  • Nintendo does it again (Score:1, Interesting)

    by Anonymous Coward
    This is really just another attempt to keep control of the gba market. Triton Labs [tritonlabs.com] (of afterburner fame) announced a wireless link kit (stealth link) months ago, but i guess it was only a matter of time before nintendo followed suit. Remember Nintendo wasn't in a rush to release a frontlit gba until the afterburner was released and was successfull, just my 2 cents.
  • According to this article [gamespot.com] it's only compatible with games that support the attachment (last paragraph). So any multiplayer games you already have won't have wireless multiplayer. Seems like a big strike against itm especially since I believe there are other wireless adapters for the GBA that DO work with existing games.

  • According to GameSpot [gamespot.com]
    The Fire Red and Leaf Green Pokemon games are the only two that are currently known to support Nintendo's new wireless GBA multiplayer adapter, but Nintendo has stated that it will announce more compatible titles in the future.
    So this will *only* work with new games... which sorta stinks. The game has to support it. Which I imagine new ones will... but don't jump on the bandwagon yet.

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