Like the Game Boy Micro system, there's no way to turn off the LCD light short of powering down the entire unit. The center button that's used to turn on and off the front light of the original GBA SP is now used to switch between two levels of brightness on the updated model. The new system kicks on with incredible brightness and clarity in its display right from the start, and the improvement becomes even more obvious with each game you stick in the system. Though all that's changed between the classic GBA SP system and the updated ones is the screen technology, the difference is night and day. Since stores are still stocking the original Game Boy Advance SP systems with the older front light technology, the way to know when a system has the new backlit LCD is pretty obvious - Nintendo isn't hiding the fact that they've made the swap, since they brand the boxes with a huge 'Now with a BRIGHTER backlit screen!' Graphite is a lighter shade of the Onyx system already available, and Pearl Blue is similar to the Platinum GBA SP with a bluer hue.

Toys R Us and other retailers are also stocking a special edition Spongebob Squarepants system with the newer LCD technology. The updated SP systems are hitting retailers this week in two new colors: Graphite and Pearl Blue. And starting this week, you can pick up a classic GBA SP system with a far better screen than previous models. The front light used less battery power, but it didn't offer nearly as vibrant an image as existing systems using backlit LCDs could.īut since Nintendo has been utilizing backlit LCDs in its Nintendo DS and Game Boy Micro systems, it was just a matter of time before the company nixed front lit LCDs. Unlike the Game Gear and Atari Lynx's use of a backlit LCD screen, the Nintendo solution was a front light to cast illumination over the existing TFT screen. The classic Game Boy Advance SP system was a godsend to GBA owners because it was the first time in the US where Nintendo released a Game Boy system with a built-in light.

Gameboy advance sp brighter screen mod