Setup Guides - Game Boy Advance

Game Boy Advance

To set up your Game Boy Advance you will need two AA batteries. The power light is normally green but will turn red when the batteries are running low and will need replacing soon. The system itself does not have any games preloaded, so to use it you will need to insert an original Game Boy, Game Boy Color, or Game Boy Advance cartridge (sold separately). Insert the game cartridge fully before powering on the system. The cartridge WILL NOT read if inserted after the system is already powered on.

If the game cartridge isn’t reading, the contacts may be dirty. While blowing into the cartridge can be a temporary fix it can damage the cartridge in the long run. It’s recommended to use a cotton swab wetted with rubbing alcohol to clean the cartridge. You can apply a lot of pressure without damaging the contacts.

The Game Boy Advance does not have any sort of lighting built into the screen, so playing it will require proper lighting or a light accessory (sold separately).

A copy of the Game Boy Advance user manual can be found here.

Game Boy Advance SP

To set up your Game Boy Advance SP you will need to make sure the rechargeable internal battery is charged. The power light is normally green but will turn red when the battery is running low and will need to be charged soon. When the system is plugged in the orange charge light will come on, and will turn off when the system is fully charged. The system itself does not have any games preloaded, so to use it you will need to insert an original Game Boy, Game Boy Color, or Game Boy Advance cartridge (sold separately). Insert the game cartridge fully before powering on the system. The cartridge WILL NOT read if inserted after the system is already powered on.

 

The Game Boy Advance SP is the first Nintendo handheld to have built-in lighting. The AGS-001 model has a front lit screen that can be turned off, while the AGS-101 model has a brighter backlit screen that can be set to a lower brightness.

A copy of the Game Boy Advance SP user manual can be found here.

Game Boy Micro

To set up your Game Boy Advance Micro you will need to make sure the rechargeable internal battery is charged. The system lights are normally blue but will turn red when the battery is running low and will need to be charged soon. When the system is plugged in the orange charge light will come on, and will turn off when the system is fully charged. The system itself does not have any games preloaded, so to use it you will need to insert Game Boy Advance cartridge (sold separately). Insert the game cartridge fully before powering on the system. The cartridge WILL NOT read if inserted after the system is already powered on.

 

The Game Boy Advance Micro is fully backlit and has a smaller screen that makes the graphics appear crisper, but is the only system in the Game Boy line that is not backwards compatible with earlier games. It can only play Game Boy Advance cartridges.

A copy of the Game Boy Micro user manual can be found here.