From the Toysit archive
Game Boy Advance SP
Four colors and a folding screen give Game Boy Advance SP a storybook shape, with an original fold-open scene surprise.
The play at a glance
A little screen with its own cover
The four open systems look like a row of tiny books, each with a screen where the upper page would be. Silver, dark gray, blue and red give the same folding shape different moods. Below each screen, the direction pad and buttons form a compact control area, ready for the cartridge’s next scene.
Open the next chapter
The hinge makes opening the system a small part of the ritual. The screen rises above the controls, while the cartridge determines the adventure, puzzle or race waiting inside. Nintendo’s original booklet describes a rechargeable battery and a button that switches the screen light on or off.
The old Start Mayhem campaign imagined different personalities for different case colors. That is a cheerful starting point for a story of your own: what sort of world would a blue cover hide, and what would a red one announce? The paper version below can be as surprising as you like.
Try a fold-open scene surprise
Fold a sheet of paper into a small booklet. On the outside, draw a quiet symbol: a closed door, a sleeping cloud or a single key. Choose one cover color and give it a personality, such as curious blue or adventurous red.
Inside, draw the busy world that the cover conceals. A cloud might open onto a floating market; a key might reveal a garden full of musical gates. Add one character and a question for the visitor: “Which stall sells the sound of rain?”
Exchange closed booklets with a companion. Let them guess what is inside before opening the fold. They can add a spoken first line for the adventure, then invent a second cover that would lead to a different version of the same world. This is an original Toysit storytelling activity, independent of any cartridge.
A careful closing routine
For the real SP, save as the game directs and switch the power off when finished. Folding it closed protects the screen but does not turn the power off. Match any surviving battery and charger to the system’s regional instructions before use.
Charger owner check: the UK OPSS recalled a specific USG-002 charger sold through Etsy listing 1054467868 for serious electric-shock and fire risks. If your charger matches the item described in that official notice, stop using it and follow the recall information. The listing used the SP name; this does not establish a recall of the consoles pictured here or of all Nintendo chargers. The paper booklet activity needs no powered equipment.
The historical record
Original Toysit coverage
The complete earlier product account and commentary are preserved below as historical coverage.
Price reduction with Start Mayhem marketing campaign that showcases different personalities for each GBASP color
Starting September 2, 2004, Nintendo's Game Boy Advance SP sold for $79.99, $20 less than its earlier price. The reduction expands the potential audience of the consumer electronics device to a wider range of consumers.
At the same time, Nintendo also paves the way for more Mayhem - the watchword of the new Start Mayhem Game Boy Advance SP marketing campaign that debuts with the new price point, showcasing different personalities for each of the GBA SP colors.
This new price point made Game Boy Advance SP affordable for the vast majority of the mass market, and gives people a must-have gift to automatically put at the top of their holiday gift lists, said George Harrison, Nintendo of America's senior vice president of marketing and corporate communications. Nintendo has always owned the portable video game market, and this further strengthens our leadership position.
Game Boy Advance SP, which is front-lit and sports a clam-shell design, has sold more than 20 million units worldwide, and will continue its dominance this fall with an impressive lineup of games. Before the end of the year, Nintendo will launch titles like Pokemon FireRed, Pokemon LeafGreen, F-Zero GP Legend, Mario Pinball Land, Kirby & The Amazing Mirror, Donkey Kong Country 2, Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls and Classic NES Series 2, which features old-school games like Metroid, Castlevania, Dr. Mario and Zelda II: The Adventure of Link. Added to this will be more than 50 titles hitting the market from Nintendo licensees.
In addition, Game Boy Advance SP continues to expand its range, with the Game Boy Wireless Adapter that comes packaged with Pokemon FireRed and Pokemon LeafGreen, as well as Game Boy Advance Video, novel video paks that let users watch cartoons right on their Game Boy Advance units.
The Start Mayhem campaign features CGI-animated Game Boy Advance SP units brought to life in a variety of fun situations. Each color unit demonstrates a different personality. The campaign kicked off with videos featuring the Flame and Onyx systems.
Sources and editorial notes
The September 1, 2004 report explicitly describes front lighting. Nintendo’s 2003 C/AGS-USA booklet matches that early light-on/off design; both PDF sheets and all fourteen sections were reviewed. The photograph does not expose model labels, so later SP lighting revisions are not assigned to these pictured units. Prices, sales figures, campaign personalities and release lists remain dated historical reporting. The booklet’s old service and parts offers are not promises of present availability. No physical testing was performed.
- Original Toysit image — Existing same-site image reviewed and retained unchanged.
- Nintendo Japan: original SP hardware — Identifies AGS-001 and its front light. Japanese accessories, prices and edition details are not transferred to the pictured set.
- Nintendo Game Boy Advance SP booklet (PDF) — Early screen-light model, cartridge and cable distinctions, power behavior, battery and regional charging instructions. Exact pictured serial/model labels remain unverified.
- OPSS charger recall 2207-0312 — August 14, 2023 notice identifies model USG-002, Etsy listing 1054467868 and a 100–240VAC adapter supplied in a padded envelope. Exact item matching matters; the notice requires recall from end users and records listing removal.
- Original Toysit coverage — Complete historical account retained, including its original claims and wording.
Images and descriptions are retained as historical material. How Toysit covers toys.
Created for Toysit by Tabbloza — the artwork in our header.