New GBA announced!

Only ten minutes away from the official Nintendo Press Releases (take a look at yesterdays news), but USA Today already states a new GBA is confirmed! *update* IMAGES INSIDE! *update 2* even more images!

Only ten minutes away from the official Nintendo Press Releases (take a look at yesterdays news), but USA Today already states a new GBA is confirmed!

The new GBA will feature a flip-up screen (remember EDGE's drawings?), a backlit screen (of course, in color) and a rechargable battery pack by default (play time about 10 hours with backlit on, 18 without).

The Advance SP, as the official name will be, will cost you $99. However, European gamers will have to pay a lot more than their US fellows: ?129-139! That's an increase of 30-40% (since $1 is almost ?1). The 'old' GBA remains at it's normal price of $70. According to Nintendo, the Advance SP is backwards compatible with all previous Game Boy cartridges.

Now about the looks of the new Advance: in closed position, the entire GBA is about 3 by 3 inch and one inch thick (almost 50% of regular GBA's). When you unfold it, the 2.4-by-1.6 inch screen comes up vertically.

The GBA SP is due for a release on the 23rd of March in America. Japan will get to play Final Fantasy Tactics on their new GBA: February 14th (same release date). The European release will follow 5 days after the US: March 28.