Game Boy Advance gets Famicom'd

TOKYO--Nintendo announced today that it will release a new Game Boy Advance SP model modeled after the company's Famicom console, known in American as the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). It will be the second time that Nintendo has released a special Famicom-themed GBA SP--the company previously gave them out as prizes for the Famicom's 20th anniversary campaign. With only about 4,000 units in the Japanese marketplace, demand for the limited-edition handheld was high. Models began appearing in auction sites, selling for up to 50,000 yen ($460).

Fortunately for old-school gamers, the new model is not a limited-edition run, so acquiring one shouldn't be an issue--provided you live in Japan. However, the color scheme is a bit different from the previous Famicom GBA SP, whose red body and black buttons were modeled after the Famicom's controller pad. The new GBA SP is modeled after the Famicom's console, with a white-based body and red buttons. The new model will retail for 12,500 yen ($119), the same price as other GBA SPs. A page on the Nintendo site gives http://www.nintendo.co.jp/n10/news/040114/index.htmla preview of what the new model will look like.

In addition to the new GBA SP model, Nintendo is porting ten Famicom game titles to the game deck. Calling the "Famicom Mini" series, the games will consist of popular titles from Nintendo, Hudsonsoft, and Namco, and will come in a scaled-down version of their original packaging (which will be contained in a transparent box to protect it from wear and tear). The line-up will include: Super Mario Brothers, Donkey Kong, Ice Climber, Excitebike, The Legend of Zelda, Pac-Man, Xevious, Mappy, Bomberman, and Star Solider.

The games will play exactly as their original Famicom versions did, with the same graphics, sounds, and controls. The body of the game cartridges will be red and white, similar to the new GBA SP's body colors, and titles can be enjoyed by more than one gamer via the GBA cable. Each of the titles will retail for 2,000 yen ($17).

The Famicom-themed hardware and games are scheduled to be released on February 14. Currently, there are no plans to port any another Famicom games to the GBA.