# Anyone play gameboy? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 27, 2004, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-play-gameboy/236713 "2004-03-27T08:23:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ThatGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e5b9ba/32.png) [@ThatGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThatGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2004, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-play-gameboy/236713/1 "2004-03-27T08:23:33Z")
I’m curious as to how many adult gamers own and actively play a gameboy advance. I can only make judgements around this area on whether or not it is still viewed as a kid’s system…anyone see any adults playing in public? college campus? ---
**Author:** ![RobuSensei](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/919ad9/32.png) [@RobuSensei](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobuSensei)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2004, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-play-gameboy/236713/2 "2004-03-27T08:51:59Z")
Well, I play GBA, and I see a few adults playing with one every now and then…of course, I live in Japan… ---
**Author:** ![Mearl\_Dox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/65b543/32.png) [@Mearl\_Dox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mearl_Dox)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2004, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-play-gameboy/236713/3 "2004-03-27T10:43:30Z")
I do, and at least four of my friends do, and we’re all in college (ages 20 and up.) ---
**Author:** ![Rabid\_Squirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Rabid\_Squirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rabid_Squirrel)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2004, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-play-gameboy/236713/4 "2004-03-27T11:28:58Z")
My father started playing Tetris on my Gameboy when I left for varsity. He’s since graduated to the GBA and enjoys the Pokemon series of games in the comfort of his own home. I also got him onto Metal Gear. Need I mention he’s in his late 50’s? ---
**Author:** ![Lazlo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lazlo/32/9678_2.png) [@Lazlo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lazlo)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2004, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-play-gameboy/236713/5 "2004-03-27T12:17:18Z")
32 year old here that lugs his Advance SP everywhere. I’m currently reliving the joy known as [Super Mario 3](http://gameboy.ign.com/articles/454/454824p1.html). ---
**Author:** ![pung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ebca7d/32.png) [@pung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pung)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2004, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-play-gameboy/236713/6 "2004-03-27T15:43:51Z")
I did play my GBA-SP every day until the (nearly useless) left Shoulder button broke. Now my beloved Gameboy is in warranty repair limbo. ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2004, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-play-gameboy/236713/7 "2004-03-27T16:09:35Z")
I got burnt out on Final Fantasy Tactics and Warioware and I haven’t gotten around to getting a new game yet. I do love the SP though. I have a red one. What color is your gameboy? ---
**Author:** ![Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/f19dbf/32.png) [@Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Only_Mostly_Dead)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2004, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-play-gameboy/236713/8 "2004-03-27T17:20:20Z")
Almost always keep my GBA in my bag around campus, at least when I don’t have reading to do. And I can see now and again while lingering in the halls between classes that I’m not the only one. One of my two roommates has the ugly greenish GBA-SP. I went on a buying glut when I first got the GBA (original version). I’ve bought virtually nothing in the two years or so since, but some of the games early on are so amazing that I don’t have to. F-Zero is a nearly flawless reinterpretation of the SNES version, Super Dodge Ball stirs memories of my favorite NES game that never really found mainstream success, and Golden Sun does well enough for my RPG moods. The first Castlevania GBA game is wonderful, but I’ve gotten to a point where it’s just too bloody hard. That, and I had a decent library from the original Gameboy days that I stuck in my case, too. Alleyway, Tetris, and a Dragon Warrior game foremost. It’ll probably find it’s way into my bag after I graduate too. Good for train ride commuting. ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2004, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-play-gameboy/236713/9 "2004-03-27T19:24:56Z")
34 year old GameBoy player here 🙂 got a Onyx SP and the following games; Tetris Tetris DX (yes, i have 2 copies of Tetris, why? well, i purchased DX first, and purchased the original later, just for the Russian music missing from DX, and for some reason, the original Tetris seems _harder_ than DX, it seems to be a “meaner” engine) Super Mario Advance 2; Super Mario World Worms World Party Puyo Pop Castlevania; Circle of the Moon i carry the SP with me wherever i go, i never know when the urge for a game of Tetris will hit me 😉 “The GameBoy Advance, It’s Not Just For Kids” ---
**Author:** ![emekthian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecae2f/32.png) [@emekthian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emekthian)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2004, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-play-gameboy/236713/10 "2004-03-27T19:26:07Z")
> [@](#): > > went on a buying glut when I first got the GBA (original version). I’ve bought virtually nothing in the two years or so since, but some of the games early on are so amazing that I don’t have to. Buy Metroid Fusion. Trust me, it’s great. Anyway, I’ve seen a few older teenagers play with GBAs at school, and I saw a woman in her 20s who appeared to be a McDonald’s employee on break play one at a table in a McDonalds. ---
**Author:** ![Teelo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8491ac/32.png) [@Teelo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teelo)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2004, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-play-gameboy/236713/11 "2004-03-27T19:39:14Z")
‘Zelda: a Link to the past’ is a really good choice. Also Super Mario World 2 and Donkey Kong Country aren’t bad either. I’m 17 and very rarely ever play it though, in fact I even lent it out recently. My Gameboy Advance was a gift. ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2004, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-play-gameboy/236713/12 "2004-03-27T20:51:10Z")
I’m 28, female, and love my GBA, though I don’t have many games. Metroid Fusion is good – my brother lent it to me – and being an RPG sort of person, I like both Golden Sun games. And for pure nostalgia there’s Super Mario 3. I loved that game when it came out, and still do. So yeah, there are adults who have Game Boys. Even female adults. (I know you didn’t say anything about gender, but from what I’ve seen, I’m a rarity!) ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2004, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-play-gameboy/236713/13 "2004-03-27T23:00:39Z")
> [@emekthian](#): > > Buy Metroid Fusion. Trust me, it’s great. I’ll second that. I also have **Metroid: Zero Mission**. It’s _almost_ like the first game in that it’s a very similar map, but they’ve added a whole bunch of new weapons, and there’s even action after you kill Mother Brain. Another good game to pick up. Oh yeah, I have the platinum GBA SP. ---
**Author:** ![ThatGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e5b9ba/32.png) [@ThatGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThatGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2004, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-play-gameboy/236713/14 "2004-03-27T23:08:49Z")
My GBA SP is flame, I’m one of at least three who play at my college (very small community college). I find the system perfect for those of us who grew up on the NES classics in the 80’s and onward as all of the classic side scrolling mario games are available, some classic zelda’s, a remake of the original metroid, ect…That and the games retail around $30 US which is a great alternative for those who can’t offord the 50-60 a game required for current home consoles. ---
**Author:** ![Wolfian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ea924/32.png) [@Wolfian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolfian)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2004, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-play-gameboy/236713/15 "2004-03-27T23:22:10Z")
20 year old Pokemon fan here. Does anyone know if Earthbound will be released for GBA? I’m going to buy one eventually anyway, but here would put me over the top. ---
**Author:** ![ThatGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e5b9ba/32.png) [@ThatGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThatGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2004, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-play-gameboy/236713/16 "2004-03-27T23:31:08Z")
Anyone who thinks pokemon is for kids is thinking about the cartoons/merchandise. The RPG design for the gameboy games is as in depth and enjoyable as any console RPG you are likely to find. Earthbound has not been announced for GBA, although some are holding on to hope that it will be ported ---
**Author:** ![Amp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Amp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amp)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2004, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-play-gameboy/236713/17 "2004-03-27T23:35:17Z")
Another GBA fan here. Got an Indigo GBA modified with the Afterburner Light that I did myself. Currently playing Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga. I play it on my lunch hour at work. I get weird looks when people walk into the Executive break room while I’m playing it. (BTW, twenty-six year old male here.) ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2004, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-play-gameboy/236713/18 "2004-03-27T23:46:09Z")
I’ve got a Gameboy Color that I haven’t touched since the sound died. I’m anglin’ to get a GBA SP so I can play all my old games and get some of the new ones as well. ---
**Author:** ![Greyson3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/258eb7/32.png) [@Greyson3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greyson3)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2004, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-play-gameboy/236713/19 "2004-03-28T01:21:17Z")
> [@Wolfian](#): > > 20 year old Pokemon fan here. > > Does anyone know if Earthbound will be released for GBA? I’m going to buy one eventually anyway, but here would put me over the top. At this point it is safe to say that the Mother 1 and 2 collection for the GBA will almost certainly never see these shores. As for the announced Mother 3, who knows? ---
**Author:** ![WavyRabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ea666f/32.png) [@WavyRabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WavyRabbit)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2004, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-play-gameboy/236713/20 "2004-03-28T03:07:34Z")
> [@whiterabbit](#): > > I’m 28, female, and love my GBA, though I don’t have many games. Metroid Fusion is good – my brother lent it to me – and being an RPG sort of person, I like both Golden Sun games. And for pure nostalgia there’s Super Mario 3. I loved that game when it came out, and still do. > > So yeah, there are adults who have Game Boys. Even female adults. (I know you didn’t say anything about gender, but from what I’ve seen, I’m a rarity!) That’s funny! Two of a kind! I’m a 35 year old female that thouroughly enjoys my GBA. My youngest daughter got one for Christmas and needed help with Pokemon Ruby. I was hooked, then she took it back! So the Mr. suprised me wiht one, along with The Sims Bustin’ Loose. I am pretty much the only adult female I know that loves video games. I knew there were more of us out there, now I have proof! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-play-gameboy/236713.md?page=2)