25 years since the GBA arrived in the US — how to play its best games

The Game Boy Advance turns 25 in the US, and there are far more ways to play its 32-bit classics now than in 2001. Where owning a GBA or a backwards-compatible DS was once the only reliable option, emulators, FPGA remakes, hardware mods and modern handhelds let you revisit the library on almost any budget.

Budget handhelds commonly run custom Linux with pre-installed emulators and can handle GBA titles smoothly, though some unbranded consoles suffer stuttering and audio issues. Anbernic’s modern models — like the RG34XX, the RG35XXSP clamshell and the RG28XX homage to the Game Boy Micro — are strong choices, and Miyoo’s Mini Plus, Flip V2 and Powkiddy’s clamshell all offer affordable alternatives, often under $100 and sometimes under $40 during sales like Prime Day.

If you prefer original hardware, the first GBA lacks a backlit screen and many SP models used front-lighting, but you can modernize a real unit with IPS screen kits (around $25), USB-C rechargeable batteries (around $20) and even HDMI.

United States

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