GBA Player's Choice Lineup Introduced

March 29, 2006, 9:56 am EST
Total comments: 22

Get some classic GBA games for under twenty bucks. Just three to choose from now, but more are surely on the way.

NINTENDO ADDS GAME BOY ADVANCE GAMES TO PLAYER'S CHOICE LIBRARY

For the first time, games from the top-selling Game Boy® Advance line will be included in Nintendo's Player's Choice library, a selection of Nintendo video games offered at reduced prices. The Player's Choice library has long offered classic and best-selling Nintendo games at value prices. The inaugural Game Boy Advance titles will be added to the library starting today.

The first three GBA games, available at an MSRP of $19.99, will be Super Mario® Advance, Yoshi's Island™: Super Mario® Advance 3 and Mario & Luigi™: Superstar Saga.

The Game Boy® line remains the best-selling franchise in the video game industry, with more than 188 million hardware units sold worldwide. Game Boy Advance owners enjoy a vast library of nearly 850 games of every kind.

For more information about Game Boy Advance or the Player's Choice library, please visit www.nintendo.com.

Talkback

RhoqMarch 29, 2006

OK, so for the same price ($19.99) as most GameCube titles in the "Player's Choice" line-up, I can now get a GameBoy Advance game? I know I'm not alone with my feelings about this - there is something definitely wrong with having the same MSRP for GBA and GameCube games. Many older/less popular GBA games seem to be marked down to $19.99 or less anyways. Why not set the GBA Player's Choice price point(s) at $9.99 and $14.99? That $10/$5 difference, will not only help to set a "perceived value", but also set the 2 Player's Choice line-ups apart from each other.

Assuming that the DS will be receiving a "Player's Choice" line-up in the near future too, I think pricing for those titles should be $14.99 and $19.99. Being as though many DS games launch at a $34.99 price point, paying the same $19.99 for a DS game as you would for a GameCube game is much more palatable than shelling out $20 for Player's Choice GBA title.

vuduMarch 29, 2006

This is great news in my opinion. It's something that should have happened a long time ago.

I wonder why Super Mario World was skipped? Also, they need to add Golden Sun to that list.

Finally, here's a question to anyone who's played Yoshi's Island on GBA--do the controls suffer at all from losing two buttons (compared to the SNES version)? I haven't played the original in so long, I can't remember which buttons were used. Is it worth picking up on GBA or should I just wait for the virtual console download?

PaleMike Gamin, Contributing EditorMarch 29, 2006

At first I was all excited about being able to pick up the Mario titles... Then I realized I can wait for the Rev and get them even cheaper... :-/

KDR_11kMarch 29, 2006

In Europe that'll probably be 20€. Or at least I hope so. 30€ would barely be a price drop. Since THQ and the pyramid have started similar actions (with the only good games on those being Klonoa and Gunstar Super Heroes, the latter selling at 40€, i.e. regular price) it should be imperative for Nintendo to give us some cheap GBA games as well. Those things are freaking overpriced and never drop in price so such a lineup is desperately needed. It's too small, though.

animecyberratMarch 29, 2006

see pale thats what Nintendo wants though, sell these game now and milk them for all they are worth and re sell them again when rev comes out.

Is that Mario Advace 3 supposed to be Super Mario Bros 3-e? If so then they are dumb for re-releasing that when they didnt even release all the e-reader cards the first time around, unless they remove all the e-reader stuff or have it unlocked already.

Ian SaneMarch 29, 2006

"At first I was all excited about being able to pick up the Mario titles... Then I realized I can wait for the Rev and get them even cheaper... :-/"

You're right. And if the Rev versions are perfect ports they won't have those annoying voice samples. Seems like a win-win to me.

vuduMarch 29, 2006

Quote
Originally posted by: animecyberrat
Is that Mario Advace 3 supposed to be Super Mario Bros 3-e?

No, it's Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island. Super Mario Bros 3 hasn't been made Player's Choice (yet).

The naming scheme for the Mario Advance titles is rediculous.

Super Mario Advance: Super Mario Bros 2
Super Mario Advance 2: Super Mario World
Super Mario Advance 3: Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros 3

jasonditzMarch 29, 2006

On the one hand it seems like they should've been cheaper, on the other hand I can finally get Yoshi's Island, which is the only SMA I never got ahold of.

I wish they'd do a stateside release of the Famicom Classics: Super Mario Bros. 2 (the Japanese version) though... that's what I really want.

KnowsNothingMarch 29, 2006

Quote
Finally, here's a question to anyone who's played Yoshi's Island on GBA--do the controls suffer at all from losing two buttons (compared to the SNES version)?

Not at all, it controls just fine. I can't remember all the buttons on the SNES version either, all I know is I switch between the GBA and SNES versions without a problem, it's pretty natural. GBA controls: A is jump, B is tongue, and R starts the moving egg reticule. Hit R again to shoot it, or press L to lock the reticule and then R to shoot it. There's another control scheme you can use that mucks around with the egg controls, but it's still pretty much the same.

I say pick up the GBA version if only because it's portable, but still it controls fine.

Bartman3010March 29, 2006

No control loss at all, in fact, the GBA version features 6 levels not in the SNES version.

So, hey its your call.

vuduMarch 29, 2006

Quote
No control loss at all, in fact, the GBA version features 6 levels not in the SNES version.

Really? Hm, that's the first I've heard of that. I might have to pick it up then. Especially because I have a $10-off coupon (that I received with my GBM) burning a hole in my pocket.

Ian SaneMarch 29, 2006

In the SNES version each world has a bonus level you unlock when you get 100 points in every level in the world. I assume the new levels for the GBA version are similar to that, correct?

ib2kool4u912March 29, 2006

Yeah, there are 2 bonus levels in each world.

Personally, I like the controls better on the GBA game then the SNES one, there better use of the R button, making it easier to jump and throw.

UncleBobRichard Cook, Guest ContributorMarch 29, 2006

Now if they'll re-release a Link's Awakening that I can play on my DS, I'll be happy.

SvevanEvan Burchfield, Staff AlumnusMarch 29, 2006

Quote
Originally posted by: UncleBob
Now if they'll re-release a Link's Awakening that I can play on my DS, I'll be happy.

Word.

ruby_onixMarch 29, 2006

I just saw them for $20 Canadian, which is $17 American. Insert USA-themed joke here.

31 FlavasMarch 30, 2006

Quote
Originally posted by: Rhoq
OK, so for the same price ($19.99) as most GameCube titles in the "Player's Choice" line-up, I can now get a GameBoy Advance game?

I posted this before, i'll post it again...

The new console titles are priced $50 - $60 (or higher) initially to subsidize high upfront development costs, so it makes sense to heavily cut the price afterwords. But when the upfront development costs aren't so huge and hence the much lower intial price of GBA games, why should such a steep "Player's Choice" price cut be exepcted or even at all.... ? I do think, though, that "players choice" is a good idea for reprinting 'gotta have' but out of print titles.

Quote
there is something definitely wrong with having the same MSRP for GBA and GameCube games.

Why? GBA to GCN games is apples to oranges. You don't see $50 GBA games for a reason. Even still the "Player's Choice" title and price tag, for console games, are only affixed to games that sell exceptionally well so that the title is more available for everybody. GBA games are already affordable and there for available to pretty much everybody because they just don't cost as much to make in the first place.

KDR_11kMarch 30, 2006

You don't see $50 GBA games for a reason.

That reason being you not living in Europe.

31 FlavasMarch 31, 2006

Quote
Originally posted by: KDR_11k
You don't see $50 GBA games for a reason.

That reason being you not living in Europe.

Well, european's just screwed regardless. Out of curiosity then, what are new release gcn/ps2/xbox/360 games? $80 $90 US?

KDR_11kMarch 31, 2006

60 Euros for current gen (72.50$), sometimes 68(82$) Euros for next gen games. I've even seen a few copies of PDZ at 75€ (91$) PC games come in at 40€ (48$) with no delays for translation.

Tuxedo.BondMarch 31, 2006

It's going to suck when they put that ugly yellow bar on the box. Yes, I care and am eccentric.

vuduApril 03, 2006

Then you should have paid full price, you cheap SOB.