DS Daily: Bummed about the GBA

Posted Oct 7th 2008 8:00AM by David Hinkle
Filed under: DS Daily

Yesterday, we presented a feature that said goodbye to all of the great things the GBA slot can be used for on the DS Lite. As you all know, the new DSi says sayonara to the GBA slot. What we're wondering is, what will be the most missed aspect of that GBA slot for yourself? Will you miss not being able to play Guitar Hero: On Tour on your DSi? Are you sad to see your gigantic library of GBA games is not supported by the new device? What will you miss most about the GBA slot?

Gallery: Goodbye, GBA slot

Tags: dsi, gba, gba-slot, nintendo-dsi

Related Headlines

DS Daily: Sad to see the GBA slot go? (8 days ago - 92 Comments)
Goodbye, GBA (4 days ago - 24 Comments)
DS Daily: Will you get it? (5 days ago - 107 Comments)
Nintendo: DSi is region-locked (4 days ago - 54 Comments)
DS Daily: Still going to import one? (2 days ago - 37 Comments)

Reader Comments (Page 2 of 2)

10-07-2008 @ 9:59AM

Igor said...

Clearly not being to get the libra clan ability in FFTA2....

10-07-2008 @ 10:32AM

Creciente said...

If I will ever need another DS, it will be a second DS Lite, but not DSi by any means. The fact that GBA slot has been dropped from the system is one of the main reasons I will not buy DSi. I have a significantly large collection of GBA games that I play regularly, and everywhere.

10-07-2008 @ 10:57AM

m-p{3} said...

Looks like my RAM expansion from the Nintendo DS Browser is useless now.

10-07-2008 @ 11:32AM

BlackDS said...

I completely forgot about the DS Browser.

In practice, the DS Browser is pretty useless. I could only use it at "some" McDonalds (it didn't work at a lot of local McDonalds that had Wifi, because McDonalds fails), and I was able to pickup someone's Wifi at the airport.

The DS Browser cannot authenticate properly, so even paying I couldn't use it at coffee shops/Starbucks.

I will miss using my Japanese DS Lite Rumble Pak. It rumbles when it's my turn to move/play on Clubhouse Games.

Peace.

10-07-2008 @ 11:47AM

Kam said...

I don't see the big deal..
I mean, if someone wants to play their GBA games, can't they use their DS or GBA?
I mean, it's not like if you buy a DSi Nintendo is going to come to your house and stomp on all of your GBA games!

10-07-2008 @ 12:06PM

Thunderbird said...

I'm more bummed by the region lock. If they make a sequel to JUS for the DSi I won't be able to play it.

10-07-2008 @ 12:12PM

Sonic_13 said...

I feel like I'll miss the GBA slot on the DS because without it you lose some functionality. However, when I really think about it, I have almost never used the GBA slot AND I have my GBA in the same drawer as my DS, so in the end I'm not really missing out on anything afterall.

The only time I used it for something other than GBA game playing was when I had both Advance Wars 2 and Advance Wars DS in at the same time and I got a special background.

10-07-2008 @ 12:19PM

xcdjy said...

In terms of actually playing GBA games, who says we can't?

If it has a web-browser built in, it probly has built in ram. All it takes is for some dude to create an emu for GBA on DS, and all is swell :D

Unless, of course, it uses your SD card for the web-browser.

10-07-2008 @ 12:21PM

ShukuenShinobi said...

I won't miss a thing. I play all my GBA games on my SP. The only thing I'd miss is GH:OT, but seeing as how my DS is the Pokémon edition, I never plan on getting rid of it.

10-07-2008 @ 2:17PM

Gonzo said...

No GBAMP love?
Am I the only one who uses a gba slot to read ebooks and listen to music at the same time during my commute?

Maybe I am.

10-07-2008 @ 8:01PM

TryToGuess said...

I do the same things, only I use MoonShell instead.

10-08-2008 @ 12:42PM

Gonzo said...

Is there a moonshell that just plugs into the ds-card slot?
That's what we're going to need.
I've been checking out the Cyclo Evolution.
I expect that soon after the launch we're going to see a whole lot more similar devises that take advantage of the DSi's memory card slot.

10-07-2008 @ 2:36PM

chibi_wings said...

if I were to get a DSi, I would miss being able to play GBA games and the Pal Park for Pokemon. I think I'll probably wait for the DS's true successor.

10-07-2008 @ 4:38PM

obis666 said...

I have bought gameboys from the start partially because of backward compatibility. I have a lot of peripherals and carts from my GB and GBA that I don't want to write off. I wont get it unless it has something more to offer... maybe an accelerometer or motion sensors or something. something to really change the gaming experience. If not I'll stay with the more affordable DS or the overall better PSP.

10-07-2008 @ 5:29PM

Dred242+forums said...

For me it's the RumblePak as well. My RumblePak inserts flush with my DS Lite....it's awesome. It would be nice if Nintendo some how integrated a rumble feature into the new DSi, but thats just wishful thinking, eh? I have no plans to buy the DSi as of yet. I want to wait at least 6 months to a full year after the U.S. release. This gives me plenty of time to see if game developers cozy-up to the new design...I guess they have no choice, eh? I also can't wait to hear from early adopters and what they think of the game-play with older/current DS titles on the new DSi. As far as the new hardware, I'm excited about downloadable games/content via wifi, the SD card support, and the wider screens on the new DSi. Maybe Nintendo should "Pull-A-Zune" and let the older DS, and DS Lite access downloadable games/content and save it to a storage card built for the GBA slot...once again, wishful thinking.

10-07-2008 @ 8:18PM

Garst said...

The inability to us the e-Reader, if I were ever to decide that I want one.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_e-Reader

10-07-2008 @ 10:14PM

jrabin93 said...

I don't really care that they are getting rid of it. As of now I have no plans to purchase a DSi, I just recently this summer bought myself a DS Lite, and am very happy with it. If for some reason though I had to switch from my DS Lite to the DSi, I would be disappointed because there are many great GBA games such as Mega Man Battle Network.

10-07-2008 @ 10:20PM

manaman said...

To me, the saddest part of this is that it's the end of a legendary era in handheld gaming. The name of Game Boy is disappearing with no signs of it ever returning. Also, this will be the first time that the main portable console from Nintendo will not feature backwards compatibility. Now that Nintendo has offered backwards compatibility for the first time on their consoles, it's unfortunate that they are moving backwards in handhelds.

I may be very interested in the new features of the DSi--probably enough to buy one--but I am not giving up my lite.

10-08-2008 @ 1:16AM

RachelKat said...

I'd miss nothing because I plan to keep my Lite running until the end of time, and I'll probably get a black and cobalt before they discontinue them. My big problem with the DSi is the region locking. I /need/ my Kanji Sonomama card!

I only use the GBA slot M3 for Moonshell anyhow.

10-08-2008 @ 10:15PM

Ry Guy said...

I'm not, I'm either going to keep my DS Lite and not upgrade to the DSi because there are no essential updates, or I'm going to get a GBASP, at least then I won't have to worry about that bulge in my DS that makes it less pocket friendly.

Either way, no GBA, no deal. I need at least some method of playing my old school games.

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