I made a risky move, surely stupid in the eyes of some: I bought a first model GBA.
I read the topic, I have to thank you for bringing me knowledge, seeing it was the only model that displayed the colors as it was intended (edit: my mistake, it seems that colors haves been modified with the DS, but some complain about ghosting and lighting on other GBA), having never liked the fruity colors characteristic of GBA games as they are presented on the net.
Then the grip is the best (a bit small but I’m getting used to it, real D-pad, real buttons, being able to rest the index fingers behind L and R, and I can use my intermediate phalanges on them)
I was expecting the non-backlit screen to be dark, but I wasn’t ready for that: in a room normally lit by daylight you can’t see anything. You have to orientate the screen by standing in front of the window to see something. Basically the display works outside, but with invasive reflections that give you a headache.
I say to myself, oops, not sure I can enjoy it. There are the backlit replacement screens but I don’t want to go to those more fruity colors and I saw a video where the guy measured up to an extra 6 frames of input lag with an IPS 2.
Then I sit down at my desk in the dark (it avoids reflections), I place my articulated desk lamp 40~50cm vertically from the GBA that I hold comfortably, arms resting on the desk, screen with a 45°/horizontal angle, right in front of my eyes (roughly speaking), and it’s a revelation: it’s beautiful. It’s steampunk stuff.
It’s hard to describe and related to the “lit” screen. It’s a bit like looking at a black and white Casio liquid crystal watch screen in sunlight at the right angle: it’s beautiful as a natural crystalline object, and it’s a change from our modern screens in terms of rendering.
I have pictures below but it’s really not representative, only for the colors, not quite right faithfull and a bit washed out compared to reality, but it’s explicit enough to illustrate the difference in tone with GBA games displayed on modern screens, Switch included (I guess emulators offer a color range option closer to the original).
In real life we have a very soft image (we don’t see the pixels and the grid like on the pictures), glazed, glossy, with a very natural high contrast (like the watches), an image that has relief, and such beautiful colors, a bit sepia.
The image seems interlaced because I perceive slight scanlines during vertical scroll, not annoying. Probably to reduce the consumption (two AAA batteries that have already held me very well).
I ordered a card (EZ Flash Omega) that I’m waiting for, considering the crazy price of the games, I’ll do the two Metroid in priority.
Now I’m doing Zelda Minish Cap, a friend’s cartridge that had been lying around my house for 15 years. Good surprise, excellent on all levels (the intro is a bit boring, then it goes), it could even be the best one seen from above (I have to see the rest of the game, I’m trying to get to the fourth dungeon). And the graphics, damn, with those colors I immediately thought of the medieval arcade CPS games. Capcom must have been able to take advantage of its experience on this gorgeous pixel art.
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