Technology that fits in the palm of your hand. Unless the price tag is upwards of $1,000, it’s pretty hard to find something fitting that description. But this Sunday, the Game Boy Advance SP will usher in the ultimate in compact gaming, without forming an uncomfortable and unsightly bulge in your pocket.

The GBA SP is a fold-over unit, literally the size of the average person’s wallet (height 3.33″/ width 3.23″/ depth 0.96″). Its “widescreen” display is identical to the Game Boy Advance, which allows the capability of stretching regular aspect ratio games (such as “Tetris” for the original Game Boy) to fit the screen entirely. In fact, GBA SP shares all the same visual tech specs as the GBA with added improvements beyond space efficiency.

Gamers will be dancing in the streets with joy and happiness because the GBA SP’s screen is backlit. Not that people will be going out of their way to play in the dark, but such a feat is possible because of the new screen. No more indecipherable play from screen glare and oddly-lighted rooms and situations. Do note that the backlight is activated automatically upon powering up, but a simple button can deactivate it just the same.

GBA SP runs off of a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, which can be juiced up with a collapsible AC adaptor. It will run for 10 hours with the backlight function, or 18 hours without.

Just like the GBA, most GB software and peripheral devices are backwards compatible with the GBA SP. The Game Link cables, the Game Cube GBA cable and last fall’s popular GBA gadget, the e-Reader (which allows the gamer to scan special cards through the cartridge to load and play video games) all work with the GBA SP.

Because of space restrictions, a headphone jack was difficult to fit onto the system. But an inexpensive add-on for headphones will be available online at www.nintendo.com in the near future.As for performance, the GBA SP delivers in spades. The backlit display is fantastic, displaying graphics with extreme sharpness and ease on the eyes. Gamers will praise, admire and thank higher beings for this technology, so well utilized on the GBA SP.

Sound is about average. There’s no two-channel split on the console itself, and the volume control is a sliding switch instead of a side wheel (a good change of pace in this reviewer’s opinion). But it’s just like the first GB: it’s not loud at all. We’re all going to need that headphone add-on.

Like previous color incarnations of the GB, the GBA SP adds color to certain GB games (like “Kirby’s Dream Land”). While such a feature loses its flair fast, game control on the new system pleases beyond belief. Touch-sensitive buttons populate the panel, so gamers aren’t putting several pounds of force onto five ounces of plastic and metal. It’s very relaxing when playing any game, even the one that started it all, “Tetris.”

The GBA SP is a truly a gamer’s dream, small and compact with the portable gaming force of the best home consoles. Game Boy fun in half the size of the original GB. No self-respecting gamer can pass the SP up. Run it or gun it to your favorite electronics outlet, because it’s all but official that the SP will be the next lightning-fast selling system.

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