Final GBA hardware colors and new screens

[01.16.00] » See the colors available at the GBA's Japanese launch and take a new look at a half-dozen RPGs in development for the system.

    With the Japanese release of the Game Boy Advance rapidly approaching on March 21, Nintendo has finally revealed more details about the new handheld's launch. The GBA will be released in three colors initially: plain white, classic SpaceWorld purple, and translucent purple. The system itself will retail for Y9800 and early reports place the games at about Y5800 -- the same price as most Dreamcast and PlayStation games.

    Nintendo has yet to finalize a list of their own launch titles, but they have released new screens of their first- and second-party titles under development, a healthy number of which fall under the GIA's coverage:

• Fire Emblem: Maiden of the Dark, a sequel the long-running, Japan-only strategy series.
• The Golden Sun, a traditional RPG from Shining Force co-developers Camelot
• Magical Vacation, the first RPG from developer Brownie Brown, whose members previously worked on the Seiken Densetsu series for Square.
• Napoleon, an historical strategy sim.
• Tactics Ogre: Gaiden, a new side story to Quest's groundbreaking SRPG Tactics Ogre.
• Game Boy Wars Advance, the GBA installment of another long-running, Japan-only strategy series.

   Although none of these titles are currently confirmed for launch in Japan or the US, expect to see at least a few make the trip stateside. The GIA will bring you more details on these games as the launch approaches.