Gameboy Advance available for import, $124 shipped.

[SuperRob]

Great deal ...

Upstate Games

You can pick any of the three colors available at Launch. Won't ship until April but for this price, and before the US launch (which will be cut to 500,000 units), this is an outstanding chance.

If you don't think this is a hot deal, keep your comments to yourself. I know there are people on this board waiting for this, as the Gameboy Advance is highly anticipated, and likely to be in short supply.

 

[guyver01]

ugh.. colors are horrid.. and the games... boring,..

Super Mario Advance
F-Zero Maximum Velocity

but of course i'd still buy one.. DAMN YOU NINTENDO!!!

 

[Slash3]

Another preorder package is available here, from BuyRite:

Linky link link

<edit>
As an FYI, I'm 95% sure that this is for the Japanese system, which is launching earlier than the US version by a couple of months.
</edit>

As is fairly evident, not the best price. Heck, it's a bad price... However (as you pointed out, SuperRob), to someone who doesn't mind the premium for getting one when they're first released, this could be their own personal Hot Deal.

Gamestop one looks like a much better bargain, but I'm sure there are other places to preorder a GBA as well. I just ran across this one earlier today while digesting my daily dosage of news tidbits and random link surfing. There ya have it. GBA looks quite promising! Mmm...

 

[Flashram]

Why the hell do all these retailers insist on making these things package &quot;deals&quot;? They would sell a hell of a lot more if they would offer the console and let the consumers choose what games they want. Lame.

 

[jaybert]

There is really no money to be made selling the console. Take the PS2 for example. I use to work @ Best Buy and even with my employee discount, there was NO discount on the PS2. But if I bought a $35 controller, there was a $10 discount. If I bought a game, there was a bout a $10 discount as well. By packaging them together, they are at least making some money off of the games instead of no money off of just the console.

 

[Laibach]

I happen to work at a video game retailer. My advice to anyone considering prepurchasing a Game Boy Advance at this time is DO NOT DO IT!

We have not started preorders (like many other stores) yet for a reason. It was not until the other day the the price and date was announced.

The biggest problem at this time is that no store knows the quantity to be released. Since the stores do not have an allocation it is difficult to preorder. What is too many are ordered? Remember the PS2...all stores did NOT have enough units for all the preorders. That is why we are waiting for numbers from Nintendo.

I suggest you all wait until your local store announces they are taking preorders. At that time they will know how many they can order...and I am sure they will have some sort of preorder &quot;deal&quot; (freebies?) in place.

 

[Flashram]

Jaybert- I realize there is little money to be made selling the console, but it should be fairly obvious to these people that if someone buys the system, they are going to buy games! What else would they do with the console? I guess someone could always go buy their games somewhere other than were they bought the console, but still, don't force us to buy crap we don't want!

 

[KeyzerSoze]

Flashram99: Not necessarily will people buy the games just because they have the console. The only systems I ever bought games for was for my 8-bit Nintendo and Sega Genesis. Since then, I've had the Super Nintendo, Sega Saturn, PSX, Sega Dreamcast, and a GameBoy Color. I have about 200 SuperNintendo games, 20 Sega Saturn games, 100 PSX games, 70 Dreamcast games, and 100s of GameBoy Color games, and I did not buy ANY of these games. Its the power of reverse engineering at its best. The internet, blockbuster video, and a CDR also helped too. Of course, I do not endorse any of this as it is for &quot;backup&quot; purposes.

 

[dimwit]

I'm certain Sega did not like it one bit when Utopia came out with the DC bootdisk, they certainly didn't make any money on the console in the first place.

But does anyone know about XBox preorders? My kids are saving their money, and using just the DC as a interim system.

 

[Danimal]

Does Anyone know how much the Gameboy Advance system will cost by itself? And how much games are going to be?

 

[SuperRob]

Laibach,

The longer people wait, the LESS likely they are to be able to get it at all. If a store opens a pre-order program, you need to get in right away. Otherwise, you won't make the first cut if the machines are allocated.

By the way, Nintendo announced the price and date ($99, June 11th) a week or so ago, along with the shipment amount (1.5 Million). That's why pre-orders are starting. Smart stores will cut off preordering within a reasonable time to ensure availability.

Besides, Nintendo tends to under-promise consoles, then over-deliver. No worries.

Danimal,

The GBA is $99, games are between $29-$39. ($34.99 being about average.)

 

[csc2]

FlashRam,

As it has been stated, retailers make NO MONEY selling systems. Also the Game Boy Advance will sell out the first day no matter what, so they certainly won't sell any MORE by not bundling. By bundling, they guarantee themselves a profit plus the ability to make you buy games you didn't want in addition to the games you want to buy.

It sucks, but that's life. Why do you think I have an unopened copy of Fantavision sitting on top of my PS2?

 

[JOHNW00]

I smell another PS2 *supply doesnt meet demand* these things will probably sell for 50-100 bucks more than retail if you can get some.

 

[stonerdave]

the preorders are for the june 11 launch in the states, the gba's due in japan in a few weeks. it's odd gamestop thinks nintendo will be offering all 3 colors like te japan release, which more than likely isn't accurate given the evidence.

don't expect to preorder a console online (and soon enough at b&amp;m's) without buying bundled games. retailers are pissed off with the thin profits to be made on console sales, which isn't suprising granted the money lost by the hardware manufacturers to begin with. read the article about the xbox below. the way i see it, M$ haters should pick this thing up in droves.

http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1006-200-5041881.html?tag=mainstry

 

[dman]

If there is a supply problem it's manufacturer intended. Nintendo has deliberately held up sale of the GBA because they still had massive sales on the GB and GBC (even now) as I understand it.

I would feel it's safe to assume nintendo can meet demands for GBA now, but they will probably pull the 'ol supply is limited routine to keep the prices high as long as they can (So people feel special for having the first few devices). It's really simple economics. Even after they ramp up distribution, there's no real competition so prices will have no reason to drop unless you and I simply ignore this product..

Judging by the past, I'm sure it will be a hot seller and price will stay the same for some time. Hopefully I'll get to play FZero on the GBA Emulator when it comes out (probably won't take long).

 

[JOHNW00]

I was talking to a Nintendo Rep just the other week on QBA and GameCube and your right. Thats why the black &amp; white Gameboy lasted so long after the color came out, because the majority of the people still bought the balck &amp; white one! Just because the GBA comes out sales will still be strong for the GBC and they are not even lowering the price on it she said! I never owned a gameboy but I think I am gonna get one of these.. if I can keep it away from my daughter long enough to play it.

 

[SuperRob]

Stonerdave,

What evidence? Your link takes you to the GBA page on Nintendo's own site, LISTING all three colors. I've neither seen nor heard any evidence suggesting that all three colors won't be available at launch.

It's the REST of the colors that won't be out until well after launch. Like the spiffy Orage creamsickle colored one.

I guess I'll know for sure in May ... I'm going to E3.

 

[claffeyb]

I received an email today: GBA can be purchased NOW from http://www3.ps2.com.hk/flash/handheld.html (I purchased an XChanger from them in the past) for US $250 plus $30 shipping, and is bundled with 2 games - Mario Advance and F-zero. The email said that it's &quot;in-stock now&quot;.

Or, another site I have purchased from and is perhaps much more well known - http://www.lik-sang.com/
which has it at US $189 (with Mario Advance) or US $189 (with F-Zero Advance) or $US $195 (with Castlevania: Cirlce of the Moon.

I don't know what the shipping cost from Lik-Sang would be though.

~Brent

 

[SuperRob]

Or you could get it from Upstate Games for $124 shipped with NO GAME REQUIREMENT.

 

[krays]

Hi guys, I feel really bad for peddling my own wares...but I happen to be auctioning Gameboy Advances. Not that many atm, but I will have more coming in, courtesy of my friends in Japan.

I'll admit the Upstate Games is a good price, about $10 or so cheaper, but my auction is at least a better price than the ones posted by ClaffeyB (no offense). And unlike Upstate, I actually have them in stock now.

Ok, my apologies guys, I've deleted the auction link! Sorry about that!

 

[scheck]

just so you guys know, the gba system retails for roughly 80 dollars in japan and games are 40 bucks. however major importers like ncs are selling systems + 1 game for ridiculous prices of 280 not including tax or shipping. other importers are selling 3 games + system for about 280 which is a little bit more reasonable. but as far as cheapest standalone system it seems to be upstate games and they are a pretty good business. but as always with a new system launch you'll see inflated prices, best bet is to wait it out till prices drop.

 

[FrontlineWarrior]

nice auction, starting price 230. hmph.

 

[crazyman]

I think one of the reasons that they bundle things is because, for the ps2 anyway, to get a new unit from them you had to sell x number of games. Sony loses money on every ps2 sold and the stores prob. break even, so the only way to make money is the games (universal console marketing strategy

 

[Purvin]

gameboy advance looks so much like my GAMEGEAR which is like 5-6 years old.

 

[SuperRob]

krays,

You are NOT allowed to post auction links here. Go back and read the rules.

That said, you've got a lot of gall trying to pimp your auction in a thread where they can get it CHEAPER.