You make me happy, I'm glad you came. But why are you updated near enough a year after your initial release? At work I served many children in the Xmas rush and sold them GBA's happy that they would be content with the Mario Kart I sold them. Its a superb game that lasts well.. forever.

Why this sudden anger that I feel then? Why have I suddenly picked up a stick and protest banner towards the new GBASP?

It's ok for me I guess, I am seventeen years old, a student at college who also works in a video games shop. I can afford to buy the GBASP and feel all 'cool' because I have the latest bit of kit, that looks superb. Yet, if I was one of the kids I served before Christmas wouldn't I feel a little hard done by the fact my 'new' GBA is outdated within a few months?

Erm.. yeah I would!

What then for little Timmy who picked up a GBA for Christmas? Well, he can live in the fact that he can still play the new games and he won't 'have' to upgrade, or he can still have another dream that for his birthday he will get the GBASP. When you are young, no matter what you want you normally get it, so you will always want something new every few weeks. I suppose the SP is just another 'something' kids will want.

Nintendo are superb at what they do. They are the only hardware company in the market to make profit through each hardware sale. They announced the SP and say it will be ready for release in March, which means its been ready for ages and they have been getting the marketing ready, they probably could have even released it before Xmas. What gives them the right to release it three months into the year and collect both the Xmas profit and the launch profit.

Competition gives them the right. I am starting to lower my 'against SP banner' everytime I look at the beautiful little SP and everytime I think that Nintendo are in the most volatile market there is around. They have planned this SP launch precisely to attract more attention to themselves in a key point of this year when Microsoft and Sony are doing... doing sod all.

It's going to be Nintendo's glory months of the year. March, April and May. I am really going to look forward to selling both the consoles and pushing the GBASP as much as I can. Its the difference between them that'll make the sales; the original GBA is a lot more a childish looking piece of hardware, where as the SP just looks so good it could fit in any businessmans pocket and he would feel proud to play it on the London Underground. Nintendo are becoming a more adult orientated company.

*drops the protest banner on the floor and goes back to playing Golden Sun*

I demand you all buy a new GBA, because you will look cooler and you can play it in any darkness, apart from when you have your eyes shut, but thats just stupid. I also demand you send little Jimmy �1.00 each, www.littlejimmyneedsanewgba.co.uk to help him raise the funds that'll keep him going through his puberty covered years.

Nintendo are brilliant at what they do. They are in the market to make money, they do this by giving us the best games. We are loyal to them because we know they will deliver. This was no coincedence that the GBASP will be released at this time in this year and all around the world.

Nintendo want a fight.
Nintendo are ready to fight.
They are sending out the big boys.

Thanks for reading.
er-no