How To Play Game Boy Advance Games On The TV (7 Methods)
Playing handheld games is great, but sometimes it's nice to experience those same adventures on the big screen. The Game Boy Advance (GBA) is perfect for on-the-go gaming – but what about when you want to play those same games on the TV?
Here are seven different methods that allow you to play Game Boy Advance games on the TV:
- Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack
- Game Boy Player accessory via the GameCube
- Wii U Virtual Console
- GBA Consolizer accessory
- RetroN 5 third-party console
- Super Retro Advance accessory
- TV-out adaptor
Yes, all of these different methods/accessories will allow you to play GBA games on the TV, but not all of them are created equally. Each method comes with its own unique set of pros and cons – but as you'll see below, some accessories have more advantages than others.
How To Play Game Boy Advance Games On The TV (7 Methods):
1. Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack
Pros:
- GBA games look and play great on the Nintendo Switch
- Save States are a great added feature
Cons:
- Only select GBA titles are available
- Not the cheapest option
What You'll Need (See Link For Pricing):
Overview: For the games that are available on the service, Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack gives gamers arguably one of the best ways to experience Game Boy Advance titles on a television. Unfortunately, however, the amount of titles available is a bit limited. That being said, Nintendo is committed to adding games over time so the library looks to become more and more robust in the coming months and years. (For a complete list of available games, see Nintendo's website.)
As with the Wii U's Virtual Console, Nintendo Switch Online also include Save States – the ability to save at any point during the game – which is a great addition for just about every GBA title. This allows for even better pick-up-and-go gaming and can make some of those historically difficult games a bit more approachable today.
Obviously, for those who don't already own a Nintendo Switch, this isn't the most cost-friendly option out there. Still, those who do pick up a Nintendo Switch and the Expansion Pack service will also get access to classic titles from consoles like the Game Boy, NES, SNES, Nintendo 64, and SEGA Genesis.
Bottom Line: Playing GBA games on the Switch looks and feels great. They play just how you remember them… but on the television. The service could do with more games, but as Nintendo looks to continue adding to its gaming library, the number of available titles looks to increase consistently over time.
2. Game Boy Player
Pros:
- Authentic GBA experience
- Games look and play great
- Also plays Game Boy and Game Boy Color cartridges
Cons:
- Not the cheapest option
What You'll Need (See Links For Pricing):
Overview: Back during the GameCube generation, Nintendo made it an option to play GBA games on the TV through the use of the Game Boy Player. For those who already owned a GameCube, the Game Boy Player was an attractive accessory that turned the home console into two great systems in one. And it works extremely well.
The games look and play as they do on the handheld console, and the accessory even plays Game Boy and Game Boy Color cartridges. Essentially, if you're looking for an authentic GBA experience on the TV, the Game Boy Player is second to none.
That being said, it's not the most cost-effective option. Game Boy Player accessories aren't that expensive, but you also need a GameCube in order to use it. Additionally, It's also recommended that you have a composite cable or some sort of HDMI adaptor in order to connect the console to modern TVs (obviously, this isn't an issue if you have an old CRT television laying around). Again, this is a great option when it comes to playing the games, but you can see how the price can add up rather quickly.
Bottom Line: The Game Boy Player is arguably the best way to play GBA games on the television, but it's still not ideal for every situation. Still, if you want the authentic GBA experience – but on the TV – the Game Boy Player is for you.
3. Wii U Virtual Console
Pros:
- GBA games look and play great on the Wii U
- Save States are a great added feature
Cons:
- Only select GBA titles are available
What You'll Need (See Link For Pricing):
Update: Nintendo discontinued support for their online eShop on March 27, 2023. This means that Virtual Console games from the Game Boy Advance, DS, NES, SNES, and Nintendo 64 generations are no longer available for purchase on the console’s online store.
Overview: The Wii U's GBA Virtual Console offerings is one of the best ways to experience the Advance's gaming library when it comes to visuals. That being said, the Wii U only has access to select GBA games. Still, the digital library does manage to have most of the must-play GBA titles. But obviously, having access to every game would be ideal.
Additionally, the Wii U's Virtual Console offerings also include Save States – the ability to save at any point during the game – which is a great addition for just about every GBA title.
Bottom Line: Playing GBA games on the Wii U is honestly great. The games look fantastic, and they play just how you remember them. It would be even better if the library had more games, though. With the Wii U's eShop closing down, however, this option is becoming a thing of the past.
4. GBA Consolizer
Pros:
- Games look great with 720p output
- Virtually no input lag
- Also plays Game Boy and Game Boy Color cartridges
Cons:
- Not the best looking device
- May experience some audio issues
What You'll Need (See Link For Pricing):
Overview: The GBA Consolizer is essentially its own Game Boy Advance console that outputs to the TV. Because of this, the games play great with virtually zero input lag. Additionally, it scales the titles up to 720p, so they look great too.
As third-party devices go, however, the Consolizer doesn't look all that professionally made, and it does have some reported audio issues with certain televisions. That said, if you can find one in stock, it's definitely an option worth considering.
Bottom Line: While the device itself isn't the prettiest, the games themselves look great. In fact, if you don't care about portability, you can actually just buy this device and skip the Advance altogether.
5. RetroN 5
Pros:
- Compatible with NES, SNES, Genesis, Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance games
- Easy to set up for HDTVs
Cons:
- Some input lag
- Color and saturation aren't the most authentic
What You'll Need (See Link For Pricing):
Overview: While the RetroN 5 looks a little bit nicer under the TV than the GBA Consolizer does, the former unit doesn't perform quite as well – audio issues aside. When it comes to how the games themselves look, however, it's more or less a tossup between the two devices. The RetroN 5 is a bit brighter and more saturated, and some gamers may prefer it, while others might not.
Additionally, the RetroN 5 adds support for NES, SNES, Genesis, Game Boy, and Game Boy Color games too. Performance does vary somewhat between these consoles, but the GBA works pretty well.
Bottom Line: The RetroN 5 is really a no-fuss sort of solution to playing GBA games on the TV. It's not necessarily the best option, but it is more than serviceable and easy to set up.
6. Super Retro Advance
Pros:
- Easy plug-and-play accessory
- Decent performance
Cons:
- The audio isn't quite as good as other options
- Doesn't play Game Boy or Game Boy Color titles
- Not the cheapest option
What You'll Need (See Links For Pricing):
Overview: Like the GameCube and the Game Boy Player, the Super Retro Advance isn't the cheapest option at the end of the day. That being said, it offers solid performance and it's pretty easy to use.
Both the Game Boy Player and Super Retro Advance offer some drawbacks, but the performance of the former is superior. Also, the Super Retro Advance doesn't play Game Boy or Game Boy Color titles. Still, this is definitely a serviceable option for the right gamer.
Bottom Line: If you already have a SNES lying around, this is actually a pretty solid option. But if you have neither a SNES nor a GameCube at home, we'd be hard-pressed to recommend the Super Retro Advance over the Game Boy Player.
7. TV-Out Adaptor
Pros:
- Uses the GBA hardware to play games
- Inexpensive option
Cons:
- Doesn't look the best at 480i resolution
- Requires some installation
What You'll Need (See Links For Pricing):
Overview: We have the TV-Out adaptor listed last here, but there are honestly plenty of merits to this accessory. For starters, it uses the GBA console itself, so it doesn't require the purchase of a whole new console like some of the other options presented in this article. Still, the performance isn't quite up to the competition, so it fell to the bottom.
480i resolution just doesn't look the best blown up on the television, and the accessory requires some installation. Still, if you want an inexpensive option, this is definitely a solid way to go.
Bottom Line: None of the options presented here are bad by any means. If you simply want an accessory that connects from your Advance to your television, this is it. Still, if performance is what you're after, there are better recommendations.
Bonus
As a bonus, the Wide Boy 64 is similar to the Super Retro Advance in that it plugs directly into the console (Nintendo 64 in this case) and outputs directly to the television. That being said, we decided not to include this option because the Wide Boy 64 is pretty rare and extremely expensive.