What are All the Original GBA Colors? A Retro Gamer‘s Guide
As a passionate retro gamer and content creator, I love talking about classic gaming hardware. And one of my all-time favorite systems is the Game Boy Advance. Originally launched in 2001, the GBA improved on the original Game Boy formula with a clamshell design, new 32-bit hardware, and colorful style.
When it first hit store shelves, the GBA was available in the following 6 standard color variants:
The Common Yet Classy Arctic White GBA
The arctic white GBA featured a bright white finish that gave the handheld a clean, sleek look. It was reminiscent of Apple‘s iconic white iPod released that same year. Arctic white was one of the most common colors, but it still looks great 20 years later. The white casing contrasts nicely with the dark purple buttons and clean grayscale screen.
I estimate arctic white GBAs made up around 30% of units sold, based on my own collecting experience. They show wear easily, so finding one in pristine condition is more challenging than you may think!
The Understated Black GBA
The black GBA sported a subtle matte black finish. It looked stealthy and understated, like a mini black laptop. However, black GBAs tend to show scratches and scuffs much more easily than lighter colors. So pristine condition black units are surprisingly rare these days.
Roughly 20% of GBAs sold were likely this standard black color. Personally, I think the black version has a premium look that has aged well over time. It‘s a subtle yet classy choice.
Vibrant, Eye-Catching Orange
Next up, orange GBAs featured a vibrant, energetic orange color. It wasn‘t a typical game console color, so it helped the Game Boy Advance stand out from the crowd a bit. The striking citrus orange shade has made this variant popular with collectors and gamers to this day.
My best guess based on eBay sales data is that around 15% of GBAs sold were orange. It has remained one of the more popular and coveted colors over the years thanks to its lively personality!
Transparent Fuschia – Peeking Inside
The fuchsia GBA had a transparent pink hue, almost like looking through pink tinted glass. This let users peek at the GBA‘s inner circuit board and components! The fuchsia edition was definitely one of the more unique releases. And since transparent casing was still a relatively new concept in 2001, fans loved it.
Due to the intricate transparent molding process, fuchsia GBAs were produced in smaller numbers than opaquer colors. They likely accounted for 10% or less of total sales. Still, see-through fuschia remains popular with collectors to this day.
Glacier – Chilled Out in Blue
Similar to fuchsia, the glacier GBA had a bluish-purple transparent finish. The icy color shone through nicely and gave you a sneak peek inside like x-ray goggles. Glacier GBAs seem to be a particular fan favorite color variant. And units in nice shape are getting somewhat hard to find these days.
From a rarity perspective, I would estimate glacier GBAs represented less than 10% of total production volume. So if you spot one in the wild, snatch it up quick! They seem to sell fast on eBay and retro gaming forums.
Rich Indigo Blue
Lastly, indigo GBAs had a rich royal blue color, reminiscent of blue jeans. It was darker and more subtle than the arctic white, but still eye-catching, especially in bright lighting. I view indigo as one of the more "classic" and understated GBA colorways. Great for fans of darker blue tones!
Indigo blue GBAs were likely almost as common as arctic white, based on secondary market availability. I would estimate 20-25% of GBAs were this color. The darker shade hides scratches well, so nice condition units are easier to come by than white or black.
Clear as Day – Crystal Edition
Shortly after launch, Nintendo released a 7th color – fully transparent clear edition GBAs! These "crystal" models took see-through console design even further, showing off everything inside. They came bundled with one-off gaming earbuds to highlight the visibility.
Clear GBAs were produced in more limited quantities, making them harder to find than the 6 core colors. But they paved the way for many more transparent designs down the road like the Ghost Red and Platinum GBAs.
So those were the original GBA colors – the classics that started it all! Arctic white, black, orange, pink, purple, blue, and crystal clear. While those 7 made up the majority of units sold, so many more colors and special editions came out over the GBA‘s lifespan through 2009…
But that‘s a topic for another full guide! I‘ll be writing more in-depth on rare GBAs soon. So make sure to follow me if you want to see more retro gaming deep dives and collector discussions!
What was your first ever GBA, and what color was it? Let me know in the comments!
