game-boy-advance
I found a Game Boy Advance SP (Model AGS-001) at a garage sale for $1- woohoo! Unfortunately the frontlight does not work. The light button clicks, but the light itself does not turn on. Seems like maybe the bulb went out. Is this repairable? If so, how hard would it be to fix?
Thanks!
It is not region-locked. I've played European, North American, and Japanese games on European and North American DS / DS Lites.
GBA-esque DS addons like the Daigasso expansion pack, paddle controller, and rumble pack are also not region-locked.
Check the emulator settings. You most likely have a different save type, you should try to change that and reload the game. If you don't know your old savetype, you'll need to try.
Best Answer
I believe the light is replaceable, assuming you can find the part.I once researched this for my own SP, but I never actually ordered the parts.
You will need a tri-wing screwdriver. (Here's one on Amazon.)
You will also need the light, depending on which model you have. (Looking now, I'm having a hard time finding the replacement for the light.) Some GBA SPs had a front light (the original), and some of the newer ones had a backlight. Because there's so much coverage of the issue, searching online for "Gameboy Advance SP backlight" might not get you very far in terms of the part.
Here's a Google Search to get you started. If you get any more info on the parts, let me know in the comments.
Edit:
I just walked into a local repair shop - which sells all kinds of used games, systems and such - I was told that the used Gameboy Advance SPs are around thirty bucks, so a repair isn't worth it. When I told him that I like the "thrill" of opening up my old gameboy, the guy said that if he gets one in really bad condition, he'd give me a good price on it, for the part. The point being, you should try the same. You might be able to get the part for cheap from a local game repair shop.