Nintendo Game Boy Advance Wireless Adapter

The device is pretty small and unobtrusive--it's roughly the same size as a GBA cartridge, and the clear grey color works well with the myriad designs for the portable. The biggest problem is the dearth of titles available for the device. Fewer than 20 titles are compatible, and just 3 games are enhanced by employing the adapters--the aforementioned Pokemon titles, as well as Pokemon Emerald allow as many as 16 players to play together.

Using the adapter among that small group is a bit tricky, as there are multiple ways for the games to recognize the device. Some will play as if the adapter is a link cable, while others require the adapter's internal menu to recognize the title first. Nintendo recommends you check the game's instruction manual to determine the correct method, but the portable nature of the system and its games often make finding a title's documentation a bit of a hassle. The system's compatibility problems were most evident when playing the Classic NES series titles. We booted up Super Mario Brothers, which features single-cart multiplayer, only to be dismayed when the second, cartless GBA wouldn't recognize it. Only after scanning Nintendo's troubleshooting page did we find the solution: the main player had to hold down the left and right shoulder buttons to bring up a special menu.