Back in the day, we used to have these things called cheat devices that you’d purchase to access and modify parts of the game. The Gameshark is one such device, and variants were released for several popular consoles like GBC, GBA, DS, N64, PS1, PS2, etc. Normally, a Gameshark version would be exclusive to one console as it was designed to look for specific bits of code exclusive to games for that platform.
This brings us to the following question- does a Gameboy Color Gameshark work for SP? Yes, it does because the GBA SP contains a Sharp LR35902 processor along with the necessary firmware for GBC backward compatibility. You put your Gameshark into the cartridge slot as you would on a GBC, and it works.
If you want to spawn rare Pokémons or get infinite lives/ money, grab a used Gameshark on eBay. Keep in mind, these are going to be quite expensive depending on their condition as Game Shark went out of business long ago. There are 3 different versions of GBC/ GB Pocket Gamesharks- Gameshark Pro v3.0, Gameshark v3.1, and Gameshark v4.0 (the latest version).
Does A Gameboy Color Gameshark Work For SP?
When you plug a Game Boy Color cartridge into a Gameshark and attach it to the GBA SP, the console will think you’re running a GBC game. As it should since there is a GBC processor onboard along with all necessary firmware. Plus, the GBA SP cartridge slot is fully backward compatible with GBC games.
Once you have your Gameshark inserted, make sure you have the cheat switch in its off position. Remember- the left side is “off”, and the right side is “on”. If you have your Gameshark cheat switch turned on as you boot up your game, it will freeze.
Next, you go into the code menu for whatever game it is that you’re playing and make sure that it’s selected. So let’s say you want cheats for Pokémon Crystal, you’ll have to select Pokémon Crystal from the code menu. After that, press Select on your GBA SP and press the A button on “Enable Game”.
After you select the “enable game” option, go back to the code menu and select the game you’re playing. Then, select which cheats you want to be enabled from the list. While doing all this, you must have your game cartridge inserted into the Gameshark.
Note that new codes can be looked up online and added to your Gameshark database. However, most codes you’ll find online are either fake or incompatible. So, you’ll have to spend a bit of time figuring out what works and what doesn’t.
Once you’ve got your cheats selected, you need to go back into the main menu and select the start game option. Before you do this, make sure your Gameshark has the cheat switch in its “Off” position (to the left). Otherwise, you’ll end up with a hang and have to restart the console.
Enable the cheat switch once you’re in the game, and your cheats will start to take effect. Things like rare item drops, encounters, health, etc. can all be modified to your advantage if you have the right cheats.
Do Game Boy Color Games Work On Game Boy SP?
They do, and quite well too. After all, GBA and GBA SP are both equipped with dedicated processors on the motherboard for backward compatibility. Their cartridge slot is also designed to accept GB/ GBC games.
You will know when someone is playing a GBC game on a GBA because the cartridge will be sticking out from the bottom. These are larger than GBA/ GBA SP cartridges. If you want to avoid the upscaling on GB/ GBC games, just hold Select or Start while it’s booting up and the game will play in its original resolution.
Can You Link Game Boy Color With SP?
Yes, but you’ll need to make sure you’re playing a GBC game on your GBA SP. Otherwise, it won’t work. For example, let’s say you’re playing Pokémon Red & Blue. Your friend has a GBC, and you have a GBA SP.
Since the GBA SP is backward compatible with both GBC games and link cables, you can connect your SP to their GBC with a GBC link cable. However, this won’t work with GBA games for obvious reasons (GBC can’t run GBA games).
Does Game Genie Work On GBA SP?
It does, however, the Game Genie only supports regular Game Boy games- not GBC or GBA. So if you want to use the backward compatibility feature of your GBA SP to play some original GB games, go ahead and grab a Game Genie. It is much larger than a Gameshark cartridge, and the design makes it quite hard to fit a Game Genie on the regular Game Boy Advance.
Which Is Better- GBA Or GBA SP?
If you have the choice, I recommend going with a GBA SP as it boasts superior contrast and brightness. The AGS-001 model uses an external light on the front, which can be toggled on or off. The AGS-101 is what everybody wants to get their hands on, as it’s the only Game Boy model other than the “Micro” with an integrated backlight.
How Do You Enter Cheats On Game Boy Color?
It’s quite simple with a Gameshark. First, make sure your Game Boy Color is off. Then, take your Gameshark cartridge and insert the game cartridge on top of it.
Plug the Gameshark into your GBC, and set the cheat switch to its off position (left). Then, boot up your console and select the codes option from the main menu. Here, you can select the game you’re playing and enable or disable specific cheat codes.
Keep the cheat switch off as your game boots up, then once you’re inside the game you can turn it on by moving it to the right. If you have this switch in its on position while booting up your game, it will crash.
Conclusion
I hope this article helped you understand how a Gameshark for Gameboy Color can also work on GBA SP. Thanks to Nintendo’s inclusion of a GBC processor in the GBA motherboard, the Gameshark behaves exactly as it would on an actual GBC. You can even use a GBC link cable to connect with a GBA SP and play GBC games.