Game Boy Advance Deep Dive: The Rise of ARM and a Handheld Legend

This article delves into the inner workings of the Game Boy Advance, focusing on its core ARM7TDMI processor. It traces the ARM processor's origins from Acorn Computers' BBC Micro, its collaboration with Apple, and its eventual partnership with Nintendo, becoming the heart of the Game Boy Advance. The article details the ARM7TDMI's architecture, instruction sets (ARM and Thumb), pipeline design, and memory management, explaining how the Game Boy Advance cleverly combined 16-bit and 32-bit buses. It also covers the console's graphics and audio processing systems, game cartridge format, anti-piracy measures, and the rise of Flashcarts.