The EXT port on the Game Boy Advance is used to connect accessories and other consoles.
Its main purpose is multiplayer gaming through the Game Boy Advance Game Link Cable, but it can also be used to connect a GBA to a GameCube or attach accessories like the Wireless Adapter.
The original GBA and GBA SP both have an EXT port, although its location differs between models.
What does EXT mean?
EXT is short for external, referring to the port's ability to connect the Game Boy Advance to other devices.
On the original Game Boy Advance, you'll find the EXT port along the top edge of the console, between the shoulder buttons.
On the Game Boy Advance SP, it's located along the back edge.
Nintendo labelled the connection EXT. 1, and it was one of the GBA's most useful features, especially before wireless multiplayer became common.
Can you connect two Game Boy Advance consoles together?
Yes!
The most common use for the EXT port was connecting two or more Game Boy Advance consoles for multiplayer.
Using a Game Boy Advance Game Link Cable, players could connect their systems and play compatible games together.
Some games even supported up to four players using additional cables.
Popular examples include:
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Mario Kart: Super Circuit
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The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords
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Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald
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Advance Wars
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Kirby & the Amazing Mirror
Each player would have their own console and screen, which was pretty exciting for handheld multiplayer at the time.
What is single-pak multiplayer?
One of the GBA's more interesting features was single-pak multiplayer.
Normally, multiplayer games required each player to have their own copy of the game.
But certain titles allowed multiple Game Boy Advance consoles to play together using just one cartridge.
The console containing the game would transfer the necessary data to the other connected systems.
This was known as Single-Pak Link.
Not every game supported it, and some offered fewer features than playing with multiple cartridges, but it was a great way to play multiplayer without everybody needing to buy the same game.
Can you connect a Game Boy Advance to a GameCube?
Yes, and this is where things get interesting.
Nintendo released the GameCube–Game Boy Advance Link Cable, which connects the GBA's EXT port to a controller port on the GameCube.
Certain GameCube games used this connection to unlock extra features or turn the GBA into a second screen.
Some examples include:
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The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures: Each player uses a GBA as a controller and personal screen.
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Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Players use their GBAs as controllers, with information displayed on their individual screens.
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The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker: The Tingle Tuner provides extra information and features on the GBA.
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Animal Crossing: Connect a GBA to visit the tropical island and access additional features.
It's one of Nintendo's more unusual ideas, and a feature that's still fun to experiment with today.
What other accessories use the EXT port?
The EXT port wasn't just for cables.
Nintendo also released the Game Boy Advance Wireless Adapter, which allowed compatible games to communicate without a physical link cable.
It was most famously used with Pokémon FireRed, LeafGreen and Emerald.
The adapter plugs directly into the EXT port and lets players trade, battle and interact with other players using supported games.
There were also third-party accessories that used the port, including multiplayer adapters and other connectivity devices.
Can you connect a Game Boy Color to a Game Boy Advance?
Yes, but there's an important distinction.
The GBA can play original Game Boy and Game Boy Color games, and it supports multiplayer connections for those older games.
However, Game Boy and Game Boy Color games use a different link cable standard from GBA games.
You'll need a compatible Game Boy Color-style link cable rather than a standard GBA Game Link Cable.
You also can't connect a Game Boy Color to a GBA running a GBA game and expect multiplayer to work.
Both systems need to be running compatible Game Boy or Game Boy Color software.
Does the Game Boy Advance SP have the same EXT port?
Yes.
The AGS-001 and AGS-101 Game Boy Advance SP models both have an EXT. 1 port and support the same link cables and accessories as the original GBA.
The main difference is where the port is located.
The SP also has a separate EXT. 2 port, which is used for charging and audio accessories.
So if you're buying a link cable for a GBA SP, you'll want to connect it to EXT. 1, not EXT. 2.
Does the Game Boy Micro have an EXT port?
The Game Boy Micro has a link port, but it's a different physical connector from the one used by the original GBA and GBA SP.
That means standard GBA link cables won't plug directly into it.
Nintendo released special Game Boy Micro link cables and adapters for multiplayer connections.
The Micro also only plays Game Boy Advance games, so it can't use the older Game Boy and Game Boy Color multiplayer features.
Is the EXT port still useful today?
Absolutely.
If you're collecting original Game Boy Advance hardware, the EXT port opens up some of the console's best multiplayer experiences.
Whether you're trading Pokémon, racing friends in Mario Kart or connecting a GBA to a GameCube, there's plenty you can still do with it.
For us, the GameCube connectivity is particularly fun. Nintendo was experimenting with second-screen gaming long before the Wii U made it a central feature.
And all you need to get started is the right cable.