At first glance of this device, I almost scoffed. “What the heck?” Since my dubious first impressions of this odd peripheral, I have come to rely on this lil’ rubber-wrapper and rarely play my GBA without it.

The Bumper GBX Advance is designed to protect your Game Boy Advance. Due to the GBA’s miniscule size, it’s a little more fragile than your average Nintendo device. The Bumper GBX is a rubber cover, which has openings for all the plugs and buttons, as well as the power light and speaker. There are ridges on the side, which also allow for a much better grip of the system.

Working as a thin, rubber skin for the GBA, the Bumper covers mainly the front of the system and is reinforced around all of the edges. There are two large bumpers on either side of the control slot at the top, which should cushion any impact. These are so thick, you can almost stand your GBA upside down on them… Almost. On the front, the openings for the buttons are the perfect size, big and wide. Placing the GBA face down, the device rests solely on the rubber, with the buttons and screen not coming into contact with the surface. Of course, you should probably never set your GBA on its face—but if you did and you had a Bumper GBX on it, it wouldn’t scratch the screen.

The bumper slips easily over your GBA and removing it is also a snap. I know there are some other peripherals that attach to the GBA that are much less easy, even burdensome to remove. No problem here for the Bumper. The rubber is thin and bends and contorts easily, so is very easy to handle.

Along with providing a better grip on the sides, the Bumper extends the width of the system ever-so-slightly. This has turned out to be a huge bonus and made me almost dependable on the Bumper, especially for games like F-Zero: Maximum Velocity that require a lot of use on the shoulder buttons.

Most of all, the Bumper GBX protects your GBA from damaging the system should you accidentally drop it. I put it to the test by dropping it deliberately from small heights, causing it to bounce a little but land safely. Then, recently I had an accident that fully put the Bumper to the test. While heading out the door with my arms full, I DROPPED my GBA. Luckily, it had the Bumper GBX on, bounced slightly and then landed, resting on the rubber face. No dents, or scratches or anything.

All-in-all, the Bumper GBX is a fantastic device. I recommend it for anyone looking for a bit of protection for their handheld, and highly recommend it for parents buying Game Boy Advances for younger children.