The Game Boy Micro: What we know

Nintendo also unveiled the Game Boy Micro this morning, here's what we know so far:

• Launch is slated for this Fall.

• Silver in color for now, expect all sorts of rainbow-flavored variations.

• Dimensions: 4 inches wide by 2 inches tall and 0.7 inches thick.

• Weight: 2.8 ounces (80 paper clips' worth of weight).

• Processor: Same as GBA SP.

• Form factor: "Gleaming shoulder and start/select buttons that literally shine", removable and customizable face plate.

• Screen: 2-inches, backlit and the "best Game Boy screen ever" with adjustable brightness controls for use indoors or outdoors.

• Marketing angle: "We're making the gorgeous Game Boy Micro for image-conscious folks who love video games, the ones who want the look of their system to be as cool as the games they play on it" according to George Harrison, Nintendo of America Sr. VP of marketing. It's clear that they're going after the kids who are too cool to carry around an obvious gaming device but who don't mind carrying something that looks like the cell phone that they're already carrying.

• Accessories: built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery; supports standard headphones.

• Software: the Game Boy Advance has nearly 700 titles available, all of which will be playable on the Game Boy Micro.

[Jacob Varghese @ Dec 19th 2005 12:15AM]

"image-conscious" - this looks kinda plain and boring.

I wonder how this will compete against the
PSP. this is definitely inferior tech.

[Jeff @ Dec 19th 2005 12:15AM]

whoa! thats nice, i remember the disappointment when i got the original gba and discovered there was no backlight, duh! even the afterburner mod couldnt do the magic proper, then nintendo released the gba sp, ok it got backlight now, but the screen itself was troubled (shadows, pixel errors), now the ds seems to be ok screen-wise, but it got ugly gba rendering, horray for GBM!!!

[TryNiX @ Dec 19th 2005 12:15AM]

Nintendo has been giving crap for a long time that I almost believed that handheld gaming machines cannot be any better.. until PSP came out.

I hope no one falls in their trap again.

[mathew @ Dec 19th 2005 12:15AM]

oh man.. i want one, it looks like an old school NES controller...

[Dean @ Dec 19th 2005 12:15AM]

this sucks, I want more info! I want the revolutionary part of it...so far I like 360 the most...and I guess a tie between PS3 and Revo.

I guess that new Gameboy is a waste..but Ill get it anyway...It should be really cheap.

[Peter @ Dec 19th 2005 12:15AM]

can the device also play orginial gameboy color games like the sp? or just gameboy advance games?

[SPLiNT @ Dec 19th 2005 12:15AM]

well, i would never buy that, seeing that i alredy have a GBA what is the point of having two, cuz there so called "kool" factor isnt very tempting. it just looks like a sideways GB ( the old one )

[yuppicide @ Dec 19th 2005 12:15AM]

Looks dull and boring. I won't buy it. I am not interested in a 2 inch screen.

[Mark @ Dec 19th 2005 12:15AM]

What happened to the "evolution"? Is this it?

[funkonaut @ Dec 19th 2005 12:15AM]

Bummer. I like how the current GBASP's clamshell design protects the screen. This looks like Scratch Fest '05.

Too bad I'm not digging it because I hate carrying around my headphone adapter...

[Bill W @ Dec 19th 2005 12:15AM]

better picture:
http://www.pro-g.co.uk/images/pub/misc/micro2_lrg.jpg

[Mr. Fluffles @ Dec 19th 2005 12:15AM]

So, it's an update of an update?
Or will it have software of its own?

[uclatommy @ Dec 19th 2005 12:15AM]

Pretty cool.. makes me want to take out the guts and stick in an old school nes controller. That would rock.

[converted @ Dec 19th 2005 12:15AM]

like i wanna waste another 100 when i already have the gba sp. nintendo can kiss my butt. psp is light years ahead of nintendo

[Scotty @ Dec 19th 2005 12:15AM]

The Game Boy SP is pefect the way it is. Why would I want this, the only reason MAYBE would be for the audio jack but I honestly haven't played my GBA SP since I got the PSP - I don't see this making me want to play it more.

Is it possible to give a company a delay of game penalty? Because I feel that's what this day was for Nintendo.

My dreams of some sort of Gamecube Portable were thrashed today. That would have killed the PSP if it would even be possible. Too bad.

[Frangible @ Dec 19th 2005 12:15AM]

Very disappointing. I bought a DS exclusively to play GBA games, because the screen is so much better than the GBA SP's.

But I won't get this. The DS's screen is better as it is larger (3" vs. 2"), and the DS has very good/loud stereo sound.

I also don't like the fact it doesn't fold. Come on Nintendo, the GBA SP was a perfect formfactor!

I'd much rather have a GBA SP with a better screen and louder (stereo?) speaker(s).

While this GB has a better screen than the SP, I still think the DS is better for playing GBA titles due to the better screen size and speaker setup. Not to mention it folds to protect the screen, which I like.

Nintendo, Nintendo, Nintendo... so close, yet so far. It's really too bad they didn't learn what they did right with the GBA SP and improved upon it.

[Casey @ Dec 19th 2005 12:15AM]

This looks like it got a whole half hour of R&D time before it was rushed to production.

[jack @ Dec 19th 2005 12:15AM]

so this is just a re-modelled GBA SP, without the flip?

the one thing that's cool is it's prolly going to hit the market at a dirt-cheap price, and given the huge collection of GBA games, it can't hurt Nintendo at all

[courtney @ Dec 19th 2005 12:15AM]

I don't know, it seems cool, but I think they shoudl have come out with this earlier.

I am liking the Revolution so far, but what is the revoltion part?

[Frangible @ Dec 19th 2005 12:15AM]

#13 Scotty: The GBA SP is *not* perfect, check out a DS playing GBA games sometimes, the screen is so much higher contrast it isn't funny. I love the GBA SP formfactor and design, but I just can't use mine anymore after seeing how much better GBA games look on the DS's screen. It's night and day. Literally.

[MeatPopsci @ Dec 19th 2005 12:15AM]

just insert cell-phone tech and ...

[creamofcow @ Dec 19th 2005 12:15AM]

Hey this kinda reminds me of the Nintendo Game & Watch devices from 1981 or so. I still have my multi-screen Donkey Kong... which is going for more on EBay than what I wrangled my Mom to pay for way back then (if you ignore inflation).

[Luis D. @ Dec 19th 2005 12:15AM]

This is pretty sad. I love my SP and won't even bother with this one. Clearly this is meant for little kids and Nintendo fanboys who'll buy anything with Nintendo stamped on it. Way to shake that kiddie image Nintendo!

[Jeff @ Dec 19th 2005 12:15AM]

"Is it possible to give a company a delay of game penalty? Because I feel that's what this day was for Nintendo."

Best comment all day.

I was a huge fan of the old Nintendo Game & Watches (they're literally what got me into handheld gaming), and this sorta brings back those memories, but it just seems kind of pointless when the GBA SP is perfectly good as it is. Even if the screen on this is better, it's smaller, and it's exposed. I wouldn't carry this around in my pocket, which is, according to Nintendo, the whole purpose of it (they said it'll "fit in any pocket").

It seems like they got sidetracked on making this when they should have been focused on bigger, better things. Unless they really did just slap this together really quick just to have *some* sort of hardware to show today, and to release at the end of the year.

[Gordy @ Dec 19th 2005 12:15AM]

Let the games begin! This is PSP's competition, not DS.

[Edvard_Grieg @ Dec 19th 2005 12:15AM]

Hmmm....I guess I'm Nintendo's demographic. I don't have an SP or a DS mainly due to size(yes I know it isn't that big, but big enough for me), but this looks pocketable enough that it wouldn't be too much of an issue. As far as those concerned about it being exposed.....I'm sure there will be plenty of aftermarket cases available. Vaja anyone?

[Supervlieg @ Dec 19th 2005 12:15AM]

They should have added a phone, 4 gig harddisk, camera and all other things in my pocket would have been obsolete.

Only way I'll buy this is if it's under fifty bucks.

[Bob @ Dec 19th 2005 12:15AM]

this thing looks like poo. the current GBA SP rocks hard compared to it. yawn...back to my PSP

[Digi Smalls @ Dec 19th 2005 12:15AM]

screen may be too small on this. can you play Advance Wars on this w/o squinting?

[Dustin Rodriguez @ Dec 19th 2005 12:15AM]

Image conscious? Pfeh! These people obviously have not seen my NES-styled GBA SP. The thing is downright sexy with its mixture of old-school and modern.

And the GBA SP is a fantastic gaming platform. It's almost the only place left you can even GET an RPG with turn based battles!

[Terry @ Dec 19th 2005 12:15AM]

Yeah, I guess I'm just the person Nintendo is going after. From the expanded photos that thing is hardly any bigger then the GBA cartridges themselves. Something that just slips in a regular pocket means I'll be much more likely to carry it, which is a requirement for me to ever PLAY it. If I want fancy 3d graphics I'll stay at home, just give me something to play some quick games, and put it in a real person form-factor and you've got me sold.

[Doubtful @ Dec 19th 2005 12:15AM]

Nostalgia can only sell game systems for a limited time.

Nintendo used to be the innovator, now this throwback to the Game and Watch that plays only existing games is coming on the market and next year the Revolution will let everyone play Mario and Dragon Warrior again.

Will that be enough to tempt people away from the new stuff? I'm inclined to say no.

Hey, Nintendo, while you're looking back into the past see if you can find yourself there.

[Galeriel (Ze Applel?) @ Dec 19th 2005 12:15AM]

Liked if it doesn't look like a toy! If it's made in Aluminum or titanium; it's a must have...

[James @ Dec 19th 2005 12:15AM]

please Nintendo add flash card and mp3/audio functions that would be a machine i would definitely buy, instead of the "huge" (in size, reminds me of the Sega Lynx) and bloated PSP (still like the id?and functions of PSP), but this is sweet.

[mark @ Dec 19th 2005 12:15AM]

It might be okay, I might get it as I sold my GBA to get my DS. But only if it's cheap and can play tetris

[khamel @ Dec 19th 2005 12:15AM]

can someone explain to me the market for the psp/gameboy advance or gameboy micro. i had a gameboy pocket in middle school but i doubt that nerdy middle school boys who take long car trips is the only market for these things. does any self respecting adult have a portable game device? besides someone who rides the trains to and from work, are these things only for teenagers and younger? maybe im just missing something. saying all that, i still think its cool but i dont know when i would need or use a portable game player. portable game player/mp3 player, now thats something. give me a 60 gb gmini and im set.

[mike @ Dec 19th 2005 12:15AM]

"Nintendo used to be the innovator, now this throwback....... "

*cough DS Online *cough

[Bobby B. @ Dec 19th 2005 12:15AM]

Again, we see that Nintendo tries to repeat history with its Game Boy Micro. In the past, Nintendo has experienced tremedous success when it introduced the Game Boy Pocket, a smaller version of the huge, dated original Game Boy. Now we have Game Boy Micro, which is a smaller, simpler, and "better" version of the GBA.

But time changes; Nintendo no longer rules the handheld land. With the emerges of cell phones, PDAs, and the Sony's PSP, Nintendo will lose the handheld war if they can't come up with the wow factors that can exceed the standards set by its rival Sony's PSP.

Do we really want to spend money for a smaller, plainer N64 or GameCube? Not likely. So it is less likely that we would buy another portable GBA that has only 2" LCD screen, even if it costs less than $50.

It's time for Nintendo to stop reminiscening the "good old time" and come up with fresh ideas if they want to survive. No, Pokemon 2 won't do it.

[mark @ Dec 19th 2005 12:15AM]

um, if the gmini is a apple thing i think it was an april fools joke. sorry

[Bryan @ Dec 19th 2005 12:15AM]

I think some of you read into it FAR too much. Some of you really think this is a life line Nintendo is betting on? They know full well it's just a bizarre addition to their line up.

Incidiently, I think younger generation won't quite understand what the hell they're up to with this one. They're targetting mid 20s upward, I should think.

[igloo @ Dec 19th 2005 12:15AM]

Gahd...

PSP :: Micro
Apples :: Oranges

Not everything smaller than a breadbox should be compared to the PSP.

[brian potopowicz @ Dec 19th 2005 12:15AM]

This is garbage!! I cant believe this is supposed to compete against my psp.. Obviously psp is going to continue to take market share from nintendo until they come out with a next generation device. Why would I buy this, I don't care is there is a million old 8bit games for this thing! The graphics suck. Im not going to buy any device that plays games that are worse than super nintendo! It doesn't matter how small it is, this is a cheap marketing trick for nintendo! SHAME on YOU nintendo ~!

[igloo @ Dec 19th 2005 12:15AM]

brian potopowicz (40), until you realize that there's more than graphics to games you're part of the problem, not the solution. Also, the Micro is surely not intended to threaten your PeniSP superiority.

Bryan (38),
There is another market there in kids that can't afford a PSP or are too young for one. I think the target demo for PSP is def. on the older, both warranted by content, price, and device longevity/durability.
Younger and older, with PSP getting gobled up by angst ridden teens :-)
Also, I love the PSP; just loathe non-sensical assclown fanboys.

[Droford @ Dec 19th 2005 12:15AM]

#34:

I cannot understand why everyone wants hardware that does 4502 different things and not one of them well. Just for once, accept the fact that this will play games, and will do it well.

If you already have a GBA:SP or a DS, there probably isnt much reason to buy the Micro. If you dont, this might be a good place to start, seeing as though I cant see it selling for more than $50, and the size factor is much better than either of their other options.

[nick botulism @ Dec 19th 2005 12:15AM]

as an older, more casual gamer who hasn't had a portable gaming device since the GBC, the micro looks very appealing to me (depending on the price). i'm more likely to get this than either the DS or the PSP.

[Kenban @ Dec 19th 2005 12:15AM]

I don't think you guys understand just how well the GBA and the SP still sell. These figures are for Japan as of May 1st but its just an example.

Total hardware sales Jan 1st to May 1st Japan:
PS2 - 828,824
PSP - 796,654
DS - 739,557
SP - 280,128
GC - 99,574
GBA - 9,594
xbox - 6,360

(Yes thats right the old GBA is outselling the xbox in Japan)

You might find this odd but just like the MTV launch of the xbox 360 this product is pretty much not designed for most of the people who post or even visit sites like this. I think your going to find it have a very low price point and is going to be the last and final version of the GBA before the new gameboy which I expect to hear about next E3. I would like to point out Sony did something similar with the original playstation it was called the PSone. Then you have the slim PS2 that just came out.

I really think of it this way. Nintendo is a business its job is to make money. Really I think they do a better job of it then even Sony does (Nintendo's profits are higher then the game division of Sony's (not that the rest of the company is doing so great)). Nintendo views this as one more way to make money off an old console.

I want to see a new gameboy but really I don't think its going to happen til next year. I think its going to be launched a few months after the Revolution and I bet its going to be designed to hook up to the revolution and will be capable of playing the games you download off the revolution online service.

[chudgoo @ Dec 19th 2005 12:15AM]

For those afraid of screen scratching...
The face plates are removable and replacable.
(And hopefully will come in a "NES Controller" skin ;)

[Ryuukuro @ Dec 19th 2005 12:15AM]

I don't get it.

[let me lie @ Dec 19th 2005 12:15AM]

I agree, I like the simplistic monolithic design of the Revo over the ps3 and 360. Kind of hope they keep it, but a small design feature here and there could liven it up a bit. But i prefer the sleekness of the ps3 over the cheap looking pasty whiteness of the 360. it does remind you of a dell optiplex (shudders)...

another big thing that microsoft has against them that sony and ninten have is something that will a bigger issue later on: portability. Both sony and nintend have the capability of continuing the entertainment experience outside the living room, with the PSP and the DS. The 360 is limited to the moment u turn it on, and the moment you turn it off. In this world of fast-paced society, not everyone has time to f' around for hours configuring a character. It'd be awesome to start a configuration or something, then go to Panera bread with a hot spot, whip out your DS or PSP and connect Wi-Fi to your Revo or your your PS3, and finish your character. The

[Rudy Rodriguez @ Dec 19th 2005 12:15AM]

I saw a GBA at a yard sale last weekend (for $10). This is garbage. I rather buy a joystick with old-school games then this piece of junk. PSP is the way to go, bar none.