Game Boy Micro hits Japan on September 13th?

This isn't even close to confirmed, but Next Generation says that "reports" from Japan suggest Nintendo is going to drop the Game Boy Micro in Japan on September 13th. That just happens to be the 20th anniversary of the release of Super Mario Bros. for the Famicom, and supposedly there will be some a bunch of special Mario games accompanying the release of the Micro.

[Thanks, Mark Z.]

[dmf @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

that is really cool. i would buy one, right now this second. (assuming the price was under $100)

[Cullen @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

50$ with the original fwe marios bundled with it and ill buy it..man if it just had an sd slot to view pictures on :p

[cuby @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

i still say it's too small. looks like some sort of widget used to remove doggie crap from your timberlands.

[pspimp @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

the scene, a huge castle on a hill, rain and lightening fill the night sky.

zoom in on the castle.

inside, a boad meeting of nintendo executives at one end of the table a man in a vinyl suit and a bell jar over his head speaks.
"the gameboy advance is not dead, it is alive! first the gba then the gba-sp then the gba-micro�.now�.gentleman. i give you�..the gameboy nano!!!!!!!"

the younger scientist with the red hair and glasses says, "hmm, yeah, it's the size of a peanut and comes in 4 flavors. i mean colors."

thus begins another aqua teen hunger force episode.

[Kaze @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

this thing looks effing sweet!! the one bad thing that is immediately noticable from the pic is the small screen size (yes i know its small to make the overall unit smaller)

[douglas @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

i actually think this will do quite well. it reminds me of those little handheld games where you helped mickey get eggs across the hen house or some other repetitive game that was surprisingly compelling for hours. i had the aforementioned mickey one and some donkey kong version or something. they really were'nt much bigger than this, but this will have a helluva lot more games, no?

[Danny @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

how many kids are going to go blind looking at this thing....

[dmf @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

it would be cool if it had a usb port so that you can download roms from any nintendo gb game to play (for free). the only cost for consumer would be the hardware.

[soupbun @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

i don't know if anyone noticed this, but this thing with the play-yan media player would make the package much cooler than the psp, and i have a psp right now.

[lupinstel @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

despite the convenient portable size you are not going to want to just toss this thing into your backpack or pocket with that exposed screen.

[otakucode @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

i will assume anyone who thinks it's not way too small must be prepubescant. my hands are small, and that thing would kill me. the psp already leaves me with an aching right thumb every night because they stuck the damn buttons so close to the edge of the device. that gba micro would be murder. i'd much rather get a gba jumbo. something made to fit adult hands with a screen about twice the size of the normal gba. i can't imagine even a 12 year old being able to play the micro for any length of time without getting some serious hand pain.

[Totalfixation @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

agree #7 i think its nice if you get the play yan adapter, its good for game and good for music. i just hope there is a headphone jack to connect to it.

as for #8 i dont think it will be bad if you throw it into your backpack or pocket, most of todays cell phone screen have good scratch resistance material. so i think nintendo will use materials likes like that rather then the one they have now on the gameboy sp and ds

[domer @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

douglas - i agree that it's like those old scrolling games. i had one where you'd drive and have to avoid crap in the road. you'd have to pull over for gas and you'd play the lotto trying to match 3 numbers. i could play that thing for a couple of hours before pain set in in my wrists, but because they were so light, you could play it for such a long time pain-free. looks pretty sweet and will probably have some decent games.

[Tom @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

well it looks cool, i just have to figure out how im going to shrink my hands down to the size of a 4-year-old.

[xibala @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

if the games are good enough, we won't have to worry about wrist pain or going blind. nudge. nudge.

just sayin', a bigger screen with picture viewing capabilities could blind more people.

[Gullop @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

heh, i was reading it and read "drop the game boy micro" and i was like "nooooooooooooooooooooo" but then read on.

[The Jeremy @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

nintendo is bringing out too much hardware. they should remember a page from sega's history. you know, like with the gensis, gamegear, segacd, 32x, saturn, and nomad all pretty much on the market at the same time (or very close).

[Someone @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

i wouldnt buy it, i already have a gba sp so the micro wouldnt be any use to me. and even though it comes included with play-yan, who wants to watch a movie or view pictures on a small screen like that.

[Bill @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

there's apparently research showing that the size of the screen is far less important than the resolution and brightness in terms of eyestrain. if the screen is as good as they say on this little device, i think it will be much more playable than people imagine.

i think it's going to sell like hotcakes. for those who already have an sp, it's not likely to be a big draw but i'm sure there will be a large number who replace their older machines with it. for all those just coming into handheld gaming however, especially the 8yr olds and up, this will be the handheld of choice - and the one that parents can actually afford.

[Jeff @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

i'd rather have an sp. larger screen, screen protection, and not really any bigger than this when closed.

if this is not strictly a cost-cutting move, i just don't see the point. it's got to benefit nintendo in some way, because i don't see how it benefits consumers.

[Artos @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

i had a chance to play with the gameboy micro at e3. it's not to bad in terms of ergonomics (i'm 6'2").

like anything, just remember to take the occasional break (for both eyes and hands).

my dad would tell me how he would get cramps in his hands after hours of playing pac man in the arcardes (in the 70's). and those were stand-up terminals.

[greasyguide @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

how the hell is this cooler then the psp? this is for people who want to watch a movie on a screen the size of a postage stamp and who want to hear audio that sounds like it's coming out of a cell phone speaker. this is something i wouldn't waste my money on. i want storage, a clear picture, and i want to actully be able to see what i'm looking at.

[nick @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

why is nintendo reuising the same system. oooooo aaaaaah a small screen and the same games. the ds was a step in the right direction, but come on the 3rd incarnation of the same thing. there is nothing this can do that the original gba couldn't. plus the only thing they have added is a backlight. i say get an sp.

[Tyrant @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

i was waiting for the micro but i picked up a 1.5 psp and it is seriously fun playing pce draculax and neocd metal slug2

the sony scene is much more active than the nintendo scene

[Simon @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

i like it.

i totaly agree with the 'quality is more important than size' about the screen, and the sound of the gba was never bad.

the $80 playyan and some more for the sd card make it quite expensive as a simple mp3 player, but if that's just your 'additional benefit' it would save you some more pocket space ...

and why not release new hardware that has a large library of software already available. if they make the price micro too, it should sell quite a lot ... not everyone needs cutting-edge tech and games ...

[Totalfixation @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

# nick, i think it will do really good, this is a really a good device, if its around $50. i just dont see why anyone would want to carry something that is 250 plus tax around, i know it may be good for those who dont care about carrying around a system that expensive and that big. the micro gameboy is really a good idea for those who want compact, small and are a casual gamer, like myself. i also think its a good idea because children tend to lose alot of things, i think parents would feel much better having there kids play with something that is cheaper then 250......... plus tax. i would only get one if it has a standard head phone jack, so that i can be able to plug in a play yan and insert my memory to play mp3 and videos. small as it is, i think it would a good mp3 player that can play games.

[bacon_skoda @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

i'm waiting for this right now. i have a gba and skipped the sp, so this micro is it. people think they play games on their cellphones... tic tac toe or fire emblem. hmm... i expect the next gameboy to be embeded into a pair sunglasses with chewing gum controls. the gumboy.

[Improvolone @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

for those wonder, it has a head phone jack

[cpsethgt @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

they can make it as small as they want, but it doesn't change the fact that they're still using the same piece of hardware that debuted in 1991 - the super nes. how many times have they released this hardware? 5? 6?

that thing is nice looking and gets lots of 'gadget points' but smaller isn't always better, especially in the case of a portable gaming console.

[Improvolone @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

i wish someone would make a piece of hardware as good as the snes nowadays

[Simon @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

i wish people wouldn't spoil so easily. just because something is old it's not bad. especially if it's being optimized in size and price ...

[Christian @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

sweet! reminds me of the game'n watch games. what wonderful memorys. and suddenly i feeling old... :/

[brad @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

i don't understand the point of this product. someone please explain.

[Slashbunny @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

what good is a newborn baby?

[mike @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

this date is also 9 years since tupac was killed. if you still believe dont forget "i heard rumrmors i was murdered, shot in cold blood, mama cried, but this was fiction some nigga got it twsited" -2pac

[Vance @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

to those questioning the "point" of this product: please, try not to be so stupid. i suppose you'll still be saying this is a bad idea even after nintendo sells a bazillion of them.

[tr1gunn @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

yes vance. we are the stupid ones when you use the fictional number "bazillion" to describe the number of units nintendo will sell. good job.

[Noname @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

i hear the micro's screen is designed to be replaceable. nintendo could be purposely keeping it minimalistic so you'd consider the obligatory skinz, shellz, screen-magnifier, boombox & whatnot that follow. yes it's a rehash of an old tech, but it'll drive more sales because it's a different form, instead of just a sp with brighter display. a low price is important, but i got a feeling it won't be cheaper than what we're paying for tha clam.

[Eduo @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

this is very nice. i remember when i was a kid i had a pacman watch that had four buttons and a b/w lcd screen. i could play that thing for hours on end and was very sad when the lcd finally broke (i had been playing with it after it no longer worked for anything else, as it kept lousy time, the strap had broken long ago and the button covers had worn down).

as some have mentioned, saying this thing has no point makes no sense. heck, i wish it was even smaller, myself (the size of a tamagotchi, for example). it'd make a wonderful/funny/different gift which has a touch of nostalgia and, for those of us who don't mind if they can't see individual eyelashes on videogame characters and worry more about the games being good (which a lot of the gb games provenly are) it's a great gaming console that, if priced right, won't have to be a choice among others but a complement to others.

also, the size doesn't matter for its usage. we've used digital cameras with smaller screen sizes and buttons in the uberpopular casio calculator watches of yore were much smaller yet perfectly useable. this thing has a direction pad and two buttons (not half a dozen) so it can be used just rocking both thumbs from side to side (not actually tapping).

i do wish it had some kind of flash memory as well, but we'll have to wait and see for that.

[WG @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

they should pay me to buy it, and it has to guarantee that i don't have to leave my parents basement to get laid.

[Simon @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

it's skinnable, like in, you can change the covers. but i very much doubt the screen itself is replaceable.

heard about the blind champion of video games?
how needs screens anyway ;)

[Blue Balloon @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

next new gameboy gonna be holorgram!

[mcheddadi @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

this thing sucks...it's soo small..

[KRis @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

nintendo is retarted for this one. many people who use pda's often have new eye problems, imagine using this small screen for over 30 minutes.

learn to love eye doctors!

[PiratePete @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

who else thinks this is a waste. just look at how small the screen is. what kinda detail can you get out of that? and for all those that would of bought something like this ones that picked up the first gba have already gotten a gba sp. what is the advantage, innovation, step up with this device. look at the gba sp, great clam shell design that protects the screen, back lit screen, yes! and best of all, user replaceable lith ion rechargeable battery. i'm sold! i picked up one for me and my kid. i asked my son (age8) if he would want one of these gbm's even if he didn't already have an gba sp and he said 'no' it's even too small for him. what's the point?? so it�s smaller. wooo, ok and�

[msprout @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

"they're still using the same piece of hardware that debuted in 1991 - the super nes."

not even close, man.

[Cyberblade @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

i don't get why people are complaining about size, it's not that small, and it's certainly gotta be easier then playing games on a cell phone because of an actual d pad. people play games on cell phones all the time and don't seem to complain about size, but suddenly nintendo makes something that size and everyone goes nuts. it's ultra small, ultra light, and hopefully cheap. the screen size is meaningless, if you could live with a gbc screen when it came out, and the micros resolution is the same as that on the normal gba, you should be fine with the thing.

and another thing, everyone complains that the ds or gba look terrible, and that nintendo can't do crap for looks, but yet what they do works well, yet the one time nintendo goes for looks over the well working approach, everyone screams bloody murder. i for one don't think i'll have a problem with using this micro, if i decide to get it, because ya know what, i'll adjust, unlike all you people who will still be whining over the slightly smaller size of the thing.

[PiratePete @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

who else thinks this is a waste. just look at how small the screen is. what kinda detail can you get out of that? and for all those that would of bought something like this ones that picked up the first gba have already gotten a gba sp. what is the advantage, innovation, step up with this device. look at the gba sp, great clam shell design that protects the screen, back lit screen, yes! and best of all, user replaceable lith ion rechargeable battery. i'm sold! i picked up one for me and my kid. i asked my son (age8) if he would want one of these gbm's even if he didn't already have an gba sp and he said 'no' it's even too small for him. what's the point?? so it�s smaller. wooo, ok and�

[perry @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

i have a psp and a regular gba, so if i want gba games i have that covered, and why would i buy a system thats a step back. nintendo is being stupid about handhelds. they keep saying that the ds being so weak compared to the psp is no big deal. its like the size doesnt matter argument. if its that big of a difference, it does matter.

this system is pointless and is just nintendo trying to whore out a sucessful handheld.

[Finished.Law.School @ Dec 19th 2005 12:18AM]

that shit looks too small to enjoy