Game Boy Micro

Game Boy Micro

The Game Boy Micro
Manufacturer	Nintendo
Type	Handheld game console
Generation	Sixth generation era
Lifespan	September 13, 2005 (Japan)
Units sold	1 million
Media	Cartridge

Game Boy micro is a handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. The system is the second major redesign of the Game Boy Advance, and is marketed towards the "image conscious"^[1] consumer, with emphasis placed on its small size and sleek design. According to Nintendo of America executive Perrin Kaplan, its codename during development was Oxy. The unit also has a model name of "OXY-001" on the back of the unit.

The Micro was officially unveiled by Nintendo's vice president of sales and marketing, Reggie Fils-Aime, at the company's E3 press conference on May 17, 2005. The system was released in Japan on September 13, 2005 and in North America on October 2, 2005. It was released in Europe on November 4, 2005 and Australia on November 3, 2005. It will also be released in China but the release date is uncertain.

The system retails for US$99 in the United States, compared to US$79 for the Game Boy Advance SP. Later, the Black and Silver Game Boy micros' price has been dropped to US$89. In Japan, the new handheld runs for about ¥12,000, ¥3,000 more than the SP. The system is expected to sell for €99/£69 in Europe. In Australia, although its retail price is AUD $149.95, it has been selling for AUD $129.

Design and specifications

The Game Boy micro retains most of the functionality of the Game Boy Advance SP, but with an updated form factor. It is smaller than previous Game Boy systems; slightly bigger and about two thirds the weight of an iPod mini. Additionally, it features a backlit screen with the ability to adjust the brightness so as to adapt to lighting.

The Game Boy micro also features a removable face plate that allows consumers to purchase alternative designs.

• Dimensions: 50 x 101 x 17.2 mm (2 x 4 x 0.7 inches). It is almost the size of an average credit card.
• Weight: 80 g (2.8 ounces)
• Processor: 32-bit 16.8-MHz ARM processor (ARM7TDMI).
• Colors: Varied colors and designs through a removable and customizable face plates. Examples
• Screen: 51 mm /2 [in (compared to 74 mm / 2.9 in) GBA), backlight with adjustable brightness. According to the Micro's press release, the "best Game Boy screen ever".
• Battery: built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery.
• Headphones: supports standard headphones without additional accessories.

The Micro also has a two-way switch on its right side for adjusting volume up or down. By holding down the L shoulder button, the switch can also be used to adjust the backlight between five levels of brightness.

In keeping with the system's target market (the "iPod generation"), Nintendo have redesigned their Play-Yan music/video adaptor to better fit the Micro. This device can play MP3 and digital video files from SD cards.

Software

The Game Boy micro is compatible with all Game Boy Advance cartridges, including Game Boy Advance Video cartridges. Unlike the Game Boy Advance and Game Boy Advance SP, however, the Micro does not support games made for the original Game Boy or Game Boy Color. The e-Reader card series is also officially incompatible, although it fits as stated by IGN.

As with the Game Boy Advance and Game Boy Advance SP systems, there are no regional lockouts on software, so North American games can be played on Japanese hardware and vice versa.

Packaging

In Japan, the handheld is available in seven colors/styles; black, blue, purple, and silver, along with three limited edition styles: one based on the original Famicom video game console's controller, a blue bodied model with a faceplate based on Final Fantasy IV [2], and a red bodied model with a black faceplate containing the silhouette of the famous Pokémon Pikachu [3].

In the United States, Micro is available in two colors, each sold with three interchangable faceplates included: black with silver, "Ammonite" and "Ladybug" faceplates, and silver with black, "Flame" and "Camouflage" faceplates. [4]. A new "20th Anniversary" edition was released on December 5, which is like the Famicom style Micro, but renamed and lacking the distinctive 20th Anniversary symbol featuring the iconic Mario .

In Europe and Australia, the handheld is available in four different colours, with one matching faceplate: silver, green, blue and pink. [5]

There are reportedly no plans to sell additional faceplates in the US (as indicated in the letter page in issue 200 of Nintendo Power) or the UK. [6]

Release and Sales

• The Game Boy micro sold over 170,000 units during its first days in Japan. [7]
• The North American release has fallen to criticism; with a formal release of September 19, many stores threw the date out the window and many had delayed it until September 26 or as late as September 30.
• The Game Boy micro has currently sold over 1,000,000 units worldwide (part of the 70 million units sold worldwide of the game boy advance series).

Reaction

Criticism

Because the Micro is so small, it relies heavily on proprietary (nonstandard) ports. There has been much criticism that many Game Boy Advance functions do not work on the Micro. While the headphone jack port has been restored, gamers must buy two link cables (GBM-GBM and GBM-GBA) to restore full multiplayer functionality. The Nintendo.com store lists the two cables at $9.95 and $7.95 respectively. The GameCube-Game Boy Advance cable also does not work with the Micro. Additionally, the shrunken power port means that the SP/DS AC adapter cannot be used, so it is not as readily swappable or replacable if the GBM adapter is lost, since many people already own an SP or DS.

Consumer conversion to proprietary accessories is an idea that is no different from any other Game Boy release, as buyers generally had to upgrade their accessories along with the new unit for the releases of Game Boy Pocket, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance. For an item that is considered part of the Game Boy Advance family, however, many of the differences were criticized as being too major.

The lack of GB/GBC backwards compatibility has also been heavily criticized. Without the backwards compaibility, many gamers have said that the Micro is more novel than useful, especially with the functionality issues. Critics have noted that the Nintendo DS can also play GBA games with an admittedly dimmer backlight, but with the added ability to play DS games.

Price is an another factor in criticism for the Micro. At $99, the Game Boy Micro is the same price as a Nintendo GameCube (as of the 2005 holiday, with a free copy of Mario Party 7 and an extra controller), $20 more expensive than the backlit and original Game Boy Advance SP and $30 cheaper than the more functional and sophisticated Nintendo DS. Many gamers have noted that they would be willing to buy a Micro if the price were lower, although Nintendo has since dropped the price of the Black and Silver models to $89.

Since the size of it is a large cause of all the above problems, and because most people see the Game Boy Advance SP as portable enough already, many wonder why Nintendo is even releasing the Micro. Given the brisk sales of the Micro, however, it seems that a market for the Micro does indeed exist, with many people appearing to want a smaller, sleeker unit.

The near-simultaneous release of the backlit model of the Game Boy Advance SP has also drawn criticism over the purpose of the Micro. There have been concerns that Nintendo may cannibalise its own market. Some gamers who were hesitant to get the Micro due to the smaller screen are now flocking to the improved SP. The new improved SP sports a backlight equal to the GBM, but retains most original functionality and the same screen. However, the backlit SP runs at 50 Hz, rather than 60 Hz, which can result in motion blur in fast-paced games.

Lastly, the North American launch itself has been criticised. Early on, Nintendo did not create any major hype through widespread marketing, and both Nintendo and retailers clashed on the release dates. The official Nintendo release date was September 19, but many stores did not have it in stock until the week after. After the unit was in stores, however, a fair marketing campaign appeared on television, in magazines and in comic books.

Praise

The Game Boy micro has been praised for returning to the original Game Boy Advance horizontal layout. Many people disliked the vertical layout (used on the Game Boy and SP), because they found it uncomfortable to fit their hands so close together when operating the controls. The Micro's A and B buttons are also much larger than any previous model, making them easier to use.

The Game Boy micro's backlit screen, which is superior to the Game Boy Advance SP's, has been praised for its visibility. Like the Nintendo DS's backlight, every pixel is evenly and clearly lit due to a smaller dot pitch, but the brightness is adjustable. Due to the size of the screen being smaller than is the standard for Game Boy Advance games, graphics are much sharper than on any previous model. The screen is also significantly brighter than even that of the Nintendo DS. The release of a Game Boy Advance SP with a brighter screen has made this point somewhat moot. However, it comes at the cost of a lower refresh rate (50 Hz), while the Micro preserves the original 60 Hz rate.

Despite the mediocre launch and perceived problems, gamers are pleased that Nintendo has not ignored the Micro. Nintendo also has created a host of new accessories, including a micro Play-Yan.

The faceplates have also been well-received. Previous models, especially the SP, had problems with dust under the screen, and trying to open the unit up to clean it off voided the warranty and was dangerous. Owners can now lift up the faceplate to wipe away dust and replace it when it becomes too worn.

The shell itself is also much smaller and thinner than the Game Boy Advance SP, making it the most portable modern handheld so far.

Gallery

• Game Boy micro
  Game Boy micro
• Thickness comparison
  Thickness comparison

References

1. ^ "Nintendo's Game Boy Micro Projects Dynamic New Image", Nintendo.com, May 17, 2005.
2. ^ "North American Game Boy website", accessed November 16, 2005, and November 30, 2005.

External links

• Official Game Boy micro North American website
• Official Game Boy micro Japanese website
• Official Game Boy micro Australia website
• Nintendo.com's Game Boy micro FAQ
• Engadget coverage of the Game Boy micro
• IGN's news article on the release date and price of the Game Boy micro