Game Boy Micro

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Game Boy Micro

Manufacturer	Nintendo
Product family	Game Boy line
Type	Handheld game console
Generation	Sixth generation era
Retail availability	JP September 13, 2005 NA September 19, 2005 AUS November 3, 2005 EU November 4, 2005
Units sold	2.42 million (details)
Media	Cartridge
CPU	32-bit ARM7TDMI (16.78 MHz)
Best-selling game	Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, 13 million combined (as of November 25, 2004).[1] Pokémon Emerald, 6.32 million (as of March 31, 2007).[2]
Predecessor	Game Boy Advance SP (concurrent)

Game Boy Micro (ゲームボーイミクロ, Gēmu Bōi Mikuro^?, trademarked Game Boy Micro) is a handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. The system is the second major and last redesign of the Game Boy Advance, and is marketed towards the "image conscious" consumer,^{[3][dead link]} with emphasis placed on its small size and sleek design. According to Nintendo of America executive Perrin Kaplan, its codename during development was Oxygen.^{[citation needed]} The unit also has a model name of "OXY-001" on the back.

Contents 1 History 2 Design and specifications 2.1 Software 3 Packaging 4 Release and sales 4.1 Price history 5 Reception 5.1 Praise 5.2 Criticism 6 References 7 External links

[edit] History

The Game Boy Micro was officially unveiled by Nintendo of America's (then) 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 September 19, 2005. It was released in Europe on November 4, 2005 and Australia on November 3, 2005. In China, it was marketed as "iQue Game Boy Micro" on October 1, 2005, and later released in South Korea on November 9, 2005.

[edit] Design and specifications

This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (March 2008)

The Game Boy Micro retains some of the functionality of the Game Boy Advance SP, but with an updated form factor. It is unable to play original Game Boy and Game Boy Color games, and is officially incompatible with the Nintendo e-Reader and some other peripherals due to design issues. It is smaller than previous Game Boy systems. Additionally, it features a backlit screen with the ability to adjust the brightness so as to adapt to lighting. The shape itself is kept to a more simple oblong—similar to the style of the Nintendo Entertainment System controller.

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

• Dimensions: 50×101×17.2 millimeters (2×4×0.7 in)
• Weight: 80 grams (2.8 ounces)
• Processor: 32-bit 16.8 MHz ARM processor (ARM7TDMI)
• Colors: various
• Screen: 51 mm / 2 inches (compared to 74 mm / 2.9 in. for the GBA), backlight with adjustable brightness. According to the Game Boy Micro's press release, the "best Game Boy screen ever."^{[citation needed]}
• Resolution: 240×160 pixels
• Battery: built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery, up to 5 hours of battery life with top brightness and sound or 8 hours with both features on default
• Headphones: standard 3.5mm headphone jack

The Game Boy Micro 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 has redesigned their Play-Yan music/video adapter to better fit the Game Boy Micro. This device can play MP3 and digital video files from SD cards.

[edit] Software

The Game Boy Micro is compatible with all Game Boy Advance games, including Game Boy Advance Video cartridges. Unlike the Game Boy Advance and Game Boy Advance SP however, the Game Boy Micro does not support games made for the original Game Boy or Game Boy Color due to the lack of necessary support hardware. The e-Reader card series is also officially incompatible because although the accessory can fit, the design of the e-Reader makes the "Select" and "Start" buttons difficult to access during gameplay. Some games, however, can be played without e-Reader insertion, since the games are loaded straight to the Micro's RAM after scanning, and will run off of it without the e-Reader inserted.

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 or European hardware and vice versa.

[edit] Packaging

In Japan, the handheld has been released in four colors and styles each. The four colors are black, blue, purple, and silver. The Game Boy Micro also has four 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, a red bodied and red faced edition for the release of the game Mother 3^[4] and a red bodied model with a black faceplate containing the silhouette of the iconic Pikachu from the Pokémon franchise.

In the United States and Canada, the Game Boy Micro is available in two regular colors, each sold with three interchangeable faceplates included: silver with black, "Ammonite" and "Ladybug" faceplates, and black with silver, "Flame" and "Camouflage" faceplates. ^{[5][dead link]} The "20th Anniversary" edition was released in December 2005, which resembles the Famicom controller.

In Europe the handheld is available in four different colors, with one matching faceplate: silver, green, blue and pink. In Australia the colors are silver, black, blue, red and pink. ^{[6][dead link]}

There are reportedly no plans to sell additional faceplates in the US retail locations (as indicated in the letter page in issue 200 of Nintendo Power) or the UK.^[7] Nintendo of Europe cannot supply replacement faceplates of any kind, and the feature is omitted from the product's marketing, packaging, and manual in Europe. However, some third parties are manufacturing such faceplates for sale in the US and Europe, and some importers stock faceplates acquired from Japan. Nintendo of America sells some of the faceplates individually online.^[8]

[edit] Release and sales

Life-to-date Number of units sold

Date	Japan	Americas	Other	Total
2005-09-30[9]	0.41 million	0.29 million	0	0.70 million
2005-12-31[10]	0.57 million	0.47 million	0.78 million	1.82 million
2006-03-31[11]	0.58 million	0.47 million	0.79 million	1.83 million
2006-06-30[12]	0.59 million	0.47 million	0.80 million	1.86 million
2006-09-30[13]	0.59 million	0.47 million	0.80 million	1.87 million
2006-12-31[14]	0.60 million	0.96 million	0.85 million	2.40 million
2007-03-31[15][16]	0.61 million	0.95 million	0.87 million	2.42 million

• The Game Boy Micro sold over 170,000 units during its first days in Japan.^[17]
• The North American release drew some criticism; with a formal release of September 19, 2005, many stores simply ignored it, some delaying it until September 26, 2005 or as late as September 30, 2005.^{[citation needed]}
• According to a 2007Q1 Nintendo earnings release, 2.42 million Game Boy Micro units had been sold worldwide as of March 31, 2007, including 610,000 units in Japan, 950,000 units in the Americas, and 870,000 in other territories such as Europe and Australia.^[15]
• On July 30, 2007, GamePro.com ranked the Game Boy Micro (listed as "GBA Micro") as #8 in its list of "The 10 Worst-Selling Handhelds of All Time".^[18]
• As of July 30, 2007, the Game Boy Micro has sold 2.5 million units, according to GamePro.^[18]

[edit] Price history

The system retails for US$99.99,^[19] compared to US$79 for the Game Boy Advance SP. The system was originally available in black and silver, and a red 20th Anniversary Edition was later released.

[edit] Reception

[edit] Praise

The Game Boy Micro's backlit screen, which is superior to the original Game Boy Advance SP's (a later remodel added a similar high quality screen to SP systems), has been praised for its visibility.^[20] Due to a finer dot pitch, the screen is more evenly lit, and the brightness is adjustable. The smaller dot pitch has also improved the apparent sharpness of the display.

The removable faceplates have also been praised because they, "...allow for personalization and protect the high-resolution backlit screen."^[20]

[edit] Criticism

Satoru Iwata stated that the marketing of the DS "must have deprived the Micro of its momentum" in the marketplace and he admitted that Game Boy Micro sales did not meet Nintendo's expectations, commenting it "failed to explain to consumers its unique value".^[21]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Game Boy Micro

• Official North American website
• Game Boy Advance at Nintendo.com (archived versions at the Internet Archive Wayback Machine)
• Nintendo's Game Boy Micro FAQ

v • d • e Nintendo video game hardware Consoles Color TV Game · NES (Disk System · NES-101 model · Family Computer (HVC-101 model)) · Super NES (Super Game Boy · Satellaview) · Virtual Boy · Nintendo 64 (64DD) · GameCube (Game Boy Player · Panasonic Q) · iQue Player · Wii (Virtual Console · WiiWare) Handhelds Game & Watch · Game Boy (Pocket · Light) · Game Boy Color · Pokémon mini · Game Boy Advance (SP · Micro) · Nintendo DS (Lite · DSi) Arcade Nintendo Classic · Vs. Series · PlayChoice-10 · Nintendo Super System · Triforce Peripherals Data Recorder · DK Bongos · e-Reader · Famicom Four-way Adaptor · Game Boy Camera · Game Boy Printer · NES Advantage  · NES Four Score · NES Max · NES Satellite · NES Zapper · Nintendo 64 controller (accessories) · Nintendo Power · Power Glove · Power Pad · R.O.B. · Rumble Pak · SNES Mouse · Super Scope · WaveBird · Wii Balance Board · Wii Remote (Wii MotionPlus) · Wii Speak Technology Game Paks · Nintendo optical discs

v • d • e Handheld game consoles Early units Microvision · Handheld electronic games · Adventurevision · Epoch Game Pocket Computer Bandai WonderSwan · WonderSwan Color · SwanCrystal · Tamagotchi Game Park/Holdings GP32 · GP2X · GP2X Wiz Nintendo Game & Watch · Game Boy (Pocket · Light) · Virtual Boy · Game Boy Color · Pokémon mini · Pokémon Pikachu · Game Boy Advance (SP · Micro) · Nintendo DS (Lite · DSi) Sega Game Gear · Nomad · Mega Jet · VMU • Vision SNK Neo Geo Pocket · Neo Geo Pocket Color Sony PocketStation · PlayStation Portable (Slim and Lite · PSP-3000 · PSP Go) Other handhelds Elektronika IM · Atari Lynx · TurboExpress · Gamate · Watara Supervision · Mega Duck · N-Gage · Tapwave Zodiac · GameKing · Hartung Game Master · Leapster · Pandora · Game.com · V-Smile Pocket · Gizmondo · Dingoo Comparison