The Game Boy Micro

[mastershake]

What is your take on this. I am personally waiting to see the price, my hope is 80 bucks or cheaper. Looks cool.

http://img282.echo.cx/img282/1303/gameboymicro200505171124514482.jpg
(Shown actual size :) )


"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.

Like I said, what is your take?

~Andrew

[GadgetGuru]

It will have to be cheap. This is old technology, so if they priced it at premium, few will snap it up. The magic price point for such a device would probably be $50, but it may be hard for the big N to get it down to that price...maybe $75... At $99, it's a bit too much, sure it can play over 700 games titles, but few new ones...

[mastershake]

Yeh, 50 bucks yould be great, the price of an EA PSP game, or xbox game. And I alreayd have a bunch of games from my Gameboy Pocket, Gameboy Color, and Gameboy Advance. This would be cool, as the 1st gen of the gameboy advance, not the SP, is huge. And the micro is so small, and less than an inch thin.

[JackAxe]

I want one, but I hope that image isn't actual size. :) It appears larger than an Atari Lynx on my 30". :p

GBA games look awesome on a DS screen also. Tis one of my reasons for getting one. The adjustable back light would be great though.

<]=)

[jjesusfreak01]

I want one, but I hope that image isn't actual size. :) It appears larger than an Atari Lynx on my 30". :p

GBA games look awesome on a DS screen also. Tis one of my reasons for getting one. The adjustable back light would be great though.

<]=)
Ha ha ha.... Thats funny. It is really funny to see how Nintendo is milking their GBA line. FWIW, this is the third GBA released by Nintendo. They came out with the GBA (I bought one), the GBA SP (bought one of those too), and now the GBA Micro (Im not going to buy one). After I got my original GBA, I was strongly considering buying a kit to install an afterburner backlight. When the new SP came out, I thought it was perfect. Though its a neat idea, they are taking it a little far. Now there are 4 systems that can play GBA games. Well, if it sells, Nintendo doesnt really care.

I should also note that this is how it should have been to start with.

[JackAxe]

I installed/butcherd my GBA with an Afterburner kit. Well sorta, I actually got my sticker on without bubbles and dust. :D I really wanted a SP and the only reason I held off, is because of my the backlight I had put installed and rumors of the DS.

I would've never have imagined another GBA. The SP was definately an important and much needed revision though, this is one is just ultra cool. I must resist the urge to be a consumer whore.... :)

I think this would be an impulse buy for me. But I don't think the weef would be happy if I came home with one. She didn't like the fact I was buying another Nintendo Portable and when she saw that the DS had a stylus, she thought I had bought another PDA.

<]=)

[jjesusfreak01]

I installed/butcherd my GBA with an Afterburner kit. Well sorta, I actually got my sticker on without bubbles and dust. :D I really wanted a SP and the only reason I held off, is because of my the backlight I had put installed and rumors of the DS.

I would've never have imagined another GBA. The SP was definately an important and much needed revision though, this is one is just ultra cool. I must resist the urge to be a consumer whore.... :)

I think this would be an impulse buy for me. But I don't think the weef would be happy if I came home with one. She didn't like the fact I was buying another Nintendo Portable and when she saw that the DS had a stylus, she thought I had bought another PDA.

<]=)
Well, it looks like this could get expensive. You are going to have to buy your wife one too.

[strider_mt2k]

I will not resist.
I think it's cool looking, as long as it's not too expensive.

EDIT

I'm looking forward to some more pics too.

[JAmerican]

What is up with Nintendo and small screen devices.

JAmerican

[JackAxe]

Well, it looks like this could get expensive. You are going to have to buy your wife one too.

That won't fly. :) She hates games. :(

<]=)

[JackAxe]

What is up with Nintendo and small screen devices.

JAmerican
Yes, please make the screen bigger on my "tiny" portable. :p

<]=)

[Ezikial Anta]

lol...
Well, the thing is, Nintendo HAS to make it that small, or else the pictures would get all... pixelated... I mean, its the same size as the GBA screen for a reason :P it plays GBA Games. This thing would be sick with a PlayYan and 1Gig SD card... IF its 50 bucks... + games...

[mastershake]

Hey for fifty bucks, ill pick up two, one for home, and one to take to school to get banged up, spilled on, and crushed. And my PSP and the second micro will stay at home snuggled up next to the screensaver campfire, anyone for some s'mores?

~Andrew

[mastershake]

Update: Danoply showed me a great forum, http://takeover.cjb.net/, all about the PSP, and Gamer from those forums posted two things that i will copy onto here :)

You can find Nintendo's official announcement of the Micro here:
http://www.nintendo.com/newsarticle?articleid=bd1fe151-e91e-4226-a7ec-d64c321d9479&page=currentNews

And this is very interesting, it looks liek someone posted some "supposed" pictures of the Micro in the many rumored colors it will be in. There is astoundingly a lot to pick from, not just standard black, white, silver, gold ect. Some have designs and art on them, which could be cool. Im pretty sure these pictures are true, since they are posted on Nintendo's japan website, which could also means this might just be a Japan thing. We'll see.
Here's the link:
http://nintendo.co.jp/n10/e3_2005/micro/color_1.html

Here is a couple of examples:

http://img270.echo.cx/img270/7682/color024wf.jpg
Pretty sweet black, reminiscent of the PSP, not bad.

http://img280.echo.cx/img280/7840/color152vg.jpg
Kind of a wood finish look, very cool.

http://img280.echo.cx/img280/8390/color164ka.jpg
Holy *^&% who the #@$# broke my Micro, holy #$@#, oh wait, just a design.

http://img289.echo.cx/img289/9038/color176to.jpg
For those people who hunt, and want to play the Nintendo Micro at the same time, Nintendo spots you on this one.

~Andrew

[Ezikial Anta]

I'll tell you what... That broken one actually looks kinda cool...

[JackAxe]

I'm getting black. :)

<]=)

[mastershake]

Me too, it will complement my PSP. :)

[JackAxe]

Sadly my DS is not black. Tis the only thing I would change.

<]=)

[strider_mt2k]

I've been kind of collecting the different images of the GBAM I've seen online.

(Why do I like this thing so much with all the next gen stuff coming out?)

My favorite thus far is the NES edition someone photoshopped up:

[Ezikial Anta]

I cant figure out why i like it so much either...
Hey, Strider, in case you missed it, a while back they had an actual GBA:SP with a NES print on it, it was so cool. I bet they will actually make a faceplate for NES for the micro. :) Yeah, i am getting a black one. Or maybe that cracked one, it looks cool too.

[kp*]

I'd get this to replace my SP, which I never carry. Smaller size and built-in audio port will rock.

[strider_mt2k]

I cant figure out why i like it so much either...
Hey, Strider, in case you missed it, a while back they had an actual GBA:SP with a NES print on it, it was so cool.

Oh yeah. I own one!

[strider_mt2k]

I was just thinking about it, and while I have no great ties to Nintendo, I am a fan of the Game Boy platform.

I guess I'd like a GBAM for the same reason I kept my 10-dollar-church-yardsale GBC, because I'm just a fan of Game Boy.
I wish I had kept my original one.

[Ezikial Anta]

Oh yeah. I own one!
Lol, well, I guess you did know then :D my mistake.

Yeah, I love the GB series... I so wish i had my old original GB still...
You know, i saw a shirt yesterday that had a pencil sketch of the original GB and all it said was "Remember your roots" i thought it was so cool! But after having bought the Life Drive i couldnt afford it. If i am in Meriden soon, I'll get a picture of it.

[JackAxe]

The GB has always been great. But if I go back to when it was first released, I was reluctent to buy one. I spent my money on the Lynx, which actually had a couple of great games, but the size and battery usage was bad. Anyways, my friend talked me into a GB and I was hooked from that point on.

It was my first experience whith Nintendo, I had always owned Sega. :o

I would like to mod my DS. I'm noping for some coool kits lik your SP Strider.


<]=)

[strider_mt2k]

I would like to see some more details about this thing.
It's my "poor-mans bling" in the next gen era.

[strider_mt2k]

http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000643044876/
That's what I'm talkin' about! :D

[strider_mt2k]

I know the resolution will make for some rough looking video, but as a tiny PMP, it might be kinda cool.
Unfortaunately the adapter is still expensive and hasn't been translated yet or I'd get one for my SP.

[JackAxe]

I've been planning on getting one of those for a "long" time. :)

I own all of my GBA games, but would like a convient way to carry them all on my DS. ( ¬¬ )

<]=)

[strider_mt2k]

Nice!
I didn't even consider that aspect.

[JackAxe]

My friend does it with a 256 meg flash cart. :)

<]=)

[strider_mt2k]

Ah yes, I like that one too, just because the media is cheaper!

[JackAxe]

I've been meaning to get one of these for working on home-brew GBA games. Me and my friend were doing this, but we could never properly test what we were working on.

<]=)

[JackAxe]

This is huge, but it's another option;

http://www.movieadvance.com/

<]=)

[strider_mt2k]

I've seen all of those on EBay.
Neat stuff, but pricey. I'm willing to wait and see what comes around since my TH55 is my PMP right now.

[JackAxe]

I just want game storage. Not much for watching movies on my GBA either.

PMP.. Portable Man Potty.

<]=)

[Ezikial Anta]

Lol...
I would like to store games and select MP3's on there... Imagine a 1Gig card? The Videos cant be too great on that screen, but with a good set of headphones...
All I would need is... well... what would I need at that point? (Oh right, more ROMS :P)

[mastershake]

I could care less about media capabilities, I already have the PSP and a UX-50, but 50 bucks for the Micro, another 50-60 for a 1 GB SD card, not bad. But now I am just waiting for this thing to come out, and more screenshots, the user case mods will awesome for this thing, plus the already supposed 20 or so custom cases covers from Nintendo, I can't wait to see what will happen.

~Andrew

[strider_mt2k]

I doubt the micro with the adapter will retail at 50 dollars.

It's my guess they will sell for around what the DS is selling for because they can stand next to each other on a shelf as different offers at the same price point.

Conversely, the GBAM by itself would be extremely cool at well under 100 dollars, but I don't know how it will turn out.

[strider_mt2k]

Interesting,
Since the Micro was announced, all the pics have dried up on both Google and Yahoo image searches. :(

Ah, well. Let's hang in there until Autumn I guess!

[JackAxe]

Sooon it will be here, but in the mean time, pick up Fire Emblem. :)

<]=)

[strider_mt2k]

Two words: Warioware Twisted!

[JackAxe]

More then 2 words; Warioware Twisted and Fire Emblem. :p

I'm going to buy WT as my next GBA game, I was just itching for an RPG strategy game though and FE hit the spot. Awesome game. I think it's based on Advanced Wars' game engine.

<]=)

[strider_mt2k]

I'll try FE, I've read good things.

[JackAxe]

It's a really good thing.

My friend bought WT and has been going on non stop about it. So as soon as I finish this one, I'll get it.

Have you played Final Fantasy Tatics? I've been thinking about getting this one also.

<]=)

[strider_mt2k]

Sorry, I haven't done FF since FF Legend II and FF Adventure on my original GB back in like '93.

[JackAxe]

I actually only played the very first one on the GB, so you're one up on me. :)

I'm interested in the tatics part.

<]=)

[Ezikial Anta]

Tactics for the GBA? Its a pretty good game, I picked it up a while back. Its not like MOST FF's so, if thats what your looking for it isnt the best choice, I mean theres stilll leveling and all and the basic RPG elements, but the ways you fight are totally different. (Its still a good game.) In fact the only real reason I wouldnt call it a great game is probably because it wasnt really what I was expecting from a FF game, but it was still done well.

[JackAxe]

Is it a turned based move your peep, then attack/wait/whatever game?

<]=)

[Ezikial Anta]

Nintendo Announces Play Yan Update
Downloadable update to add stereo movie playback to GBA movie player.
by Anoop Gantayat

June 27, 2005 - Good news for those who use their Game Boy Advance SP or Nintendo DS as a movie player using Nintendo's Japan-only Play Yan device. It turns out that Play Yan is upgradable via firmware updates. Nintendo has announced the first such update, which will open the device to MP4 movie playback, allowing for true stereo sound. Currently, the Play Yan is limited to ASF format MPEG-4 video files in monaural.

To upgrade your Play Yan, you'll have to download an update file. Once downloaded, the file must be placed in your SD card's root directory.

Nintendo will unveil specifics on the update download at the Play Yan website in the near future. The company is also planning on making MP4-compatible encoding software available.

Sweet. Also sweet is that Play Yan is coming to America.
To answer your question about FFTactics, Yes, it is wait based. (I forgot this thread was here!)

[JackAxe]

Cool, but not for me. :)

My friend has FFTatics and doesn't play it, so he's giving it to meeee. :D

<]=)

[Ezikial Anta]

Oh, its not that that really makes me want to get it either, it just makes me happy that Nintendo is doing something Sony is not - giving people more options. If this becomes a trend, it might be that youll see DivX on the Play Yan, which would be awesome.

[JackAxe]

DivX... http://www.bainne.com/fun/smiles/vomit.gif :D

What bothers me about DivX, is all of these 3rd party off shoots that require some waked up variation of the codec, so only play on a small percentage of machines. But it is certainly a billion times better then Windows Media. :)

<]=)

[JackAxe]

OK, I've changed my mind, I didn't know Play Yan was just a normal sized GBA cart, I thought it was one of those big bulky carts. OK, I would like to get one now. :D

http://hardware.gamespot.com/Story-ST-15366-2094-x-x-x

<]=)

[Ezikial Anta]

Its not so much that I want DivX or any other codec for that matter (Even though I do think it would be awesome to see since most of my movies are already encoded in it, and if you download movies they usually come in DivX form already), its more of the fact that I would have a CHOICE - Unlike with my PSP where I am FORCED into only one kind of Media playback...

[JackAxe]

I agree. Choice is always good.

<]=)

[jjesusfreak01]

Its not so much that I want DivX or any other codec for that matter (Even though I do think it would be awesome to see since most of my movies are already encoded in it, and if you download movies they usually come in DivX form already), its more of the fact that I would have a CHOICE - Unlike with my PSP where I am FORCED into only one kind of Media playback...
Actually, if TCPMP ever gets ported to the PSP, it could be really good. Some programmers recently released an SDK for the PSP, and it has info on how to use the 2D and 3D graphics hardware. There would not be all this pain and suffering waiting for someone to reverse engineer the system.

[JackAxe]

Wake me when the PSP can play full screen H.264 files from the memory stick.

<]=)

[Ezikial Anta]

With the looks of it, Sony doesnt plan on doing ANYTHING to the video.

They dont want to make anything easier - (Why go buy that new Van Wilder movie on UMD when I can rip it and put it on my MS Pro Duo Garbage?)
Or harder - (Hello, Sony Tech Support.
Yeah, I have been playing with this damn thing for hours and I still cant get the video to work!
*Sony proceeds to give them a cookiecutter answer that does not help at all*
SONY SUCKS!
*end call*)

[JackAxe]

Once again, I agree. :)

<]=)

[Ezikial Anta]

I just noticed the sig update, when do you get the phone?
Thats... on topic right? Since OS5 could theoretically emulate GBA games?
:|

[JackAxe]

I've heard there were some limitations that prevent GBA emulation on OS5, but I'll never replace my DS, or any other GBA with a phone. The controls bite on a Treo for GameBoy type games.

I'm on vacation right now, so I'm posting from a coffee shop. :)

<]=)

[JackAxe]

Oops, the weef is pricing them out on eBay, but I'm guessing later this month. Don't want to jinx it though, since I have other expenses which are priority.

<]=)

[strider_mt2k]

Okay folks, it's official:

http://www.joystiq.com/entry/1234000920054680/

The question is: Will you buy it?