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GBA2 is Game Boy Micro News
GameBoy Advance News by Rob Fahey
Nintendo has taken the wraps off a new addition to the Game Boy Advance family of products at its pre-E3 press conference in Los Angeles, revealing the Game Boy Micro - the smallest GBA yet, with a backlit screen and snap-on covers. You can see a picture of it here.
The new console, which is based on the same hardware as the existing Game Boy Advance SP, is four inches wide, two inches tall and 0.7 inches deep - around the same size as Apple's iPod Mini, and two thirds of its weight.
It sports a two inch backlit colour screen, which Nintendo describes as the "best Game Boy screen ever", and which has an adjustable brightness control for the first time in a Game Boy product.
One of the other unique features of the diminutive portable is that it can be customised by replacing its front cover with a range of "snap on" covers, much like many popular mobile phones.
Nintendo of America's Reggie Fils-Aime was typically full of fighting talk at the announcement of the new system. "If our competitors don't like our two to one advantage, dominating the handheld market with the DS and the GBA, then I've got bad news," he bellowed. "Now it's two and a half to one!"
However, the system doesn't have any of the additional functionality which some commentators had expected it to build in - such as the wireless unit and Play-Yan adapter peripherals.
Game Boy Micro will be launched this autumn.
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Comments: 1-50 of 50 in total
Poster
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When you think about it though, mobile phones are capable of this kind of thing now, must be. Then again, what do I know - I'm still using the old nokia, you know the one.
Anyway it's about the size of a mobile which is cute, but I was expecting a bit more from Nintendo. You could feel the disappointment in the crowd, even watching from a different continent. |
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Galvanizer
17/05/05 @ 20:26
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No Play-Yan built in or even a bigger screen with more pixels!
Quite dissapointing really..... |
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the creeper
17/05/05 @ 21:03
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Erm... a 2 inch screen? Really? And that's a practical size for playing games on is it? What about the back catalogue of games featuring lengthy text-strings that were barely legable on the larger screens? This can't be good for people's eyes...
Was the GBA SP so oversized that a smaller version was really needed? After all, it comfortably fitted in the pocket as it was. I really don't see the point of this product. Why pour R&D resources into this? I fear for Nintendo, I really do. It just seems to me that they always try to do something different to what's working for their competitors. I suppose it keeps things interesting, but if Reggie thinks Sony will worry about this then he's delusional. I know a lot of people like him and his outspoken bullishness, but he always seems to wind me up. Honestly - who writes the rubbish that comes out of his mouth? I wish Nintendo luck with the Revolution. I'm certainly interested in getting one myself, simply for all the great games of the past I'll be able to play again, although I can't decide whether it's a brave move by them or a stupid one. But this Micro GBA is a shameless attempt to get people to part with more money for old technology. It simply serves no purpose. |
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stormcr0wfleet
17/05/05 @ 21:33
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It looks good and all, very stylish.. much better than the GBA or SP. But.. and its a pretty big BUT!. my mobile phone is about the same size as this thing, and has a lot of games wich are far more advanced than a GBA game.. and once i get bord of one i can go online and download another.. Its a bit like how mobile phones with hard-drive players will spell the death of the i-pod. When it comes to things that you have to carry around with you, the smaller the better.. and the more things once device can do the better..
i ask myself what i would want a mobile phone, with games, internet acess, camera, messaging, mp3 playback and video downloads. or... a mini gamboy an i-pod and a mobile phone.. i have only two pockets so i will have to leave one at home anyway!. hmmmm + the nintendo event was a joke.. i was all exited, streaming the live event.. then all they could show was *another* gameboy that plays old out of date games, and a shiny black box.. that they plugged in, made it glow a blue colour.. then didnt show any games footage or even a controller!. i wouldnt be surprized if all that box had in it was a CC light!.
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 17/05/05 @ 22:36
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el_pollo_diablo
17/05/05 @ 21:46
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I think it looks like a flimsy bloody disgrace.
What we actually want is a redesigned DS, not this heap of shit. GUARANTEED finger paralysis within 10 minutes. |
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Tiger_Walts
17/05/05 @ 22:13
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redzero"Wow, it'd fit in the little pocket in my jeans that has no
use - you know, the one above your right hip pocket! See, industry insiders - pfft! - its Levi's and ASDA George that knew this all along!" I think you'll find that it's a watch pocket, no longer used since everyone wears wrist-watches today. |
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jumpdeveraux
17/05/05 @ 22:18
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I'll be keeping my SP thanks Reggie, can't beat a clam for protecting the screen whilst pocketed.
Had to laugh when Reggie showed the slide with their 94% share of the handheld market, he may not be so keen to show the slide at the next E3 as (a la Play Your Cards Right) next years slide is going to be lower... |
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the creeper
17/05/05 @ 22:18
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nekotcha -
It's not really the same as what Sony did with their home consoles though. There's a notable advantage to the end user if you shrink down the original design of a console - it takes less room under your tv, and with the amount of different pieces of AV equipment people tend to have these days, that space is at a premium. However, to shrink down a pocket sized piece of equipment so that it fits in an even smaller pocket doesn't really give you any advantage. Personally, I'd rather have a GBA SP (if I wanted a GBA at all) because at least then you get a better sized screen. Two inches is ridiculously small for a handheld console screen, especially given some games reliance on text. I agree with you though - it is obviously a ploy to string out sales. But with the DS capable of playing GBA games, perhaps it's time to put that cynical cash cow to bed... I should add that I recognise the smaller PSOne and PS2s are also ways of stringing out sales. But I think that the consumer also gets an advantage out of these.
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 17/05/05 @ 23:19
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the creeper
17/05/05 @ 22:21
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Eurogamer guys - I've got to say, if you edit a post in these new forums, it seems to screw up a lot of your formatting. Perhaps it's my PC, but I don't recall having this problem before.
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GitSomE UK
17/05/05 @ 22:24
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Pah! is that all Nin can come up with? re-modeled GBA!
Can't see this being much of a goer especially when PSP hits the stores fully. /runs away before mob catches up |
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zErOb_cOOl
18/05/05 @ 09:09
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Hmmm retro. I like it. Simple, to the point, extremely portable, no bull, built for purpose.
Don't know why more handhelds can;t just drop the BLING, drop gimmicky functionality, and hence drop the price. |
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Hmmm it's cute but i don't believe it will sell the sales charts alight. How many punters will keep buying the same just slightly repackaged hardware over and over, especially with the DS and PSP already slugging it out. If i want a tiny game machine for my pocket i'll download a few games to my phone.
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hp_on_toast
18/05/05 @ 11:05
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I noticed they didn't mention the micro being able to play old GB/GBC games - goodbye Cannon Fodder :'-(
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Tweakmonkey
19/05/05 @ 12:10
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I think they should have [..] put in [..] a SD card slot for multimedia playback
Couldn't agree more beep. Missed opportunity I think. However, I still think it will be lovely and the perfect way to play GBA games on the move. It might even take up permanent position in my coat pocket which no other handheld system has done before and I own a GBA, SP and DS. To those people saying the screen is too small - have you actually played any GBA games? There is no problem reading text. |
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thegetawaydriver
25/05/05 @ 02:13
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bah, save your money it doesnt do anything new, just a money spinner for ninty. bring on the psp ! that'll show 'em *dreams of psp launch*
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Comments: 1-50 of 50 in total
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