Game Boy Micro

[akamichi]

Anybody have the GB Micro?  I bought mine last month and this little thing is awesome!

At first I was skeptical about the screen since it's smaller than all the GBAs.  I was eyeing it from a distance at the stores the whole time so I never got to check out how good the screen was until I bought it.

Without going into detail, I'll just say that the screen is easy to see but you'll probably have to hold it at the same distance as you would if you were reading a book.  For some that's arm's length but for me it's about half-arm's length.

Text is easy to read too.  I thought that would be the main problem with the small screen, but it's so clear and easy to read.

The D-Pad is nice and doesn't cramp my hand like the GBASP.  The shoulder buttons are like the original GBA's, but you have to push them on the interior (towards the middle of the machine).  It's not enough to push down on the edges.  I guess Nintendo figured the unit is so small that your fingers would wrap around the top where the button makes contact with the switch.

Well, that's it for me.  I got the Famicon version, which makes it look like the "I" controller from the Famicon.  That's so cool.  I'm waiting for the controller "II" faceplace to come out.

[Seldane]

I think this will be a financial disaster. Why did they make a THIRD Game Boy Advance? Not just that, but they made it when the console's about to vanish! Madness!

Think about the Genesis III! Or Sega-CD 2, or Master System 2, or the thousands of NEC consoles. None of these contained improved hardware (perhaps some new hardware, but not "improved"), and they weren't exactly successful.

Not a good idea.

I think I'll go buy a PSP and a DS. Just to show 'em.  

[khyrox]

You're ignoring novelty factor and the sellability of something that's small and sleek and "cool" no matter what the heck it is. In Japan, the Micro has already sold over 200,000 units in its first month. Also, collectability craze is in full gear as the Famicom version has been selling out. In its first week, the Micro sales exceeded that of the Gameboy Advance SP's first week (again, in Japan).

I predict strong sales in Asia (not surprising given past trends in the Asian territories for these sort of items - and which I am a total sucker for as well!) and I'm interested to see how it will fare in the West.

[GUTS]

Yeah I thought it was a retarded idea too, I think the SP is pretty much the best designed portable ever and the micro is a big step back.  But hell it does look cool.

[Ninja Spirit]

So small I could use it for a keychain.

[Keranu]

Making new versions of the same hardware won't decrease sales if the original hardware was selling well already, so it's not much of a problem. For the most part, I agree with GUTS. I think it's a pretty retarded idea (those things are expensive too!) but the Famicom one does look sweet.

[cybersalad]

I love the micro.  Nintendo is making a healthy profit margin on the hardware, and all it does is spike more GBA game sales.  Nintendo makes most of thier money from the GBA, and I'm sure this is driving up sales of a lot of new titles as buyers snatch up games to go with this neat little device.

In Japan, the Micro was sold out everywhere after the first few days. (I was lucky and got my Famicom micro a day or so after the release).  I think it's going to do well.

And it's cool!

BTW--buy the Japanese ones, they are way cooler than the American ones.  They have actual different color schemes instead of dumb stickers.

[khyrox]

Making new versions of the same hardware won't decrease sales if the original hardware was selling well already, so it's not much of a problem. For the most part, I agree with GUTS. I think it's a pretty retarded idea (those things are expensive too!) but the Famicom one does look sweet.

Smart business move though. It's amazing what people will buy given the appropriate image and marketing magic. It's your typical product refresh to keep the system from looking too stale and the cash comin' in from an established revenue source.  

Tiny is in from tiny cell phones to tiny mp3 players... now a tiny Gameboy... haha...