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We’re pretty much all guilty – we love to buy those shiny little gadgets. Something compact, useful, but most importantly, something cool as hell. And if you’re a fan of the Game Boy Advance library, then you’ll most likely be in love with this beautiful palm-sized GBA.
The Announcement
Nintendo’s president at the time, Reggie Fils-Aimé announced the new console in May of 2005 at their E3 press conference, stating that it’s “. . . just a hair bigger and about two thirds the weight of an iPod mini, but this little package plays every Game Boy Advance Game you own”. The unit sports an ultra sleek look and a much brighter screen than previous GBA models. A number of colors and special editions were made available along with swappable faceplates, providing a number of customization options.
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The Release
The finished product released in September of 2005 to little fanfare. As elegant as it is, the Game Boy Advance was old news by this point. Keep in mind, this was four years after the system’s initial launch, and its successor, the DS had already been out for a year. Even Fils-Aimé noted when introducing the product, “It is not new technology, but it is a brand new look.” And while he did say any Game Boy Advance game, he left out that it is not backward compatible with Game Boy or Game Boy Color cartridges, nor does it support any cables or accessories. Most gamers saw it as a more of a boutique item than a step forward. Only 2.5 million units were sold worldwide, making it one of the worst selling consoles of all time.
The Legacy
Though it wasn’t a commercial success, it’s admittedly a pretty stylish way to play Game Boy Advance games. Some see it as a byproduct of the tech culture that Apple was cultivating at the time with its iPods – user friendly devices that are both aesthetically pleasing and impossibly compact. The Game Boy Micro is become something of a collector’s item over the years. As of this writing, a used unit starts at around $100.
Did you know about the Game Boy Micro? Have you played or owned one? Let us know in the comments!
