Looked through the weekly ads this morning for any deals or bundles on the SP, and the only one I saw was at Circuit, where you get a free $10 gift card with the purchase of any SP. Not bad, as long as they have the new models in.

However, it's what I didn't see that I thought was the most-interesting:

No Micro.

I looked through the ads for Best Buy, Circuit, Target, and TRU, and there wasn't even a hint that Nintendo released this thing. Isn't that strange? Remember the releases of the past GBAs? They were advertising them all over the place. The GBA and the SP, on their launch, dominated the ads when they came out. Hell, even the classic NES SP was all over the place when it came out last year, and it was just some stickers on a regular SP.

The way that Nintendo is handling the release of this thing boggles the mind. . .

It doesn't piss me off as I've not felt compelled to buy the mutilple versions of the GBA.


I bought the original GBA, ignored the SP and then picked up a DS as it was a new system, and will ignore the Micro and the new SP. The DS screen is more than good enough for me, and I really don't care about playing GB/GBC games as with few exceptions they didn't hold up well. And I have the GB player if I'm inclined to play those games anyway.

But I can see how those who have to have the best version of everything would get pissed off at Nintendo overthis.

Have to agree with Outlaw that they are giving the DS full attention and that it has the best game lineup this fall BY FAR our of any portable or home console.

I really don't understand why you are so upset. I own the original GBA and then got a black SP. I am not upset at either one of those decisions. Why should I be upset if the technology becomes available to make a better model at the same price? That is the way technology is. Same thing with Apple and the iPod. And there is no evidence whatsoever that Nintendo was "secretly" working on the SP or the backlit SP when they released their other GBA. There was plenty of time in between each release.

It is the same thing with the XBox controller S. MS listened to the complaints of gamers and corrected it. I see no conspiracy. In MS case it was a poor choice. In Nintendo's case it was the lack of being able to balance price, performance and quality at the time they want to launch their product.

It isn't any different then the slim PS2. It is a different model of the same console. The different GBAs don't add anything to the playability of the device. I didn't hear anyone complaining about the slim PS2. I won't really defend the lack of the headset though on the SP. I think that if they really didn't think they had the room that they should have included the headset adapter as a show of good faith.

If you get this upset about the different GBA versions I highly encourage you not to pick up digital photography as a serious hobby.

Smooth way to the top...

Don't know if what happened will ever be answered because some stores did get them. Could have been a distribution error, could have been them moving more units to Japan where they are selling very well.

One thing for sure is the Micro launch has been poorly handled in the US, has at least one ad I saw worse than even the Play on Playa fiasco and seems to have most people I have talked to completely disinterested.

I have little expectation of the Micro making much headway in the US which probably means no cool faceplates and a quick death here. I could be wrong though. Around Christmas time Game Boys usually sell well. Doesn't look good at this point though.

The GB Micro was a bad idea, imo. Nintendo needs to focus it's attention on the DS and quit wasting time revising/creating GBA hardware. The improved screen on the SP, while VERY nice, is just something else to draw attention away from the DS, the system they need to be promoting. Why waste $80 on an SP when you for $40 more you can get a system, Nintendo DS, that plays GBA games and DS games. Even better yet why waste $100 on the GB Micro when for $20 more you can pick up a DS?

If they make a profit on all three of them, what difference does it make?

You like that?



I did see an ad for the Micro on TV tonight, so at least they're doing something. . .

Yah I guess if Nintendo wants to bend people over then it's "ok".

Why are they bending people over? You don't have to buy any damn thing they make.

The point I was trying to make is, Nintendo's focus should be on the future(DS) and not on the past(GBA). The Micro is a bad idea, imo and they're probably going to lose money on it, at least here in the U.S.. Instead of the GB Micro how about releasing some different colors of the DS other than Blue and Silver so I don't have to import the color I want?

I'm a fan of Nintendo but lately I'm not a fan of some of their decisions, the GBA Micro being one of them. Finally we're going to start seeing some good DS games in quanities but it took a year for that to happen. To me the DS was nothing more than a glorified GBA player up until now. I understand there are still plenty of consumers out there who have GBA systems and I don't think games should stop being developed for them but the hardware revisions need to stop, it's time to move forward.

I can definitely see that side of the issue, however, I think the creation of the Micro was mainly a decision to keep the Game Boy line alive and keep developers interested in it. I still don't see the logic in letting the GBA die just because the DS is out there. They are putting plenty of effort into the DS and the DS would not be in any better shape if Nintendo just killed the GBA line.

I don't think this was in any way an attempt to screw over current customers. If anything the Micro was designed to draw in all the people playing cell phone games while riding to and from work in Japan. The Micro is for the non gamers mostly that want something small and cool like a cellphone or ipod. There are a ton of potential customers like that in Japan. Yeah, diehards that already have Game Boys would probably buy some as well, but they are not the target audience and they are missing out on nothing by simply sticking with the DS or SP.

As far as losing money goes I don't see it. The Micro will sell in the millions in Japan so a US failure won't make it a bad decision. Besides, the Micro may sell enough in the US to at least make it worth releasing here. If not they will simply stop selling it here. At $109 each in Japan (my one big complaint about the Micro as this technology has to be cheap to make by now) with the extra faceplates $5 each it seems more like Nintendo is printing money that anything else. They are also selling the Play Yan with it in Japan so it can play movies and music as well.

Nintendo's plan with the DS and Revolution is to bring in more and more non gamers. The Micro is another extension of this plan. I will agree Nintendo overpriced it, but I think they were right to release it. Believe me, if Zelda and Metroid themed face plates not to mention the Play Yan hit the market in the US I will end up owning a Micro as well.

My God, some people are making this WAY too personal. It's kind of sad and funny at the same time.

For the record I've owned EVERY iteration of the Gameboy to this point except the Micro. I don't feel that I've been "bent over" at all and anybody that thinks just because something new is released that they are forced to buy it and are being taken advantage of by the companies are in need of a real fucking reality check (see also: DVD forum). As a consumer I'm smart enough to make my own decisions on what I purchase; some people apparently want the companies to hold them by the cock and give them technology five years ahead of its time at a five years ago price.. and these people will STILL find something to cry about behind their keyboards.

Interesting note, Apple has release the same number of, if not more, versions of its iPod lineup as the Gameboy series in literally one tenth of the time frame. Yet it's one of the most trumpeted products on these forums. It's funny how that works out. New and better cell phones come out every day and let's not even go into PC parts. I think some people need to read up on technology and consumerism.

Hardware sales from Japan last week: (Micro & White PSP introduced)

Since the Micro is $109 in Japan, that is nearly 2 million dollars in revenue. I'm willing bet the micro hardware costs Nintendo

Wow, you seem to be the one taking my rant personally. Did you see my disclaimer that people sensitive to anti-Nintendo remarks not read it? I guess not.

Anyway, comparing the GBA to an MP3 player is crazy. Not sure if I have to even explain why, but one is an MP3 player and the other is a handheld gaming system. Apples and oranges.

Now as for my complaint, it has nothing to do with feeling compelled to buy every product Nintendo ever releases (I'm not sure why anyone would, but hey, to each his own). I feel like Nintendo released a crappy version of the GBA the first time it tried, a version that was crappier than even older systems that had nice backlit screens. To say that they couldn't create make the original backlit the first year is laughable. It was doable and I doubt the price would have gone up much at all. All it needed was an LED with an on/off switch.

The video game industry is a lot different than other commidity industries out there. There are a ton of cell phone companies and a ton of MP3 players out there, but there was only one handheld on the market when the GBA came out and there's only one company that makes the GBA. There's a difference between releasing a MP3 player with a 20 GB drive one year and a 40 GB drive another year (they MP3s will still sound the same) versus releasing a system with a crappy screen one year, a slightly better screen another year and then finally a good screen a year later all the while pretending like the current year's product will be the "be all end all" version.

Is this the end of th world for me? Fuck no. Does it turn me off to future Nintendo handhelds? Yeap.

I'm entitled to my opinion and I don't need a fucking "reality check", thank you. IN MY OPINION, I don't think Nintendo should be wasting it's time with redesigning/revising the GBA hardware. It's old hardware, it's in the past. The DS is suppose to be Nintendo's "next best thing", in portable gaming, it needs to be focusing it's attention on it. Why draw attention away from it by releasing a gimmick like the GB Micro?

I'm happy for you that you bought every single fucking iteration of the GameBoy, that's your decision. We now have 3 portable devices, on the market, from Nintendo that all do the same thing. It's fucking ridiculous. There aren't 3 different PS2's out on the market, there aren't 3 different Xbox's out on the market. And in no way does this even compare to PC parts or Cel Phones. PC parts are constantly being developed to out perform it's predecessor. It's an Upgrade. The GB Micro is NOT an upgrade to the Nintendo DS. The GB SP II is NOT an upgrade to the Nintendo DS. Your comparison is absurd. I understand technology and consumerism perfectly, thanks for asking.

Nintendo has to make a profit. People, especially the Japanese, buy up every version of the gameboy they put out. It makes perfect sense.

It's not hurting the DS. Look at all the great DS games that have came out lately and are coming in the future? What's coming from Nintendo worth playing on the GBA?

Their software focus is totally on the DS. The Micro and new GBA are just an easy way for them to make a quick buck from suckers that have to have the latest and greatest version of everything.

I'm fine with them, and glad the sheep empty their pockets. Anything to keep Nintendo afloat so I have a reason to keep gaming.

I can see why people were pissed at the GBA not having a lit screen and then the SP coming out. But beyond that I don't get it. There's not much reason to upgrade from the SP to one of the new GBAs. Even reason less if you have a DS.

It's a way for Nintendo to make money, it's not affecting DS software, so I just don't get why people get up set (beyond those that want the latest and greatest thing).

I like the fact that Nintendo released the new SP and continues to update their hardware (I've been waiting for a "really good" update to replace my GBC). "New" games don't necessarily have that much appeal to me, but being able to play the games I love on a really nice screen (in terms of relative size, definition, and visibility) is quite appealing.

Maybe you didn't see the memo that Nintendo considers the DS its third tier in addition to the Gamecube and GBA. While many have written this comment off as a "save face" Nintendo at least seems to be adhering to this comment in both software and hardware. If you want to move on to new hardware, move on, but the fact remains that the GBA is one of the best selling game machines of all time and there is obviously still a HUGE market for it. It's by no means old hardware as it's still within the typical "five year" span of a game system.

Obviously the Micro is selling extremely well in Japan and will be a hot item here for gadget freaks and there's obviously a market for the SP2 for the hardcore portable gamers like myself that haven't upgraded to a DS yet, have large GB/GBC libraries, or both. So just because you don't fall into these categories you think your opinion that they shouldn't sell these devices is solid fact and good business practice? I respect your opinion on the matter but you're insane to think that they're wasting their time releasing either new GBA or that they aren't focusing on the DS because of them.

In terms of the SP2, it was probably just cheaper for them to put the new screen in new shipments since they've been running them through the DS and Micro than to continue manufacturing two types of screens. The SP is still selling like mad and they're still shipping them out so from a business stand point it was probably cheaper to run all three machines with the same screen and bam, they get a few extra buys they may not have had because of the new screen.

Gallant Pig, as far as the updates go you never know. Did they purposely release a sub-par product with the intentions of sucking in repeat buys in a new model two years later? Maybe, maybe not. But I'm more willing to stick to them keeping the Gameboy's hardware as best as it could be while keeping it cost effective to them and the consumer and maintaining a solid battery life. The SP only came about when they saw the Afterburner technology becoming popular (because it's the EXACT same thing!). I'm sure at that point the rechargeable battery was included to give the system that extra push as opposed to just being a GBA with a light. I seriously doubt they could have released the GBA with the SP2 quality screen in 2001 at $100 and still maintain a 15-20 hour battery life on 2 AA batteries or include a lithium-ion.

As far as comparing the original GBA screen to previous backlit portables, I'm always surprised at the praise these machines get. I'm inclined to think people celebrate these portables simply because they were in color and had lit screens as opposed to how they actually performed and their practicality as portable game devices. The screens on the Lynx, Game Gear, Turbo Express and Nomad are total shit. Yes, they are backlit but big deal if you have a 2 degree angle of vision, the slightest movement causes the entire screen to blur beyond human readability and they drained six AA batteries in four hours. I'd take the shitty black and white Gameboy over that ANY day. Not to mention that none of those system were HALF as easy to carry around and play anywhere than even the original giant brick Gameboy. Practicality as a portable game system was the sole reason why the insanely "inferior" Gameboy slaughtered the living hell out of all those other systems.

Obviously the technology had probably improved by leaps and bound by the time 2001 hit but if it was good enough and cost effective enough to do, why did it take 3+ years for anybody to take advantage of that? Why didn't the Neo Geo Pocket or Wonderswan have backlit screens? I'm willing to bet because putting a GOOD backlit screen in at that time would've put the systems at a price point none of these companies wanted to sell their systems for.

That's exactly what I don't get either. What's the point in getting upset that they're satisfying a market out there? If you're not part of that market, no damage to you. If you are, you have this wonderful thing called "choice." I choose to buy an SP2 because I play my SP so much that I figured I'd benefit from having a nicer screen. If I had or wanted a DS or I only played my SP one in a while, I might have chosen not to buy another SP. See how that works out?

On top of that, some people are simply flat-out INSULTING those that would buy an SP2 or a Micro. Wow, just.. wow. Yes, I am a sheep because I bought an SP2. Baa baa. Give me some grass. *chew chew*

A couple of things.

Name any previous handheld that came close to the original GBA in terms of size, price, and most importantly battery life. Could they have made a GBA with a backlight for that size, yes. Could they have made it within the pricing structure they wanted and most importantly with the battery life they wanted. I doubt it. If you have any evidence to the contrary please enlighten us.

The second thing is that the mp3 analogy works perfectly. You say that the mp3's sound the same, well the games play the same. If you say that Nintendo could have made the original GBA backlit with as nice a screen as the newer SP then I say that Apple could have easily made a 60 gb iPod with the touch wheel and color LCD screen that they have now when they first released it. Why did they decide to fragment their products into the iPod photo when within a year they just put the same screen into all their iPods and discontinue the naming scheme. I think that is much worse but I don't think Apple is a horrible company for doing it.

And when has Nintendo ever said that the newest version is a "be all end all" version. They are just plain and simple upgrades period. How anyone can get angry at a company for upgrading their product on a time table measured in years is beyond me.

Bingo. Good post.

Well, I was referring just to those buying them because they have to have the latest and greatest thing and will be every update regardless of how substantial an improvement it is.

I didn't mean EVERYONE, that bought one was a sheep.

I actually owned a Game Gear for about a week. Its without a doubt the worst portable gaming system I ever owned. The screens used in those systems were horrible and if that was the option for Nintendo to put a light in their systems they were better off skipping it and waiting for better technology.

I don't know for sure if Nintendo could have put the front lit LCDs in the original GBA, but I doubt they would have released them without it as a master plan to get us to rebuy GBAs again. Front lit LCDs in small devices was just hitting the market when the GBA came out and devices that used them were expensive. I do wish Nintendo had gone with backlit LCD in the SP from day one, but even Palm used front lit for a long time after more expensive devices like the Clie had switched to back lit.

I can understand the frustration of having an older device and then having something new and better come out and getting pissed because your device doesn't have those features, but honestly this happens with all kinds of small portable devices every day. You have to decide for yourself whether its worth the upgrade or if you should just stand pat with the device that was already working fine for you. I don't think it makes Nintendo an evil company for doing this, but I guess it depends on perspective.

is possible Nintendo working on Newest version of Nintendo DS since you seen alot Nintendo GBA, GBA SP, GBA SP w/ Superior Screen. Thought Nintendo DS have small A, B button.