Game Boy Micro Enjoys 'Solid' Japanese Launch

According to a Reuters report, retailers in Japan have reported better-than-expected orders for the Game Boy Micro on its debut today in Japan. The new iteration of the existing Game Boy Advance hardware is only 4 inches wide by 2 inches long, and weighs just 2.8 ounces. Although Nintendo have not yet revealed any figures for the launch, retailers have estimated total orders as less than that for the Game Boy Advance SP – which sold most of its stock on pre-orders alone in its first week, with approximately 114,000 sales. Nintendo’s initial shipment of the Game Boy Micro was believed to be put at 250,000 units, according to reports last week. The 20th anniversary of Super Mario Bros. has also played a strong role in the console’s advertising in Japan with a special limited edition Famicom (aka NES) themed version selling particularly well alongside the Famicom Mini version of the game. In fact, online reports indicate that the strong design and 'wow' factor of the compact Game Boy Micro may be tempting consumers, despite the identical functionality to previous Game Boy Advance hardware. Referring to criticism that the console is too expensive at ¥11,499 ($105) Reuters cites analyst Yuta Sakurai at Nomura Securities, who claims that: "The company aims to expand the gaming population, and with the Micro it wants to attract adult players, especially those who used to play games but stopped because they got busy or for other reasons. Adults have different budgets [from children]." Nintendo aims to sell a total of 10.2 million Game Boy Advance consoles worldwide this business year (ending March 2006) of which 4 million are expected to be Game Boy Micros. The North American release is scheduled for September 19th at $99.99 and on November 4th in Europe at approximately €99 ($130).