Game Boy Micro Pricing Announced, Launch Re-Affirmed

Nintendo officials have now formally announced that the Game Boy Micro will be priced at $99 in the U.S. and 'around' £69 ($125) in the UK. The release date of the latest iteration of the Game Boy Advance hardware was announced yesterday as September 19th in the U.S. and November 4th in the UK. The new hardware plays all existing Game Boy Advance titles, but measures 4 inches wide, 2 inches long and 0.7 inches thin and weighs just 2.8 ounces. The console has a 2-inch LCD screen, smaller than the current Game Boy Advance SP but with a sharper, backlit screen that is said to be superior to even the Nintendo DS. However, the initial pricing for the handheld has been questions by some online observers, given yesterday's additional announcement that the admittedly bulkier Nintendo DS itself, which plays Game Boy Advance titles, has been reduced by $20 in North America to retail for $129.99, only $30 more that the Game Boy Micro itself. Nonetheless, two overall colors of handheld have been announced for the North American launch, in the form of silver and black versions. However, each ships with different, brightly colored and patterned faceplates similar in concept to the Xbox 360 fascia, but with the added use of protecting the console’s screen from damage and scratches. In North America, the black Game Boy Micro will include one faceplate with a "Flame" design of fiery yellow double helixes on an orange background. It also will come with a green "Camouflage" faceplate and a silver faceplate. The silver Game Boy Micro will include an "Ammonite" faceplate with a dark blue swirling pattern. It also will come with a "Ladybug" faceplate that features a ladybug on a large pink gerbera daisy, and a black faceplate. Nintendo UK officials have also announced that the console will ship in silver, green, blue (pictured) and pink colors in Great Britain, and presumably the rest of Europe. George Harrison, Nintendo of America's senior vice president of marketing and corporate communications, commented with regard to the announcement: "Game Boy goes anywhere, and now it fits anywhere. The incredibly small size of Game Boy Micro belies the powerful technology shrunk into a hip new casing with an intensely bright screen."