Hands-On With the Game Boy Micro

Boy Game Micro
Everybody came into the 2005 Nintendo pre-E3 press conference with one word on their mind: Revolution. Although big revelations about the next generation were not in the cards for E3, Nintendo did have another ace up their sleeve in the form of a sleeker, smaller version of their line of Game Boy portables: The Game Boy Micro.

Prior to E3, most hadn't even thought of wanting anything smaller than the SP, which itself was a significant upgrade from the original Game Boy Advance. The Micro is the fifth device manufactured by Nintendo capable of playing the Game Boy Advance line of games launched in 2001; the second of which to release since November 2004.

Size is the name of the game for the Game Boy Micro, and it's actually quite a feat of engineering. Holding the device in your hands, it's hard to believe it's a real, working game system; it's just so unbelievably small. It begs to be slipped into the pocket. The unit itself feels well constructed, and can not be easily twisted, and feels like it could withstand the adventure of one's pocket all day. The centerpiece of the portable, of course, is the backlit true-LCD screen, which while albeit smaller than previous Advance systems, is sharper, brighter, and has a better viewing-angle radius. The screen performed well through our tests. Even outside under the bright glare of the sun, the display was legible, and color depth remained sharp. We tried Mario Golf, Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones, and Castlevania: Circle of the Moon on the Micro, and compared it to the Game Boy Advance SP. Surprisingly, although smaller in size, all text was just as legible on the Micro to anyone with good-to-moderate vision. The colors almost always looked deeper and more detailed on the Micro, although this is a subjective comparison. The screen is protected by several layers of thick transparent plastic, the top layer of which feels sturdy and scratch resistant.

Accompanying the screen on the front is the d-pad and the standard "A" and "B" action buttons, which feel and perform as you've come to expect from a Game Boy system. We actually prefer the feel of the action buttons on the Micro to the SP, as they sit taller, have rounded tops, and depress alot smoother than the SP's, which feel stiffer by comparison. Also on the front are the staple "Start" and "Select" buttons, the lettering of which light up blue when powered. On the bottom you'll find a small power toggle switch on the left corner, and a headphone jack on the right corner (which means no adapter needed!). The rest of the bottom's surface is occupied by the cartridge slot in which you enter your games. There is a volume control on the right side of the unit, which as you'd expect, controls the volume of the in-game sound. The speaker itself is housed on the front bottom right corner, and is modestly sized. It doesn't pump quite as louldly as the SP, but it is hearable under any sort of normal situation. On the top edge you'll find the "L" and "R" shoulder buttons. These buttons are about one inch long, but require you to push the side closer to the center of the unit to register the button press. Pushing the outside edge, as we often accidentally did with the grip we naturally assumed, will not do anything. Although it only requires a change in grip to remedy, it does stand out on something that otherwise appears to be remarkably well-built. Also on the top edge is a small interface port which is labelled "Exp. Port", which does not appear to be the same interface we've seen on other GBA systems; which makes it safe to say that without the use of some sort of adapter, you will not be able to use your existing GBA accessories on the Micro.

The Micro will come in two different flavors at launch: black and silver; each with their own set of cosmetic faceplates. The unit we demoed was black with the silver face. The face is relatively easy to remove with any modest thumbnail or a small coin, however once in place, the plate is pretty snug, and does not seem like it could accidentally come off or loose during play or during travel. The plastic used to mould the plate seems pretty thick, and within reason, doesn't seem easily breakable. The whole package is powered by an internal lithium-ion battery which, according to the Nintendo representative which demoed the unit, lasts approximately 15 hours on a charge.

Overall, the Micro makes a fantastic impression. Its sleek, simple appearance will appeal to the gadget-crazed who like to make a statement with their gear. However, its appeal isn't just aesthetic, and having such a small gaming system with hundreds of games available for it definitely has its appeal. Unfortunately, the very things that make the Micro special are also things that will steer people away from it. Anyone with impaired vision, larger than average hands, or someone who just doesnt like playing on a small screen may feel more at home on an SP or Game Boy Player. But, for nearly everyone else, the Game Boy Micro is deserving of its namesake.

Boy Game Micro