Nintendo GameBoy Micro [2005] 

"GameBoy Micro sports a sleek vibe with portability and comfort, all in the palm of your hands."
Nintendo.com

The handhelds of recent times have seen the GameBoy Color turn into the GameBoy Advance and in turn progress to the GameBoy Advance SP. To stretch the concept further, Nintendo in 2005 released the GameBoy Micro. A compact, bright and light console (only 80g!) for people on the move, provides a useful handheld for the non-too fussy gamer.

The console comes in either silver or black, the face plates are interchangeable, and the back light on the system can be adjusted for outdoor and indoor use. However there are some drawbacks to the system. Firstly, unlike the GBA and GBA SP, the Micro is not compatible with the old GameBoy and GameBoy Color titles. Also, the GameBoy Micro's screen is very small and may not give the anticipated view for experiencing the game to its full capabilities.

The SP and Micro's main rival would be Nintendo's own Nintendo DS and the function-packed Sony PSP. Both are at the top of the handheld market currently, but the Micro is catering for the original, typical GameBoy experience. But at a rather high price of £70 for rather simple functionality the Micro looks a bit short of the mark.

VERDICT

Graphics Sound Games Extra features Cost Nintendo's hand-helds are the best around, but the recent introduction of the Sony PSP is sturn competition, but at a hefty price, the GameBoy Micro looks good value. However, if you're looking for a console in the Nintendo genre of games, in my opinion paying a little extra for the Nintendo DS would be money well spent.

NINTENDO CONSOLES: Wii GameBoy Micro Nintendo DS GameBoy Advance SP GameCube Retro Nintendo

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