Hardware The micro

[takieda]

You forget, the Micro was a complete failure. Nintendo set the release price too high; when compared to the DS the Micro just wasn't worth the price tag so hardly anyone brought one. (I say this as one of those people; I only wanted to upgrade from a no-backlight GBA, but an extra £20 could get a DS which would be supported for at least another 5 years). Most of the Micros sold have been brought from bargain bins, years after Nintendo discontinued them and wrote the line off as a failure.

So you're trying to back Nintendo up, by saying Nintendo made it a colossal failure to begin with? I fail to see the logic...

There are 3rd party car chargers out there (I have one from an accessory pack, never tried it out though). As for lack of faceplate changing welcome to Europe; they even removed all mention of faceplates from the instruction manual over here.

In retrospect I was a bit hasty there... I've since found a few on ebay that I now have bids on

.

But the lack of a GC to GBMicro link cable is the most heinous atrocity ever committed by Nintendo. Even standing beside the VirtualBoy (Hey, I loved that sickly thing).

IMO, the gameplay of GC to GBA with Four Swords Adventures is something the industry needs SEVERELY right now... truly good multiplayer with at least *some* depth, and a unique method of play. Nothing like running around in the overworld with everyone on screen, then have people drop to their own screens for dungeons... truly cool.

I'm even researching a method to make a link cable that will even CHARGE the Gameboy Micro while it's being used to play GC to GBA games... but that's going to require a LOT of work and rewiring.

 

[dexmix]

Ummm... This might be getting a bit technical, but a bigger resolution on the nds wouldn't help. it already has a higher one than the GBA, which is why you have that black outline wen u play GBA games. Also, I'd prefer the clarity of a NDSL over a micro anyday

Dang... and you're not kidding about the screen size 0.o

GBA Micro Vs. SP

you missed my point entirely. The reason the micro is so much sharper than the DSL is because it has a better dot pitch. The DSL has a larger resolution, but the screen size is so much bigger that the pixels are larger and much more spread out. you can see the lines between each pixel on the DSL, and graphics are noticeably pixelated on a DSL compared to a micro.

my point was that if the DSL had the same size screens, but with a higher resolution than it currently has, but with the same dot pitch as a micro, then that would be the ultimate screen. a larger resolution does not make a sharper display, the dot pitch does.

 

[dexmix]

And as far as size is concerned: For a lark (or perhaps because I forgot it was there) I had it in my shirt pocket all day about a week and a half ago during work. Noone noticed until I pulled the thing out at break. Then all eyes were on it (for reference sake, I work at an office supply store, not something typically noted for gamers).

Among other choice comments, I got, "It ain't right that it's smaller than your phone," "It's sooo Tiny!" and "OOO, pretty!" Okay, that last one was from a guy, which was... kinda weird. But it basically wowed them, even the most tech savvy (the guy who made the first comment).

I love the reaction people get when they see the micro. And they are even more impressed when they see 160+ games on a single cartridge. its just unreal.

 

[foob]

Well, I never used the link feature, and I hated the proprietary plug, so I ripped mine off and soldered a Mini-USB in its place.

You're gutsier than I would be.

It's a bit late now, but they have USB charging cables for the Micro (can't remember where I saw them now, but they exist). USB on one end and Micro connector on the other. Apparently charges a flat batt in 3 hours without the use of the AC Adaptor.

Pretty nifty if you hate carrying around the AC adaptor.

 

[kaotic_azn]

You can find those USB cables on ebay and they are usually shipping from Aus.

 

[Psyfira]

So you're trying to back Nintendo up, by saying Nintendo made it a colossal failure to begin with? I fail to see the logic...

Companies think in profit and pound signs; I know it's a pain in the arse but logically they aren't going to bother spending money developing accessories for a piece of hardware that very few people are interested in. Financially it just doesn't make sense.

Although come to think of it, given how hard it is to find Micro accessories (3rd party or otherwise) and how many people now own cheap Micros Nintendo could make a tidy profit if they released a handful of Micro accessories now. Especially faceplates.

 

[Supah Eirian]

It's too bad they are phazing out gameboy entirely....

DS is the new portable. They aren't even really making software for GBA anymore, why invest any more in the micro (accessories, etc.) when it is obsolete?

I have one and it kicks arse, and I think Nintendo is stupid for making the move, but that is what they're doing. I bet the new DS won't even have a Slot-2 for GBA games.

I didn't even think the micro came out in Europe yet....

 

[silent sniper]

augh, dammit, i accidentally click to this topic, and yknow what happens? i develop a craving, a craving for for a GBM...

sooo tempting.... what is it, like 30 bucks?

 

[test84]

I think for someone who already has a DS, Micro is better than backlit SP but otherwise, get a backlit SP.

 

[innercy]

i buy gbmicro for collection... the screen really sharp, no doubt. u can easily customize the faceplate by using vynil skin like decalgirl's skin collection...

silver micro with black faceplate=uber cool.

 

[DespizingU]

The black does look pretty good. I'm going to order me a black faceplate.

 

[Jaejae]

I want to get a Famicom one, but I can only find it on Play Asia, and it is like $150NZD, and I'm sure as shit not paying $50 less than I got my DSL for.

 

[2dere]

Hey Jaejae, you know how we were talking about this in another thread? Well I ended up getting one off trademe for $30+ p&p yesterday. It wasn't a famicom like we both would like, I think this one red But I'm sure if I look hard enough I'll find a skin to replace it (If I get round to it.) I'm also bidding on Harvest Moon: FOMT for it since I never bought a copy of Soundvoyager before PlayAsia sold out. I'll have that, Pokemon and my Rockman.exe games to play. XD

 

[Jaejae]

Yeah, I guess I'll have to settle for one off there....

lol

 

[diglett]

I got mine here, but they only ship to the US and Canada.

$30 is great though, especially if that's in NZD.

 

[Upperleft]

i might buy one if i ordered a flashcart for my GBA SP
it's nice , slim and cute

awwwww gotta love the GBM !

 

[foob]

you missed my point entirely. The reason the micro is so much sharper than the DSL is because it has a better dot pitch. The DSL has a larger resolution, but the screen size is so much bigger that the pixels are larger and much more spread out. you can see the lines between each pixel on the DSL, and graphics are noticeably pixelated on a DSL compared to a micro.

Contentious issue

The Game Boy Micro does have more pixels per inch than any other Game Boy, but to me it's a bit too small to matter. Don't get me wrong, it's a great small bright screen (with good pixel density, and I still love my Micro), but a simple play on the DS Lite puts that to rest for me. I prefer the DS Lite every time (display-wise; controls and multiplayer and whatever is another issue).

One reason is probably 'cause I'm less sensitive to bigger pixels and apparent jaggyness if the screen itself is big enough to make gameplay more enjoyable. IMO, it is and does that well. Another is tilting a small screen like the Micro off-axis a bit results in more apparent colour shifts than a larger screen like the DS Lite's. I dislike the more apparent colour shifts on the Micro. So I guess I'm less sensitive to bigger pixels but more sensitive to colour shifts.

Another reason entirely (and the reason I am getting Game Boy Advance SP shipped to me soonish) is sunlight. Sunlight play of the older-skool screens is a viable option, unlike the more recent ones.

Direct sunlight on:
DS = terrible (screen goes very dark)
DS Lite = more terrible (screen goes even darker than DS)
Game Boy Micro = terrible (pretty much same as DS Lite)
Game Boy Advance SP = quite playable (hooray for sunlight gaming

Game Boy Advance = (sunlight gaming too, but I haven't tried one yet...damn)

Lower-light situations, the Micro's (much like the Lite's) bright backlight is great tho. But I still prefer the Lite's screen by a huge margin under the same conditions. Too bad DS cannot do multiplayer of GBA games; a real Game Boy is needed. Which makes it all the more sadder they are thin on the ground!

 

[2dere]

I got mine here, but they only ship to the US and Canada.

$30 is great though, especially if that's in NZD.

Ai, it is. I must find out how much they were going for retail here. There is another one going for the same price ..
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Gaming/Nintendo/G...n-135917178.htm for you JaeJae. IT EVEN COMES WITH POKEMON!
My auction finished first.. I'm going away on Monday so I'll have it before I go. (Not that I need it but it'll mean my GBA games will get some loving. Though I'm not bored of Etrian Odyssey nor Ryuusei no Rockman 2 yet!

 

[Jaejae]

Thanks 2dere, got your PM, looks like a possibility if I get my shit sorted and scrape together some money, I just bought TF2 with my last $50

 

[2dere]

Yeah always the way with limited time frame offers. They always come up once you've committed yourself to something else...
I missed out on a copy of the The Neverhood the other week because I just spent $60 a ticked to see Jose Gonzalez >.