|
|
This
model was intended to be marketed toward a pacific people group, the
ipod mindset generation, the "image conscience" person. It
is no bigger, and yet smaller, than some cell phones. Really half of
the thickness is made up of the GBA cart and the rechargeable
battery. So the integrated circuitry of the GBA has been reduced to a
very small board. The headphone jack is back!!! I am really happy
about that, as I never purchased the separate headphone attachment
for the GBA SP. This model is very uncomfortable for big hands. I
think anyone would have to go through a short learning curve in
seeking out a "best way" to hold this tiny thing. Then they would have
to adjust to using the buttons while holding it. The unit
feels so solid and well built, very light weight. And it comes with a
little black bag with draw strings to keep it in. Nice.
|
 |
|
Pros:
Headphone
jack is back
The
most portable GBA
The
changeable faceplate
Cons:
No
backward compatibility
The
shoulder button design
No
link capability for two players
Not
user friendly to big hands
 .
Start
going through the GBA library because this is all you get to play. But
that is okay. Your talking about a very deep game library. It is just
that some of us will have to leave our old Original and Color games
behind in order to make this our main system to carry in our pocket.
It's not like anyone would be limited in their choices of games. The
GBA has a very good variety of well designed games. There is enough
there to give anyong something to sink their teeth into.
|
 |
Games:
The
Original and Color Game Boy chipset and circuitry has been ripped
from this model of the GBA to give you the tiny size. The only games
that will work are the GBA library. This took away any backward
compatibility. This has limited your choices of fun, so if you have a
very large library of the older Game Boy carts that you enjoy, this
is something to consider. But lets not forget that the GBA library is
filled with a lot of gaming goodness with enough titles to give
anyone a good choice. Keep your SP around for that "older game"
cravings.
Controls:
We are
horizontal again. The Nintendo directional cross button is on the
left side of the screen and the A and B button is on the right. Below
the screen on the bottom side is the select and start. The on/off
switch, as well as the cart slot, is also located there. In the right
bottom corner is the headphone jack with the volume control being on
the right side of the system. The shoulder buttons are on the top.
There can be a little frustration at first until you learn that you
have, to reach in, to hit the shoulder buttons right on the "letter"
that identifies the button L or R. In between the shoulder buttons is
the proprietary AC adapter port. It has been changed and is a
different size than any previous GBA, so a totally different AC
adapter is required. There is no link port and no way to use the two
player feature of a game. Total isolation. The lettering on the
select and start buttons glow when it is first turned on letting you
know, by the color, whether you need to recharge or not. This has
replaced the power light.
|
|
Power:
The
Micro has a built-in proprietary rechargeable lithium ion battery
that gives you 5 to 8 hours of play. It depends on the screen
brightness setting mainly, or so it is said. I have voiced my opinion
in the review of the Game Boy SP concerning my feelings on built-in
proprietary batteries. To me they are a "pro" and a "con."
There is the proprietary AC adapter port allowing you to use the AC
adapter while at home or when you are near an outlet. I have never
tried to play this little thing while having it plugged into an
outlet. It just doesn't seem right. You would just have to own one to
know what I mean.
Two
means of carry and storage. The black bag came with my Micro. The
other is an official GB Micro sock. I mostly keep mine in the black
bag and carry it in my pocket.
|
|
|
|
The
screen is filled with color, nice, clear, and sharp.
|
Screen:
The
Micro has a 2 inch (240x160 pixels) backlit tiny color LCD. The
screen looks extra sharp and full of color with two levels of
brightness. The screen brightness is adjusted by holding down the
left shoulder button and using the volume control. The faceplate acts
as a hard plastic screen protector that can be easily replaced, as
long as they are available. The text in RPG games are surprisingly
easily readable, which is a very good thing.
|
|
| Final
Thoughts: I
was hesitant, at first, in wanting and getting the Micro, but now I
am glad I did. I carry it just about everywhere I go. It is so easily
tucked away, you hardly know it's there. This model of the GBA has
not sold very well. It really has only been more of a gadget or an
offshoot mutation of the SP. Whether Nintendo intended for it to be
that is unknown to me. I can only speculate that maybe they was
hoping for this and the DS as being their flagship portables. The
Micro has not been the successor to the SP. It has only been a
redheaded stepchild. The SP lived on as the Micro fizzled. I'll admit,
the unique design of the SP is a winner. But for that person that
does like video games but feels a little uncomfortable with toting an
SP, because your all grown up now, the Micro would be the best choice
for them. It is a neat savvy sleek tiny go anywhere portable. And I
could see it appealing to that particular crowd. I was at this indoor
flea market and saw a GBA multi cart for $15 USD. Grabbed it up. It
has 163 NES games on it and it sort-of stays in my Micro. This makes
the Micro a nice little portable that stays tucked away when just
bumming around and needing that NES fix. I really feel that the Micro
complements the SP. A big 'thumbs up' to, there are great things in
small packages.
|
|
