When did the Game Boy Micro come out?

The Game Boy Micro launched in Japan on September 13, 2005, North America on September 19, 2005, Europe on November 4, 2005, Australia on November 3, 2005.

How many games are licensed for the Game Boy Micro?

Approximately 1,538 licensed games were released for the Game Boy Micro.

How much did the Game Boy Micro cost at launch?

The Game Boy Micro launched at $99 USD.

How many Game Boy Micro units were sold?

Around 2.5 million Game Boy Micro units were sold worldwide.

Can the Game Boy Micro be modded?

The Game Boy Micro supports softmodding — no hardware modification required. Custom firmware: N/A (ROM-based); flashcarts: EZ-Flash Omega Definitive Edition, Everdrive GBA X5.

Game Boy Micro

Variant of Game Boy Advance

Manufacturer: Nintendo
Production: 2005–2008
Generation: Gen 6
Type: Handheld
Launch price: $99
Units sold: 2.5M

About Game Boy Micro

The Game Boy Micro is a 32-bit handheld game console made by Nintendo. It was released in Japan on September 13, 2005, and in international markets later that year. A miniaturized version of the Game Boy Advance, it was the last in the Game Boy line. Unlike other Game Boy Advance models, the Micro lacks backward compatibility for original Game Boy and Game Boy Color games. It failed to meet Nintendo's sales expectations, having sold about 2.4 million units worldwide.

Source: Wikipedia (text under CC BY-SA 4.0).

Read about the Game Boy Micro in the Chapter 5: The Three-Way Battlefield era of our long-form console history.

Library & collector facts

Software library

1,538licensed games

North America: 733
Japan: 773

What's different from Game Boy Advance

+ Added

Smallest Nintendo handheld ever made (101x50x17.2mm)
Backlit TFT screen with adjustable brightness
Interchangeable removable faceplates
3.5mm headphone jack returned (vs. SP)
Rechargeable lithium-ion battery

− Removed

Backward compatibility with Game Boy and Game Boy Color cartridges (no Z80 core / cart slot is GBA-only)
Link cable compatibility with standard GBA cable (proprietary smaller port)

± Changed

screen: 2.9-inch GBA / 2.9-inch SP → 2-inch backlit (sharper pixel density but smaller)
link port: Standard GBA link → proprietary Micro-specific connector requiring adapter
target market: All-ages handheld → fashion-forward late-cycle accessory aimed at iPod-era users

Lineage

← Game Boy ColorGame Boy MicroNintendo DS →

Release timeline

🇯🇵 Japan: September 13, 2005
🇺🇸 North America: September 19, 2005
🇪🇺 Europe / PAL: November 4, 2005
🇦🇺 Australia: November 3, 2005
Lifespan: 3 years on market

Pricing

Launch price (2005)

🇺🇸 USD: $99

Launch titles & exclusives

Launch titles

Super Mario Advance · F-Zero: Maximum Velocity · Castlevania: Circle of the Moon · Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 · Rayman Advance · Pinobee: Wings of Adventure · GT Advance Championship Racing · Tweety and the Magic Gems

Pack-in game

None standard; various retailer-specific Super Mario Advance bundles

Notable exclusives

Metroid Fusion · Metroid: Zero Mission · Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow · Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance · Fire Emblem (NA debut of the series) · Fire Emblem: Sacred Stones · Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga · Pokemon Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald/FireRed/LeafGreen · Mother 3 (JP-only) · Drill Dozer · WarioWare series · Golden Sun 1 & 2 · Advance Wars 1 & 2 · Sonic Advance trilogy

Final licensed game

Final Fantasy VI Advance (2006/2007) was among the last major releases; production continued into 2008

Most valuable collectible

Drill Dozer CIB (~$200+); Lufia: The Ruins of Lore CIB (~$200+); JP-only Mother 3 sealed; Pokemon Box GameCube tie-ins; Nintendo Power-distributed cartridge variants

Hardware specs

Cpu: ARM7TDMI
Ram: 288 KB RAM, 98 KB Video RAM

Hardware revisions

Original GBA AGB-001(2001)
horizontal form factor, non-backlit reflective TFT (the platform's signature flaw — terrible visibility without external light)
Game Boy Advance SP AGB-101 (NA late) / AGB-001 (frontlit early)(2003)
clamshell, rechargeable battery
⚠ AGB-001 had a frontlit screen (dim), AGB-101 had a backlit screen (gold standard for the platform)
Game Boy Micro OXY-001(2005)
compact final revision, drops backward compatibility with original GB/GBC titles

Launch colorways & special editions

Launch colors

SilverBlackPinkBlueGreen (region-varying)

Special editions

Famicom 20th Anniversary Edition (JP, red/gold with NES controller faceplate)
Mother 3 Deluxe Box (JP, 2006)
Final Fantasy IV Advance JP Limited
Pokemon Center JP variants
20th Anniversary Famicom Edition (NA limited)

Modding scene

Difficulty: soft-mod
Custom firmware: N/A (ROM-based); flashcarts: EZ-Flash Omega Definitive Edition, Everdrive GBA X5

Reception & legacy

Launch reception

Strong — finally delivered SNES-class hardware in a handheld; criticized for terrible non-backlit launch screen, addressed years later with the AGS-101

Notable controversies

Loss of GB/GBC backward compatibility was a significant regression that hurt sales; tiny screen — while sharp — was criticized as uncomfortable for long sessions; commercial flop (~2.5M units vs. 80M+ GBA family)

Cultural significance

Defining handheld of the early 2000s; the GBA library is widely considered one of the strongest in handheld history; backward compatibility preserved GB/GBC playability through 2005