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[golduck342]

http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/05/26/news_6126595.html

GS: So this is just kind of a remix of the Game Boy, a hipper Game Boy. Is this going to have a different price point?

GH: It may. We're also looking at what the price and bundle combination might be for the fall. One of the things that they've launched in Japan that we're considering is--it's called the Play-Yan and it allows you to play MP3 music or MP4 video files in your Game Boy. We're trying to see how that's doing and if that makes sense to bring out as a companion to this.

GS: There were some rumors that this would actually have the Play-Yan function built in...

GH: No this does not have it built in. The Play-Yan function can work either on the Game Boy Micro or on the regular SP.

GS: So is this going to work for games just like a regular Game Boy?

GH: Right.

I searched and didn't see a topic, sorry if old.

 

[Rocket Punch]

So there was no talk whatsoever about PlayYan at E3 was there? I was kinda interested in this as well as DS PDA software.. Ah well.

 

[cvxfreak]

Wouldn't the Play-Yan defeat the purpose of the Micro's tiny factor? Unless they redesigned it. Nintendo really should have built the Play-Yan in and call it the GameBoy Media or something. Unless they're saving that one for next year. :lol

 

[black_13]

oh yeah that tiny small screen is sure gonna be usefull for videos. :lol
Hasn't anyone seen how bad those vids run on the GBA SP.

What a joke.

 

[bridegur]

I'd have to get a Micro if it was bundled with Play-Yan.

 

[Polari]

Nintendo manages to clutch defeat from the jaws of victory once again. They're just trying to dodge the MP3 licensing fees (which aren't really that expensive anyway). This could be killer: faceplates, small form factor, overall nice design and with a standard headphone jack, unlike the SP. Hopefully between now and spring Nintendo will get the stupid knocked out of them and include an SD slot in the Micro, out of the box. I wouldn't bet the farm on it though.

 

[Polari]

By the way, what are the chances of this working with the GC for connectivity?

 

[Rocket Punch]

I never much cared for the video capabilities. I wanted mp3 player stuff

 

[Azure Dream]

Not bundling the Play-Yan with the DS in recent times was already a mistake, IMO. It would take the wind out of the PSP's "multimedia" features to some extent (true, no UMD movies), and provide a way to allow for downloads for Nintendo's online service on the DS. (It can still do that, but developers can't rely on it being there for the consumer, so they won't use it.)

 

[aoi tsuki]

Wouldn't the Play-Yan defeat the purpose of the Micro's tiny factor? Unless they redesigned it. Nintendo really should have built the Play-Yan in and call it the GameBoy Media or something. Unless they're saving that one for next year. :lol

That would've been ideal really. Even if tiny videos aren't your thing, you could use it for an audio player. You'd think by now they would produce the GBA on a chip, and just leave the remainder of the space for the Play Yan.

Not bundling the Play-Yan with the DS in recent times was already a mistake, IMO. It would take the wind out of the PSP's "multimedia" features to some extent (true, no UMD movies), and provide a way to allow for downloads for Nintendo's online service on the DS. (It can still do that, but developers can't rely on it being there for the consumer, so they won't use it.)

i'm not sure i see your point. Developers wouldn't rely on Revolution owners to own the Micro as well, especially considering they weren't intended to be compatible in the first place.

 

[Timbuktu]

I still don't think the PSP media features are that important at all, if not having them built into the GB Micro means it keeps the cost of the system down then it's fine with me.

 

[cvxfreak]

That would've been ideal really. Even if tiny videos aren't your thing, you could use it for an audio player. You'd think by now they would produce the GBA on a chip, and just leave the remainder of the space for the Play Yan.

Exactly. To be fair, I wasn't kidding when I said that Nintendo might consider making a GameBoy Media sometime down the line using the SP's existing form factor. Nintendo seems to be taking an iPod-like approach to the GBA, offering different models to different consumers. The GameBoy Advance SP is essentially the main line's second generation, and the Micro is equivalent to iPod mini. I think it's possible that Nintendo might go the extra step and create a GameBoy Media that supports movies, music and even pictures for a premium price.

 

[ChrisReid]

So there was no talk whatsoever about PlayYan at E3 was there? I was kinda interested in this as well as DS PDA software.. Ah well.

On the second or final day of E3 (it wasn't there on the first), there was a sheet of paper attached to the GB Micro display. It explained the Zelda trailer playing on the Micro was done via the SD card adapter device (Play Yan I guess). So they did have it on display, but they didn't make a big deal about it (just a piece of scratch paper with two lines 14 point font printed on it).

 

[cvxfreak]

Does the GB Micro have a link cable slot? If so it'll be compatible with GC and Revolution.

 

[Azure Dream]

i'm not sure i see your point. Developers wouldn't rely on Revolution owners to own the Micro as well, especially considering they weren't intended to be compatible in the first place.

Didn't say anything about Revolution. I was talking about online stuff on the DS, using the Play-Yan to store downloads onto SD-cards. I was just saying that I wish they had bundled the Play-Yan with the DS, not just started to consider bundling it now with the weaker GB Micro.

But the Rev won't require either for online downloads, anyway; it already has SD-card slots. But I was strictly referring to the online services for the DS coming out later this year.

 

[callous]

Micro and Play-Yan seems like a very odd combination to me. Nintendo really should have just built in MP3 functionality in the Micro. I'd have been all over it.

 

[Pedigree Chum]

Micro and Play-Yan seems like a very odd combination to me. Nintendo really should have just built in MP3 functionality in the Micro. I'd have been all over it.

Same here, would it have killed them to include a SD port and the software needed to run movies/music in the GBM itself?

 

[golduck342]

I guess they don't want people to feel forced to buy the micro for the extra functionality. I'm also guessing they want to market it more as an mp3 player, since Reggie made those comparisons to iPod mini.

 

[Jacobi]

Same here, would it have killed them to include a SD port and the software needed to run movies/music in the GBM itself?

The GB just wouldn't be micro anymore

 

[B E N K E]

They should bundle it with a magnifying glass. Shrinking the screen must be the dumbest move ever.

 

[MoxManiac]

They shrunk the screen? WTF?

 

[Pedigree Chum]

They shrunk the screen? WTF?

It's 2 inches now I believe.

 

[Wario64]

They shrunk the screen? WTF?

 

[drohne]

is it true that gba micro doesn't play gb/gbc games? between that and the tiny screen, i think they screwed up here. i just bought a ds, but it's so uncomfortable to hold that i still want a backlit gba. micro doesn't fit the bill, and i bet it's the last redesign.

 

[Dazzla]

Nintendo: Here's the GB Micro people
GAF: My god, why didn't they bundle something like the play-yan with it, that'd make it a hell of a lot better
Nintendo: We're gonna bundle the play-yan adapter with it
GAF: OMG losers! Should've built in SD and the screen is too small for videos!!


Jesus :lol

 

[Wario64]

people actually complained about it not being bundled with the play-yan during e3?

 

[Defensor]

Whoa, is that to scale?

 

[cvxfreak]

...does the Micro play GB and GBC games? It would be ironic (not to mention stupid) if it didn't because the word "Advance" isn't in the name.

 

[Mac the KNife]

...does the Micro play GB and GBC games? It would be ironic (not to mention stupid) if it didn't because the word "Advance" isn't in the name.

I believe the micro does not support those games

 

[Shompola]

you can use the play-yan as a separate mp3 player right? you do not need sp or micro boy to use it right?

 

[Ford Prefect]

I believe the micro does not support those games

What? I haven't heard that before... Can anyone confirm?

 

[FitzOfRage]

you can use the play-yan as a separate mp3 player right? you do not need sp or micro boy to use it right?

No, you need a system to use it.