AP Disses the Game Boy Micro

GameDailyBiz reports that a recent review by the Associated Press (AP) calls the soon-to-be-launched Game Boy Micro a "giant missed opportunity." The article stated the AP reviewer attempted to answer the question why Nintendo saw the need to come out with its third version of the Game Boy Advance platform. In the end, the AP reviewer believed Nintendo could have done a lot more with the product.

To get a different perspective on the Micro, GameDailyBiz got NPD Group analyst Anita Frazier to comment on the market potential for the Micro. She said:

It'll be interesting to track the sales of Micro hardware during this fall and upcoming holiday season. The [GBA] platform continues to be incredibly popular and there is a trend, generally in the consumer products industry not just videogames, for personalization and customization. This is a trend we're seeing in many different industries... all those different faceplates, Nintendo is definitely responding to a trend there. I think the GBA [business] is very healthy.

I personally think Nintendo has the opportunity to tackle the women's gamer market with the sleek, small design of the Micro. With over 700+ Game Boy titles, there must be a slew of addictive, casual games that emphasize game play over action and graphics. Maybe Nintendo could let women gamers select their top games and then offer a special makeup bag/purse bundle with the Micro and a few of the games. They can even model the pricing after the Sony and XBOX Greatest Hits. Just a thought from a closet marketer...