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The front-lit, flip-top Game Boy Advance SP is an unprecedented hit, in recent months accounting for 40 percent of all gaming systems sold. Game Boy Advance and Game Boy Advance SP models have sold an average of more than half a million units per month; a rate of more than one unit sold every six seconds since the introduction of the Game Boy Advance in June, 2001.
"With the depth and breadth of games we offer for people of any age, it's no surprise that both systems are selling at record levels," says George Harrison, senior vice president, sales and marketing, Nintendo of America. "The new hues are just our next step in leading the portable gaming industry, allowing consumers to match their personality or enhance their style with this gaming device."
Color psychologists believe that certain hues generate specific, and often very strong responses in people. For example, black can foster strength and encourage independence, while red empowers and can stimulate the mind. In addition to the two new color casings, Flame and Onyx, Game Boy Advance SP is available in Platinum (silver) and Cobalt (blue).
Nintendo's Game Boy line has been hailed as the premier hand-held video game system since its debut in 1989, selling more than 150 million units. By the 2003 holiday shopping season, more than 500 Game Boy Advance titles will be available.
Among the most anticipated upcoming releases for the Game Boy Advance SP are Super Mario Bros. 3: Super Mario Advance 4 (Oct. 21), Top Gear Rally (Oct. 27), Fire Emblem (Nov. 3), Mario and Luigi (Nov. 17) and Sword of Mana (Dec. 1). Game Boy Advance SP is available now at an MSRP of $99.99.
The worldwide leader and innovator in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its popular home and portable video game systems. Each year, hundreds of all-new titles for the best-selling Game Boy Advance and Nintendo GameCube systems extend Nintendo's vast game library and continue the tradition of delivering a rich, diverse mix of quality video games for players of all ages. Since the release of its first home video game system in 1983, Nintendo has sold more than 1.8 billion video games globally, creating enduring industry icons such as MarioTM and Donkey Kong® and launching popular culture franchise phenomena such as Metroid, Zelda and Pokémon. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo's operations in the Western Hemisphere.