Game Boy Nitro (Ohga Shrugs)

The Game Boy Nitro is a handheld video console made by Nintendo. It was launched in Japan in February 2006, and released in America and Europe the following March. The Nitro introduced several innovations to handheld gaming, including a touchscreen, a built-in microphone, and wireless connectivity, both on and offline.

On November 1, 2008, Nintendo also released the Game Boy Nitro Plus, with added features such as an online store.

History
Rumors of Nintendo's fourth version of the Game Boy began in late 2004. Nintendo confirmed its existence in March, and first unveiled the Nitro at E3 2005. In February of the next year, the system was ready for launch. Nintendo released the Nitro with Animal Crossing: Wild World, Super Mario 64 Deluxe, and Mario Kart Nitro in most territories, although some countries had to wait longer for a localized version of Animal Crossing. Early 3rd party efforts for the system included Tony Hawk's American Sk8land and Bust-A-Move.

Hardware
The Nitro resembles the original Game Boy Advance, with a screen flanked by various buttons. The unit comes with a stylus that fits into the system, and can be used to interact with the screen. For instance, players can write each other messages in the PictoChat application.

The Nitro has an analog nub and a D-Pad on its left side, four face buttons marked with the letters A, B, X, and Y on the right, Start and Select buttons beneath the screen, and R and L shoulder buttons on the back corners of the system. The game slot is between the two shoulders, along with the power cable input.

In addition to the small stero speakers built into the system, between the shoulder buttons and the D-Pad and face buttons, the bottom of the Nitro has a port for a pair of headphones. A microphone is built into the top of the system, above the screen.

The Nitro's CPU clocks in at 200 MHz, and it has about 16 MB of RAM. The screen has a resolution of 400 by 300 pixels. In total, the unit weighs about 10 ounces. The battery lasts about 10 hours on a full charge, though the number can decline over time. Closing the system puts it in a "Sleep" mode.

The Nitro's Game Cards range can be up to 1 GB in size. However, most games are on the smaller side, and only a few games ever exceeded 200 MB. Most cartridges have at least some flash memory for saving games. They weigh about 4 grams.

Although the standard-model Nitro can not play Game Boy Advance games, Nintendo soon released a peripheral that allowed it to do so.

Features
The Game Boy Nitro is compatible with Nintendo Wi-Fi, allowing it to play games online, for no extra cost. The Plus model also features a version of the Nintendo eShop.

Download play is compatible with many Nitro games. It allows several players in a small area to play using the same cartridge, albeit with limitations. For example, using this feature, Mario Kart Nitro allows people who own a Nitro but not a copy of the game to compete in local multiplayer courses as the character Shy Guy.

Pictochat is included on every Nitro. It is a basic messaging program that allows people within a short range to communicate in chat rooms of up to 16 people.

Sales
By the release of its successor, the Game Boy Freedom, in late 2012, the Game Boy Nitro had sold about 200 million units, making it the most popular gaming hardware of all time. In particular, over 40 million units were sold in Japan, meaning that on average, about a third of the population owned one.