What happened to the Game Boy Micro Faceplates?

[thebuddahman]

I seem to remember a while back now, Nintendo releasing a massive interactive Flash page with hundreds of official faceplates due for release. They looked sexy, and many people were saying that those and other faceplates were going to get given away free with magazines, with games etc and it would turn into a very customizable handheld.

Did any of this materialise? It sounded like a potential winner and I quite fancied accumilating a collection of the official ones with all the amazing artwork on them. Did it not take off due to public demand? Perhaps our Japan-based forumites can tell us if anything is happening there?

Just curious that's all!

[Dogg Thang]

Yeah I was wondering that myself. Hard to know. Maybe the Micro isn't selling. Of course it would if they upped GBA support but there you go.

I love my Micro...

[NekoFever]

I've wondered the same thing. When I was in Japan last year it was Mario's 25th birthday (or was it the 20th?) and the launch of the Micro, and in one of the stations they had a massive banner with absolutely hundreds of faceplate designs on it. Even then there weren't any in the shops, so I don't know what's going on.

There were some in HMV a little while ago but they were unofficial and pretty uninspiring - plain black and blue if I remember. They're so cheap to make that I'm surprised we haven't seen them as magazine cover mounts.

[MattyD]

My local GameStation has quite a few but I haven't really inspected them for quality. They're all just plain colours though.

And I'm sure the official Nintendo magazine gave one away when the machine launched?

[MikeRox]

Nintendo Europe said they had no intention of releasing any faceplates over here for the GBM so if u want one I guess u'll have to impot from the US or Japan.

[Zed]

Really dosent seem to be (m)any available.

Lik-Sang has this: 8 pack set

and Final Fantasy IV Advance is meant to have a pack with a special faceplate, but compared to all the teasers of special designs and free giveaways and so on...

http://dontpressstart.com/upload/micro_katamari1.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y101/Neiteio/Other/MetroidFusionGBM.jpg

[NekoFever]

The Final Fantasy IV one is gorgeous. A couple of my friends have it.

I really want the Mother 3 edition. Lovely box, nice colour, and I like the worn design a lot.

[importaku]

Just to clear up a bit of confusion.

When that webpage was released showing hundreds of faceplates. They wernt actually going to go on sale they were for an advertising campaign. Nintendo asked game designers or famous people (cant remember which) to make a faceplate.

As far as i know there are only a few extra faceplates....

x2 on gb micro bundles (Final fantasy & mother 3)
x2 from club nintendo (Super robot taisen & Famicom pad ver II)

And thats pretty much it unless ive missed any, there might have been some as promos from famitsu cube magazine but i cant say.

[buster_broon]

the American released Micro came with 2 faceplates each

think there was 2 sets so that would make another 4 faceplates

silver machine came with:
Flame pattern
Camouflage design

black machine came with:
Ammonite design (a black background with translucent blue swirls)
Ladybug Design

[Kaladron]

I have some faceplates that came with an accessory pack but they are absolute bollocks. They're all clear plastic and you have to put coloured paper underneath to get the colour that you want.

Shockingly bad.

[erhgiez]

The only real use I can see for the face plates is so you can stick your micro in your pocket let it get scratched, fling it around, feed it to the dog, then buy a faceplate and all new again, it saves frantically worrying about scratching the screen like I do with my PSP

[vertigo]

Nintendo Europe said they had no intention of releasing any faceplates over here for the GBM so if u want one I guess u'll have to impot from the US or Japan.

There's not even a compatibility issue because it's a standard part so their main reason is basically "can't be bothered". What a bunch of tossers.

[Crisp_Rapper]

I have some faceplates that came with an accessory pack but they are absolute bollocks. They're all clear plastic and you have to put coloured paper underneath to get the colour that you want.

Shockingly bad.

ooh, how much? i'd quite fancy doing a bit of reverse spray painting on those... rc car stylee.

[Zed]

Couldnt you make up a template and print out "skins" much like the clear Logitech Playgear Pocket case has custom pictures? You could have a different Micro everyweek!

[thebuddahman]

Just ressurecting my original thread as I wanted to ask (for those of you who are based in the US or Japan at the moment), have Nintendo released packs of OFFICIAL face plates so I can actually try and customise mine a bit? I think my blue one is lovely, however I want a bit of variety sometimes!

I'm still quite puzzled as to why Nintendo haven't released say, packs of 5 for ?5 or something. They must cost pennies to make and I'm SURE there would be lots of interest from the Japanese and collectors markets!!!?!