Nintendo to Launch Color Game Boy

Japanese newspaper Asahi Shinbun reported Friday that Nintendo has decided to release a color version of the Game Boy. This time, "color" means not only its body, but also the screen. This new Game Boy, tentatively called Color Game Boy (what else), will utilize the Super Mobile Liquid Crystal Display from Sharp Co. Ltd. It will be almost the same size as the current Game Boy Pocket but will use two AA batteries, and thanks to Sharp's energy-saving LCD, battery life will be longer than that of the current Game Boy Pocket.

Nintendo is preparing several games including a Pokemon title, which is compatible with the color LCD. Games will retail for the same price as current games. And you can also play existing games with the new Color Game Boy.

According to the report, Nintendo is planning to release Color Game Boy sometime around August for the Japanese and overseas markets simultaneously. As for its price, it is expected to be about 9,000 yen (about US$70, at current exchange rates).

When contacted, Nintendo of America neither confirmed nor denied the report.