Tiny Game Boy racks up big sales

Nintendo's new Game Boy Micro has hit store shelves in Japan but isn't staying there long, according to Reuters.

One electronics store clerk in Tokyo reported that 70 percent of the store's initial stock had been devoted to filling preorders, with the limited-edition Micro styled after the Famicom (the Japanese version of the NES) accounting for most of the preorders. Four other colors of the Micro were available for the Japanese launch: silver, purple, black, and blue.

Despite the strong showing for the Micro, a clerk told Reuters it doesn't appear so far to measure up to the Game Boy Advance SP's launch, when the entirety of the launch stock was presold out.

The Micro is being targeted at an older generation of gamers than previous Game Boy models, looking to hit a technology-obsessed, gadget-loving crowd with disposable income who would be attracted to the unit's sleek design. It will release in the US September 19 in black and silver versions, each of which will come with three interchangeable faceplates and a $99.99 price tag.