OSAKA -- Video game fans formed long lines at electronic appliances stores from early Wednesday morning as Nintendo Co. launched its Game Boy Advance, successor to the top-selling Game Boy handheld machine.
Nintendo estimates it has received more than 3 million orders for the 9,800 yen machine. The firm plans to produce 1 million units of the new version by the end of March and plans to ship 24 million units within the next year. The machine will be launched in the United States in June.
The color screen of the updated version is 50 percent larger than the old Game Boy's, and its software processing capacity is three times faster.
Due to the anticipated supply shortages and to avoid customer stampedes, many stores took advance orders for the new machine.
About 200 people were lined up in front of Sofmap in Osaka before the store was scheduled to open at 9 a.m., leading the store to open about 20 minutes early.