The Pokémon mini is a handheld console whose games are all dedicated to Pokémon. It was released in Japan on December 14, 2001 and in Europe on March 15, 2002. Here are its specifications, based on Poképédia.
| Japanese name | Pokémon mini |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Nintendo |
| Japan release | December 14, 2001 |
| Europe release | March 15, 2002 |
| Dimensions | 74 × 58 × 23 mm |
| Weight | 70 g, with the battery and a cartridge |
| Screen | Monochrome LCD, 96 × 64 pixels |
| Processor | Seiko S1C88, 8-bit, 4 MHz |
| RAM | 4 KB, shared with video memory |
| Power | One AAA (LR03) battery |
| Features | Motion sensor, rumble, infrared port, internal clock |
| Colors | Wooper blue, Chikorita green, Smoochum purple |
| Games | 10 in Japan, 5 in Europe |
The console
The front shell is made of transparent plastic. The console has a directional pad, A and B buttons, a C button on the edge, and two gray rubber buttons: Power and Reset. At the back are a locking cartridge slot and the battery compartment, closed by a screw that a coin is enough to turn.
Saving
Save data is kept by the console rather than the cartridge, thanks to the battery, which also keeps the clock running. The number of slots is limited; when they are full, the console offers to replace a save, or to play without saving. When you change the battery, you have a few seconds to keep your data, and an animated screen warns you when the battery is running low.
Multiplayer
The infrared port links two Pokémon minis, and only Pokémon minis. The consoles must stay close together and face to face, which explains the shape of the multiplayer modes: everyone plays on their own, then scores are compared, or the consoles pass data back and forth in turns. Pokémon Tetris is one of the few games to attempt a real live duel.
