Play-Yan Micro: The Little Media Player That Could

Just one of the many GBA accessories forgotten to the sands of time, today we're taking a look at the Play-Yan Micro! Yes, it wasn't just a cameo in Rhythm Heaven.
UPDATE: A follow-up video on ‪@AkfamilyhomePlus‬ where I unbox the original Play-Yan model!
• The Original GBA Play-Yan
Video conversion site featured: video.online-convert.com/conv...
Play-Yan Micro Homepage: www.nintendo.co.jp/n08/play_y...
Play-Yan Micro Spec List: www.nintendo.co.jp/n08/play_y...
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
00:31 Background
02:37 The Hardware
04:21 Playing Music
06:38 Playing Videos
09:13 Epilogue
BGM List:
• Overworld (SMB2) - Super Mario All-Stars
• Main Theme - Nintendo DSi Shop
• Dreams of Our Generation (Instrumental) - Rhythm Heaven Fever
-----------------------------------------------------
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Intro Music composed by Toxic Geek
/ cocoistoxicgeek
Endslate Music composed by MistSomething
/ mistsomething
#PlayYan #GameBoy

[@relaxalax]

Play-Yan for Smash!

[@CloudySkies17695]

RelaxAlax Just imagine if that actually happens. I would love to see people’s reactions.

[@jknifgijdfui]

Do a video on mario baseball because it's the only other sport left

[@maxibash]

@RelaxAlex , what does Cat think of your opinion?

[@nathanmontgomery1516]

Relaxalax you thiccbih

[@manformerlypigbukkit]

Oof

[@BoogieBunny]

> The secret mode on the Smash Ultimate menu is blurred > Play Yan Micro blurs the hell out of videos GUYS G U Y S

[@flameprincefinn12Games]

G. U. Y. S

[@swordandshieldtechrepair]

I get it

[@candiepunk1686]

Holy s**t now we just need is Mike jones

[@GrumpySylveon]

Scott here.?

[@ZesTofthelemon]

wha? didn't you know? it's one of wario's greatest achievement, wario land 4!

[@SlyHikari03]

The fact that play-Yan was both in the 3ds sound visualizer and rhythm heaven makes this even cooler. Kinda sad we didn’t get this overseas..

[@chaosqrow634]

The GBA was region free

[@lrgogo1517]

Imagine how much even more obscure this would be if not for that Rhythm Heaven minigame.

[@Karthikkun2805]

Which one?

[@lrgogo1517]

@@Karthikkun2805 It's called Night Walk and features the very same li'l dude

[@Karthikkun2805]

@@lrgogo1517 lemme guess the dreams of our generation minigame?

[@strangedudee]

@@Karthikkun2805 technically it's from gba, dreams of our generation on wii was directly inspired by night walk

[@Dogelele]

Came from ScottTheWoz, stayed for the quality content ❤️

[@conic2721]

I came from The Rhythm League.

[@Tyguy714]

Can’t wait to watch Infinity War on this

[@brewHamm]

Can't wait to watch Endgame on this

[@pizzatime1901]

Ham Khan cant wait to watch spongebob on this

[@Poever]

Pizzatime! Then that’s no different from Game Boy Advance Video

[@gaburieruR]

Cant wait to watch the entire Shrek Movie in it!

[@gavanscommandblock]

@@gaburieruR there is a Shrek GBA video

[@Psyloom]

Wow it has a headphone jack!? Apple take notes!!

[@halationmaster9224]

Gameboy Advanced SP didn't have one tho.

[@halationmaster9224]

Wait, my bad. Didn't get that far into tbe video.

[@yaboisanic2922]

*Iphone doesn't have a headphone jack* **GBA CARTRIDGE DOES** 💯

[@Psyloom]

That Dumb Channel lol

[@voidofspaceandtime4684]

Playan does what applendont

[@m1k3l1f3]

I've always wanted one of these. It's nice to see Play-Yan make a cameo on the 3DS Music app visualizer.

[@Legend0PArchive]

I love it when KZbinrs cover obscure pieces of tech like this and bring so much information about it to light.

[@Akfamilyhome]

UPDATE: If you're interested in an unscripted followup, I recently obtained a complete copy of the ORIGINAL Play-Yan model, and unboxed it over on my Plus channel below! kzbin.info/www/bejne/mHSVg2qqltCnbLM Hi! 2020 me here to inform you that past me was a dunce and 2:06 is wrong, the Play-Yan Micro shares the exact same size and appearance as the original aside from the label.

[@Brandon-kg5dj]

Ogey

[@stormgregor9974]

How many music/video files can you put on the Play-Yan Micro before you reach the 1GB limit, just wondering.

[@anonymousidea9119]

Wh- Why did you own a virtual boy AND a play yan micro before a gameboy player or even a gamecube?!

[@OneDotLeader]

0:47 HKD? *wait* YOOOOOOO A FELLOW RHYTHM HEAVEN FAN FROM HK? GUESS ITS NOT ALL THAT UNLIKELY

[@Deadbay]

When I saw the memory card with a memory card with a memory card with a memory card, “YEAH BOI”

[@roarzilla]

What

[@frickinfrick8488]

Man this must’ve been so cool back before our phone became an all in one music player phone game machine. So cool to see an in depth look at this obscure little guy

[@HeeminGaminStation]

Who the heck has a “Play-Yan” Micro but not the “GBA GCN player”!? Enjoyed the video by the way.

[@TheChefBoo]

Or a gamecube

[@emily012804]

Play-Yan: I love music. (Runs away from Emily, up the stairs.)

[@Jiozak]

0:27 We'll Be Right Back

[@Bruh-rj5vw]

Doo da da deh deh dough.

[@ruzkbthenon-sider2834]

**compressed on a Play-Yan**

[@gammaphonic]

I have the European version. It was my first MP3 player and I used it a hell of a lot back in the day. Oddly, the packaging says it will only work on the DS and not the GBA. But it works fine on GBA. Don’t know what that’s about. I was hoping it would play videos like the Japanese version as a sort of ‘unadvertised feature’. But no.

[@yosh_eg_69]

Its cool that they actually added play yan in tengoku and remastered him in megamix

[@Kittenfox_55]

I literally thought this was gonna be about the Gameboy advance videos, that held cartoon episodes in cartridges

[@Oretal]

It was nice to learn about this obscure Nintendo product

[@Danominator]

That was a real smooth opening. Great talk, this thing is impressive!

[@emily012804]

Danominator Play-Yan: I love music. (Runs away from Emily, up the stairs.)

[@fran5678can]

@@emily012804 plz stop

[@Bro3256Films]

If I ever got a hold of one of those carts then I would put an mp4 of Fortnite gameplay and pretend that I am playing the game just to screw with people's minds.

[@dualscreen8789]

This is Gold. Mind. Blown. (0-0)

[@blaized.dagger]

i wanna see proof 😂😂

[@davemarx7856]

Skyrim. People wouldn't be too surprised.

[@yupekosi]

You can get a gba flash cart, download avi2gba or whatever on a windows xp or something computer and drop a video file into the program and drop it on the cart

[@pgFrancisco]

Imagine gta5

[@Rusli1659LPSoldier]

1:36 I didn't even noticed that but that play yan minigame on GBA version was my favorite one.

[@NotSoEpick]

Seeing the people who don't get the reference is actually painful.

[@lrgogo1517]

To what?

[@krugbug]

The little engine that could

[@gulorful8488]

@@krugbug oof

[@stevenreyes4791]

Who didnt get it? Lol

[@emily012804]

Play-Yan: I love music. (Runs away from everyone, up the stairs.)

[@greygoose3936]

Sent here by Scott The Woz. Great video

[@davemarx7856]

😑 😀 hey y'all

[@andioop4642]

Hey all!

[@localtems7976]

what the fuck was the video?!

[@Noname15514]

I remember reading about this in the November 2005 issue of Tips & Tricks. It states that if you plug the Play-Yan into the DS you get more storage capacity.

[@pgFrancisco]

Like only if it's used in the ds? Or like you unlock space for any other device?

[@Magenta_Nimbat]

Wow, more obscure gba accessories, kinda puts into perspective of how much more are really out there. Awesome video AK ^^

[@Hardyt3kyoyo]

Scott sent me over, loved the video and subbed. Hope to see that gameboy camera video next :p

[@GameInterest]

I love obscure products like this! Thank you for making a video about it!

[@TCThiele]

Yup. Over 2 years later I'm going to comment, because I got nostalgic and looked up some video, and came across this one. I have both, and I got them back in the day. Play-yan micro was simply available from asian webshops. I'd swear I ordered it from Yesasia back then, but order history doesn't show it.. But I ordered it from somewhere (unless I actually did go through the trouble of ordering it directly from Nintendo, but I can't imagine that. I don't read Japanese). There's actually a difference between the JP and EU version, this is why I got the "local" version in the first place, after already importing the JP version. EU version removed the video playback (which I didn't bother with since it was too much of a hassle), however it updated the support for SD cards with 2 GB capacity. Even that ended up being too small for my liking, so I upgraded later to an actual MP3 player that had 4GB memory, and was actually smaller than my micro. So even on release they weren't very practical, though now of course they're cute novelty collector's items. I still have both of them within reach, including their 1 and 2 GB SD cards I used for them (which are novelties themselves nowadays). Perhaps I'll use them again for fun. Edit: found it. Bought it from Playasia for $ 76.30 in 2007

[@laurabeltranmelee]

These are some pretty good videos, I like the narration a lot

[@FoxBlocksHere]

I've heard of the Play-Yan Micro even before this video. Not everyone can say that.

[@ccateni28]

I got mine from my local retro store for $60. I love it! Also this video really helped me with the video converter settings. Thanks. :)

[@pgFrancisco]

You lucky sob they sell over 100

[@CookieFonster]

your videos just keep getting better!

[@Narutard713]

Found you from Scott, damn dude nice quality and managing to talk about something I've literally never heard of. Keep up the good work and you definitely got a new sub!

[@yoran4067]

7:57 *Drifting Soul* man of culture

[@Lanooski]

Man. I remember hearing about this, how I’d never be able to get it, and ultimately settling for the dang old Datel Max Media Player for DS. Years later I just got an iPod, and then virtually all media devices were rendered obsolete by the smart phone haha

[@yourbirthcertificate]

Great video as always, Ak!

[@SylvaTheMoth]

something ive found btw, the Nintendo MP3 Player, the EU version of the play-yan, seems to support the full 2gb. its basically a stripped down play-yan micro with just music capabilities.

[@OrangeStar222]

Oh man I used to have that Nintendo MP3 player and I was taking that bad boy everywhere with me. Good times indeed.

[@alflemon2783]

This is indeed an obscure piece of hardware, thank you for sharing this.

[@yaekre]

Here from Scott the Woz, awesome video, you just earned yourself a sub!

[@flareon7159]

That intro was so slick! This was certainly an interesting bit of Nintendo's history, shame it didn't blow up. It had so much potential!

[@emily012804]

flareon 71 Agreed.

[@RandomHans]

Never thought I would see a Nintendo Direct being played in a GBA

[@melaniejonas7084]

I had no idea this ever existed. Thank you! Now I want one. :)

[@abigailofdarkness]

I genuinely liked the opening to this video. Timing was dead on.

[@Trisaaru]

Here from Scott the Woz. He shouted you out on a community post

[@uselesscomment8139]

Same

[@Ken117yt]

Cool video man. I had never heard of this device shoutouts to Scott for the link

[@Njsmooth60]

One of the most clever intros I've ever seen

[@joshgarrett3868]

Fantastic video!

[@RhymeMastaMasse]

I got here from Super Mario Broth's Mario Oddysey Twitter post. Great stuff man!

[@pgFrancisco]

What do you mean

[@ruzkbthenon-sider2834]

now i want GBA Remix 6 on a Play-Yan

[@cptnquick]

Very informative! I had never heard of this before lol

[@dualscreen8789]

I need this. It looks awesome!

[@cc_cruiser99]

That was actually a clever opening lol Well done.

[@emily012804]

Cale Coleman Agreed.

[@marioandtyler]

This is so cool, I want one!

[@Ambipie]

At least Play-Yan the mascot (whose species became a staple) lived on.

[@manolo9957]

I remember picking up one of these back in 2010 on ebay for 80 bucks, i mean it was expensive and i really wanted an mp3 with my gameboy micro. I still have it till this day (2021) i got like 3 sd 1gb mini cards to change songs.

[@pgFrancisco]

I got lucky and won one for 60 bucks

[@JmanMarvelMenace95]

Scott the Woz sent me here. This is great stuff, definitely subscribing

[@thealterlion7163]

I’d really love to get one of those

[@thunder8340]

Scott the Woz landed me here. Great content!

[@kleptomations2859]

dude. play a mario odyssey video and pretend you're playing the game on this. fool people.

[@yaboisanic2922]

*Brilliant*

[@illwill2020]

GENIUS

[@andioop4642]

Great

[@emily012804]

Play-Yan: I love music. (Runs away from Emily, up the stairs.)

[@valeeent]

And imagine the kids believing it

[@maximumforehead3452]

Never before did I ever think I would one day see a Nintendo Direct being displayed on a *FUCKING GAMEBOY* .

[@user-uf4qr7os4s]

the nintendo MP3 player is reeeeally common in europe, you see them on ebay and everywhere for as low as $10!

[@JoshTGR]

This is really good! When's 1 million subscribers?

[@hackermangage1703]

I got one of the MP3 players for the game boy at a pawn shop when I was little. I had so much Tool and Mudvayne on SD card. I used this thing all the time

[@snozer6966]

Thanks Scott

[@eduardosinisterra2255]

nice work'

[@vee7309]

I in fact have one of the first ones. It’s somewhere in my Nintendo part of my attic. It came with the little Play Yan guy. And it had a mini SD adaptor to micro to mini sd card so it’s a micro sd to a mini sd to SD

[@XZenon]

Dear god I need this now

[@coxxycabee]

I've got one of these. I had a DS and my friend had a psp. To prove that the DS could be just as a multimedia device i paid about $70 AUD for a Play-yen from ebay. It worked but things looked like shit.

[@Kittheecat]

I love this video

[@trixabellian]

Me n the boys listening to karkalicious on our gbas

[@joemck85]

I can't say anything about the Play-Yan Micro's "surround" feature since I don't have one, but I suspect it's the same basic tech as the "surround" options in Mario Kart DS and systemwide on the 3DS. On that it's a more or less standard "stereo widening" effect. It doesn't work with headphones, it's for speakers. The simple explanation is it adds part of a flipped version of each channel into the other channel, which can make hard-panned sounds seem to come from further to the side than where the speaker is. It's quite effective on the 3DS, making noises seem to come from a foot or two to one side or the other when the actual speakers are just a few inches apart. In normal stereo mode everything sounds like it's between the speakers -- which is why when setting up speakers you should place them as far apart as you can while still having yourself facing the center point between them.

[@CMGThePerson]

There should be a version of this video being played on a Play-Yan Micro

[@emily012804]

CMG The Person That will be funny.

[@CinnaBox]

**hears Night Walk Music** YAAAAAAAHHHHHHH yay

[@theivoryguy2476]

(Sees thumbnail) Dang-it I wanna play Rhythm Tengoku now.

[@emily012804]

Superstar Yoshi I agree with ya there. Play-Yan: I love music. (Runs away from Emily, up the stairs.)

[@klonpa]

the compressed audio reminds me of flipnote studio

[@GreenShadowCat]

Holy shit, I think one guy at my elemantary school had one of those. Always wondered what that thing was.

[@glitchunicorn]

I imported a play yan when it came out. I loved it for the years I used it. Now I wonder what I did with it

[@topo8444]

I would LOVE to add one of these to my GBA collection! What's a decent going price for one of these at the moment? There are so few on eBay it's hard to tell!

[@kimi1522]

AK casually plays videos and music that came out way after the PYM on the PYM

[@SosaBoyTellem]

Has a rare super limited edition obscure Nintendo product. Doesn’t have arguably the most popular way to play GBA games.

[@CPS2]

No, he has a GBA

[@mariannmariann2052]

The DS.

[@emily012804]

I want a time machine so that I can play Rhythm Tengoku. And this.

[@MxelTea]

I saw Drifting Soul in the player. Good choice

[@typhlosion212]

That’s so interesting

[@brandongordon4019]

Came here from Scott The Woz. And you better do a video on the gameboy printer, cuz the gameboy printer looks awesome. I've heard and seen a bit of the gameboy printer, but a full video on it would be interesting to see

[@krebkrebkreb]

Goddamn I (still) love my gameboy micro. I wish I had known about this thing when I was carrying it *everywhere* as a teenager, even if I would have had to import it.

[@inflatedego9418]

There was one play yan micro on eBay that went on auction up to £22 (about $30 I think). I reckon it only sold so cheap because everyone tried to snipe it, annoying part is that I still haven't been able to figure out how the hell to get it to work and since it's Japanese I can't read the error messages

[@TommyDeonauthsArchives]

I... had no idea this existed. And it's *THAT* obscure? Well I at least know where one of those equalizer displays on the 3DS Sound App comes from...

[@CarlosCaterpillar2004]

The Adventures of Carlos Caterpillar / The Zula Patrol / Turbo Dogs on Play-Yan Micro

[@dogfog7661]

I had GBA video, (still have my only cart, even) so I’m fine with the audio *crunch*

[@glitch8669]

Thanks for the ear blasting dad ily

[@CristianDarkraDx]

The Game Boy micro was the first Nintendo console that cab read SD cards 😮

[@MrJ0mmy]

i heard the nintendo mp3 player can also play videos in mp4 somehow but they did not add it in the firmware :( maybe there is a way to get the play-yan micro update file that let it play mp4 files to work on the nintendo mp3 player im told that the devices are the same devices but they took out mp4 playback ect

[@pgFrancisco]

Did you ever find out?

[@anonymousidea9119]

If anyone finds out please let us know :)

[@mlalbaitero]

I remember this in the 3ds music app

[@johns4892]

total gamer moment

[@maxibash]

That intro was the best thing I've ever seen. Can AK have more subscribers than T-Series?

[@megazenn22]

Hey AKFamilyHome, Scott's fanbase here.

[@Limomon]

0:09 That's a handsome boi

[@JaneyUwU]

Be nice, and say thank you to Scott.

[@TheSkypetube]

I commonly used him as my background in the 3ds voice recorder app

[@emily012804]

Hotpies I commonly find him in Megamix and Tengoku and stuff and became so addicted to the game, that I became a fan of him, I suppose. Play-Yan and many monkey fans: I SUPPOSE! HEY! Emily: Additionally, I saw him when I was younger, I suppose. Play-Yan and many monkey fans: I SUPPOSE! HEY! Emily: But I did not know his name, but I first saw him in The Dazzles in either a Try again or an OK rating I had. I didn’t have as high of a sense of rhythm back then.

[@emily012804]

Play-Yan: I love music. (Runs away from Emily, up the stairs.)

[@TheRidiculousR]

i FINNALY know what the 3ds sound thing is from!

[@emily012804]

The Ridiculous Content - rein van harn Play-Yan: I love music. (Runs away from Emily, up the stairs.)