Nintendo has unveiled its smallest ever portable gaming computer, aiming the Game Boy Micro at consumers who now expect mobile phones and other devices to be pocket-sized.

The company unveiled the new device at the E3 gaming conference in Los Angeles. It weighs about 80 grams and features a 2in x 4in screen, and is expected to hit the shops this Autumn.

Nintendo positions the device as a shrunken version of the Game Boy Advance, suggesting support for games designed for the hugely successful device.

The Game Boy Micro comes only months after Nintendo launched the Game Boy DS featuring dual screens.

The manufacturer explained that the latest model will not replace the Game Boy DS, and should not be considered a successor for any existing product line.

Nintendo was for a long time the only serious player in the market for portable gaming computers. But it has faced strong competition from Sony's Playstation Portable that was launched in the US this spring and is set for a European release by September.

The PSP has received good reviews, but is considered by some to be too large to be truly portable.