Nintendo has released its financial results for the first quarter of the current fiscal year. Compared to the same period of the previous fiscal year, consolidated sales were up by 5% to 83.8 billion yen (696.59 million USD). Net profit rose to 11.5 billion yen (95.59 million USD). While sales numbers for the Kyoto-based company's GameCube console only reached 800,000 units worldwide, the popular titles Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire have boosted sales of its GameBoy Advance (SP) handheld system, thereby contributing largely to the good financial results.

For the full year, Nintendo expects sales of 550 billion yen (4.57 billion USD) and ordinary profit of 110 billion yen (914.38 million USD).

• Bloomberg Japan