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{{Short description|Handheld game console by Nintendo}} |
{{Short description|Handheld game console by Nintendo}} |
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{{Use mdy dates|date= |
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}} |
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{{Infobox information appliance |
{{Infobox information appliance |
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| title = Game Boy |
| title = Game Boy |
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| developer = [[Nintendo Research & Development 1|Nintendo R&D1]] |
| developer = [[Nintendo Research & Development 1|Nintendo R&D1]] |
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| manufacturer = [[Nintendo]] |
| manufacturer = [[Nintendo]] |
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| family = [[Game Boy family|Game Boy]]<ref name="HG asks">{{ |
| family = [[Game Boy family|Game Boy]]<ref name="HG asks">{{Cite interview |last=Ishihara |interviewer=Satoru Iwata |title=Pokémon HeartGold Version & Pokémon SoulSilver Version |type=Interview: Transcript |last2=Morimoto |url=https://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/ds/pokemon/0/0/ |access-date=September 25, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221124004538/https://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/ds/pokemon/0/0/ |archive-date=November 24, 2022 |url-status=live |work=Iwata Asks |publisher=Nintendo}}</ref> |
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| type = [[Handheld game console]] |
| type = [[Handheld game console]] |
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| generation = [[Fourth generation of video game consoles|Fourth]] |
| generation = [[Fourth generation of video game consoles|Fourth]] |
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| release date = {{Video game release |
| release date = {{Video game release |
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| JP | April 21, 1989<ref>{{ |
| JP | April 21, 1989<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=April 2011 |title=retrodiary: 1 April – 28 April |magazine=[[Retro Gamer]] |publisher=[[Imagine Publishing]] |location=[[Bournemouth]] |page=17 |issue=88 |issn=1742-3155 |oclc=489477015}}</ref> |
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| NA | July 31, 1989<ref name="offoldgames">{{ |
| NA | July 31, 1989<ref name="offoldgames">{{Cite magazine |last=White |first=Dave |date=July 1989 |title=Gameboy Club |magazine=[[Nintendo Power]] |page=84 |issue=7}}</ref> |
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| EU | September 28, 1990 |
| EU | September 28, 1990 |
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| KR | May 2, 1991 |
| KR | May 2, 1991 |
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| ZA | 1992<ref>{{ |
| ZA | 1992<ref>{{Cite web |title=Video Games Around the World: South Africa |url=https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/video-games-around-world-south-africa-joshua-rogers/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220925153658/https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/video-games-around-world-south-africa-joshua-rogers/ |archive-date=September 25, 2022 |access-date=November 10, 2022}}</ref>}} |
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| lifespan = 14 years |
| lifespan = 14 years |
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| price = {{Unbulleted list |
| price = {{Unbulleted list |
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| {{JPY|12,500|1989}}<ref name="NALaunchPrice">{{ |
| {{JPY|12,500|1989}}<ref name="NALaunchPrice">{{Cite web |date=September 7, 2015 |title=Happy 20th b-day, Game Boy: here are 6 reasons why you're #1 |url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2009/04/game-boy-20th-anniversary/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170815023656/https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2009/04/game-boy-20th-anniversary/ |archive-date=August 15, 2017 |access-date=June 14, 2017 |website=Ars Technica}}</ref> |
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| {{USD|89.99|1989}}<ref name="NALaunchPrice" /><ref>{{ |
| {{USD|89.99|1989}}<ref name="NALaunchPrice" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=October 15, 2013 |title=The Real Cost of Gaming: Inflation, Time, and Purchasing Power |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2013/10/15/the-real-cost-of-gaming-inflation-time-and-purchasing-power |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200915010832/https://www.ign.com/articles/2013/10/15/the-real-cost-of-gaming-inflation-time-and-purchasing-power |archive-date=September 15, 2020 |access-date=August 28, 2020}}</ref> |
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| discontinued = March 31, 2003 |
| discontinued = March 31, 2003 |
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| units sold = 118.69 million {{small|(including all variants and [[Game Boy Color]])}}<ref name="consolidatedsales">{{ |
| units sold = 118.69 million {{small|(including all variants and [[Game Boy Color]])}}<ref name="consolidatedsales">{{Cite web |date=April 26, 2016 |title=Consolidated Sales Transition by Region |url=https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/library/historical_data/pdf/consolidated_sales_e1603.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160427084600/https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/library/historical_data/pdf/consolidated_sales_e1603.pdf |archive-date=April 27, 2016 |access-date=October 23, 2016 |publisher=Nintendo}}</ref> |
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| media = [[Game Boy Game Pak]] |
| media = [[Game Boy Game Pak]] |
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| memory = 8 KB [[Random-access memory|RAM]], 8 KB [[Video RAM (dual-ported DRAM)|VRAM]] |
| memory = 8 KB [[Random-access memory|RAM]], 8 KB [[Video RAM (dual-ported DRAM)|VRAM]] |
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| '''Pocket/Light''': [[FSTN]] LCD |
| '''Pocket/Light''': [[FSTN]] LCD |
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| topgame = ''[[Tetris (Game Boy video game)|Tetris]]'' {{small|(35 million units)}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/264530/all-time-best-selling-console-games-worldwide/ |
| topgame = ''[[Tetris (Game Boy video game)|Tetris]]'' {{small|(35 million units)}}<ref>{{Cite web |title=All-time best selling console games worldwide 2018 {{!}} Statistic |url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/264530/all-time-best-selling-console-games-worldwide/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180521191623/https://www.statista.com/statistics/264530/all-time-best-selling-console-games-worldwide/ |archive-date=May 21, 2018 |access-date=May 21, 2018 |website=Statista |language=en}}</ref> |
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| predecessor = [[Game & Watch]] |
| predecessor = [[Game & Watch]] |
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| successor = [[Game Boy Color]]<ref name=asks>{{ |
| successor = [[Game Boy Color]]<ref name="asks">{{Cite interview |last=Umezu |interviewer=Satoru Iwata |title=Nintendo 3DS (Volume 3 – Nintendo 3DS Hardware Concept) |type=Interview: Transcript |last2=Sugino |url=http://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/#/3ds/how-nintendo-3ds-made/1/0 |access-date=March 20, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150725233103/http://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/#/3ds/how-nintendo-3ds-made/1/0 |archive-date=July 25, 2015 |url-status=live |work=Iwata Asks |publisher=Nintendo}}</ref> |
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| soc = {{Unbulleted list |
| soc = {{Unbulleted list |
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| '''Original''': Nintendo DMG-CPU ([[Sharp Corporation|Sharp]] LR35902) |
| '''Original''': Nintendo DMG-CPU ([[Sharp Corporation|Sharp]] LR35902) |
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The Game Boy features a [[Dot-matrix display|dot-matrix screen]] with adjustable contrast, a [[directional pad]], four game buttons, a single [[monaural]] speaker with volume control, and uses [[Game Boy Game Pak|Game Pak]] cartridges. The two-toned gray design with black, blue, and dark magenta accents sported softly rounded corners, except for the bottom right which was curved. At launch, it was sold either as a standalone unit, or [[Pack-in game|bundled]] with games like ''[[Super Mario Land]]'' and ''[[Tetris (Game Boy video game)|Tetris]]'', with accessories like carrying pouches, [[Game Boy Camera|a camera]], and [[Game Boy Printer|a printer]] available. |
The Game Boy features a [[Dot-matrix display|dot-matrix screen]] with adjustable contrast, a [[directional pad]], four game buttons, a single [[monaural]] speaker with volume control, and uses [[Game Boy Game Pak|Game Pak]] cartridges. The two-toned gray design with black, blue, and dark magenta accents sported softly rounded corners, except for the bottom right which was curved. At launch, it was sold either as a standalone unit, or [[Pack-in game|bundled]] with games like ''[[Super Mario Land]]'' and ''[[Tetris (Game Boy video game)|Tetris]]'', with accessories like carrying pouches, [[Game Boy Camera|a camera]], and [[Game Boy Printer|a printer]] available. |
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Despite mixed reviews criticizing its monochrome graphics and larger size compared to competitors like the [[Sega Game Gear]], [[Atari Lynx]], and [[NEC TurboExpress|NEC Turbo Express]], the Game Boy outsold them rapidly.<ref name="atariage">{{ |
Despite mixed reviews criticizing its monochrome graphics and larger size compared to competitors like the [[Sega Game Gear]], [[Atari Lynx]], and [[NEC TurboExpress|NEC Turbo Express]], the Game Boy outsold them rapidly.<ref name="atariage">{{Cite web |title=AtariAge – Lynx History |url=http://www.atariage.com/Lynx/history.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161201065331/http://www.atariage.com/Lynx/history.html |archive-date=December 1, 2016 |access-date=November 22, 2016 |publisher=[[Atari Age#AtariAge (website)|AtariAge]] |quote=Eventually the Lynx was squeezed out of the picture and the handheld market was dominated by the Nintendo GameBoy with the Sega Game Gear a distant second.}}</ref> It sold one million units in the United States within weeks.<ref>Kent 2001, p. 416. "According to an article in ''Time'' magazine, the one million Game Boys sent to the United States in 1989 met only half the demand for the product. That allotment sold out in a matter of weeks and its black and white (except for Konami/Factor 5 games and ''[[SeaQuest DSV (video game)|SeaQuest DSV]]''), was shown in color like the Game Gear version."</ref> An estimated 118.69 million units of the Game Boy and its successor, the [[Game Boy Color]] (1998), have been sold worldwide, making it the fourth [[List of best-selling game consoles|best-selling console]] ever. A [[cultural icon]] of the 1990s, the Game Boy received several redesigns during its lifespan, including the smaller Game Boy Pocket (1996) and the [[Backlight|backlit]] Game Boy Light (1998). Sales of Game Boy variants continued until 2003. |
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== Development == |
== Development == |
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The Game Boy was designed by the team at [[Nintendo Research & Development 1]] (R&D1), which had previously developed the [[Game & Watch]] handhelds and [[Nintendo Entertainment System games|games]].<ref name="allgame">{{ |
The Game Boy was designed by the team at [[Nintendo Research & Development 1]] (R&D1), which had previously developed the [[Game & Watch]] handhelds and [[Nintendo Entertainment System games|games]].<ref name="allgame">{{Cite web |last=Beuscher |first=Dave |title=Game Boy – Overview |url=http://www.allgame.com/platform.php?id=20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141212112812/http://www.allgame.com/platform.php?id=20 |archive-date=December 12, 2014 |access-date=September 11, 2008 |publisher=[[Allgame]] |quote=A team headed by Gumpei Yokoi{{sic}} designed the Game Boy. Yokoi had previously designed handheld games for Nintendo with the cartridge-based Game & Watch system, introduced in 1980. His staff, called Research and Development (R and D) team #1, had designed the successful NES games Metroid and Kid Icarus. What Yokoi's team did was create a hybrid of the NES and the Game & Watch systems.}}</ref><ref name="okada">{{Cite web |year=2016 |title=Satoru Okada talks Game & Watch, Game Boy and Nintendo DS development |url=http://www.japanesenintendo.com/post/155107688449 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170101232208/http://www.japanesenintendo.com/post/155107688449 |archive-date=January 1, 2017 |access-date=January 1, 2017 |website=Issue 163 |publisher=[[Retro Gamer]] Magazine}}</ref> However, early in the process, deep disagreements arose between [[Gunpei Yokoi]], the R&D1 division director, and [[Satoru Okada]], the assistant director. Yokoi's original vision was for a simpler device, akin to an advanced Game & Watch, while Okada strongly advocated for a more powerful device with interchangeable cartridges, like a portable version of the successful [[Nintendo Entertainment System]] (NES). Their differing visions for the project led to frequent clashes, heated meetings and high tensions, with Okada ultimately convincing Yokoi of his vision.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Gorges |first=Florent |title=L'Histoire de Nintendo Vol. 4: L'incroyable Histoire de la Game Boy |publisher=Omaké books |year=2019 |isbn=978-2-919603-66-4 |location=Châtillon |language=fr |trans-title=The History of Nintendo Vol.4: The Incredible History of the Game Boy}}</ref> |
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The team was encouraged to pursue the project by Nintendo president [[Hiroshi Yamauchi]], who was also known to encourage the competition between the teams. However within Nintendo, many were skeptical that such a device would be feasable. Some employees even gave the project the derogatory nickname "''Dame''Game" (''dame'' (だめ) meaning "hopeless" in Japanese).<ref>{{Cite news |last=Audureau |first=William |date=March 18, 2015 |title=NX, Ultra 64, Revolution… Petite histoire de Nintendo à travers ses noms de code |url=http://www.lemonde.fr/pixels/article/2015/03/18/nx-ultra-64-revolution-petite-histoire-de-nintendo-a-travers-ses-noms-de-code_4595183_4408996.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160817105050/http://www.lemonde.fr/pixels/article/2015/03/18/nx-ultra-64-revolution-petite-histoire-de-nintendo-a-travers-ses-noms-de-code_4595183_4408996.html |archive-date=August 17, 2016 |access-date=June 19, 2016 | |
The team was encouraged to pursue the project by Nintendo president [[Hiroshi Yamauchi]], who was also known to encourage the competition between the teams. However within Nintendo, many were skeptical that such a device would be feasable. Some employees even gave the project the derogatory nickname "''Dame''Game" (''dame'' (だめ) meaning "hopeless" in Japanese).<ref>{{Cite news |last=Audureau |first=William |date=March 18, 2015 |title=NX, Ultra 64, Revolution… Petite histoire de Nintendo à travers ses noms de code |url=http://www.lemonde.fr/pixels/article/2015/03/18/nx-ultra-64-revolution-petite-histoire-de-nintendo-a-travers-ses-noms-de-code_4595183_4408996.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160817105050/http://www.lemonde.fr/pixels/article/2015/03/18/nx-ultra-64-revolution-petite-histoire-de-nintendo-a-travers-ses-noms-de-code_4595183_4408996.html |archive-date=August 17, 2016 |access-date=June 19, 2016 |work=Le Monde.fr |language=fr |issn=1950-6244}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=駄目 |url=https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E9%A7%84%E7%9B%AE |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210515182011/https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E9%A7%84%E7%9B%AE |archive-date=May 15, 2021 |access-date=February 13, 2021 |website=Wiktionary}}</ref> |
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The codename for this nascent project was "Dot Matrix Game," (DMG) reflecting its [[Dot-matrix display|intended display technology]], a stark contrast to the limited, single-game [[Game & Watch]] series Yokoi had previously created, which had [[segment display|segmented]] LCDs pre-printed with an overlay, limiting each model to only [[dedicated console|play one game]]. The initials DMG came to be featured on the final product's model number: "DMG-001."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nintendo Game Boy information/specs |url=https://gametrog.com/nintendo-game-boy-information-specs/ |access-date=2024 |
The codename for this nascent project was "Dot Matrix Game," (DMG) reflecting its [[Dot-matrix display|intended display technology]], a stark contrast to the limited, single-game [[Game & Watch]] series Yokoi had previously created, which had [[segment display|segmented]] LCDs pre-printed with an overlay, limiting each model to only [[dedicated console|play one game]]. The initials DMG came to be featured on the final product's model number: "DMG-001."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nintendo Game Boy information/specs |url=https://gametrog.com/nintendo-game-boy-information-specs/ |access-date=May 2, 2024 |website=Gametrog |language=en-US}}</ref>{{better source needed|date=May 2024}} |
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Satoru Okada developed the Game Boy as a more portable version of the Famicom, inspired by the concept of interchangeable game cartridges. Despite initial resistance and technical challenges, Okada aimed to address the Famicom's shortcomings, such as the lack of [[Programming tool|development tools]] for [[Video game developer|third-party developers]]. Initially, a [[Ricoh]]-manufactured CPU, similar to the one used in the Famicom, was considered for compatibility. Due to resource constraints and the ongoing development of the [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|Super Famicom]], a less powerful [[Sharp Corporation|Sharp]] CPU was chosen instead. Sharp initially showed reluctance to engage in the project, particularly for the [[Liquid-crystal display|LCD]] technology, which was a critical component.<ref name="Aetas 2022">{{Cite web |last=Aetas |date=July 15, 2022 |title=ゲームボーイの生みの親・岡田 智氏が任天堂での開発者時代を語った「黒川塾 八十八(88)」聴講レポート |trans-title=Attendance report on "Kurokawa Juku 88" where Game Boy creator Satoshi Okada talks about his time as a developer at Nintendo |url=https://www.4gamer.net/games/999/G999905/20220720007/ |access-date=2024 |
Satoru Okada developed the Game Boy as a more portable version of the Famicom, inspired by the concept of interchangeable game cartridges. Despite initial resistance and technical challenges, Okada aimed to address the Famicom's shortcomings, such as the lack of [[Programming tool|development tools]] for [[Video game developer|third-party developers]]. Initially, a [[Ricoh]]-manufactured CPU, similar to the one used in the Famicom, was considered for compatibility. Due to resource constraints and the ongoing development of the [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|Super Famicom]], a less powerful [[Sharp Corporation|Sharp]] CPU was chosen instead. Sharp initially showed reluctance to engage in the project, particularly for the [[Liquid-crystal display|LCD]] technology, which was a critical component.<ref name="Aetas 2022">{{Cite web |last=Aetas |date=July 15, 2022 |title=ゲームボーイの生みの親・岡田 智氏が任天堂での開発者時代を語った「黒川塾 八十八(88)」聴講レポート |trans-title=Attendance report on "Kurokawa Juku 88" where Game Boy creator Satoshi Okada talks about his time as a developer at Nintendo |url=https://www.4gamer.net/games/999/G999905/20220720007/ |access-date=March 1, 2024 |website=4Gamer.net |language=ja}}</ref> |
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The team then considered buying LCD screens from [[Citizen Watch|Citizen]] which was already using them to build portable TVs. However, Okada continued talks with Sharp, even showing the company a prototype Game Boy. After seeing the device and wanting to keep Nintendo as a client, Sharp offered competitive pricing and secured the contract. Sharp originally proposed a [[Twisted nematic field effect|twisted nematic]] (TN) display, but after seeing a mockup, Yamauchi rejected the TN technology as too hard to see. Sharp then suggested [[STN display|super-twisted nematic]] (STN) technology, which had better viewing angles and contrast, but was more expensive. To reduce cost, the team reduced the screen size, however, it was too late in the development process to shrink the console's overall size.<ref name="Aetas 2022" /><ref name="Kurokawa 2022">{{Cite news |last=Kurokawa |first=Fumio |date=March 29, 2022 |title=元任天堂・岡田 智氏の独立独歩 後編 ひたすらに意志を貫いたゲームボーイ&ゲームボーイアドバンス開発 「ビデオゲームの語り部たち」:第28部 |trans-title=Former Nintendo employee Satoshi Okada's independent career, Part 2: The development of the Game Boy and Game Boy Advance with single-minded determination |url=https://www.4gamer.net/games/999/G999905/20220316093/ |access-date=2024 |
The team then considered buying LCD screens from [[Citizen Watch|Citizen]] which was already using them to build portable TVs. However, Okada continued talks with Sharp, even showing the company a prototype Game Boy. After seeing the device and wanting to keep Nintendo as a client, Sharp offered competitive pricing and secured the contract. Sharp originally proposed a [[Twisted nematic field effect|twisted nematic]] (TN) display, but after seeing a mockup, Yamauchi rejected the TN technology as too hard to see. Sharp then suggested [[STN display|super-twisted nematic]] (STN) technology, which had better viewing angles and contrast, but was more expensive. To reduce cost, the team reduced the screen size, however, it was too late in the development process to shrink the console's overall size.<ref name="Aetas 2022" /><ref name="Kurokawa 2022">{{Cite news |last=Kurokawa |first=Fumio |date=March 29, 2022 |title=元任天堂・岡田 智氏の独立独歩 後編 ひたすらに意志を貫いたゲームボーイ&ゲームボーイアドバンス開発 「ビデオゲームの語り部たち」:第28部 |trans-title=Former Nintendo employee Satoshi Okada's independent career, Part 2: The development of the Game Boy and Game Boy Advance with single-minded determination |url=https://www.4gamer.net/games/999/G999905/20220316093/ |access-date=March 2, 2024 |work=4Gamer.net |language=ja}}</ref> |
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Gunpei Yokoi emphasized the importance of affordability and reliability over cutting-edge technology. This approach, named "[[Lateral thinking|Lateral Thinking]] with Withered Technology" ({{Lang-ja|枯れた技術の水平思考|translit=Kareta Gijutsu no Suihei Shikō}}) involved the innovative use of existing, mature technology to create new products. To keep costs low and extend battery life, the Game Boy was designed without a [[backlight]] and used a simple grayscale screen, despite potential concerns about visibility and the lack of color.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ryan |first=Jeff |title=Super Mario: How Nintendo conquered America |publisher=Portfolio / Penguin |year=2011 |isbn=9781591844051 |pages=102–105 |language=en}}</ref> Okada, who had previously worked on an electronic game called ''[[Computer Mah-jong Yakuman]]'' that allowed cable communication between two devices, thought it would be possible to implement a similar feature in the Game Boy. Despite concerns within the company that the feature would be too difficult to use and thus a waste of resources, as many believed it would not be used, Okada pushed forward and developed a communication library himself. This effort led to the creation of the "battle" and "trade" gameplay features in [[Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow|''Pokémon'']], released in 1996.<ref name="Aetas 2022" /> |
Gunpei Yokoi emphasized the importance of affordability and reliability over cutting-edge technology. This approach, named "[[Lateral thinking|Lateral Thinking]] with Withered Technology" ({{Lang-ja|枯れた技術の水平思考|translit=Kareta Gijutsu no Suihei Shikō}}) involved the innovative use of existing, mature technology to create new products. To keep costs low and extend battery life, the Game Boy was designed without a [[backlight]] and used a simple grayscale screen, despite potential concerns about visibility and the lack of color.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ryan |first=Jeff |title=Super Mario: How Nintendo conquered America |publisher=Portfolio / Penguin |year=2011 |isbn=9781591844051 |pages=102–105 |language=en}}</ref> Okada, who had previously worked on an electronic game called ''[[Computer Mah-jong Yakuman]]'' that allowed cable communication between two devices, thought it would be possible to implement a similar feature in the Game Boy. Despite concerns within the company that the feature would be too difficult to use and thus a waste of resources, as many believed it would not be used, Okada pushed forward and developed a communication library himself. This effort led to the creation of the "battle" and "trade" gameplay features in [[Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow|''Pokémon'']], released in 1996.<ref name="Aetas 2022" /> |
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Game Boy was unveiled as a prototype in 1987 and later exhibited at multiple industry trade shows. The device incorporated a key design element from its predecessor, the [[Game & Watch]]: the 8-way directional control pad, often referred to as the "[[D-pad]]". The concept was developed by Gunpei Yokoi and his team at R&D1. Yokoi recognized that traditional joysticks might hinder the portability of handheld devices. As a result, he designed the D-pad – a flat controller that would not extend beyond the handheld device's casing.<ref name="hardware_handbook_1">{{ |
Game Boy was unveiled as a prototype in 1987 and later exhibited at multiple industry trade shows. The device incorporated a key design element from its predecessor, the [[Game & Watch]]: the 8-way directional control pad, often referred to as the "[[D-pad]]". The concept was developed by Gunpei Yokoi and his team at R&D1. Yokoi recognized that traditional joysticks might hinder the portability of handheld devices. As a result, he designed the D-pad – a flat controller that would not extend beyond the handheld device's casing.<ref name="hardware_handbook_1">{{Cite magazine |last=McFerran |first=Damien |date=2016 |title=Game Boy |magazine=[[Retro Gamer|Videogames Hardware Handbook Vol 1. (2nd RE)]] |pages=157–163}}</ref> Hiroshi Yamauchi estimated that the console would achieve sales exceeding 25 million units in its initial three years, a claim that was regarded as bold for that period.<ref name="hardware_handbook_1" /> |
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Nintendo's philosophy centered on the belief that the appeal of a gaming system was primarily determined by the quality of its games. With this in mind, Gunpei Yokoi and Satoru Okada developed ''[[Super Mario Land]]'', a portable adaptation of the ''[[Super Mario Bros.]]'' game, intending it to be the flagship title for the Game Boy.<ref name="Fahs">{{ |
Nintendo's philosophy centered on the belief that the appeal of a gaming system was primarily determined by the quality of its games. With this in mind, Gunpei Yokoi and Satoru Okada developed ''[[Super Mario Land]]'', a portable adaptation of the ''[[Super Mario Bros.]]'' game, intending it to be the flagship title for the Game Boy.<ref name="Fahs">{{Cite web |last=Fahs |first=Travis |date=July 27, 2009 |title=IGN Presents the History of Game Boy |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2009/07/27/ign-presents-the-history-of-game-boy |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230219134710/https://www.ign.com/articles/2009/07/27/ign-presents-the-history-of-game-boy |archive-date=February 19, 2023 |access-date=October 2, 2013 |website=IGN |publisher=IGN Entertainment, Inc. |page=2}}</ref> However, [[Henk Rogers]] brought the Soviet Union-made game, ''[[Tetris (Game Boy video game)|Tetris]]'', to the attention of [[Nintendo of America]]. Despite its simple graphics and lack of a well-known brand, ''Tetris'''s suitability for a handheld platform convinced Nintendo president [[Minoru Arakawa]] to port and bundle it with the Game Boy. As a result, ''Tetris'' was bundled with the Game Boy in every region except Japan on its release.<ref name="hardware_handbook_1" /> |
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The Game Boy launched in the Japanese market in April 1989 followed by North America in July, and Europe in September of the following year,<ref name="Fahs" /> backed by a $10 million marketing effort.<ref>{{ |
The Game Boy launched in the Japanese market in April 1989 followed by North America in July, and Europe in September of the following year,<ref name="Fahs" /> backed by a $10 million marketing effort.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Shiver |first=Jube |date=November 29, 1989 |title=Hardly Playing Games : Toys: It's serious business as Nintendo's Game Boy goes head to head with Atari's Lynx. The products differ, but both firms hope to expand beyond the traditional teen male market |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-11-20-fi-193-story.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211214142448/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-11-20-fi-193-story.html |archive-date=December 14, 2021 |access-date=December 14, 2021 |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]}}</ref> Sales of the Game Boy and its successor variants (including the [[Game Boy Color]]) continued until March 2003.<ref name="consolidatedsales" /> |
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== Hardware == |
== Hardware == |
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[[File:Nintendo Game Boy DMG-01 - board with card slot-9880.jpg|thumb|The original Game Boy motherboard<br />([[commons:File:Nintendo Game Boy DMG-01 - board with card slot-9880.jpg|Annotated version]])]] |
[[File:Nintendo Game Boy DMG-01 - board with card slot-9880.jpg|thumb|The original Game Boy motherboard<br />([[commons:File:Nintendo Game Boy DMG-01 - board with card slot-9880.jpg|Annotated version]])]] |
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The Game Boy uses a custom [[system on a chip]] (SoC), to house most of the components, named the DMG-CPU by Nintendo and the LR35902 by its manufacturer, the [[Sharp Corporation]]<ref name="Copetti 2019">{{Cite web |last=Copetti |first=Rodrigo |date=February 21, 2019 |title=Game Boy / Color Architecture - A Practical Analysis |url=https://www.copetti.org/writings/consoles/game-boy/ |access-date= |
The Game Boy uses a custom [[system on a chip]] (SoC), to house most of the components, named the DMG-CPU by Nintendo and the LR35902 by its manufacturer, the [[Sharp Corporation]]<ref name="Copetti 2019">{{Cite web |last=Copetti |first=Rodrigo |date=February 21, 2019 |title=Game Boy / Color Architecture - A Practical Analysis |url=https://www.copetti.org/writings/consoles/game-boy/ |access-date=April 29, 2024 |language=en}}</ref> |
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Within the DMG-CPU, the main processor is a Sharp SM83,<ref name="gekkio 2024">{{Cite web |last=Javanainen |first=Joonas |date=April 23, 2024 |title=Game Boy: Complete Technical Reference |url=https://gekkio.fi/files/gb-docs/gbctr.pdf |website=gekkio.fi}}</ref> a hybrid between two other [[8-bit computing|8-bit]] processors: the [[Intel 8080]] and the [[Zilog Z80]]. The SM83 uses the Z80's programming syntax and extra [[bit manipulation]] instructions, but it only has the seven 8-bit [[Processor register|registers]] of the 8080 (compared to 14 on the Z80), it also adds a few new instructions to optimize the processor for certain operations related to the way the hardware was arranged.<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 2, 2013 |title=The Nintendo Game Boy, Part 1: The Intel 8080 and the Zilog Z80. |url=https://realboyemulator.wordpress.com/2013/01/01/the-nintendo-game-boy-1/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220510190547/https://realboyemulator.wordpress.com/2013/01/01/the-nintendo-game-boy-1/ |archive-date=May 10, 2022 |access-date=August 29, 2017 |publisher=RealBoy}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=CPU Comparison with Z80 |url=https://gbdev.io/pandocs/CPU_Comparison_with_Z80 |access-date= |
Within the DMG-CPU, the main processor is a Sharp SM83,<ref name="gekkio 2024">{{Cite web |last=Javanainen |first=Joonas |date=April 23, 2024 |title=Game Boy: Complete Technical Reference |url=https://gekkio.fi/files/gb-docs/gbctr.pdf |website=gekkio.fi}}</ref> a hybrid between two other [[8-bit computing|8-bit]] processors: the [[Intel 8080]] and the [[Zilog Z80]]. The SM83 uses the Z80's programming syntax and extra [[bit manipulation]] instructions, but it only has the seven 8-bit [[Processor register|registers]] of the 8080 (compared to 14 on the Z80), it also adds a few new instructions to optimize the processor for certain operations related to the way the hardware was arranged.<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 2, 2013 |title=The Nintendo Game Boy, Part 1: The Intel 8080 and the Zilog Z80. |url=https://realboyemulator.wordpress.com/2013/01/01/the-nintendo-game-boy-1/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220510190547/https://realboyemulator.wordpress.com/2013/01/01/the-nintendo-game-boy-1/ |archive-date=May 10, 2022 |access-date=August 29, 2017 |publisher=RealBoy}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=CPU Comparison with Z80 |url=https://gbdev.io/pandocs/CPU_Comparison_with_Z80 |access-date=April 29, 2024 |website=Pan Docs |language=en}}</ref> The Sharp SM83 operates at a [[clock rate]] of 4.194304 MHz.<ref name="Copetti 2019" /> |
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The DMG-CPU also incorporates the ''Picture Processing Unit'' (PPU), essentially a basic [[GPU]], that renders visuals using an 8 KB bank of [[Video RAM (dual-ported DRAM)|Video RAM]] located on the motherboard.<ref name="Copetti 2019" /> The display itself is a 2.5-inch (diagonal) reflective [[super-twisted nematic display|super-twisted nematic]] (STN) monochrome [[liquid-crystal display]] (LCD), measuring {{Convert|47|mm|sp=us}} wide by {{Convert|43|mm|sp=us}} high. The screen can render four shades with a resolution of 160 [[pixel]]s wide by 144 pixels high in a 10:9 [[aspect ratio (image)|aspect ratio]].<ref name="Dimensions" /><ref name="Fruttenboel Gameboy Section">{{ |
The DMG-CPU also incorporates the ''Picture Processing Unit'' (PPU), essentially a basic [[GPU]], that renders visuals using an 8 KB bank of [[Video RAM (dual-ported DRAM)|Video RAM]] located on the motherboard.<ref name="Copetti 2019" /> The display itself is a 2.5-inch (diagonal) reflective [[super-twisted nematic display|super-twisted nematic]] (STN) monochrome [[liquid-crystal display]] (LCD), measuring {{Convert|47|mm|sp=us}} wide by {{Convert|43|mm|sp=us}} high. The screen can render four shades with a resolution of 160 [[pixel]]s wide by 144 pixels high in a 10:9 [[aspect ratio (image)|aspect ratio]].<ref name="Dimensions" /><ref name="Fruttenboel Gameboy Section">{{Cite web |last=Fruttenboel Gameboy Section |date=August 22, 2009 |title=GameBoy : Using the GameBoy skeleton for serious business (Interrupt Descriptions) |url=http://verhoeven272.nl/cgi-bin/FSgz?fruttenboel%2FGameboy&Fruttenboel+Gameboy+section&GBtop&GBspec&GBcontent |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140921002517/http://verhoeven272.nl/cgi-bin/FSgz?fruttenboel%2FGameboy&Fruttenboel+Gameboy+section&GBtop&GBspec&GBcontent |archive-date=September 21, 2014 |access-date=March 25, 2010}}</ref> |
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The SoC also contains the ''Audio Processing Unit'', a [[programmable sound generator]] with two pulse wave channels, a wave channel with user-definable waveform and a pseudo-random noise channel,<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 5, 2008 |title=Game Boy – 8bc Chiptune Wiki |url=http://www.8bitcollective.com/wiki/index.php?title=Game_Boy#Sound |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080221140919/http://8bitcollective.com/wiki/index.php?title=Game_Boy#Sound |archive-date=February 21, 2008 |access-date=March 26, 2009}}</ref> along with 127 B of High RAM (similar to a [[CPU cache]]) that can be accessed faster and a 256 B "bootstrap" ROM which is used to start up the device.<ref>{{Cite web |last=GameBoy Development Wiki |date=November 12, 2009 |title=Gameboy Bootstrap ROM |url=http://gbdev.gg8.se/wiki/index.php?title=Gameboy_Bootstrap_ROM&oldid=192 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100818180456/http://gbdev.gg8.se/wiki/index.php?title=Gameboy_Bootstrap_ROM&oldid=192 |archive-date=August 18, 2010 |access-date=October 24, 2010}}</ref> The motherboard also contains a 8 KB "working [[random access memory|RAM]]" chip.<ref name="Copetti 2019" /> |
The SoC also contains the ''Audio Processing Unit'', a [[programmable sound generator]] with two pulse wave channels, a wave channel with user-definable waveform and a pseudo-random noise channel,<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 5, 2008 |title=Game Boy – 8bc Chiptune Wiki |url=http://www.8bitcollective.com/wiki/index.php?title=Game_Boy#Sound |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080221140919/http://8bitcollective.com/wiki/index.php?title=Game_Boy#Sound |archive-date=February 21, 2008 |access-date=March 26, 2009}}</ref> along with 127 B of High RAM (similar to a [[CPU cache]]) that can be accessed faster and a 256 B "bootstrap" ROM which is used to start up the device.<ref>{{Cite web |last=GameBoy Development Wiki |date=November 12, 2009 |title=Gameboy Bootstrap ROM |url=http://gbdev.gg8.se/wiki/index.php?title=Gameboy_Bootstrap_ROM&oldid=192 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100818180456/http://gbdev.gg8.se/wiki/index.php?title=Gameboy_Bootstrap_ROM&oldid=192 |archive-date=August 18, 2010 |access-date=October 24, 2010}}</ref> The motherboard also contains a 8 KB "working [[random access memory|RAM]]" chip.<ref name="Copetti 2019" /> |
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The Game Boy features a [[D-pad]] (directional pad), four buttons labeled 'A,' 'B,' 'SELECT,' and 'START,' and a sliding on-off switch with a cartridge lock to prevent accidental removal. The volume and [[contrast (vision)|contrast]] are adjusted by dials on either side.<ref>Owner's Manual, pp. 3–4. "(3) Game Pak slot — Insert the Nintendo GAME BOY Game Pak here. (See page 7 for instructions on inserting Game Pak)"</ref><ref>Owner's Manual, pp. 4–5. "(5) Volume dial (VOL) — Adjusts the sound volume…(7)Contrast adjustment (CONTRAST) — Adjusts the contrast of the display."</ref> |
The Game Boy features a [[D-pad]] (directional pad), four buttons labeled 'A,' 'B,' 'SELECT,' and 'START,' and a sliding on-off switch with a cartridge lock to prevent accidental removal. The volume and [[contrast (vision)|contrast]] are adjusted by dials on either side.<ref>Owner's Manual, pp. 3–4. "(3) Game Pak slot — Insert the Nintendo GAME BOY Game Pak here. (See page 7 for instructions on inserting Game Pak)"</ref><ref>Owner's Manual, pp. 4–5. "(5) Volume dial (VOL) — Adjusts the sound volume…(7)Contrast adjustment (CONTRAST) — Adjusts the contrast of the display."</ref> |
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The original Game Boy was powered internally by four [[AA battery|AA]] [[battery (electricity)|batteries]].<ref>Owner's Manual, p. 4. "(2) External power supply jack — You can connect a Rechargeable Battery Pack (sold separately) for longer play."</ref> For extended use, an optional AC adapter or rechargeable battery pack can be connected via a [[coaxial power connector]] on the left side.<ref name="Nintendo Game Boy (DMG-001)">{{ |
The original Game Boy was powered internally by four [[AA battery|AA]] [[battery (electricity)|batteries]].<ref>Owner's Manual, p. 4. "(2) External power supply jack — You can connect a Rechargeable Battery Pack (sold separately) for longer play."</ref> For extended use, an optional AC adapter or rechargeable battery pack can be connected via a [[coaxial power connector]] on the left side.<ref name="Nintendo Game Boy (DMG-001)">{{Cite web |year=2006 |title=Nintendo Game Boy (DMG-001) |url=http://www.vidgame.net/NINTENDO/GB.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080211181421/http://www.vidgame.net/NINTENDO/GB.html |archive-date=February 11, 2008 |access-date=August 22, 2006 |website=Vidgame.net}}</ref> The Game Boy has a single [[monaural]] speaker and a [[Phone connector (audio)|3.5 mm stereo headphone jack]] on the bottom allows for private listening.<ref>Owner's Manual, p. 5. "(10) Headphone jack (PHONES) — Connect the stereo headphones that come with the GAME BOY to enjoy the impressive sounds of games without disturbing others around you...."</ref> |
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The right side offers a [[Game Link Cable]] port for connecting to another Game Boy for two-player games or, notably in [[Pokémon (video game series)|''Pokémon'']], sharing files.<ref>{{ |
The right side offers a [[Game Link Cable]] port for connecting to another Game Boy for two-player games or, notably in [[Pokémon (video game series)|''Pokémon'']], sharing files.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Masuyama |first=Meguro |title=''Game On'' |title-link=Game On (exhibition) |publisher=Universe Publishing |year=2002 |isbn=0-7893-0778-2 |editor-last=Lucien King |location=[[New York City|New York, NY]] |page=39 |chapter=Pokémon as Japanese Culture? |quote=''Pokémon'' allowed more than metaphorical communication; it made use of a system that created actual communication — a network game.}}</ref><ref>Owner's Manual, pp. 4, 8. "(4) Extension connector (EXT CONNECTOR) — Connects to other GAME BOY…Do not insert different games in the interconnected Game Boys."</ref> This port can also be used with a [[Game Boy Printer]]. |
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=== Technical specifications === |
=== Technical specifications === |
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{| class="wikitable sticky-header" |
{| class="wikitable sticky-header" |
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! |
! |
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!Game Boy<ref name="Dimensions">{{ |
!Game Boy<ref name="Dimensions">{{Cite web |last=Amos |first=Evan |year=1989 |title=GameBoy : User Manual, Page 12 |url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/30348074@N00/5439992398/in/set-72157626034398554/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629131839/http://www.flickr.com/photos/30348074@N00/5439992398/in/set-72157626034398554/ |archive-date=June 29, 2011 |access-date=February 12, 2011 |publisher=Nintendo of America}}</ref><ref name="Technical data">{{Cite web |title=Technical data |url=https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Support/Game-Boy-Pocket-Color/Product-information/Technical-data/Technical-data-619585.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207100304/https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Support/Game-Boy-Pocket-Color/Product-information/Technical-data/Technical-data-619585.html |archive-date=February 7, 2023 |access-date=February 4, 2018 |website=Nintendo of Europe GmbH |language=en-GB}}</ref> |
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!Game Boy Pocket<ref name=" |
!Game Boy Pocket<ref name="Technical data" /> |
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!Game Boy Light |
!Game Boy Light |
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|2.5-inch FSTN LCD with [[Electroluminescence|electroluminescent]] backlight |
|2.5-inch FSTN LCD with [[Electroluminescence|electroluminescent]] backlight |
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|- |
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!Screen size (playable)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Game Boy Versions |url=https://www.retrorgb.com/gbversions.html |access-date=2024 |
!Screen size (playable)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Game Boy Versions |url=https://www.retrorgb.com/gbversions.html |access-date=May 6, 2024 |website=RetroRGB |language=en-US}}</ref> |
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|{{cvt|45.5|x|41.5|mm}} |
|{{cvt|45.5|x|41.5|mm}} |
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|{{cvt|47.5|x|42.5|mm}} |
|{{cvt|47.5|x|42.5|mm}} |
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![[Frame rate]] |
![[Frame rate]] |
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|colspan=3|59.727500569606 [[Hertz|Hz]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=TASVideos / Platform Framerates |url=http://tasvideos.org/PlatformFramerates.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200229184750/http://tasvideos.org/PlatformFramerates.html |archive-date=February 29, 2020 |access-date= |
|colspan=3|59.727500569606 [[Hertz|Hz]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=TASVideos / Platform Framerates |url=http://tasvideos.org/PlatformFramerates.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200229184750/http://tasvideos.org/PlatformFramerates.html |archive-date=February 29, 2020 |access-date=February 29, 2020 |website=tasvideos.org}}</ref> |
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!Color support |
!Color support |
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=== Play It Loud! edition === |
=== Play It Loud! edition === |
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[[File:Game Boy Play It Loud! Transparent American Edition.png|thumb|120px|Clear "Play It Loud!" edition]] |
[[File:Game Boy Play It Loud! Transparent American Edition.png|thumb|120px|Clear "Play It Loud!" edition]] |
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On March 20, 1995, Nintendo released several special edition Game Boy models with colored cases, advertising them in the "Play It Loud!" campaign,<ref>{{ |
On March 20, 1995, Nintendo released several special edition Game Boy models with colored cases, advertising them in the "Play It Loud!" campaign,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Color it loud with hot new Game Boys; Game Boy reflects players own style with five exciting new colors |url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Color+it+loud+with+hot+new+Game+Boys%3B+Game+Boy+reflects+players+own...-a016001521 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131102052451/http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Color+it+loud+with+hot+new+Game+Boys%3B+Game+Boy+reflects+players+own...-a016001521 |archive-date=November 2, 2013 |access-date=November 3, 2009}}</ref> known in Japan as {{nihongo foot|'''Game Boy Bros.'''|ゲームボーイブラザーズ||lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} Play It Loud! units were manufactured in red, yellow, green, blue black, white, and clear (transparent),<ref name="Oxford 2019">{{Cite web |last=Oxford |first=David |date=February 14, 2019 |title=Boy, Oh Game Boy: Play It Loud! |url=https://www.oldschoolgamermagazine.com/boy-oh-game-boy-play-it-loud/ |access-date=October 28, 2023 |website=Old School Gamer Magazine}}</ref> also referred to as "x-ray".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gavin |first=Michael |date=June 8, 2017 |title=Retro Retail: Game Boy, the original 8-bit wonder of the handheld world |url=https://insidethemagic.net/2017/06/retro-retail-game-boy-original-8-bit-wonder-handheld-world/ |access-date=October 28, 2023 |website=Inside the Magic}}</ref> The Play It Loud's screens also have a darker border than the normal Game Boy.<ref name="Oxford 2019" /> |
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=== Revisions === |
=== Revisions === |
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| direction = vertical |
| direction = vertical |
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}} |
}} |
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On July 21, 1996, Nintendo released the Game Boy Pocket in Japan and on September 3, 1996 in North America for {{USD|69.99|1996}}.<ref>{{Cite web |
On July 21, 1996, Nintendo released the Game Boy Pocket in Japan and on September 3, 1996, in North America for {{USD|69.99|1996}}.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1998 Sears Christmas Book, Page 161 – Christmas Catalogs & Holiday Wishbooks |url=https://christmas.musetechnical.com/ShowCatalogPage/1998-Sears-Christmas-Book/161 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200731214935/https://christmas.musetechnical.com/ShowCatalogPage/1998-Sears-Christmas-Book/161 |archive-date=July 31, 2020 |access-date=December 1, 2019 |website=christmas.musetechnical.com}}</ref> The Game Boy Pocket was a smaller, lighter unit that required just two smaller [[AAA batteries]], which provide approximately 10 hours of gameplay.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=July 1996 |title=The Incredible Shrinking Game Boy Pocket |magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]] |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]] |page=16 |issue=84}}</ref> The Pocket has a smaller [[Game Link Cable]] port, which requires an adapter to link with the original Game Boy. This smaller port design would be used on all subsequent Game Boy models. The screen was changed to an [[FSTN|film compensated super-twisted nematic]] (FSTN) LCD. This film compensation layer produced a true black-and-white display, rather than the green hues of the original Game Boy.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=August 1996 |title=Game Boy Relaunched |magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]] |publisher=[[Imagine Media]] |page=26 |issue=20}}</ref> The screen also had notably improved visibility and pixel response-time (mostly eliminating [[Motion blur|ghosting]]).<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=December 1996 |title=Pocket Cool |magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]] |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]] |page=204 |issue=89}}</ref> The first version did not have a power LED, but was soon added due to public demand. Addtionally, different case colors were introduced after April 28, 1997.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=May 1997 |title=Tidbits... |magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]] |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]] |page=19 |issue=94}}</ref> |
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==== Game Boy Light ==== |
==== Game Boy Light ==== |
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| direction = vertical |
| direction = vertical |
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}} |
}} |
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The Game Boy Light was released on April 14, 1998, and was only available in Japan. Like the Game Boy Pocket, the system was priced at {{JPY|6800|1998}}.<ref name=EGM105>{{ |
The Game Boy Light was released on April 14, 1998, and was only available in Japan. Like the Game Boy Pocket, the system was priced at {{JPY|6800|1998}}.<ref name="EGM105">{{Cite magazine |date=April 1998 |title=Game Boy Lights Up |magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]] |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]] |page=26 |issue=105}}</ref> The Game Boy Light is slightly bigger than the Game Boy Pocket and features an [[Electroluminescence|electroluminescent]] backlight allowing it to be played in low-light conditions. It uses two AA batteries, which give it approximately 12 gameplay hours with the [[backlight]] on and 20 with it off.<ref name="EGM105" /> It was available in two standard colors: gold and silver.<ref name="EGM105" /><ref>{{Cite web |script-title=ja:ゲームボーイライト |url=https://www.nintendo.co.jp/n02/dmg/hardware/light/index.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19980530125425/http://www.nintendo.co.jp/n02/dmg/hardware/light/index.html |archive-date=May 30, 1998 |access-date=November 3, 2009 |publisher=[[Nintendo]] |language=ja}}</ref> |
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== Games == |
== Games == |
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| {{yes}} |
| {{yes}} |
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| ''[[Yakuman (video game)|Yakuman]]''<ref name="mobygames">{{ |
| ''[[Yakuman (video game)|Yakuman]]''<ref name="mobygames">{{Cite web |title=Yakuman for Game Boy (1989) – MobyGames |url=http://www.mobygames.com/game/gameboy/yakuman |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160630040755/http://www.mobygames.com/game/gameboy/yakuman |archive-date=June 30, 2016 |access-date=December 30, 2016}}</ref> |
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| {{yes}} |
| {{yes}} |
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| {{no}} |
| {{no}} |
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Various Game Boy and Color games have been re-released on newer Nintendo consoles through its digital distribution services. On June 6, 2011, Nintendo launched the [[Virtual Console]] service on the [[Nintendo 3DS]] handheld system. All releases (aside from the ''Pokémon'' games) do not support multiplayer.{{Citation needed|date=October 2023}} |
Various Game Boy and Color games have been re-released on newer Nintendo consoles through its digital distribution services. On June 6, 2011, Nintendo launched the [[Virtual Console]] service on the [[Nintendo 3DS]] handheld system. All releases (aside from the ''Pokémon'' games) do not support multiplayer.{{Citation needed|date=October 2023}} |
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On February 8, 2023, Nintendo announced the introduction of Game Boy/Color games to its [[Nintendo Switch Online]] service.<ref>{{ |
On February 8, 2023, Nintendo announced the introduction of Game Boy/Color games to its [[Nintendo Switch Online]] service.<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 8, 2023 |title=Nintendo is adding Game Boy and Game Boy Advance games to Switch Online today |url=https://www.engadget.com/nintendo-switch-online-game-boy-tetris-mario-zelda-224822629.html}}</ref> |
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== Reception == |
== Reception == |
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=== Critical reception === |
=== Critical reception === |
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Though it was less technically advanced than [[Game Gear|Sega's Game Gear]], [[Atari Lynx|Atari's Lynx]] and other competitors, notably by not supporting color, the Game Boy's lower price along with longer battery life made it much more successful.<ref name="maher20161222">{{Cite web |last=Maher |first=Jimmy |date=December 22, 2016 |title=A Time of Endings, Part 2: Epyx |url=http://www.filfre.net/2016/12/a-time-of-endings-part-2-epyx/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161223132701/http://www.filfre.net/2016/12/a-time-of-endings-part-2-epyx/ |archive-date=December 23, 2016 |access-date=December 23, 2016 |website=The Digital Antiquarian}}</ref> In its first two weeks in Japan, from its release on April 21, 1989, the entire stock of 300,000 units was sold; a few months later on July 31, 1989, 40,000 units were sold on its first release day.<ref name="Fahs" /> More than 118.69 million units of the Game Boy and Game Boy Color combined have been sold worldwide, with 32.47 million units in [[Japan]], 44.06 million in the [[Americas]], and 42.16 million in other regions.<ref name="consolidatedsales" /> By Japanese [[fiscal year]] 1997, before Game Boy Color's release in late 1998, 64.42 million units of the Game Boy had been sold worldwide.<ref name="consolidatedsales" /><ref name="bweek">{{ |
Though it was less technically advanced than [[Game Gear|Sega's Game Gear]], [[Atari Lynx|Atari's Lynx]] and other competitors, notably by not supporting color, the Game Boy's lower price along with longer battery life made it much more successful.<ref name="maher20161222">{{Cite web |last=Maher |first=Jimmy |date=December 22, 2016 |title=A Time of Endings, Part 2: Epyx |url=http://www.filfre.net/2016/12/a-time-of-endings-part-2-epyx/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161223132701/http://www.filfre.net/2016/12/a-time-of-endings-part-2-epyx/ |archive-date=December 23, 2016 |access-date=December 23, 2016 |website=The Digital Antiquarian}}</ref> In its first two weeks in Japan, from its release on April 21, 1989, the entire stock of 300,000 units was sold; a few months later on July 31, 1989, 40,000 units were sold on its first release day.<ref name="Fahs" /> More than 118.69 million units of the Game Boy and Game Boy Color combined have been sold worldwide, with 32.47 million units in [[Japan]], 44.06 million in the [[Americas]], and 42.16 million in other regions.<ref name="consolidatedsales" /> By Japanese [[fiscal year]] 1997, before Game Boy Color's release in late 1998, 64.42 million units of the Game Boy had been sold worldwide.<ref name="consolidatedsales" /><ref name="bweek">{{Cite web |title=A Brief History of Game Console Warfare: Game Boy |url=http://images.businessweek.com/ss/06/10/game_consoles/source/7.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070509094404/http://images.businessweek.com/ss/06/10/game_consoles/source/7.htm |archive-date=May 9, 2007 |access-date=July 30, 2008 |website=[[Bloomberg Businessweek|BusinessWeek]] |publisher=[[McGraw-Hill]] |quote=Game Boy and Game Boy Color's combined lifetime sales reached 118.7 million worldwide, according to Nintendo's latest annual report.}}</ref> At a March 14, 1994, press conference in [[San Francisco]], Nintendo vice president of marketing Peter Main answered queries about when Nintendo was coming out with a color handheld system by stating that sales of the Game Boy were strong enough that it had decided to hold off on developing a successor handheld for the near future.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=August 1994 |title=Cart Queries |magazine=[[GamePro]] |publisher=[[International Data Group|IDG]] |page=14 |issue=71}}</ref> |
||
In 1995, Nintendo of America announced that 46% of Game Boy players were female, which was higher than the percentage of [[Women and video games|female players]] for both the [[Nintendo Entertainment System]] (29%) and [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]] (14%).<ref>{{ |
In 1995, Nintendo of America announced that 46% of Game Boy players were female, which was higher than the percentage of [[Women and video games|female players]] for both the [[Nintendo Entertainment System]] (29%) and [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]] (14%).<ref>{{Cite news |date=January 15, 1995 |title=Makers Of Games Focus On Girls |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=AUNWAAAAIBAJ&pg=1966,3565771 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170325000543/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=AUNWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=kuoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1966,3565771 |archive-date=March 25, 2017 |access-date=March 18, 2012 |work=[[The Gainesville Sun]] |page=15}}</ref> In 2009, the Game Boy was inducted into the [[National Toy Hall of Fame]], 20 years after its introduction.<ref>{{Cite web |title=''Ball, Game Boy, Big Wheel enter toy hall of fame'', retrieved 5 Nov 2009 |url=http://www.rbj.net/article.asp?aID=181826 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717232724/http://www.rbj.net/article.asp?aID=181826 |archive-date=July 17, 2011 |access-date=August 3, 2010 |publisher=Rbj.net}}</ref> |
||
The console received mixed reviews from critics. In a 1997 year-end review, a team of four ''[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]'' editors gave the Game Boy scores of 7.5, 7.0, 8.0, and 2.0. Sushi-X (who contributed the 2.0) panned the system due to its black-and-white display and [[motion blur]], while his three co-reviewers praised its long battery life and strong games library, as well as the sleek, conveniently pocket-sized design of the new Game Boy Pocket model.<ref>{{ |
The console received mixed reviews from critics. In a 1997 year-end review, a team of four ''[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]'' editors gave the Game Boy scores of 7.5, 7.0, 8.0, and 2.0. Sushi-X (who contributed the 2.0) panned the system due to its black-and-white display and [[motion blur]], while his three co-reviewers praised its long battery life and strong games library, as well as the sleek, conveniently pocket-sized design of the new Game Boy Pocket model.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=March 1998 |title=EGM's Special Report: Which System Is Best? |magazine=1998 Video Game Buyer's Guide |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]] |page=58}}</ref> |
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=== Sales === |
=== Sales === |
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=== Bibliography === |
=== Bibliography === |
||
* {{Cite book |title=Game Boy Compact Video Game System Owner's Manual |publisher=[[Nintendo]] |year=1989 |id=DMG-GB-UKV}} |
* {{Cite book |title=Game Boy Compact Video Game System Owner's Manual |publisher=[[Nintendo]] |year=1989 |id=DMG-GB-UKV}} |
||
* {{ |
* {{Cite book |last=Kent |first=Steven L. |title=[[The Ultimate History of Video Games]] |publisher=Prima Publishing |year=2001 |isbn=0-7615-3643-4 |edition=1st |location=Roseville, CA |authorlink=Steven L. Kent}} |
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* {{us patent|D318884|Hand-held electronic game – Design patent for the case}} |
* {{us patent|D318884|Hand-held electronic game – Design patent for the case}} |
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Line 303: | Line 302: | ||
*{{curlie|Games/Video_Games/Console_Platforms/Nintendo/Game_Boy}} |
*{{curlie|Games/Video_Games/Console_Platforms/Nintendo/Game_Boy}} |
||
*[https://archive.org/download/GameBoyProgManVer1.1/GameBoyProgManVer1.1.pdf Game Boy Development Manual] |
*[https://archive.org/download/GameBoyProgManVer1.1/GameBoyProgManVer1.1.pdf Game Boy Development Manual] |
||
*{{ |
*{{Cite web |last=Shirriff |first=Ken |date=June 2020 |title=Reverse-engineering and comparing two Game Boy audio amplifier chips |url=http://www.righto.com/2020/06/reverse-engineering-and-comparing-two.html}} |
||
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110128120244/http://www.gameboy.com/ Archived Former Official website] |
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110128120244/http://www.gameboy.com/ Archived Former Official website] |
Revision as of 23:19, 7 May 2024
![]() | |
![]() An original Game Boy | |
Also known as | DMG-001
|
---|---|
Developer | Nintendo R&D1 |
Manufacturer | Nintendo |
Product family | Game Boy[1] |
Type | Handheld game console |
Generation | Fourth |
Release date | |
Lifespan | 14 years |
Introductory price | |
Discontinued | March 31, 2003 |
Units sold | 118.69 million (including all variants and Game Boy Color)[8] |
Media | Game Boy Game Pak |
System on a chip |
|
CPU | Sharp SM83 @ 4 MHz |
Memory | 8 KB RAM, 8 KB VRAM |
Display | |
Best-selling game | Tetris (35 million units)[9] |
Predecessor | Game & Watch |
Successor | Game Boy Color[10] |
The Game Boy is an 8-bit, fourth generation, handheld game console developed by Nintendo, launched in the Japanese home market on April 21, 1989, followed by North America and Europe later that year. Designed by the team behind the Game & Watch handhelds and NES games (Satoru Okada, Gunpei Yokoi, and R&D1), it was Nintendo's first portable console, combining features from both.
The Game Boy features a dot-matrix screen with adjustable contrast, a directional pad, four game buttons, a single monaural speaker with volume control, and uses Game Pak cartridges. The two-toned gray design with black, blue, and dark magenta accents sported softly rounded corners, except for the bottom right which was curved. At launch, it was sold either as a standalone unit, or bundled with games like Super Mario Land and Tetris, with accessories like carrying pouches, a camera, and a printer available.
Despite mixed reviews criticizing its monochrome graphics and larger size compared to competitors like the Sega Game Gear, Atari Lynx, and NEC Turbo Express, the Game Boy outsold them rapidly.[11] It sold one million units in the United States within weeks.[12] An estimated 118.69 million units of the Game Boy and its successor, the Game Boy Color (1998), have been sold worldwide, making it the fourth best-selling console ever. A cultural icon of the 1990s, the Game Boy received several redesigns during its lifespan, including the smaller Game Boy Pocket (1996) and the backlit Game Boy Light (1998). Sales of Game Boy variants continued until 2003.
Development
The Game Boy was designed by the team at Nintendo Research & Development 1 (R&D1), which had previously developed the Game & Watch handhelds and games.[13][14] However, early in the process, deep disagreements arose between Gunpei Yokoi, the R&D1 division director, and Satoru Okada, the assistant director. Yokoi's original vision was for a simpler device, akin to an advanced Game & Watch, while Okada strongly advocated for a more powerful device with interchangeable cartridges, like a portable version of the successful Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). Their differing visions for the project led to frequent clashes, heated meetings and high tensions, with Okada ultimately convincing Yokoi of his vision.[15]
The team was encouraged to pursue the project by Nintendo president Hiroshi Yamauchi, who was also known to encourage the competition between the teams. However within Nintendo, many were skeptical that such a device would be feasable. Some employees even gave the project the derogatory nickname "DameGame" (dame (だめ) meaning "hopeless" in Japanese).[16][17]
The codename for this nascent project was "Dot Matrix Game," (DMG) reflecting its intended display technology, a stark contrast to the limited, single-game Game & Watch series Yokoi had previously created, which had segmented LCDs pre-printed with an overlay, limiting each model to only play one game. The initials DMG came to be featured on the final product's model number: "DMG-001."[18][better source needed]
Satoru Okada developed the Game Boy as a more portable version of the Famicom, inspired by the concept of interchangeable game cartridges. Despite initial resistance and technical challenges, Okada aimed to address the Famicom's shortcomings, such as the lack of development tools for third-party developers. Initially, a Ricoh-manufactured CPU, similar to the one used in the Famicom, was considered for compatibility. Due to resource constraints and the ongoing development of the Super Famicom, a less powerful Sharp CPU was chosen instead. Sharp initially showed reluctance to engage in the project, particularly for the LCD technology, which was a critical component.[19]
The team then considered buying LCD screens from Citizen which was already using them to build portable TVs. However, Okada continued talks with Sharp, even showing the company a prototype Game Boy. After seeing the device and wanting to keep Nintendo as a client, Sharp offered competitive pricing and secured the contract. Sharp originally proposed a twisted nematic (TN) display, but after seeing a mockup, Yamauchi rejected the TN technology as too hard to see. Sharp then suggested super-twisted nematic (STN) technology, which had better viewing angles and contrast, but was more expensive. To reduce cost, the team reduced the screen size, however, it was too late in the development process to shrink the console's overall size.[19][20]
Gunpei Yokoi emphasized the importance of affordability and reliability over cutting-edge technology. This approach, named "Lateral Thinking with Withered Technology" (Japanese: 枯れた技術の水平思考, romanized: Kareta Gijutsu no Suihei Shikō) involved the innovative use of existing, mature technology to create new products. To keep costs low and extend battery life, the Game Boy was designed without a backlight and used a simple grayscale screen, despite potential concerns about visibility and the lack of color.[21] Okada, who had previously worked on an electronic game called Computer Mah-jong Yakuman that allowed cable communication between two devices, thought it would be possible to implement a similar feature in the Game Boy. Despite concerns within the company that the feature would be too difficult to use and thus a waste of resources, as many believed it would not be used, Okada pushed forward and developed a communication library himself. This effort led to the creation of the "battle" and "trade" gameplay features in Pokémon, released in 1996.[19]
Game Boy was unveiled as a prototype in 1987 and later exhibited at multiple industry trade shows. The device incorporated a key design element from its predecessor, the Game & Watch: the 8-way directional control pad, often referred to as the "D-pad". The concept was developed by Gunpei Yokoi and his team at R&D1. Yokoi recognized that traditional joysticks might hinder the portability of handheld devices. As a result, he designed the D-pad – a flat controller that would not extend beyond the handheld device's casing.[22] Hiroshi Yamauchi estimated that the console would achieve sales exceeding 25 million units in its initial three years, a claim that was regarded as bold for that period.[22]
Nintendo's philosophy centered on the belief that the appeal of a gaming system was primarily determined by the quality of its games. With this in mind, Gunpei Yokoi and Satoru Okada developed Super Mario Land, a portable adaptation of the Super Mario Bros. game, intending it to be the flagship title for the Game Boy.[23] However, Henk Rogers brought the Soviet Union-made game, Tetris, to the attention of Nintendo of America. Despite its simple graphics and lack of a well-known brand, Tetris's suitability for a handheld platform convinced Nintendo president Minoru Arakawa to port and bundle it with the Game Boy. As a result, Tetris was bundled with the Game Boy in every region except Japan on its release.[22]
The Game Boy launched in the Japanese market in April 1989 followed by North America in July, and Europe in September of the following year,[23] backed by a $10 million marketing effort.[24] Sales of the Game Boy and its successor variants (including the Game Boy Color) continued until March 2003.[8]
Hardware
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0f/Nintendo_Game_Boy_DMG-01_-_board_with_card_slot-9880.jpg/220px-Nintendo_Game_Boy_DMG-01_-_board_with_card_slot-9880.jpg)
(Annotated version)
The Game Boy uses a custom system on a chip (SoC), to house most of the components, named the DMG-CPU by Nintendo and the LR35902 by its manufacturer, the Sharp Corporation[25]
Within the DMG-CPU, the main processor is a Sharp SM83,[26] a hybrid between two other 8-bit processors: the Intel 8080 and the Zilog Z80. The SM83 uses the Z80's programming syntax and extra bit manipulation instructions, but it only has the seven 8-bit registers of the 8080 (compared to 14 on the Z80), it also adds a few new instructions to optimize the processor for certain operations related to the way the hardware was arranged.[27][28] The Sharp SM83 operates at a clock rate of 4.194304 MHz.[25]
The DMG-CPU also incorporates the Picture Processing Unit (PPU), essentially a basic GPU, that renders visuals using an 8 KB bank of Video RAM located on the motherboard.[25] The display itself is a 2.5-inch (diagonal) reflective super-twisted nematic (STN) monochrome liquid-crystal display (LCD), measuring 47 millimeters (1.9 in) wide by 43 millimeters (1.7 in) high. The screen can render four shades with a resolution of 160 pixels wide by 144 pixels high in a 10:9 aspect ratio.[29][30]
The SoC also contains the Audio Processing Unit, a programmable sound generator with two pulse wave channels, a wave channel with user-definable waveform and a pseudo-random noise channel,[31] along with 127 B of High RAM (similar to a CPU cache) that can be accessed faster and a 256 B "bootstrap" ROM which is used to start up the device.[32] The motherboard also contains a 8 KB "working RAM" chip.[25]
The Game Boy features a D-pad (directional pad), four buttons labeled 'A,' 'B,' 'SELECT,' and 'START,' and a sliding on-off switch with a cartridge lock to prevent accidental removal. The volume and contrast are adjusted by dials on either side.[33][34]
The original Game Boy was powered internally by four AA batteries.[35] For extended use, an optional AC adapter or rechargeable battery pack can be connected via a coaxial power connector on the left side.[36] The Game Boy has a single monaural speaker and a 3.5 mm stereo headphone jack on the bottom allows for private listening.[37]
The right side offers a Game Link Cable port for connecting to another Game Boy for two-player games or, notably in Pokémon, sharing files.[38][39] This port can also be used with a Game Boy Printer.
Technical specifications
Game Boy[29][40] | Game Boy Pocket[40] | Game Boy Light | |
---|---|---|---|
Height | 148 mm (5.8 in) | 127.6 mm (5.02 in) | 135 mm (5.3 in) |
Width | 90 mm (3.5 in) | 77.6 mm (3.06 in) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
Depth | 32 mm (1.3 in) | 25.3 mm (1.00 in) | 27 mm (1.1 in) |
Weight | 220 g (7.8 oz) | 125 g (4.4 oz) | 138 g (4.9 oz) |
Display | 2.5-inch reflective super-twisted nematic (STN) liquid-crystal display (LCD) | 2.5-inch film compensated STN (FSTN) LCD | 2.5-inch FSTN LCD with electroluminescent backlight |
Screen size (playable)[41] | 45.5 mm × 41.5 mm (1.79 in × 1.63 in) | 47.5 mm × 42.5 mm (1.87 in × 1.67 in) | 47 mm × 42 mm (1.9 in × 1.7 in) |
Resolution | 160 (w) × 144 (h) pixels (10:9 aspect ratio) | ||
Frame rate | 59.727500569606 Hz[42] | ||
Color support | 2-bit, four shades of green: 0x0 0x1 0x2 0x3 | 2-bit, four shades of grey: 0x0 0x1 0x2 0x3 | |
System on a chip (SoC) | Nintendo DMG-CPU (Sharp LR35902) | Nintendo CPU MGB | |
Processor | 4.194304 MHz Sharp SM83 (custom Intel 8080/Zilog Z80 hybrid, 8-bit) | ||
Memory |
| ||
Power |
|
|
|
Battery life | Up to 30 hours | Up to 10 hours |
|
Sound |
| ||
I/O |
| ||
Controls |
|
Play It Loud! edition
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e4/Game_Boy_Play_It_Loud%21_Transparent_American_Edition.png/120px-Game_Boy_Play_It_Loud%21_Transparent_American_Edition.png)
On March 20, 1995, Nintendo released several special edition Game Boy models with colored cases, advertising them in the "Play It Loud!" campaign,[43] known in Japan as Game Boy Bros.[a] Play It Loud! units were manufactured in red, yellow, green, blue black, white, and clear (transparent),[44] also referred to as "x-ray".[45] The Play It Loud's screens also have a darker border than the normal Game Boy.[44]
Revisions
Game Boy Pocket
On July 21, 1996, Nintendo released the Game Boy Pocket in Japan and on September 3, 1996, in North America for US$69.99 (equivalent to $135.97 in 2023).[46] The Game Boy Pocket was a smaller, lighter unit that required just two smaller AAA batteries, which provide approximately 10 hours of gameplay.[47] The Pocket has a smaller Game Link Cable port, which requires an adapter to link with the original Game Boy. This smaller port design would be used on all subsequent Game Boy models. The screen was changed to an film compensated super-twisted nematic (FSTN) LCD. This film compensation layer produced a true black-and-white display, rather than the green hues of the original Game Boy.[48] The screen also had notably improved visibility and pixel response-time (mostly eliminating ghosting).[49] The first version did not have a power LED, but was soon added due to public demand. Addtionally, different case colors were introduced after April 28, 1997.[50]
Game Boy Light
The Game Boy Light was released on April 14, 1998, and was only available in Japan. Like the Game Boy Pocket, the system was priced at ¥6,800 (equivalent to ¥6,892 in 2019).[51] The Game Boy Light is slightly bigger than the Game Boy Pocket and features an electroluminescent backlight allowing it to be played in low-light conditions. It uses two AA batteries, which give it approximately 12 gameplay hours with the backlight on and 20 with it off.[51] It was available in two standard colors: gold and silver.[51][52]
Games
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/db/Nintendo-Game-Boy-Cartridge.jpg/170px-Nintendo-Game-Boy-Cartridge.jpg)
Games are stored on cartridges called Game Pak, using read-only memory (ROM) chips. Initially, due to the limitations of the 8-bit architecture of the device, ROM size was limited to 32 KB. However, Nintendo overcame this limitation with a Memory Bank Controller (MBC) inside the cartridge. This chip sits between the processor and the ROM chips. The CPU can only access 32 KB at a time, but the MBC can switch between several banks of 32 KB ROM. Using this technology, Nintendo created Game Boy games that used up to 1 megabytes of ROM. Game Paks could also provide additional functionality to the Game Boy system. Some cartridges included up to 128 KB of RAM to increase performance, which could also be battery-backed to save progress when the handheld was off, real-time clock chips could keep track of time even when the device was off and Rumble Pak cartridges added vibration feedback to enhance gameplay.[25][53][54]
Launch titles
The Game Boy was released alongside six launch titles, which are listed in the table below:
Name | JP | NA | EU |
---|---|---|---|
Alleyway | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Baseball | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Super Mario Land | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Tennis | No | Yes | No |
Tetris | No | Yes | Yes |
Yakuman[55] | Yes | No | No |
Re-releases
Various Game Boy and Color games have been re-released on newer Nintendo consoles through its digital distribution services. On June 6, 2011, Nintendo launched the Virtual Console service on the Nintendo 3DS handheld system. All releases (aside from the Pokémon games) do not support multiplayer.[citation needed]
On February 8, 2023, Nintendo announced the introduction of Game Boy/Color games to its Nintendo Switch Online service.[56]
Reception
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9b/Gameboylight_accessory-addon.jpg/110px-Gameboylight_accessory-addon.jpg)
Critical reception
Though it was less technically advanced than Sega's Game Gear, Atari's Lynx and other competitors, notably by not supporting color, the Game Boy's lower price along with longer battery life made it much more successful.[57] In its first two weeks in Japan, from its release on April 21, 1989, the entire stock of 300,000 units was sold; a few months later on July 31, 1989, 40,000 units were sold on its first release day.[23] More than 118.69 million units of the Game Boy and Game Boy Color combined have been sold worldwide, with 32.47 million units in Japan, 44.06 million in the Americas, and 42.16 million in other regions.[8] By Japanese fiscal year 1997, before Game Boy Color's release in late 1998, 64.42 million units of the Game Boy had been sold worldwide.[8][58] At a March 14, 1994, press conference in San Francisco, Nintendo vice president of marketing Peter Main answered queries about when Nintendo was coming out with a color handheld system by stating that sales of the Game Boy were strong enough that it had decided to hold off on developing a successor handheld for the near future.[59]
In 1995, Nintendo of America announced that 46% of Game Boy players were female, which was higher than the percentage of female players for both the Nintendo Entertainment System (29%) and Super Nintendo Entertainment System (14%).[60] In 2009, the Game Boy was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame, 20 years after its introduction.[61]
The console received mixed reviews from critics. In a 1997 year-end review, a team of four Electronic Gaming Monthly editors gave the Game Boy scores of 7.5, 7.0, 8.0, and 2.0. Sushi-X (who contributed the 2.0) panned the system due to its black-and-white display and motion blur, while his three co-reviewers praised its long battery life and strong games library, as well as the sleek, conveniently pocket-sized design of the new Game Boy Pocket model.[62]
Sales
The Game Boy and Game Boy Color were both commercially successful, selling a combined 118.69 million units worldwide: 32.47 million in Japan, 44.06 million in the Americas, and 42.16 million in all other regions.[63][64] At the time of its discontinuation in 2003, the combined sales of the Game Boy made it the best-selling game console of all time. In later years, its sales were surpassed by the Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2 and Nintendo Switch, making it the fourth-best-selling console the second-best-selling handheld of all time, as of 2024. Sales of the device were in part driven by the success of Pokémon Gold and Silver and Pokémon Crystal, with combined sales of 29.5 million units, making them one of the best selling-video games of all time.[65][66]
Notes
References
- ^ Ishihara; Morimoto. "Pokémon HeartGold Version & Pokémon SoulSilver Version". Iwata Asks (Interview: Transcript). Interviewed by Satoru Iwata. Nintendo. Archived from the original on November 24, 2022. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
- ^ White, Dave (July 1989). "Gameboy Club". Nintendo Power. No. 7. p. 84.
- ^ "retrodiary: 1 April – 28 April". Retro Gamer. No. 88. Bournemouth: Imagine Publishing. April 2011. p. 17. ISSN 1742-3155. OCLC 489477015.
- ^ "Video Games Around the World: South Africa". Archived from the original on September 25, 2022. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
- ^ a b "Happy 20th b-day, Game Boy: here are 6 reasons why you're #1". Ars Technica. September 7, 2015. Archived from the original on August 15, 2017. Retrieved June 14, 2017.
- ^ "The Real Cost of Gaming: Inflation, Time, and Purchasing Power". October 15, 2013. Archived from the original on September 15, 2020. Retrieved August 28, 2020.
- ^ "Console Crazy!". ACE. No. 37. September 1990. p. 142. Retrieved April 1, 2024.
- ^ a b c d "Consolidated Sales Transition by Region" (PDF). Nintendo. April 26, 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 27, 2016. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
- ^ "All-time best selling console games worldwide 2018 | Statistic". Statista. Archived from the original on May 21, 2018. Retrieved May 21, 2018.
- ^ Umezu; Sugino. "Nintendo 3DS (Volume 3 – Nintendo 3DS Hardware Concept)". Iwata Asks (Interview: Transcript). Interviewed by Satoru Iwata. Nintendo. Archived from the original on July 25, 2015. Retrieved March 20, 2013.
- ^ "AtariAge – Lynx History". AtariAge. Archived from the original on December 1, 2016. Retrieved November 22, 2016.
Eventually the Lynx was squeezed out of the picture and the handheld market was dominated by the Nintendo GameBoy with the Sega Game Gear a distant second.
- ^ Kent 2001, p. 416. "According to an article in Time magazine, the one million Game Boys sent to the United States in 1989 met only half the demand for the product. That allotment sold out in a matter of weeks and its black and white (except for Konami/Factor 5 games and SeaQuest DSV), was shown in color like the Game Gear version."
- ^ Beuscher, Dave. "Game Boy – Overview". Allgame. Archived from the original on December 12, 2014. Retrieved September 11, 2008.
A team headed by Gumpei Yokoi [sic] designed the Game Boy. Yokoi had previously designed handheld games for Nintendo with the cartridge-based Game & Watch system, introduced in 1980. His staff, called Research and Development (R and D) team #1, had designed the successful NES games Metroid and Kid Icarus. What Yokoi's team did was create a hybrid of the NES and the Game & Watch systems.
- ^ "Satoru Okada talks Game & Watch, Game Boy and Nintendo DS development". Issue 163. Retro Gamer Magazine. 2016. Archived from the original on January 1, 2017. Retrieved January 1, 2017.
- ^ Gorges, Florent (2019). L'Histoire de Nintendo Vol. 4: L'incroyable Histoire de la Game Boy [The History of Nintendo Vol.4: The Incredible History of the Game Boy] (in French). Châtillon: Omaké books. ISBN 978-2-919603-66-4.
- ^ Audureau, William (March 18, 2015). "NX, Ultra 64, Revolution… Petite histoire de Nintendo à travers ses noms de code". Le Monde.fr (in French). ISSN 1950-6244. Archived from the original on August 17, 2016. Retrieved June 19, 2016.
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Bibliography
- Game Boy Compact Video Game System Owner's Manual. Nintendo. 1989. DMG-GB-UKV.
- Kent, Steven L. (2001). The Ultimate History of Video Games (1st ed.). Roseville, CA: Prima Publishing. ISBN 0-7615-3643-4.
- Hand-held electronic game – Design patent for the case
External links
Media related to Game Boy at Wikimedia Commons
- Game Boy at Nintendo.com (archived versions at the Internet Archive Wayback Machine)
- Game Boy (original) games list at Nintendo.com (archived from the original at the Internet Archive Wayback Machine)
- Game Boy at Curlie
- Game Boy Development Manual
- Shirriff, Ken (June 2020). "Reverse-engineering and comparing two Game Boy audio amplifier chips".