Game Boy

gaming · Nintendo · handheld · 1980s

Portable gaming pioneer. The Game Boy was Nintendo's first handheld console that used cartridges you could swap in and out, letting you play different games on the same device instead of being stuck with one game.

Global release wave. It launched in Japan on April 21, 1989, then reached North America in July 1989, and finally arrived in Europe in September 1990, spreading Nintendo's handheld fun around the world.

Unstoppable competitor. While other companies like Sega, Atari, and NEC made fancy handheld systems to challenge it, the Game Boy became the winner that dominated the fourth generation of portable gaming.

Built to last. The Game Boy was tough and simple, with a small screen and long battery life, making it the perfect device to slip into your backpack and play anywhere.