July 31st, 2019 was the Game Boy’s 30th birthday in North America. Nintendo has released many handhelds since then but the original classic console stands as the third highest-selling console or handheld of all time with 118 million units sold. For many gamers, it was the first time you could play on the go. This meant long road trips or family gatherings were made bearable as you could pull out Pokemon, Tetris or any other of the great games available on the system. While gamers of a certain age still have nostalgia for the system, will we ever get a Game Boy Classic, or is the brand going to stay dormant?
On this day in 1989 the original #GameBoy system released in North America, placing exciting Nintendo games right into the palm of your hand! Here’s to 30 years of playing with PORTABLE POWER! pic.twitter.com/eOElkYTf7K
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) July 31, 2019
Blast From The Past
Released in 1989 the console went 12 years before a successor released, although revisions such as the Game Boy Pocket and Color were released in this time. This makes the console one of Nintendo’s longest-running devices, even the 3DS won’t be able to match the Game Boy in terms of longevity.
The handheld console wasn’t backlit and used a green display, but in terms of gameplay and affordability, it completely destroyed competition like the Sega Game Gear and Atari Lynx. It was also almost indestructible and has been known to survive bombings. The games were amazing too. Classics like Zelda: Links Awakening and Super Mario Land 2: Six Golden Coins really were handheld equivalents to Super Mario World and A Link to the Past. Then there were the phenomenons of Tetris (maybe the first widespread ‘casual’ game) and Pokemon (which me and my classmates, among many others, were obsessed with).
Future Of The Game Boy?
With the mini console craze at the moment, will gamers ever get a legacy Game Boy? Imagine a $60 handheld loaded with 50 classic games from the ’90s. If Nintendo included a few third party games like Mystic Quest and Castlevania 2: Belmont’s Revenge, it would be well worth it. Make it happen Nintendo!
What are your favorite games on the Game Boy? Let us know in the comments below!