In 1989, Japan saw the launch of a piece of technology that would take the world by storm. Exactly 30 years ago to this day, the original Game Boy released, on April 21, 1989. Looking somewhat like a grey brick with a small screen inside of it, the Nintendo Game Boy was portable, meaning you could take your games on the go, wherever you went, provided that you had enough AA batteries. It was a magical device at the time, with launch title classics such as Super Mario Land and the always beloved Tetris. Though competitors in the form of the SEGA Game Gear and Atari Lynx would quickly try to join in on the fledgling portable gaming market, the Game Boy would win out, despite its inferior graphics and lack of a lit screen, thanks in part to its long battery life and incredibly fun games, which lead to the Game Boy becoming a absolute titan in the industry.

Sales were so popular that Nintendo would create multiple revisions later on, like the smaller and more elegant Game Boy Pocket, or to the chagrin of any and all westerners, the Japan-only Game Boy Light. To this day, over 118 million Game Boy (and Color) units have been sold, placing it as the third most popular piece of gaming hardware of all time. So, take a moment to either grab your old Game Boy (don't forget a worm light!), launch a GB virtual console title on your 3DS, or fire up your emulator, and remember an integral part of gaming history today.

 

[Sonic Angel Knight]

@Scarlet Woah

So that's why reporters exist, they are underlings of @Chary

I'm discouraged from trying to become one of you now.

 

[VinsCool]

Hah twice as old as the typical userbase around here.
To celebrate, I might go play some Tetris on my DMG.

Now what the hell is a AA battery again?

 

[Rabbid4240]

Cool.

 

[DSpider]

I still have one, within arms reach from where I'm standing right now, and if I were a betting man, I'd say it still works (they were built like a tank).

Do you guys know if there's a website where I can buy a battery cover for it, and maybe a flashcart?

 

[jt_1258]

Think I joined on the tetris bandwagon at the time but didn't play it much due to lack of colors and can you imagine if it was released today ther be outrage in the name as some will call it sexist and rightly so

A girl on my game boy, what is this madness.

Legit though would actually like to have this one though o.o

 

[Taleweaver]

Happy birthday, Gameboy. You were truly my first (childhood) love.

... Along with everyone in my school back then.

(seriously .. The game boy was INSANELY popular back then)

 

[bowser]

I got a boxed Gameboy recently to prepare for the celebrations. It cost only $15 because the screen was all shriveled but I repaired it.

 

[Deleted member 388531]

I still have one, within arms reach from where I'm standing right now, and if I were a betting man, I'd say it still works (they were built like a tank).

Do you guys know if there's a website where I can buy a battery cover for it, and maybe a flashcart?

i gotchu fam
https://stoneagegamer.com/everdrive-gb-x7-smoke.html
https://ebay.to/2DkOgTl

 

[hippy dave]

Happy birthday, Gameboy. You were truly my first (childhood) love.

... Along with everyone in my school back then.

(seriously .. The game boy was INSANELY popular back then)

2-player Tetris or 4-player Super RC Pro Am was the coolest thing to do on the bus to school.

 

[Stwert]

30 years, my how time flies, I really am getting to be ancient
I still play my GameBoy regularly, but of all the models I have, (excluding GBA) my GameBoy Light is probably the most used. Only because it has its own light.

 

[DANTENDO]

30 years, my how time flies, I really am getting to be ancient
I still play my GameBoy regularly, but of all the models I have, (excluding GBA) my GameBoy Light is probably the most used. Only because it has its own light.

Its good to be ancient we were lucky enough to experience tht generation

 

[Hanafuda]

I owned an original Gameboy but not until summer '91. I got a job teaching English in Japan (JET Program) and packed a Gameboy w/ a few games in my luggage when I left. I played a hell of a lot of Castlevania that fall.

I have an interesting curiosity in my collection --- an official Nintendo flash cart for Gameboy, which was available in Japan only. The catch is that there's no flashing hardware. You could only add new games (including overwriting old ones if your cart was full) using a Gameboy kiosk found in convenience stores and shopping areas. Pretty much useless now, except for the games that are on it, but still kinda neat that Nintendo made such a thing available.

 

[DinohScene]

Happy bday brickboy.
I've got fond memories of it.

 

[Leopoldo]

I owned an original Gameboy but not until summer '91. I got a job teaching English in Japan (JET Program) and packed a Gameboy w/ a few games in my luggage when I left. I played a hell of a lot of Castlevania that fall.

I have an interesting curiosity in my collection --- an official Nintendo flash cart for Gameboy, which was available in Japan only. The catch is that there's no flashing hardware. You could only add new games (including overwriting old ones if your cart was full) using a Gameboy kiosk found in convenience stores and shopping areas. Pretty much useless now, except for the games that are on it, but still kinda neat that Nintendo made such a thing available.

I wouldn't say that about that cartridge. It is reflashable with things like these:

https://shop.insidegadgets.com/product/gbxcart-rw/
https://bennvenn.myshopify.com/products/reader-writer-gen2?variant=19222674951

More info and projects:
https://github.com/sanni/cartreader (wiki entry: https://github.com/sanni/cartreader/wiki/Reflashing-NP-GB-Memory-carts)
https://github.com/Infinest/GB-Memory-Binary-Maker
http://blog.gg8.se/wordpress/2013/0...-tale-of-reverse-engineering-sweat-and-tears/

 

[slaphappygamer]

Wow, ok. I was 12 when this came out. I got it almost a year later, at 13. It boggles my mind how far we’ve come in gaming. Crazy

 

[pedro702]

i never owned the original gb, i got the gb color has my first ever game console with warioland 2, and then pokemon yellow, it was what made me a pokemon fan tot his day,a and nintendo one too, got n64 right after that and i own every nintendo system since them.

 

[DANTENDO]

Just went ebay to see if any boxed original unused sealed gameboys but none but if anyone wants a mint condition of spuds adventure if you got £2600 spare it's yrs

 

[loler55]

I knew I kept you around for some reason now go fetch me my Game Boy.

I played yesterday Super Mario Land 2 on one of my gameboys
i can tell thats not an easy game

i buyed a few days ago a classic gameboy red edition with Ovp for 60 euros
another red one is not on the pictures
i have 5 gameboys classics in a row

 

[BlastedGuy9905]

i guess you could say he's not a boy anymore HAHAHAHAHA

you deserve a mansion for that pun



in hell

 

[arceus]

View attachment 164435​

In 1989, Japan saw the launch of a piece of technology that would take the world by storm. Exactly 30 years ago to this day, the original Game Boy released, on April 21, 1989. Looking somewhat like a grey brick with a small screen inside of it, the Nintendo Game Boy was portable, meaning you could take your games on the go, wherever you went, provided that you had enough AA batteries. It was a magical device at the time, with launch title classics such as Super Mario Land and the always beloved Tetris. Though competitors in the form of the SEGA Game Gear and Atari Lynx would quickly try to join in on the fledgling portable gaming market, the Game Boy would win out, despite its inferior graphics and lack of a lit screen, thanks in part to its long battery life and incredibly fun games, which lead to the Game Boy becoming a absolute titan in the industry.

Sales were so popular that Nintendo would create multiple revisions later on, like the smaller and more elegant Game Boy Pocket, or to the chagrin of any and all westerners, the Japan-only Game Boy Light. To this day, over 118 million Game Boy (and Color) units have been sold, placing it as the third most popular piece of gaming hardware of all time. So, take a moment to either grab your old Game Boy (don't forget a worm light!), launch a GB virtual console title on your 3DS, or fire up your emulator, and remember an integral part of gaming history today.

got mine backlit 4 months ago lol