The Game Boy turns 25 today

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Has it really been that long?

That’s the thought which probably ponders through many gamer’s heads as Nintendo’s Game Boy reaches 25 years of age. Launched in Japan on this date, the Game Boy ushered in a new era of portable gaming and many imitators to knock away its firm grip on the handheld market share. Selling well under 119 million units worldwide before being discontinued in 2003, the Game Boy was and is one of gaming’s first mainstream successes with portables.  It was essentially underpowered (compared to the NES, that is) at the time of its release (given how many competitors touted either a back-lit screen or a color palette), but continued to be one of Nintendo’s greatest successes thanks to its pack-in title, Tetris.

Happy 25th Birthday, Game Boy. Your green and black color scheme still has a place in our hearts.

So, what are your first memories with the Game Boy? Share with us in the comments below.

Harrison Milfeld is a writer, editor, and freelance journalist from Missouri. Ever since he could walk, Harrison has been an avid fan of the world of Nintendo. For years, he has purchased every one of the company's subsequent products (yes, including the Virtual Boy and eReader). It wasn't until he was a young teen when he bought a PS2 that he began to embrace cross-console relations, a decision he doesn't regret. When he's not gaming, Harrison is looking to break into the magazine journalism industry and realize his dream of becoming a features reporter.

2 Comments

  1. The Gameboy was actually my first video game not just handheld but system that got me into video gaming and still remember playing the bad Mortal Kombat port on it.

  2. I remember getting the gameboy the second holiday season it was available for christmas with tetris. I had the screen magnifier and the rechergable battery pack. I took it on many road trips. I still remember being so excited for Zelda Links Awakening and buying it on day one. also beating that game as being one of my greatest gaming accomplishments on the game boy.

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