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{{Short description|Handheld game console made by Nintendo}}
{{Infobox CVG system
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2024}}
|title = ''Nintendo Game Boy''
{{Infobox information appliance
|logo =
| title = Game Boy
|image = [[Image:Gameboy.jpg|150px|CENTER]]
|manufacturer logo = [[Nintendo]] Game Boy Logo.svg
| image = Game-Boy-FL.jpg
|type = [[Handheld game console]]
| caption = The original gray Game Boy
|generation = [[History of video game consoles (third generation)|Third generation]]
| aka = DMG-01<br />{{Video game release|KR|Mini Comboy}}
|lifespan = [[April 21]], [[1989]]
| developer = [[Nintendo Research & Development 1|Nintendo R&D1]]
|CPU =
| manufacturer = [[Nintendo]]
|media = Game Boy cartridges
| family = [[Game Boy family|Game Boy]]
|onlineservice =
| type = [[Handheld game console]]
|unitssold = 70 million
| generation = [[Fourth generation of video game consoles|Fourth]]
|topgame = ''[[Tetris (Game Boy)|Tetris]]''
| release date = {{Video game release
|backwards =
| JP | April 21, 1989<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=April 2011 |title=retrodiary: 1&nbsp;April – 28&nbsp;April |magazine=[[Retro Gamer]] |publisher=[[Imagine Publishing]] |location=[[Bournemouth]] |page=17 |issue=88 |issn=1742-3155 |oclc=489477015}}</ref>
|predecessor = [[Game and Watch]]
| NA | July 31, 1989<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=White |first=Dave |date=July 1989 |title=Gameboy Club |magazine=[[Nintendo Power]] |page=84 |issue=7}}</ref>
|successor = [[Game Boy Color]]
| EU | September 28, 1990
| KR | May 2, 1991
| [[South Africa|SA]] | {{circa|1993}}<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/video-games-around-world-south-africa-joshua-rogers/ | 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 | title=Video Games Around the World: South Africa }}</ref>
| [[Russia|RU]]/[[Commonwealth of Independent States|CIS]] | {{circa|1994}}<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/94004 | title=Соглашение Steepler и Nintendo | date=November 1994 }}</ref>
| [[Yugoslavia|YU]] | {{circa|1994}}
| BR | April 14, 1994<ref>{{cite web|title=Playtronic lança em abril Game Boy da Nintendo|url=https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/fsp/1994/3/30/dinheiro/18.html |website=folha.uol.com.br |language=pt |date=1994-03-30 |access-date=2024-09-28}}</ref>
| [[Poland|PL]] | October 6, 1994<ref>{{cite web | url=https://archive.org/details/bajtek199411/page/n8/mode/1up | title=Bajtek 1994 11 | date=November 1994 }}</ref>
}}
| price = {{Unbulleted list
| {{JPY|12,500|1989|round=0}}<ref>{{Cite news |last=Edwards |first=Benj |date=April 21, 2019 |title=Happy 30th B-Day, Game Boy: Here are six reasons why you're #1 |url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2019/04/game-boy-20th-anniversary/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240504014255/https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2019/04/game-boy-20th-anniversary/ |archive-date=May 4, 2024 |access-date=May 26, 2024 |work=[[Ars Technica]]}}</ref>
| {{USD|89.99|1989|round=0}}<ref>{{Cite news |last=Moriarty |first=Colin |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 |work=[[IGN]]}}</ref>
| {{GBP|99|1990|round=0}}<ref>{{Cite magazine |title=Console Crazy! |url=https://segaretro.org/index.php?title=File:ACE_UK_37.pdf&page=142 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240401160903/https://segaretro.org/index.php?title=File:ACE_UK_37.pdf&page=142 |archive-date=April 1, 2024 |access-date=April 1, 2024 |magazine=[[ACE (magazine)|ACE]] |page=142 |publication-date=September 1990 |issue=37}}</ref>
| {{DM|169|1990|round=0}}<ref>{{cite news |date=October 12, 2015 |title=Matsch-Screen statt Touchscreen |newspaper=Der Spiegel |access-date=2020-08-28 |url=https://www.spiegel.de/netzwelt/games/25-jahre-game-boy-in-deutschland-a-1056277.html |last1=Freundorfer |first1=Stephan |archive-date=November 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108130027/https://www.spiegel.de/netzwelt/games/25-jahre-game-boy-in-deutschland-a-1056277.html |url-status=live
}}</ref>
}}
| discontinued = {{Video game release|WW|March 31, 2003}}
| units sold = 118.69&nbsp;million (including all variants and [[Game Boy Color]])<ref name="Nintendo 2016">{{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>
| media = [[Game Boy Game Pak]]
| soc = {{Unbulleted list
| '''Original''': Nintendo DMG-CPU ([[Sharp Corporation|Sharp]]&nbsp;LR35902)
| '''Pocket/Light''': Nintendo CPU&nbsp;MGB
}}
| cpu = Sharp&nbsp;SM83
| CPUspeed = 4&nbsp;MHz
| memory = 8&nbsp;KB [[Random-access memory|RAM]], 8&nbsp;KB [[Video RAM (dual-ported DRAM)|VRAM]]
| display = {{Unbulleted list
| '''Original''': [[STN display|STN]] LCD
| '''Pocket/Light''': [[FSTN]] LCD
}}
| topgame = [[Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow|''Pokémon Red'', ''Blue'', and ''Yellow'']] (46&nbsp;million units)
| predecessor = [[Game & Watch]]
| successor = [[Game Boy Color]]
}}
{{dablink|For the entire Game Boy series of handheld consoles, see [[Game Boy line]].}}
The '''Game Boy''' is a [[handheld game console]] developed and manufactured by [[Nintendo]], released in 1989. The Game Boy was the first successful handheld console, and was the predecessor of all other iterations of the [[Game Boy line]].
 
The '''Game Boy''' is a [[handheld game console]] developed by [[Nintendo]], launched in the Japanese home market on April 21, 1989, followed by North America later that year and other territories from 1990 onwards. Following the success of the [[Game & Watch]] single-game handhelds, Nintendo developed the Game Boy to be more like a portable [[Video game console|console]], with interchangeable cartridges. The concept proved highly successful and the Game Boy became a [[cultural icon]] of the 1990s and early 2000s.
The Game Boy was originally bundled with the puzzle game ''[[Tetris (Game Boy)|Tetris]]'', since [[Nintendo]] thought that an addictive puzzle game would get consumers' attention, despite the crude monochrome graphics compared to technologically superior competitors of the time ([[Atari Lynx]] and, later, the [[Sega]] [[Game Gear]]).
 
The Game Boy was designed by the [[Nintendo Research & Development 1]] team, led by [[Gunpei Yokoi]] and [[Satoru Okada]]. The device features a [[dot-matrix display]], a [[directional pad]], four game buttons, a single speaker, 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]]''.
==History==
The Game Boy was the brainchild of long-time Nintendo employee [[Gunpei Yokoi]], who was the person behind the ''Ultra Hand'', an expanding arm toy created and produced by Nintendo in 1970, long before Nintendo would enter the video game market. Yokoi was also responsible for the [[Game & Watch]] series of handhelds when Nintendo made the move from toys to video games.
 
Despite mixed reviews criticizing its monochrome graphics and larger size compared to competitors like the [[Sega Game Gear]], [[Atari Lynx]], and [[NEC TurboExpress]], the Game Boy rapidly outsold them all. An estimated 118.69&nbsp;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. The Game Boy received several redesigns during its lifespan, including the smaller Game Boy Pocket (1996) and the Game Boy Light (1998). Sales of Game Boy variants continued until 2003.
When Gunpei designed the original Game Boy, he knew that, to be successful, the system needed to be small, light, inexpensive, and durable, as well as have a varied, recognizable library of games upon its release. By following this simple mantra, the Game Boy line managed to gain a vast following, despite the existence of technically superior alternatives which featured [[color LCD|color graphics]].
 
== Development ==
Game Boy continues its success to this day, and many at Nintendo have dedicated the handheld in Yokoi's memory. Game Boy celebrated its 15th anniversary in [[2004]], which nearly coincided with the 20-year anniversary to the original Nintendo Entertainment System (NES).
The Game Boy was designed by the team at [[Nintendo Research & Development 1]] (R&D1), which had previously developed the [[Game & Watch]] handhelds and video games including ''[[Mario Bros.]]'' and ''[[Donkey Kong]]''.<ref name="McFarren 20162">{{Cite book |last=McFarren |first=Damien |title=Videogames Hardware Handbook |publisher=[[Imagine Publishing]] |year=2016 |isbn=978-1-78546-239-9 |edition=2nd |volume=1 |location=Bournemouth |pages=157–163}}</ref><ref>{{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>
 
The team was encouraged to pursue the project by Nintendo president [[Hiroshi Yamauchi]]. However within Nintendo, many were skeptical that such a device would be feasible. 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>
==Variations==
{{dedicated video game handheld consoles}}
Several variations of the original Game Boy were produced:
*[[Super Game Boy]] (compatibility adaptor to accommodate [[TV]] viewing via [[Super NES]])
*[[Game Boy Pocket]] (first pocket handheld)
*[[Game Boy Light]] (first backlit in the [[Game Boy line]])
 
The codename for this nascent project was "Dot Matrix Game" (DMG), reflecting [[Dot-matrix display|its intended display technology]], a stark contrast to the Game & Watch series, 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-01."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lane |first=Gavin |date=May 6, 2020 |title=Nintendo Console Codenames and Product Codes |url=https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2020/05/feature_nintendo_console_codenames_and_product_codes |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200917061039/https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2020/05/feature_nintendo_console_codenames_and_product_codes |archive-date=September 17, 2020 |access-date=May 25, 2024 |work=[[Nintendo Life]]}}</ref>
==Technical information==
;[[Central processing unit|CPU]]: Custom 8-bit Sharp [[Zilog Z80|Z80]] at 4.194304 MHz (has a slightly different instruction set than a standard [[Zilog Z80|Z80]], and integrated sound generation)
;[[Random Access Memory|RAM]]: 8 kByte internal S-RAM
;Video RAM: 8 kByte internal
;[[Read-only memory|ROM]]: 256 [[kilobit|kbit]], 512 kbit, 1 [[megabit|Mbit]], 2 Mbit and 4 Mbit and 8 Mbit cartridges
;Sound: 4 channel stereo sound. The unit only has one speaker, but headphones provide stereo sound
;Display: Reflective [[Liquid crystal display|LCD]] 160 &times; 144 [[pixel]]s
;Screen Size: 66 mm (2.6 in) diagonal
;Color Palette: 4 shades of "gray" (green to black)
;Communication: Up to 16 Game Boys can be linked together via serial ports
;Power: 6 V, 0.7 W (4 AA batteries provide ~35 hours)
;Dimensions: 90mm(W) &times; 148mm(H) &times; 32mm(D)/3.5 &times; 5.8 &times; 1.3 (inch)
 
Originally, a [[Ricoh]]-manufactured CPU, similar to the one used in the NES, was considered for compatibility.<ref name="Kurokawa 20222">{{Cite web |last=Kurokawa |first=Fumio |date=2022 |title=Satoru Okada – 2022 Retrospective Interview |url=https://shmuplations.com/okada2022/ |access-date=April 8, 2024 |publisher=[[4gamer.net]]}}</ref> However, due to resource constraints amid the ongoing development of the [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]], the Game Boy team chose a less powerful CPU from the [[Sharp Corporation]].<ref name="Aetas 20222">{{Cite news |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/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230331032353/https://www.4gamer.net/games/999/G999905/20220720007/ |archive-date=March 31, 2023 |access-date=March 1, 2024 |work=[[4Gamer.net]] |language=ja}}</ref>
==See Also==
*[[List of games for the original Game Boy|List of games for the Game Boy]]
 
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 20222" /> The team considered buying displays from the [[Citizen Watch]] Company which was already using LCD screens to build portable TVs. However, talks continued with Sharp, with Yokoi and Okada showing the company a Game Boy mockup. After seeing the device and wanting to keep Nintendo as a client, Sharp offered competitive pricing and secured the contract.<ref name="Kurokawa 20222" /> Sharp originally proposed a [[Twisted nematic field effect|twisted nematic]] (TN) display, but after seeing a prototype Game Boy, 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 20222" /><ref>{{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/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230521131129/https://www.4gamer.net/games/999/G999905/20220316093/ |archive-date=May 21, 2023 |access-date=March 2, 2024 |work=[[4Gamer.net]] |language=ja}}</ref>
==External links==
===Commercials===
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wauMmT5TQ_c Super Mario Land, Dr. Mario and Tetris]
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhaP04YtQg8 Portable power]
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqJCeKijhdU Metroid]
 
Within R&D1, Yokoi had long promoted {{Nihongo foot|"[[lateral thinking]] with withered technology",|枯れた技術の水平思考|Kareta Gijutsu no Suihei Shikō|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} a design philosophy which eschewed cutting-edge technology in favor of using mature technologies, which tended to be more affordable and reliable, in innovative ways.<ref name="McFarren 20162" /> As a result of this philosophy, 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 |date=2011 |publisher=Portfolio Penguin |isbn=978-1-59184-405-1 |location=New York |pages=102–105 |language=en}}</ref> The approach was ultimately vindicated as rival units with full-color, backlit screens were panned for their dismal battery life, making the Game Boy more appealing to consumers.<ref name="McFarren 20162" />
{{nintendo-stub}}
 
In the early 1980s, Okada had worked on an electronic game from Nintendo called ''Computer Mah-jong Yakuman'' that allowed cable communication between two devices, he thought it would be possible to implement a similar feature in the Game Boy.<ref name="Aetas 20222" /><ref>{{Cite book |last=Voskuil |first=Erik |url=http://blog.beforemario.com/2011/03/nintendo-computer-mah-jong-yakuman-1983.html |title=Before Mario: the fantastic toys from the video game giant's early days |date=March 19, 2011 |publisher=Omaké books |isbn=978-2-919603-10-7 |publication-date=November 20, 2014 |chapter=Mah-jong Yakuman |access-date=May 26, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240509192145/http://blog.beforemario.com/2011/03/nintendo-computer-mah-jong-yakuman-1983.html |archive-date=May 9, 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref> Despite concerns within the team that the feature would be too difficult to use and thus a waste of resources, Okada pushed forward and developed the [[Game Link Cable]] technology himself.<ref name="Kurokawa 20222" /> This effort led to the creation of the "battle" and "trade" gameplay features in [[Pokémon (video game series)|the ''Pokémon'' series]], first released in 1996.<ref name="Aetas 20222" />
{{Nintendo hardware|Game Boy}}
 
A prototype Game Boy was unveiled in 1987 and later exhibited at multiple industry trade shows. The device incorporated a key design element developed by Yokoi and his team at R&D1 for its [[Game & Watch]] predecessor: the directional control pad, often referred to as the "[[D-pad]]." Yokoi had recognized that traditional [[Joystick|joysticks]] might hinder the portability of handheld devices. As a result, he designed the D-pad – a flat controller that extends just slightly beyond the device's casing. A similar layout had been used on the NES, making it easier for owners to transition to the handheld. Yamauchi estimated that the console would achieve sales exceeding 25 million units in its initial three years, a claim that was regarded as bold at the time.<ref name="McFarren 20162" />
[[Category:Monochrome video game consoles]]
[[Category:Game Boy consoles]]
[[Category:Third-generation video game consoles]]
[[Category:1989 introductions]]
 
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, Okada pushed to make [[Programming tool|development tools]] available for [[Video game developer|third-party developers]], a shortcoming of the launch of the NES.<ref name="Kurokawa 20222" /> R&D1 also 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 20092">{{Cite news |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 |work=[[IGN]] |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="McFarren 20162" />
[[da:Game Boy]]
 
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 20092" /> backed by a $10&nbsp;million marketing effort.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Shiver Jr. |first=Jube |date=November 29, 1989 |title=Toys: It's serious business as Nintendo's Game Boy goes head to head with Atari's Lynx |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 |work=[[Los Angeles Times]]}}</ref> Sales of the Game Boy and its successor variants (including the [[Game Boy Color]]) continued until March 2003.
 
== Hardware ==
[[File:Nintendo_Game_Boy_DMG-01_-_board_with_card_slot-9880.jpg|thumb|The original Game Boy motherboard ([[commons:File: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]].<ref name="Copetti 20192">{{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/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240413195021/https://www.copetti.org/writings/consoles/game-boy/ |archive-date=April 13, 2024 |access-date=April 29, 2024 |language=en}}</ref>
 
Within the DMG-CPU, the main processor is a ''Sharp SM83'',<ref>{{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 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240429214715/https://gekkio.fi/files/gb-docs/gbctr.pdf |archive-date=April 29, 2024 |access-date=April 29, 2024 |website=gekkio.fi}}</ref> a hybrid between two other [[8-bit computing|8-bit]] processors: the [[Intel 8080]] and the [[Zilog Z80]]. The SM83 has the seven 8-bit [[Processor register|registers]] of the 8080 (lacking the alternate registers of the Z80), but uses the Z80's programming syntax and extra [[bit manipulation]] instructions, it also adds new instructions to optimize the processor for certain operations related to the way the hardware was arranged.<ref name="McFarren 20162" /><ref name="Copetti 20192" /><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 Emulator Blog}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=CPU Comparison with Z80 |url=https://gbdev.io/pandocs/CPU_Comparison_with_Z80 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240429215020/https://gbdev.io/pandocs/CPU_Comparison_with_Z80 |archive-date=April 29, 2024 |access-date=April 29, 2024 |website=Pan Docs |language=en}}</ref> The Sharp SM83 operates at a [[clock rate]] of 4.194304&nbsp;MHz.<ref name="Copetti 20192" />
 
The DMG-CPU also incorporates the ''Picture Processing Unit'', essentially a basic [[GPU]], that renders visuals using an 8&nbsp;KB bank of [[Video RAM (dual-ported DRAM)|Video RAM]] located on the motherboard.<ref name="Copetti 20192" /> 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|pixels]] wide by 144 pixels high in a 10:9 [[Aspect ratio (image)|aspect ratio]].<ref name="User Manual Page 122">{{Cite web |year=1989 |title=GameBoy User Manual |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 |page=12}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Verhoeven |first=Jan |date=August 22, 2009 |title=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 |website=Using the GameBoy skeleton for serious business}}</ref>
 
The SoC also contains a 256&nbsp;B "bootstrap" ROM which is used to start up the device, 127&nbsp;B of High RAM that can be accessed faster (similar to a [[CPU cache]]), and the ''Audio Processing Unit'', a [[programmable sound generator]] with four channels: a [[pulse wave]] generation channel with frequency and volume variation, a second pulse wave generation channel with only volume variation, a wave channel than can reproduce any [[waveform]] recorded in RAM, and a [[white noise]] channel with volume variation.<ref name="Copetti 20192" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=November 5, 2008 |title=Game Boy |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 |website=8bitcollective}}</ref><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><ref>{{Cite web |title=Game Boy Advance Service Manual |url=https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IpKe2BRdcZLUURvhrvxnleMZf3MEI6tc/view?usp=embed_facebook |access-date=2024-05-27 |website= |publisher=[[Nintendo]] |page=3 |language=en |edition=2nd}}</ref><!--The Game Boy Advance manual explains the operation of Game Boy-compatible audio.--> The motherboard also contains a 8&nbsp;KB "working [[Random access memory|RAM]]" chip.<ref name="Copetti 20192" />
 
The Game Boy features a [[D-pad]] (directional pad), four buttons labeled 'A', 'B', 'SELECT', 'START', and a sliding power switch with a cartridge lock to prevent removal. The volume and [[Contrast (vision)|contrast]] are adjusted by dials on either side.<ref>{{Cite web |year=1989 |title=Game Boy Owner's Manual |url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/30348074@N00/5439387075/in/album-72157626034398554/ |access-date=May 26, 2024 |publisher=Nintendo of America |page=3}}</ref> The original Game Boy was powered internally by four [[AA battery|AA]] [[Battery (electricity)|batteries]].<ref>{{Cite web |year=1989 |title=Game Boy Owner's Manual |url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/30348074@N00/5439992276/in/album-72157626034398554/ |access-date=May 26, 2024 |publisher=Nintendo of America |page=6 |quote=Remove the cover on the back of the GAME BOY and insert the four AA batteries (supplied) as shown in the illustration.}}</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>{{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&nbsp;mm stereo headphone jack]].<ref>{{Cite web |year=1989 |title=Game Boy Owner's Manual |url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/30348074@N00/5439387125/in/album-72157626034398554/ |access-date=May 26, 2024 |publisher=Nintendo of America |page=5 |quote=(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. (11) Speaker — A small built-in external speaker. It will turn on automatically if the headphones are not plugged into the headphones jack.}}</ref> The right side offers a [[Game Link Cable]] port{{efn|The Game Link Cable port was also called the Video Link cable and extension connector in early Owner's Manuals.<ref>{{Cite web |year=1989 |title=Game Boy Owner's Manual |url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/30348074@N00/5439992312/in/album-72157626034398554/ |access-date=May 26, 2024 |publisher=Nintendo of America |page=8}}</ref>}} 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> This port can also be used with a [[Game Boy Printer]].
 
=== Technical specifications ===
{{sticky header}}
{| class="wikitable sticky-header"
!
!Game Boy<ref name="User Manual Page 122" /><ref name="Technical data2">{{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>
!Game Boy Pocket<ref name="Technical data2" />
!Game Boy Light
|-
!Height
|{{cvt|148|mm}}
|{{cvt|127.6|mm}}
|{{cvt|135|mm}}
|-
!Width
|{{cvt|90|mm}}
|{{cvt|77.6|mm}}
|{{cvt|80|mm}}
|-
!Depth
|{{cvt|32|mm}}
|{{cvt|25.3|mm|0}}
|{{cvt|27|mm}}
|-
!Weight
|{{cvt|220|g}}
|{{cvt|125|g}}
|{{cvt|138|g}}
|-
!Display
|2.5-inch reflective [[Super-twisted nematic display|super-twisted nematic]] (STN) [[liquid-crystal display]] (LCD)
|2.5-inch [[FSTN|film compensated STN]] (FSTN) LCD
|2.5-inch FSTN LCD with [[Electroluminescence|electroluminescent]] backlight
|-
!Screen size (playable)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Game Boy Versions |url=https://www.retrorgb.com/gbversions.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240506190310/https://www.retrorgb.com/gbversions.html |archive-date=May 6, 2024 |access-date=May 6, 2024 |website=RetroRGB |language=en-US}}</ref>
|{{cvt|45.5|x|41.5|mm}}
|{{cvt|47.5|x|42.5|mm}}
|{{cvt|47|x|42|mm}}
|-
![[Display resolution|Resolution]]
| colspan="3" |160&nbsp;(w)&nbsp;× 144&nbsp;(h) [[Pixel|pixels]] (10:9 [[Aspect ratio (image)|aspect ratio]])
|-
![[Frame rate]]
| 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>
|-
!Color support
|2-bit, four shades of green: {{nowrap|{{Color box|#2a453b|0x0|#ffffff}}{{Color box|#365d48|0x1|#ffffff}}{{Color box|#577c44|0x2|#ffffff}}{{Color box|#7f860f|0x3|#ffffff}}}}
| colspan="2" |2-bit, four shades of grey: {{nowrap|{{Color box|#000000|0x0|#ffffff}}{{Color box|#555555|0x1|#ffffff}}{{Color box|#aaaaaa|0x2|#000000}}{{Color box|#ffffff|0x3|#000000}}}}
|-
![[System on a chip]] (SoC)
|Nintendo DMG-CPU ([[Sharp Corporation|Sharp]] LR35902)
| colspan="2" |Nintendo CPU&nbsp;MGB
|-
!Processor
| colspan="3" |4.194304&nbsp;MHz Sharp SM83 (custom [[Intel 8080]]/[[Zilog Z80]] hybrid, [[8-bit computing|8-bit]])
|-
! rowspan="2" |Memory
|{{Unbulleted list|'''On SoC:''' 256&nbsp;B&nbsp;ROM, 127&nbsp;B&nbsp;High&nbsp;RAM|'''Internal:''' 8&nbsp;KB&nbsp;[[Random-access memory|RAM]], 8&nbsp;KB&nbsp;[[Video Random Access Memory|Video&nbsp;RAM]]}}
| colspan="2" |{{Unbulleted list|'''On SoC:''' 256&nbsp;B&nbsp;ROM, 127&nbsp;B&nbsp;High&nbsp;RAM, 8&nbsp;KB&nbsp;Video&nbsp;RAM|'''Internal:''' 8&nbsp;KB&nbsp;RAM}}
|-
| colspan="3" |'''External:''' (in the game cartridge) up to 1&nbsp;MB ROM, up to 128&nbsp;KB RAM
|-
!Power
|{{Unbulleted list|'''Consumption:''' 70–80 [[mAh]]|'''Internal:''' 4 × [[AA batteries]]|'''External:''' 0.7&nbsp;W at 6&nbsp;V&nbsp;DC from 3.5&nbsp;mm&nbsp;×&nbsp;1.35&nbsp;mm [[coaxial power connector|coaxial connector]]}}
|{{Unbulleted list|'''Consumption:''' 80–90 mAh|'''Internal:''' 2 × [[AAA batteries]]|'''External:''' 0.7&nbsp;W at 3&nbsp;V&nbsp;DC from 2.35&nbsp;mm&nbsp;×&nbsp;0.75&nbsp;mm coaxial connector}}
|{{Unbulleted list||'''Internal:''' 2 × AA batteries|'''External:''' 0.6&nbsp;W at 3&nbsp;V&nbsp;DC from 2.35&nbsp;mm&nbsp;×&nbsp;0.75&nbsp;mm coaxial connector}}
|-
!Battery life
|Up to 30 hours
|Up to 10 hours
|{{Unbulleted list|Up to 20 hours (backlight off)|Up to 12 hours (backlight on)}}
|-
!Sound
| colspan="3" |{{Unbulleted list|'''Channels:''' 2&nbsp;pulse&nbsp;wave, 1&nbsp;wave, 1&nbsp;noise|'''Outputs:''' Built-in mono speaker, stereo [[3.5mm headphone jack]]}}
|-
![[Input/output|I/O]]
| colspan="3" |{{Unbulleted list|[[Game Link Cable]] (8&nbsp;[[kbit/s]] between up to 4 devices)<ref name="Game Boy Programming Manual">{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/GameBoyProgManVer1.1 |title=Game Boy Programming Manual |date=December 3, 1999 |publisher=[[Nintendo]] |access-date=November 21, 2024 |via=[[Internet Archive]]}}</ref>{{rp|28}}|[[Game Boy Game Pak]] slot}}
|-
!Controls
| colspan="3" |{{Unbulleted list|4-way [[D-pad]]|Four action buttons (A, B, Start, Select)|Volume [[potentiometer]]|Contrast potentiometer|Power switch}}
|}
 
=== Revisions ===
[[File:Game_Boy_Play_It_Loud!_Transparent_American_Edition.png|thumb|200x200px|Clear "Play It Loud!" edition]]
The Game Boy continued to experience strong sales well into the 1990s, as popular games continued to increase interest in the handheld. This commercial success was something of a double-edged sword for Nintendo; the device was seen as aged, but the company was unwilling to abandon it. Instead, the company embarked on a series of improvements to the Game Boy in an effort to keep the console relevant.<ref name="McFarren 20162" />
 
==== Play It Loud! ====
The first revision to the Game Boy came on March 20, 1995, when 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). The Play It Loud's screens also have a darker border than the normal Game Boy.<ref>{{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/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231028231030/https://www.oldschoolgamermagazine.com/boy-oh-game-boy-play-it-loud/ |archive-date=October 28, 2023 |access-date=October 28, 2023 |website=Old School Gamer Magazine}}</ref>
 
==== Game Boy Pocket ====
{{Multiple image
| image1 = Game Boy Pocket Logo.svg
| image2 = Game-Boy-Pocket-Black.jpg
| width = 120
| direction = vertical
}}
A major revision to the Game Boy came in 1996 with the introduction of the Game Boy Pocket, a slimmed-down unit that required just two smaller [[AAA batteries]], albeit at the expense of providing just 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 other major change was that the screen was changed to a [[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 Pocket also 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.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Link Cable Adapter |url=https://www.nintendo.com/en-gb/Support/Game-Boy-Pocket-Color/Accessories/Link-cable-adapter/Link-cable-adapter-619614.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240511035518/https://www.nintendo.com/en-gb/Support/Game-Boy-Pocket-Color/Accessories/Link-cable-adapter/Link-cable-adapter-619614.html |archive-date=May 11, 2024 |access-date=May 11, 2024 |website=Nintendo of Europe |language=en-GB}}</ref> Internally, the Game Boy Pocket had a new SoC, the Nintendo CPU&nbsp;MGB, an improved version of the DMG-CPU. A major change was that the device's 8&nbsp;KB of Video RAM was moved from the motherboard to the SoC for faster access.<ref name="Copetti 20192" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Javanainen |first=Joonas |date=July 18, 2023 |title=MGB-xCPU schematic |url=https://github.com/Gekkio/gb-schematics/blob/main/MGB-xCPU/schematic/MGB-xCPU.pdf |access-date=May 22, 2024 |website=[[GitHub]]}}</ref>
 
The Game Boy Pocket was released in Japan on July 20, 1996, and in North America on September 2, 1996, for {{USD|69.99|1996|round=0}}.<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 revitalized hardware sales and its release was ultimately well-timed as it coincided with the release of the first Pokémon game, which catapulted the Game Boy into uncharted realms of commercial triumph.<ref name="McFarren 20162" /> Reviewers praised the device's small size,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Cameron |first=Mike |date=September 19, 1996 |title=A game that's small enough to score where it counts |url=https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AWNB&docref=news/10B30EFFA5830318 |url-access=subscription |access-date=May 22, 2024 |work=[[Hamilton Spectator]] |page=11 |via=[[NewsBank]]}}</ref> and said that the screen's visibility and pixel response-time had been improved, 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> However, other reviewers were dismissive of the device, with the ''Los Angeles Times'' saying Nintendo was "repacking the same old black-and-white stuff and selling it as new."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Curtiss |first=Aaron |date=May 30, 1996 |title=The Expo Challenge: Dodging the Pretenders |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-05-30-ca-10272-story.html |access-date=May 22, 2024 |work=[[Los Angeles Times]]}}</ref>
 
The first version came only in silver and did not have a power LED. A revision in early 1997 added a power LED, different case colors (red, green, yellow, black, gold metal, clear, and blue) and dropped the price to {{USD|54.95|1997|round=0}}.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=May 1997 |title=Tidbits... |magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]] |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]] |page=19 |issue=94}}</ref> By mid-1998, just months before the Game Boy Color went on sale, prices had fallen to {{USD|49.95|1998|round=0}}.<ref>{{Cite news |date=July 29, 1998 |title=Nintendo unchallenged as big Boy in town |url=https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AWNB&docref=news/0EB77359B6744FE3 |url-access=subscription |access-date=May 22, 2024 |work=[[USA Today]] |page=4D |via=[[NewsBank]]}}</ref>
 
==== Game Boy Light ====
{{Multiple image
| image1 = Game Boy Light logo.svg
| image2 = Game-Boy-Light-FL.jpg
| width = 120
| direction = vertical
}}
The Game Boy Light was a Japan-only revision released on April 14, 1998. Like the Game Boy Pocket, the system was priced at {{JPY|6800|1998}}.<ref name="Electronic Gaming Monthly 19982">{{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="Electronic Gaming Monthly 19982" /> It was available in two standard colors: gold and silver.<ref name="Electronic Gaming Monthly 19982" /><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>
 
== Games ==
{{See also|List of Game Boy games|List of Game Boy Color games|List of best-selling Game Boy video games|List of cancelled Game Boy games}}
[[File:Nintendo-Game-Boy-Cartridge.jpg|thumb|The standard gray [[Game Boy Game Pak|cartridge]] for the original Game Boy games]]
More than 1,000 games were released for the Game Boy, excluding cancelled and unlicensed games.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Game Boy (original) Games |url=http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/downloads/dmg_games.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160402190758/http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/downloads/dmg_games.pdf |archive-date=April 2, 2016 |access-date=April 13, 2023 |publisher=Nintendo of America}}</ref> Additionally, more than 300 games developed for the Game Boy Color were [[Forward compatibility|forward compatible]] with the monochrome Game Boy models.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Game Boy Color Games |url=http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/downloads/cgb_games.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040610021821/http://www.nintendo.com:80/consumer/downloads/cgb_games.pdf |archive-date=June 10, 2004 |access-date=April 13, 2023 |publisher=Nintendo of America}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=January 19, 2001 |title=Game List – Released Titles |url=http://www.gameboy.com:80/gamelist.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010119180900/http://www.gameboy.com/gamelist.html |archive-date=January 19, 2001 |access-date=August 20, 2018 |website=GameBoy.com |publisher=Nintendo of America}}</ref>
 
Games are stored on cartridges called the [[Game Boy 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&nbsp;KB. However, Nintendo overcame this limitation with a Memory Bank Controller&nbsp;(MBC) inside the cartridge. This chip sits between the processor and the ROM chips. The CPU can only access 32&nbsp;KB at a time, but the MBC can switch between several banks of 32&nbsp;KB ROM. Using this technology, Nintendo created Game Boy games that used up to 1&nbsp;[[megabyte]] of ROM. Game Paks could also provide additional functionality to the Game Boy system. Some cartridges included up to 128&nbsp;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.<ref name="Copetti 20192" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Byers |first=Brendan |title=Exploring the Gameboy Memory Bank Controller |url=https://b13rg.github.io/Gameboy-MBC-Analysis/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240429225226/https://b13rg.github.io/Gameboy-MBC-Analysis/ |archive-date=April 29, 2024 |access-date=April 29, 2024 |website=Brendan's Website |language=en-us}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=December 3, 1999 |title=Game Boy Programming Manual |url=https://ia803208.us.archive.org/9/items/GameBoyProgManVer1.1/GameBoyProgManVer1.1.pdf |access-date=April 30, 2024 |page=299}}</ref>
 
The top-selling franchise for the Game Boy were [[Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow|''Pokémon Red'', ''Blue'', and ''Yellow'']], the first installments of the [[Pokémon (video game series)|''Pokémon'' video game series]], which sold more than 46 million copies.<ref>{{Cite news |date=March 19, 2017 |title='Pokken Tournament' and Pokemon's $1.5 Billion Brand |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gobankingratebuls/pokken-tournament-and-pok_b_9501260.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200218180223/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/pokken-tournament-and-pok_b_9501260 |archive-date=February 18, 2020 |access-date=April 25, 2017 |work=[[The Huffington Post]] |publisher=[[AOL]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Clement |first=Jessica |date=May 2024 |title=All-time best-selling Pokémon games 2024 |url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/1072224/pokemon-unit-sales-worldwide/ |access-date=May 21, 2024 |website=Statista |language=en}}</ref> The best-selling single game was ''[[Tetris (Game Boy video game)|Tetris]]'', with more than 35 million copies shipped, it was a [[pack-in game]] included with the purchase of many original Game Boy devices.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Saltzman |first=Marc |date=June 12, 2009 |title='Tetris' by the numbers |url=http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gamehunters/post/2009/06/68024593/1 |access-date=May 21, 2024 |website=USA Today}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Takahashi |first=Dean |date=June 1, 2009 |title=After 25 years, Tetris has sold 125 million copies |url=https://venturebeat.com/entrepreneur/after-25-years-tetris-has-sold-125-million-copies/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230621144138/https://venturebeat.com/entrepreneur/after-25-years-tetris-has-sold-125-million-copies/ |archive-date=June 21, 2023 |access-date=June 21, 2023 |website=[[VentureBeat]]}}</ref>
 
=== Launch titles ===
When the Game Boy was released in Japan in April 1989 alongside four [[launch titles]]: ''[[Alleyway (video game)|Alleyway]]'' (a [[Breakout clone|''Breakout'' clone]]), ''[[Baseball (1983 video game)|Baseball]]'' (a [[Porting|port]] of the NES game), ''[[Super Mario Land]]'' (an adaptation of the [[Mario (franchise)|Mario franchise]] for the handheld format) and [[Yakuman (video game)|''Yakuman'']] (a Mahjong game).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Swanson |first=Drew |date=January 5, 2023 |title=Remembering the Game Boy's Launch Titles |url=https://gamerant.com/game-boy-launch-title-retrospective-tetris-super-mario-land/ |access-date=May 21, 2024 |website=Game Rant |language=en}}</ref> When the console was introduced in North America, two more launch titles were added: ''Tetris'' and ''[[Tennis (1984 video game)|Tennis]]'' (another NES game port), while ''Yakuman'' was never released outside of Japan.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Duncan |first=Andrew |date=April 21, 2019 |title=Game Boy Launch Titles |url=https://www.gamegrin.com/articles/game-boy-launch-titles/ |access-date=May 21, 2024 |website=GameGrin |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{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>
 
== Reception ==
[[File:Gameboylight_accessory-addon.jpg|thumb|One of the many criticisms for the original Game Boy was its lack of a [[backlight]], so many third-party accessories were made to make play possible in low-light conditions.]]
 
=== Critical reception ===
Though it was less technically advanced than the [[Sega Game Gear]], [[Atari Lynx]], [[NEC TurboExpress]] and other competitors, notably by not supporting color, the Game Boy's lower price along with longer battery life made it a success.<ref>{{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><ref>{{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 20092" /> It sold one million units in the United States within weeks.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Kent |first=Steve L. |title=The Ultimate History of Video Games |date=2001 |publisher=Prima Publishing |isbn=978-0-7615-3643-7 |edition=1 |location=Roseville, Calif. |pages=416 |quote=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> More than 118.69&nbsp;million units of the Game Boy and Game Boy Color combined have been sold worldwide, with 32.47&nbsp;million units in Japan, 44.06&nbsp;million in the Americas, and 42.16&nbsp;million in other regions. By Japanese [[fiscal year]] 1997, before Game Boy Color's release in late 1998, 64.42&nbsp;million units of the Game Boy had been sold worldwide.<ref>{{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>{{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 news |title=''Ball, Game Boy, Big Wheel enter toy hall of fame'' |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=November 5, 2009 |work=Rochester Business Journal}}</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. The reviewer 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-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=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]] 1998 Video Game Buyer's Guide |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]] |page=58}}</ref>
 
=== Sales ===
The Game Boy, Game Boy Pocket and Game Boy Color were commercially successful, selling a combined 118.69&nbsp;million units worldwide: 32.47&nbsp;million in Japan, 44.06&nbsp;million in the Americas, and 42.16&nbsp;million in all other regions.<ref>{{Cite news |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=March 28, 2008 |work=[[BusinessWeek]] |publisher=[[McGraw-Hill]]}}</ref> At the time of its discontinuation in 2003, the combined sales of the Game Boy made it the [[List of best-selling game consoles|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 of all time, {{As of|2024|lc=y}}.<ref>{{cite web |date=March 2024 |title=Lifetime sales of video game consoles worldwide as of February 2024 |url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/1101872/unit-sales-video-game-consoles/ |website=Statista}}</ref>
 
== Notes ==
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== References ==
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== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110128120244/http://www.gameboy.com/ Official website] archived at the [[Wayback Machine]]
 
{{Game Boy line}}
{{Nintendo hardware|Game Boy}}
{{Fourth generation game consoles}}
{{Handheld game consoles}}
{{Portal bar|Video games|Electronics|1980s|1990s}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Game Boy| ]]
[[Category:Products introduced in 1989]]
[[Category:Game Boy consoles]]
[[Category:1980s toys]]
[[Category:1990s toys]]
[[Category:2000s toys]]
[[Category:Monochrome video game consoles]]
[[Category:Regionless game consoles]]
[[Category:Fourth-generation video game consoles]]
[[Category:Handheld game consoles]]
[[Category:Z80-based video game consoles]]
[[Category:Products and services discontinued in 2003]]
[[Category:Experimental musical instruments]]
[[Category:Discontinued handheld game consoles]]
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