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History of the Game Boy

Let's dive into the history of this marvellous handheld system…
The very first Game Boy was released in 1990. It is likely the most well-known classic handheld console in the world. It featured a dot-matrix screen but unfortunately no backlight, but a backlight would appear in a much later generation model. Some games on this console, such as Tetris, Mario and Pokémon Red & Blue, are known as some of the best games of all time.

In 1996, a Game Boy Pocket version was released. It was the same system, only smaller and with AAA batteries. It also had a screen upgrade, where an FSTN LCD was used.

After the Game Boy Pocket, a Color version then made an appearance in 1998. Many game titles started appearing in colour format. The greatest part about this was some Color game titles supported the older classic Game Boy and Pocket using a 4-step greyscale system. The older original greyscale game titles were also supported on the Game Boy Color. There were, however, some games that were only designed for specific use on the Game Boy Color and would not work on the original Game Boy or Pocket.

Then the Game Boy Advance arrived in the year 2001, featuring a 3-Inch TFT LCD. It supported every game that had been released all the way back from the original Game Boy Classic. Unfortunately, this model did not have a backlight LCD either, but many people praised the horizontal orientation. The game titles made for this system were unable to be played on the earlier Game Boy, Pocket or Color.

In 2003 came the Game Boy Advance SP. Unlike all the previous models, this one featured an added backlight! It also featured a clamshell design which was a much better fit for pockets. The AA Batteries were changed out for a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. But things got even brighter for the SP in 2005, when another model revision was released which featured an even brighter backlit display, which allowed 2 brightness levels.

Finally, the Game Boy Micro was released in 2005. A much smaller and sleeker design, this one did not feature the SP clamshell design. Instead, it was horizontally orientated, much like the original Game Boy Advance. This Game Boy featured changeable faceplates to allow easier customisation. It also retained the backlight and featured a smaller but more detailed screen due to a finer dot pitch. Only 2.4 million were ever sold and Nintendo firmly closed the door on the Game Boy series as a result, making way for the DS, Wii and ultimately to where we are now with the Switch.

At CRS, we can help repair or modify any of the Game Boy handheld systems, including fixing button issues or replacing the older screens for a more modern IPS variant. Do you have a scratched case that needs a touch of love or just fancy a change of colour? We can help with that! However, we won’t provide any services that directly change the system, such as jailbreaking, or making the Game Boy a device that was never intended.

Click here to book your Game Boy for repairs or modifications.

Article By: CRS Mike
Date Added: 2024-01-22 21:55:31

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