Game Boy

The Game Boy (Japaneseゲームボーイ, gemu BOI) is a portable 8 -bit video game console released by Nintendo, developed by Gunpei Yokoi. It was unveiled to the public in 1989. The Game Boy is more than 118.69 million units sold ( including Game Boy Game Boy Color model), one of the world 's best-selling consoles and has long been the best-selling portable console in history. This sales record was broken, however, by the Nintendo DS sold, with around 154 million devices.

First, the Game Boy was only available with the game Tetris, which thus became the best-selling computer game in history.

History

In 1980 the foundations of the Game Boys in the co- marketed by Nintendo " Game & Watch " series were created. In 1989 appeared the first Game Boy on the market, over the following years hundreds of different games were produced. Popular games were Tetris and Donkey Kong, Zelda, Pokemon, Metroid and Super Mario series. In 1994, Nintendo Super Game Boy on the market, an adapter that makes it possible to play Game Boy games on the significantly more powerful Super Nintendo console to TV sets in color. 1995 saw the campaign "Play It Loud! " For the Game Boy confusion, but according to Nintendo was "Play It Loud! " Just an advertising slogan, and had nothing to do with a supposedly higher volume. In 1996, the Game Boy Pocket, only half as thick and slightly smaller version of the Game Boy was released with a larger and more powerful display. Only in Japan a modified version of the Game Boy Pocket, Game Boy Light was published in 1997 with built-in backlight.

In 1998, the Game Boy through the Game Boy Color was replaced, for the first time allowed for almost nine years after the publication of the Atari Lynx even with a handheld from Nintendo color representation. 2001, the Game Boy Advance was released for the first time with retreaded hardware and a further improved color screen. 2003, the collapsible version of the Game Boy Advance, Game Boy Advance SP was introduced with additional front lighting and integrated Lithium- ion battery. 2004 was initially released only in Japan and the U.S. - in Europe in 2005 - the Nintendo DS. Although the device is backwards compatible with Game Boy Advance modules, it does not constitute a Game Boy sequel, but to exist alongside the Game Boy line, according to Nintendo. Came in 2005 with the Game Boy Micro is a very small version of the Game Boy Advance on the market. That same year, the Game Boy Advance SP was released in North America with an improved backlight, which corresponds to the illumination of the Game Boy Micro. 2006, the Nintendo DS Lite, a slightly smaller version of the Nintendo DS was released with improved display.

Models

Game Boy

The ancestor of the series appeared in 1989 and was available for sale beginning only with the game Tetris. Especially because of the small processor and the black and white screen he saw at first to many skeptics. However, a small time for this size, low cost and economical battery consumption proved to be decisive advantages. In addition, you could buy a small extra charge a rechargeable battery.

Game Boy Special Edition

In 1995, the original Game Boy under the name Special Edition was reissued. He was technically identical to the Game Boy Classic, but in first six different housing colors (red, yellow, green, black, white, transparent ), and later also in blue, available and was with a pet carrier for the device and six games in covers delivered.

Game Boy Pocket

The Game Boy Pocket in 1996 has changed the features of the normal Game Boy. However, it is significantly smaller, standard chrome and is powered by two AAA batteries. The LCD display offers high contrast. The link cable port was scaled down in order to accommodate the new housing bill. With a new link cable, which came with an adapter, the games between the old Game Boy and Game Boy Pocket was still possible. The first Japanese copies of the Game Boy Pocket still had no battery level indicator; this was added later.

The English word "pocket" (English for pocket) points to the compact design.

Game Boy Light

The Game Boy Light is based on the Game Boy Pocket. However, it is slightly larger and has a switchable green backlight. He has the sharpest display of all monochrome Game Boys. The Game Boy Light requires two AA batteries, with which it despite switched backlight reaches the same service life as the Game Boy Pocket. The standard version of the Game Boy Light appeared gold and silver colors. Later, with a skeleton still limited to 5000 copies, transparent version available. After the onset of euphoria Pokémon Nintendo released the Game Boy Light in a yellow Pikachu Special Edition.

The Game Boy Light was only sold in Japan in 1997.

Game Boy Color

The Game Boy Color was released in 1998 as an indirect successor to the Game Boy and the Game Boy Pocket. He is technically based on the first Game Boy line ( Z80 generation). The Game Boy Color owned as first portable Nintendo game console a color screen and was from a palette of 32,768 colors 56 represent the same time. The predecessor still had a display with four gray tones ( These can be but in black, blue, red and yellow ( and white convert as background) in this order of the steps, this technique is for color production to the Game Boy Advance applied).

The housing form was only slightly changed and is located in the thickness between the Game Boy and Game Boy Pocket. What was new was an infrared interface, with which you can play some games without link cable against other players. With the appropriate module (eg, Mission: Impossible ), it is possible, the Game Boy Color to transform thanks to the infrared interface into a remote control for other electronic devices. Often, however, it was only for the transmission of smaller game data volumes, such as high scores, are used.

The Game Boy Color is compatible to its predecessors. The plug-in modules of the original for the device and the Game Boy Pocket, published games can be used. The black and white picture is displayed with a selectable four - color graphics. The Game Boy Color is available in the colors blue, red, green, yellow, light green, turquoise, purple, purple - transparent, white transparent, as well as a limited edition yellow Pokémon.

New modules were the games for the Game Boy Color. The black modules, resembling the gray standard modules could, but without color, to be played on older Game Boy consoles. For some games, like Zelda DX 4, with also some functions could not be used. In addition, there were new, transparent modules that are intended only for the Game Boy Color, and provided with the inscription "Only for Game Boy Color ". If you put these modules, for example, in a Game Boy Pocket or Super Game Boy, only an error message appears.

Games for the Game Boy can, similar to the Super Game Boy for the SNES, played with the Game Boy Color in color. It gives the option to select a range by a combination of keys during the boot screen of the device. The games often had a more or less adapted to the game default palette. Usually, a color range for the background and a moving for the items was used partly different colors for opponents. Overall, the possibilities for this extended four to ten colors. With the key combination Control Pad Left B Button the original grayscale tones can be activated.

Game Boy Advance, Game Boy Advance SP

→ Main article: Game Boy Advance

The Game Boy Advance, working title " Project Atlantis " was the first model of the Game Boy line, which was not based on the technology of the original Game Boy. As a successor to the Game Boy Color this console had a 32- bit ARM RISC processor and a color display, which is why it was also called the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in your pocket. With two AA batteries have a service life of approximately 15 hours is achieved. On the market, the Game Boy Advance came to Japan on 21 March 2001, in North America on June 11, and in Europe and Australia on 22 June of the same year. In the People's Republic of China ( except Hong Kong), the device was released a few years later, on 8 June 2004. Due to the unexpected success of Pokemon and the feared high starting price of the console can be decided with the Game Boy Color once the color version of the game Boy Pocket publish.

With the Game Boy Advance SP Game Boy Advance underwent a revision comfort. The Game Boy Advance SP is foldable and has a light that lets you play in the dark. Initially a front light ( illumination from the front) was used, and later there were fewer in number devices that possessed a backlight. Unlike the Game Boy Advance, it has a built-in lithium -ion battery, which has since been standard in Nintendo's handheld consoles. Thus, an operation of about ten hours is possible. The design was later adopted and improved in the production of the Nintendo DS.

Despite fundamental change in the hardware, both representatives of the Game Boy Advance generation are backward compatible, so all Game Boy games on them. However, for multiplayer games between Game Boy and Game Boy Color games requires the old link cable, since the Game Boy Advance link cable does not work with Game Boy Advance games.

Both Game Boy Advance, as well as SP models were produced in many different colors.

Game Boy Micro

See Game Boy Micro

As a new version of the Game Boy Advance Game Boy this smallest ever appeared (dimensions: 10 × 5 × 1.8 cm) in autumn 2005, the built-in hardware is identical to the Game Boy Advance and the Game Boy Advance SP.. The Game Boy Micro is, however, compatible only with Game Boy Advance games, as the Game Boy Color Part no longer had a place and a software emulation was out of the question. He was abandoned shortly thereafter due to low sales of Nintendo. Reason for this may have been the small size and the lack of backward compatibility, although he had the sharpest display all Game Boys. In Japan, the Game Boy Micro was marketed along with Nintendo's multimedia player PlayYan as a media player, but did not bring the hoped-for sales. Since appearance and size fit well into a modern standard, it is now a coveted collector's item and achieved prices that are equal to the last Neuverkaufspreises.

Exclusive in Japan, there were a handful of special editions, such as the "Final Fantasy IV " edition and the Famicom Edition.

Details

A non-illuminated black and green LCD screen, a directional pad, which supports eight directions and four control buttons, named as the NES with " A", " B", " SELECT" and " START", and a mono speaker are those of externally visible components. The function of the control buttons Depending on the game. "START" has held a pause function in most cases the menu is "A" is generally used to confirm and "B " to cancel.

There is a 3.5mm headphone jack with stereo output at the bottom. On the right side there is also a volume control on the left one for the contrast. The power switch is located on top which are also called Game Paks on the front side of the unit next to the slot for the ROM plug-in modules.

Over a side-mounted connector ( Game Link Cable dialogue ), the Game Boy are connected to another Game Boy, which allows multiplayer games for two, if the game supports it. Through a 4-player adapter available as an option, you can connect the Game Boy also to up to three other Game Boys. On the other hand there is a power port on which a power supply can be connected. Over time appeared numerous accessories, such as magnifying glass for the screen, lamps, a Game Boy Camera or a Game Boy Printer.

Software

Basically, the Game Boy Games is designed for, but it is also possible with special programs such as Carillon, LSDJ, Music Box, Nanoloop, Pocket Music, etc. ( chiptune ) to compose music. The relatively simple technique (also compared to conventional synthesizers or sequencers ) of considerable tonal variety. Some musicians use the Game Boy at their concerts.

In Japan, Nintendo introduced with the PlayYan a module for the Game Boy Advance on the market that can be used with which files in MP3, MPEG -4 and DivX format shown and played. My Music can be with him but not compose. The PlayYan was sold without the video function, also outside Japan as Game Boy MP3 player.

In addition, the Game Boy can also be used for simple measurement and control tasks. For this particular plug-in modules must be built and own programs are written. It sold commercially some special modules and Others Car Tuning, for measuring blood sugar or control of sewing machines.

Emulation

The first, direct emulation of the Game Boy hardware was available from 1994, the Super Game Boy, this is a SNES module, in turn, a Game Boy is plugged. In this way it is possible to play Game Boy games in color on the SNES. An actual emulator in the sense of software emulator is the Super Game Boy or the Japan -exclusive Super Game Boy 2 but not because it has components of the handheld console on the board. The performance of the SNES is only required for the additional effects.

Later, Nintendo brought for the GameCube Game Boy Player on the market, with which it was also possible, Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance games to play.

For the emulation of the Game Boy on the PC programs such as Visual Boy Advance were developed. These emulators are used by game programmers to test their simple Game Boy applications, such as Game Boy watches or homebrew games. The emulators are however also used for copyrighted games that are illegally distributed via websites and sharing networks.

Successor to the Game Boy series

→ Main article: Nintendo DS

The Nintendo DS ( Dual Screen ) was originally marketed in parallel with the Game Boy Advance, but from now preferred by the developers of the Game Boy Advance. The DS has a touch screen as new features, a built-in microphone and a wireless adapter, for example, for online multiplayer. This platform is backward compatible only with Game Boy Advance games. According to Nintendo, the Nintendo DS, however, is not the successor to the Game Boy Advance, but rather a new gaming device. He does not belong thus to the actual Game Boy series.

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