Game Boy
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226104184
2008-07-16T21:01:31Z
ArchonMagnus
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Reverted edits by [[Special:Contributions/76.71.4.141|76.71.4.141]] ([[User talk:76.71.4.141|talk]]) to last version by Missingno255
{{dablink|For the entire Game Boy series of handheld consoles, see [[Game Boy line]].}}
{{Infobox CVG system
|title = ''Game Boy''
|logo = [[Image:gameboy logo.svg|245px]]
|image = [[Image:Gameboy.jpg|175px]]
|manufacturer = [[Nintendo]]
|family = [[Game Boy line]]
|type = [[Handheld game console]]
|generation = [[History of video game consoles (fourth generation)|Fourth generation era]]
|lifespan = {{vgrelease|JP=[[April 21]], [[1989]]}}{{vgrelease|NA=August {{vgy|1989}} }} {{vgrelease|EU=[[1990 in video gaming|1990]]}}
|CPU =
|media = Game Boy [[Cartridge (electronics)|cartridges]]
|unitssold = Worldwide: 118.7 million, including [[Game Boy Color]] units <small>(as of [[March 31]] [[2006]])</small><ref name="bweek">{{cite web |url=http://images.businessweek.com/ss/06/10/game_consoles/source/7.htm |title=A Brief History of Game Console Warfare: Game Boy |accessdate=2008-03-28 |work=[[BusinessWeek]] |publisher=[[McGraw-Hill]]}}</ref><ref name="nintendoreport2006">{{cite web |url=http://www.nintendo.com/corp/report/06AnnualReport.pdf#page=14 |title=Annual Report 2006 |accessdate=2008-03-28 |format=[[PDF]] |publisher=Nintendo |pages=14}}</ref>
|topgame=''[[Tetris (Game Boy)|Tetris]]'', 33 million<small> ([[Pack-in game|pack-in]]/separately)</small>.<ref name="tetris sales">{{cite web |url=http://tgcontent.nintendo-europe.com/enGB/games_DS_TGP/tetris_ds/did_you_know.php | title=Did you know? | publisher=Nintendo | accessdate=2007-09-23}}</ref><ref name="ownt">{{cite web |url=http://www.ownt.com/qtakes/2003/gamestats/gamestats.shtm |title=All Time Top 20 Best Selling Games |accessdate=2008-03-09 |archivedate=2006-02-21 |date=2003-05-21 |archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20060221044930/http://www.ownt.com/qtakes/2003/gamestats/gamestats.shtm }}</ref><br />[[Pokémon Red and Blue|''Pokémon Red'', ''Blue'', and ''Green'']], approximately 20.08 million combined <small>(in Japan and the US) ([[List of best-selling video games#Game Boy and Game Boy Color|details]]).</small><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.the-magicbox.com/topten2.htm | title=Japan Platinum Game Chart |publisher=The Magic Box |accessdate=2007-09-27}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.the-magicbox.com/Chart-USPlatinum.shtml |title=US Platinum Videogame Chart |publisher=The Magic Box |accessdate=2007-09-27}}</ref>
|predecessor = [[Game & Watch]]
|successor = [[Game Boy Pocket]]
}}
The {{nihongo|'''Game Boy'''|ゲームボーイ|Gēmu Bōi}} is a [[Handheld_game_console|Handheld video game console]] developed and manufactured by [[Nintendo]]. It was released in [[Japan]] on {{Start date|1989|4|21}}, in [[North America]] in August {{vgy|1989}}, and in Europe in {{vgy|1990}}.<ref name="chronology">{{cite web|url= http://www.islandnet.com/~kpolsson/vidgame/vid1989.htm/ |title=Chronology of Video Game Systems|accessdate=2007-09-27|author =Ken Polsson|date=2007-08-13}}</ref><ref name="NYTVGP">{{cite news|publisher=New York Times|author=Douglas C. McGill|title= Home Video Game Players Can Take Show on the Road|date=1989-06-05}}</ref> The Game Boy was the first handheld console in the [[Game Boy line]]. The Game Boy was originally bundled with the puzzle game ''[[Tetris (Game Boy)|Tetris]]''.<ref name="chronology"/> As of [[March 31]] [[2006]], the Game Boy and [[Game Boy Color]] combined have sold 118.7 million units worldwide.<ref name="bweek"/><ref name="nintendoreport2006"/>
==Features==
===Controls===
The Game Boy's main controls are located on the lower half of its front frame. Like the [[Gamepad#Nintendo|NES controller]], the Game Boy has four face buttons labelled "A", "B", "SELECT", and "START". The functions of these face buttons vary from game to game, though generally, the START button is used as a "pause" function to temporarily stop gameplay. The Game Boy also features a [[D-pad|directional pad]], allowing up to eight directions of movement in its games.
Outside of buttons used in gameplay, there is a volume control knob on the right side of the console, and a similar knob to change the [[contrast (vision)|contrast]] on the left side. The [[On-off switch|ON/OFF switch]] is located at the top of the Game Boy.<ref name="Nintendo Game Boy (DMG-001)">{{cite web|url=http://www.vidgame.net/NINTENDO/GB.html|title=Nintendo Game Boy (DMG-001)|accessdate=2006-08-22|work=Vidgame.net|date=[[2006]]}}</ref>
[[Image:Game Boy(RTSide).png|thumb|left|200px|The right side of the Game Boy, showing the volume control and the link cable port.]]
===Input/output===
The Game Boy contains the following input/output connectors:
*A power input, located on the left side of the handheld console. The power adapter was included in a rechargeable battery pack kit. Separate editions of the battery pack were made for [[110V]] and [[230V]] countries. The Game Boy requires 6[[volt|V]] [[direct current|DC]] of at least 250[[ampere|mA]].<ref name="Nintendo Game Boy (DMG-001)">{{cite web|url= http://www.vidgame.net/NINTENDO/GB.html|title=Nintendo Game Boy (DMG-001)|accessdate=2006-08-22|work=Vidgame.net|date=[[2006]]}}</ref>
*A [[link cable]] port, located on the right side. It connects multiple Game Boy handheld consoles, and transfers information between two or more games of the same type or same series. This was widely used in games such as [[Pokémon (video games)|''Pokémon'']]. The port can also be used to connect a [[Game Boy Printer]]
*A 3.5mm stereo [[headphone jack]] output is located on the bottom side of the console.
*An input for Game Boy [[Cartridge (electronics)|cartridges]] (also called Game Paks) is situated on top of the Game Boy.
==Games==
<!-- Commented out: [[Image:GB Tetris.png|right|frame|A screenshot from ''Tetris'' (1989) for the Game Boy]] -->
{{main|List of games for the original Game Boy}}
One of the top-selling games for the Game Boy was [[Tetris (Game Boy)|''Tetris'']], which sold 33 million copies,<ref name="tetris sales"/> and is an example of a [[Killer application#Killer Games|killer app]]. ''Tetris'' was packaged with the Game Boy and consumers often bought the Game Boy only to play ''Tetris''.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://archive.gamespy.com/articles/july03/25smartest/index23.shtml|title=Tetris Makes Game Boy a Must-Have|accessdate=2006-08-22|publisher=GameSpy|date=2003-07-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.atarihq.com/tsr/special/tetrishist.html|title= Tetris: A History|accessdate=2006-08-22|date=2005-12-26}}</ref>
==Sales and competition==
As of [[March 31]] [[2005]], the Game Boy and [[Game Boy Color]] combined has sold 32.47 million units in [[Japan]], 44.06 million in the [[Americas]], and 42.16 million in other regions.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nintendo.com/corp/report/NintendoAnnualReport2005.pdf#page=33 |title=05 Nintendo Annual Report - Nintendo Co., Ltd.|accessdate=2008-03-28 |format=PDF |publisher=Nintendo |pages=33–34}}</ref> As of [[March 31]] [[2006]], the Game Boy and Game Boy Color combined has sold 118.7 million units worldwide.<ref name="bweek"/><ref name="nintendoreport2006"/>
At the time of its release in 1989, the [[Atari Lynx]] was also just being introduced to the market. This system featured color graphics, a backlit screen, and networking capabilities.<ref name="The Atari Lynx">{{cite web|url= http://www.ataritimes.com/lynx/index.html|title=The Atari Lynx|accessdate=2006-08-20|publisher=ataritimes.com|date=[[2006]]}}</ref> Nevertheless, its release price of $179, substantial requirement of 6 AA batteries that would provide roughly only four hours of gameplay (compared to 35 hours on 4 AA batteries for the Game Boy), physical bulkiness, and other factors doomed it to a second-rate status.<ref name="The Atari Lynx: The Handheld System that Time Forgot!">{{cite web|url=http://www.i-mockery.com/minimocks/atari-lynx/|title=The Atari Lynx: The Handheld System that Time Forgot!|accessdate=2006-08-20|publisher=i-mockery.com|date=[[2006]]}}</ref>
In 1991, [[Nintendo]] experienced heavier competition from [[Sega]]'s [[Sega Game Gear|Game Gear]]. To promote its new, color console, Sega aired a number of negative but unsuccessful ad campaigns in the United States that criticized the Game Boy's monochrome color palette. Like the Lynx, it too required six AA batteries that only lasted about 4-6 hours and was much more expensive than the Game Boy. The Game Gear had the advantage of being fully compatible (with an adapter) with all Sega Master System games and, while not as successful as the Game Boy, it sold from 1991 until early 1997.
[[Official Nintendo Magazine]] has praised the Game Boy and its models that follow it as it "got people who enjoyed gaming while sprawled on the couch in their undies to game wherever they liked."
== Accessories ==
{{seealso|Game Boy accessories}}
[[Image:Game boy damaged in the gulf war.JPG|thumb|left|150px|A Game Boy, damaged in the [[Gulf War]], which still works and is now on display in the [[Nintendo World Store]] in [[New York City]]]]
Several accessories compatible with the Game Boy were also produced:
*The Game Boy [[battery (electricity)|Battery]] Pack (or [[AC Adapter]]), sold for about [[United States dollar|US]]$30, was roughly 3 in. long, 2 in. wide, and 0.5 in. thick. One end of it had a 2 inch-long cord, ending in a 3.5 mm [[Jack plug|phone plug]], while the other end had a [[Domestic AC power plugs and sockets|standard mains plug]]. The first version of it was gray with purple lettering, to match the colors used on the Game Boy. It also featured a belt clip. The battery pack was good for several hours of gameplay per charge, providing an alternative to purchasing more AA batteries once their power was exhausted. The product used [[nickel-cadmium battery|nickel-cadmium batteries]], lasted about 4-5 hours per charge, and could be charged roughly 1000 times before a significant loss in effectiveness. A major drawback of the battery pack was its weight, as well as the way the phone plug stuck out prominently.<ref name="Game Boy Peripherals">{{cite web|url= http://www.gamersgraveyard.com/repository/gameboy/peripherals/batterypack.html|title=Game Boy Battery / AC Adapter |accessdate =2006-08-18|publisher=gamersgraveyard.com|coauthors= |date=2005-12-11|work=The Nintendo Repository}}</ref>
*The [[Game Link Cable]] an accessory that established a data connection between two Game Boys using the same game or game from the same series.
*Released in 1998, the [[Game Boy Camera]] was able to take pictures that could be printed out using the Game Boy Printer. The photos were in black and white only, and the resolution of the pictures was 128 x 123. Both the Game Boy Camera and Game Boy Printer products were marketed together in [[Japan]], the [[United States]], and [[Europe]], primarily towards children.
*Released at the same time as the Game Boy Camera, the [[Game Boy Printer]] was a [[thermal printer]]. It ran on six AA [[Battery (electricity)|batteries]]. In addition to printing out Game Boy Camera photos, it also ran in conjunction with several Game Boy games, such as ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening|The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX]]'' and ''[[Pokémon Yellow: Special Pikachu Edition]]''.
*The Work Boy was an unreleased accessory for the Game Boy. It included a mini keyboard that plugged into the link cable outlet. The Work Boy cartridge included such programs as a clock, calendar, measurement conversion, and a phone book. This accessory was featured in Volume 36 (May, 1992) of Nintendo Power.
==Technical specifications==
*[[Central processing unit|CPU]]: Custom 8-bit [[Sharp Corporation|Sharp]] Z80 core at 4.19 MHz which is similar to an [[Intel 8080|Intel 8080]] in that all of the registers introduced in the [[Zilog Z80|Z80]] are not present. However, some of the instruction set enhancements from the Z80, particularly bit manipulation, are present. Still other instructions are unique to this particular flavor of x80 CPU. The core also contains integrated sound generation
*[[Random Access Memory|RAM]]: 8 [[kilobyte|kB]] internal S-RAM
*Video RAM: 8 kB internal
*[[Read-only memory|ROM]]: On-CPU-Die 256-byte bootstrap; 256 [[kilobit|kb]], 512 kb, 1 [[megabit|Mb]], 2 Mb, 4 Mb and 8 Mb cartridges
*Sound: 2 Square Waves, 1 programmable 32-sample 4-bit [[Pulse code modulation|PCM]] Wave, 1 [[White noise]]. The unit only has one speaker, but headphones provide stereo sound (for further information, see [[Game Boy music]])
*Display: Reflective [[Liquid crystal display|LCD]] 160 × 144 [[pixel]]s
*Screen size: 66 mm (2.6 [[inch|in]]) diagonal
*Color Palette: 4 shades of "gray" (green to (very) dark green)
*Communication: Up to 4 Game Boys can be linked together via serial ports
*Power: 6 V, 0.7 W (4 AA batteries provide ~35 hours)
*Dimensions: 90 mm(W) × 148 mm(H) × 32 mm(D)/3.5 × 5.8 × 1.3 (in)
==References==
{{Reflist}}
== External links ==
{{portal|Nintendo}}
*[http://gameboy.com Official website]
*[http://register.nintendo.com/systemsclassic?type=gb Game Boy] at Nintendo.com ([http://web.archive.org/web/*/www.nintendo.com/systemsclassic?type=gb archived versions] at the [[Internet Archive#Wayback Machine|Internet Archive Wayback Machine]])
*[http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.nintendo.com/doc/dmg_games.pdf Game Boy (original) games list] at Nintendo.com (archived from [http://www.nintendo.com/doc/dmg_games.pdf the original] at the [[Internet Archive#Wayback Machine|Internet Archive Wayback Machine]])
*{{dmoz|Games/Video_Games/Console_Platforms/Nintendo/Game_Boy}}
*[http://nintendo.wikia.com/wiki/Game_Boy Game Boy] at Nintendopedia.
{{Nintendo hardware|Game Boy}}
{{dedicated video game handheld consoles}}
[[Category:Monochrome video game consoles]]
[[Category:Game Boy consoles]]
[[Category:Third-generation video game consoles]]
[[Category:1989 introductions]]
[[Category:1990 introductions]]
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