A Brief History of Handheld Video Games
`
`Page 1 of 11
`
`A Brief History of Handheld Video Games
`by Donald Melanson | @donmelanson | March 3rd 2006 At 3:07pm
`
` 0
`
`We’re not normally ones for making assumptions, but
`we’ll go out on a limb and say that most of you
`reading this have one or more portable gaming
`systems lying around somewhere. Handheld video
`gaming has always been a few steps behind its
`console counterpart, but that’s proven to be a small
`trade-off for the benefits of portability and, to some,
`even part of the appeal.
`
`So, while most gamers are now enjoying their PSPs and Micros and DSs, we thought we'd
`take a little trip back and look at some of the handhelds from whence they came before
`them. Although we have to warn you, reading this feature may cause an uncontrollable
`urge to jump over to eBay.
`
`The Early Years
`
`Mattel’s LED-based Handhelds - 1977-78
`
`The idea of handheld video games with interchangeable
`cartridges wouldn’t take hold for about another decade, but
`
`http://www.engadget.com/2006/03/03/a-brief-history-of-handheld-video-games/
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`Page 1 of 11
`
`A Brief History of Handheld Video Games
`by Donald Melanson | @donmelanson | March 3rd 2006 At 3:07pm
`
` 0
`
`We’re not normally ones for making assumptions, but
`we’ll go out on a limb and say that most of you
`reading this have one or more portable gaming
`systems lying around somewhere. Handheld video
`gaming has always been a few steps behind its
`console counterpart, but that’s proven to be a small
`trade-off for the benefits of portability and, to some,
`even part of the appeal.
`
`So, while most gamers are now enjoying their PSPs and Micros and DSs, we thought we'd
`take a little trip back and look at some of the handhelds from whence they came before
`them. Although we have to warn you, reading this feature may cause an uncontrollable
`urge to jump over to eBay.
`
`The Early Years
`
`Mattel’s LED-based Handhelds - 1977-78
`
`The idea of handheld video games with interchangeable
`cartridges wouldn’t take hold for about another decade, but
`
`http://www.engadget.com/2006/03/03/a-brief-history-of-handheld-video-games/
`
`8/1/2015
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`
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`A Brief History of Handheld Video Games
`
`Page 2 of 11
`
`Mattel managed to pry video games away from quarter-
`swallowing arcades and dim televisions with their successful line
`of LED-based, single-game handhelds. Most people today will
`remember Football, but the company also released the creatively-
`titled Basebal and Basketball, as well as the non-sports titles
`Missle Attack, Armor Battle, and Sub Chase. Mattel also managed
`to jump on the retro-chic bandwagon, re-releasing Football and Baseball in 2000.
`
`Click on to see the rest!
`Milton Bradley Microvision - 1979
`
`Milton Bradley, a company then better known for Hungry Hungry
`Hippos than video games, has the distinction of being the first to
`introduce a handheld video game console with interchangeable
`cartridges with its Microvision. The system had only a handful of
`games and was plagued with problems from the start, including a
`16x16 pixel LCD screen that was prone to rotting and cartridges that
`could be permantly damaged by even a relatively small static charge.
`Sounds like the makings of a real collector's item, if you ask us.
`
`Nintendo’s Game & Watch Series - 1980-91
`
`Upping the ante from Mattel’s LED handhelds, Nintendo
`introduced their first Game & Watch handheld in 1980 and would
`go on to produce dozens more throughout the decade, offering a
`small glimpse of what was to come from the company. As the
`name suggests, the handhelds featured a clock and alarm but the
`real attraction was the games, which included titles like Donkey
`Kong, Mario Bros, and Balloon Fight. Gee, this thing looks kind of
`familiar (but we just can't place it).
`
`Epoch Game Pocket Computer - 1984
`
`It took five years after Milton Bradley’s Microvision
`before another company would try its hand at a
`portable gaming system, but unfortunately the
`second time around proved even less successful than
`the first. Epoch’s Game Pocket Computer was released
`
`http://www.engadget.com/2006/03/03/a-brief-history-of-handheld-video-games/
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`8/1/2015
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`A Brief History of Handheld Video Games
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`only in Japan in 1984 and had just five games. The
`75x64 LCD screen was a big step up from the Microvision but, as you can tell from the
`number of people who have actually ever heard of the device, it never caught on.
`
`The New Wave
`
`Nintendo Game Boy - 1989
`
`It’s almost impossible to understate the impact of Nintendo’s Game
`Boy. The original Game Boy, in its various incarnations, is the most
`successful video game system ever -- handheld or otherwise. Part of
`its success is likely due to its reasonable price ($109 US at launch),
`but most of it is a result of the games and, in particular, the drop
`dead brilliant move of bundling Tetris with the system.
`
`The fact that a system with a blurry, green screen and fairly
`lackluster graphics compared to its competitors was as successful as
`it was should forever serve strongly in support of the argument that
`it’s the games that make the system, not the hardware.
`
`Nintendo would make some improvements to the design over the years, releasing the
`slimmer Game Boy Pocket in 1996, which replaced the original’s green screen with a
`regular grayscale display, and the Game Boy Light, which added a backlit screen but was
`unfortunately only available in Japan.
`
`Atari Lynx / Lynx II - 1989
`
`The first of many challengers to the Game Boy was
`Atari’s Lynx, co-developed with Epyx and released in
`1989. The system had far better graphics than the
`Game Boy, in some cases riviling the console systems
`of the time, but it was big and much more expensive
`than Nintendo‘s affordable unit. Atari redesigned the
`unit in 1991 but Atari’s marketing efforts proved to be
`no match for Nintendo’s, who were already well on
`their way to dominating the field for years to come.
`
`NEC Turbo Express - 1990
`
`http://www.engadget.com/2006/03/03/a-brief-history-of-handheld-video-games/
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`NEC managed to produce one of the most technically
`impressive handhelds with its Turbo Express, which
`was actually a portable version of its console system,
`the Turbgraphx 16 (a rival to the Sega Genesis and
`Super Nintendo). The Turbo Express was about the
`size of a Game Boy but had a sharp active-matrix
`color display and could even be used as a portable TV
`with an optional tuner. The downside was, of
`course,the price which, at $299.99US, seemed to aim
`the device at a niche market that didn’t yet exist -- the
`(portable) gaming enthusiast.
`
`Sega Game Gear - 1990
`
`The most successful of the various Game Boy
`challengers was Sega’s Game Gear which, like the Lynx
`and Turbo Express, had a color screen. But unlike
`those systems managed to keep the retail price down
`to a fairly reasonable $149. The Game Gear benefited
`from Sega’s advantage over Atari and NEC (the
`Genesis was then the leading console system) and a
`better selection of games, but it was still only a modest success in the face of Nintendo’s
`increasing dominance of the market.
`
`Sega Nomad - 1995
`
`For most of the 1990s, Nintendo had the handheld
`market effectively all to themselves, with other
`companies giving up after trying and failing to knock
`Nintendo down a few pegs. Sega was the first to re-
`enter the field with the Sega Nomad, a portable
`version of the Genesis console. It seemed like a good
`idea -- after all the Genesis had a huge library of titles
`just sitting around countless livingrooms -- but poor
`battery life and a somewhat bulky design helped to do it in. Even an eventual price drop to
`$79.99 failed to save the Nomad from being put out to pasture.
`
`http://www.engadget.com/2006/03/03/a-brief-history-of-handheld-video-games/
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`A Brief History of Handheld Video Games
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`Tiger Electronics game.com - 1997
`
`You can’t fault Tiger Electronics for their ambition.
`Their game.com handheld, as the name suggests,
`attempted to bring Internet access and PDA functions
`to a gaming handheld. Unfortunately, it didn’t do any
`one thing particularly well: its disappointing games
`were made even worse by the unit’s outdated screen,
`and its "Internet access" only let you check email and
`browse the web in text -- nope, no online gameplay
`here. Still, as with many of these systems,
`communities of die-hard gamers have found refuge
`on the web with other like-minded individuals, devoted to breathing some new life into
`their late, lamented handhelds.
`
`Neo-Geo Pocket / Pocket Color - 1998-99
`
`Mention the name Neo-Geo to any gamer over the
`age of 25 or so and you’ll likely get a knowing smile. A
`lucky few may have owned the pricey home system
`that made the Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis look
`like yesterdays news, but most will be familiar with
`Neo-Geo from their arcade games -- especially
`fighting games like the Samurai Showdown and King
`of Fighters series. Attempting to build on their
`reputation, Neo-Geo branched out into the handheld space in 1998 with the Neo-Geo
`Pocket, but got off to a rocky start, releasing a black-and-white unit first before correcting
`things just a year later with the Neo-Geo Pocket Color (or NGPC). Despite some solid
`games, the system never got much support from third-party developers and failed to
`attract enough gamers to legitimately challenge the still dominant Nintendo. This is the
`one we probably miss most 'round Engadget HQ, truth be told.
`
`Game Boy Color - 1998
`
`Nintendo introduced its first major revision to the Game
`Boy in 1998 with the Game Boy Color, which, not
`surprisingly, offered a color screen, case, and better
`graphics capabilities while still being backward compatible
`
`http://www.engadget.com/2006/03/03/a-brief-history-of-handheld-video-games/
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`with the enormous library of Game Boy titles. While the
`system was successful, it proved to mostly be a stopgap
`measure from Nintendo, who had bigger plans in store.
`
`Bandai WonderSwan / WonderSwan Color / WonderSwan Crystal - 1999-2000
`Bandai’s WonderSwan, replaced a year later by the
`WonderSwan Color, was most notable for having an
`exclusive license to port the original Final Fantasy
`games to the system. That earned the system a
`modest success in Japan but it never made it to North
`America. Unfortunately for Bandai, Squaresoft (makers
`of Final Fantasy) eventually made up with Nintendo
`and started releasing games for the GBA, which
`proved to be bad news for the still-unique
`WonderSwan.
`
`Game Boy Advance / Advance SP / Micro - 2001 / 2003 / 2005
`
`Released in 2001, Nintendo’s Game Boy Advance was by far the biggest thing to shake up
`the handheld space since the original Game Boy was released over ten years earlier. On the
`technical side, the GBA was the rough equivalent to the Super Nintendo making ports of
`titles from that system easy, but the GBA also benefited from some wildly original games
`like Advance Wars. In 2003, Nintendo released the completely redesigned Game Boy
`Advance SP which, most importantly, added a front-lit screen, attempting rectifying the
`one major problem people had with the original GBA. Recently, Nintendo released yet
`another GBA varient, the Game Boy Micro, with a small and sleek design aimed in large
`part at an older, iPod-totting audience.
`
`http://www.engadget.com/2006/03/03/a-brief-history-of-handheld-video-games/
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`A Brief History of Handheld Video Games
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`The Now Generation
`
`Nokia N-Gage / N-Gage QD - 2003-04
`
`Before they introduced the N-Gage, Nokia wasn’t a
`company that anyone would associate with gaming --
`and now, a few years later, they still haven’t really
`managed to get gamers to take notice. The N-Gage
`(and it’s most recent revision the QD) is a fairly
`capable system but it seems that most people still
`prefer to keep their phoning and their gaming
`separate. Nokia, however, is hoping that'll change in
`the next couple of years, and intends to incorporate N-Gage gaming capabilities into
`future smartphones -- not just game-phones.
`
`Nintendo DS / DS Lite - 2004 / 2005
`
`Ever since the first concept designs appeared on the
`web, the Nintendo DS was met with skepticism. To
`many, the design seemed like a step backward after
`the elegant GBA SP, and the dual screens and stylus
`input seemed more like novelties than the revolution
`in handheld gaming Nintendo was promising. But
`gamers were slowly won over as more and more great
`games kept coming out for the DS, including what are
`arguably some of the most innovative titles on any
`system -- the built-in WiFi doesn’t hurt either, which they've used to finally move on
`pervasive portable online gameplay. And of course, in the last few weeks we've seen the
`subsequent announcement and Japanese launch of the DS Lite, a smaller, thinner, lighter
`version of the same device.
`
`PlayStation Portable - 2004
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`http://www.engadget.com/2006/03/03/a-brief-history-of-handheld-video-games/
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`The most technically advanced handheld system to date, Sony’s PlayStation Portable
`seems to be holding on to its (comparatively smaller) piece of the market in the face of
`Nintendo’s array of handhelds, despite its high price tag and relatively few stand-out
`games. Sony also keeps pushing the UMD format for movies, although many users have
`opted for more practical means of viewing content on their PSPs. And if you can keep your
`firmware versions straight, you can even get in on some homebrew action.
`
`Gizmondo - 2005
`
`Things aren’t looking good for Tiger Telematics and
`their Gizmondo, their jack-of-all-trades (but master of
`none) handheld. The system is fairly powerful and has
`some nifty features like GPS and built-in camera, but
`with no compelling games and a premium price it
`faced an uphill battle from the start. And don't even
`get us started about the internal (mis)direction of the company; Tiger later tried to entice
`gamers by offering the system at a discount if they agreed to watch a few ads with a
`system called Smart Adds, but that idea seems to have fallen flat with users. They've since
`filed for bankrupcy in Europe
`
`The Grey Area
`
`GamePark GP32/GP2X
`
`For many, the GP2X (and the GP32 before it, and the
`forthcoming XGP and XGP Mini) is the holy grail of
`handheld gaming. With a memory card and some
`emulators, you can play just about any game from a
`number of the systems above, as well as thousands of
`arcade and console games. That’s enough to make any old-school gamer giddy with
`delight, and enough to send companies running to their IP lawyers. If you actually own a
`copy of the game you’re emulating you may be better off, although even that is up for
`debate. Of course that hasn’t stopped most people from getting their retro kicks.
`
`http://www.engadget.com/2006/03/03/a-brief-history-of-handheld-video-games/
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`8/1/2015
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`PDAs Emulators
`
`PDAs might not be the most natural fit for gaming (outside of
`point-and-click friendly fare) but that hasn’t stopped developers
`from producing original games for them and, yes, emulators as
`well. Sure, it’s no GP2X, but it’s a heck of a lot more discreet, so
`you can bust out Super Mario Bros 3 and pretend you're
`working while you try to beat it for the umpteenth time. Don't
`use the warp pipes, dude, beat it like a real gamer.
`
`TAGS:
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`features
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