Nintendo GameBoy Review

Description - Περιγραφή
The Game Boy is an 8-bit handheld video game device developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was released in Japan on April 21, 1989 (1989-04-21), in North America on July 31, 1989 (1989-07-31), and in Europe on September 28, 1990 (1990-09-28). In Southern Asia, it is known as the "Tata Game Boy",and in South Korea as the "Mini Comboy", which was distributed by Hyundai Electronics. It is the first handheld console in the Game Boy line, and was created by Gunpei Yokoi and Nintendo's Research and Development 1—the same staff who had designed the Game & Watch series as well as several popular games for the Nintendo Entertainment System. The Game Boy is Nintendo's second handheld system following the Game & Watch series introduced in 1980, and it combined features from both the Nintendo Entertainment System and Game & Watch.It was originally bundled with the puzzle game Tetris. Despite many other, technologically superior handheld consoles introduced during its lifetime,the Game Boy was a tremendous success. The Game Boy and Game Boy Color combined have sold 118.69 million units worldwide. Upon its release in the United States, it sold its entire shipment of one million units within weeks.

Features - Χαρακτηριστικά
The Game Boy has four operation buttons labeled "A", "B", "SELECT", and "START", as well as a directional pad.There is a volume control dial on the right side of the console and a similar knob on the left side to adjust the contrast.A sliding on-off switch and the slot for the Game Boy cartridges are located at the top of the Game Boy.Users should leave a cartridge in the slot as recommended by Nintendo to prevent dust and dirt from entering the system. The Game Boy also contains optional input and/or output connectors. On the left side of the system is an external power supply jack that allows users to use an external rechargeable battery pack or AC adapter (sold separately) instead of four AA batteries. The Game Boy requires 6 V DC of at least 250 mA. A 3.5 mm stereo headphone jack is located on the bottom side of the console which allows users to listen to the audio with headphones or speakers. On the right side is a port that allows a user to connect to another Game Boy system via a link cable, provided both users are playing the same game.The port can also be used to connect a Game Boy Printer. The link cable was originally designed for players to play head-to-head two-player games such as in Tetris. However, game developer Satoshi Tajiri would later use the link cable technology as a method of communication and networking in the popular Pokémon video

Technical Specs - Τεχνικά Χαρακτηριστικά
CPU: Custom 8-bit Sharp LR35902 core at 4.19 MHz

RAM: 8 kB internal S-RAM
Video RAM: 8 kB internal
ROM: On-CPU-Die 256-byte bootstrap;256 kb, 512 kb, 1 Mb, 2 Mb, 4 Mb and 8 Mb cartridges
Sound: 2 square waves, 1 programmable 32-sample 4-bit PCM wave, 1 white noise, and one audio input from the cartridge.The unit only has one speaker, but headphones provide stereo sound Display: Reflective LCD 160 × 144 pixels
Frame Rate: Approx. 59.7 frames per second on a regular Game Boy, 61.1 on a Super Game Boy
Vertical Blank Rate: Approx 1.1ms
Screen size: 66 mm diagonal
Color Palette: 2-bit (4 shades of "grey" (light to very dark olive green))
Communication: Up to 2 Game Boys can be linked together via built-in serial ports, up to 4 with a DMG-07 4-player adapter. More than 4 players is possible by chaining adapters.
Power: 6 V, 0.7 W (4 AA batteries provide ~14–35 hours)
Dimensions: 90 mm (W) x 148 mm (H) x 32 mm (D) / 3.5" x 5.8" 1.3" (in)


General - Γενικά
Product family Game Boy line
Generation Fourth generation era
Retail availability JP April 21, 1989
NA July 31, 1989
EU September 28, 1990

Units sold Worldwide: 118.69 million

Best-selling game: Tetris, 30.26 million
Successor: Game Boy Pocket/Game Boy Light/Game Boy Color