This page will contain videos about Gameboy, as they become available.Game Boy lineThe Game Boy line (also: Gameboy, Game-boy; Japanese: ゲームボーイ Gēmu Bōi) is a line of battery-powered handheld game consoles sold by Nintendo. It is one of the best-selling game system lines selling over 120 million units world wide to date, and has spawned many successful spin-offs. The original Game Boy's design set the standard for handheld gaming consoles. HistoryNintendo's Game Boy handheld was first released in 1989. The gaming device was the brainchild of long-time Nintendo employee Gunpei Yokoi, who was the person behind the Ultra Hand, an expanding arm toy created and produced by Nintendo in 1970, long before Nintendo would enter the video game market. Yokoi was also responsible for the Game & Watch series of handhelds when Nintendo made the move from toys to video games. Some consider these early LCD-display handhelds to be a prototype of the Game Boy. When Gunpei designed the original Game Boy, he knew that, to be successful, the system needed to be small, light, inexpensive, and durable, as well as have a varied, recognizable library of games upon its release. By following this simple mantra, the Game Boy line managed to gain a vast following despite technically superior alternatives. Game Boy continues its success to this day and many at Nintendo have dedicated the handheld in Yokoi's memory. Game Boy celebrated its 15th anniversary in 2004, which nearly coincided with the 20-year anniversary to the original Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). To celebrate, Nintendo released the Classic NES Series and a NES-themed color scheme for the Game Boy Advance SP. VersionsThe Game Boy console went through several design iterations, without significant changes to its computing power, since its release in 1989. Game BoyThe original Game Boy was released on April 21, 1989 in Japan and in August 1989 in the United States. Based around a Z80 processor, it had a black and green reflective LCD screen, an eight-way directional pad, and two action buttons. It played games from ROM-based media contained in small plastic detachable units called cartridges (sometimes abbreviated as carts). The game that really pushed it into the upper reaches of success was Tetris. The original Game Boy was the first cartridge-based system that supported more than four players at one time (via the link port). In fact, it has been shown that the system could support 16 simultaneous players at once. However, this feature was only supported in Faceball 2000. From left to right: Game Boy, Game Boy Pocket, Game Boy Light, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance(GBA), Game Boy Advance SP, Game Boy micro. The trademark Game Boy became ambiguous to fans of the Game Boy series.
Game Boy Play It Loud!A black Game Boy Play It Loud!!.In 1995, Nintendo released several colored Game Boy models, advertising them in the Play it Loud! campaign. This new unit is the same as the first version, except for the availabity of various colors. Game Boy PocketIn 1996, Nintendo released the Game Boy Pocket, a smaller, lighter unit that required fewer batteries. It had space for 2 AAA batteries, which would provide roughly 10 hours of game play. The Game Boy Pocket has a smaller link port, requiring an adapter for linkage with the older Game Boy. The port's design was used on all subsequent Game Boy models, up until the Game Boy micro. The screen was changed to a true black-and-white display, rather than the "pea soup" monochromatic display of the original Game Boy. The first version did not have a LED to show battery levels, but was soon added due to public demand. Game Boy LightThe Game Boy Light emits a green glow (very similar to an indiglow watch) when the light is turned onOnly available in Japan, the Game Boy Light was about the same size as the Pocket and had a backlit screen for improved visibility. It uses 2 AA batteries which give it approximately 20 hours with the light off and 12 with it on. The Game Boy Light is the rarest Game Boy variant outside of Japan. Due to its rarity, it often sells for many times more than the other models. Game Boy ColorReleased in November 1998, the Game Boy Color (also referred to as GBC) added a color screen to a form factor slightly larger than the Game Boy Pocket. It also has double the processor speed, twice as much memory, and an infrared communications port. A major draw of the Game Boy Color was its backward compatibility (that is, a Game Boy Color is able to read older Game Boy cartridges and even play them in selectable color). This became a major feature of the Game Boy line, since it allowed each new launch to begin with a significantly larger library than any of its competitors. Technologically, it was likened to the NES from the 1980s. Game Boy AdvanceIn June 2001, Nintendo released a significant upgrade to the Game Boy line. The Game Boy Advance (also referred to as GBA) featured a 32 bit 16.8 MHz ARM. It included a Z80 processor for backward-compatibility support. It was technically likened to the SNES and showed its power with successful ports of Super Mario World and Yoshi's Island. It has also been accompanied alongside new titles such as Mario Kart Super Circuit and F-Zero: Maximum Velocity. Game Boy Advance SPGame Boy Advance SPLaunched in March 2003, the Game Boy Advance SP resolved several problems with the original model. It features a new smaller clamshell design with a flip-up screen (protecting the screen, an issue with the original), an internal frontlight, and a rechargeable battery, but was otherwise unchanged. The SP stands for Special [1]. In mid September 2005, Nintendo released a new model that featured a new and improved backlit screen. As of this writing, the Game Boy SP is the last Game Boy handheld to offer backward compatibility with Game Boy/Game Boy Color games. Game Boy microA second Game Boy Advance redesign (third design), the Game Boy micro is four inches wide, two inches tall, and less than an inch deep and weighs 2.8 ounces, by far the smallest Game Boy created. It is slightly smaller than the SP or GBA screens while maintaining the same resolution (240 × 160 pixels). The Game Boy micro is not backward compatible with Game Boy or Game Boy Color games. It was released on September 19, 2005 in Japan and North America. It was released in Europe on November 4, 2005. The micro's North American launch price of $99.99 was lowered to $89.99 during the 2005 holiday season. Other Nintendo handheld consolesThere also other Nintendo handheld consoles that do not fit into the Game Boy category, but are similar. Game & WatchDesigned by Gunpei Yokoi, thse are considered to be the predecessor to the Game Boy. There were 58 different games and also included an alarm clock. The horitzontal orientation was later used for the Game Boy Advance and Game Boy Micro and the clamshell design of other games was used for the Nintendo DS. Nintendo DSThe Nintendo DS launched on November 20, 2004 in North America and December 4, 2004 in Japan, making it unusual as a Nintendo device to launch in North America before Japan. In fact, its unusual design and touch-screen control distinguish it from the Game Boy line. Nintendo refers to it as their third pillar; their home consoles, such as the Nintendo GameCube, being the first, and their Game Boy line of portable-gaming devices being the second. The Nintendo DS can be considered a part of the portable family due to structural similarities to Game Boy and its ability to play Game Boy Advance cartridges (but not Game Boy Color or original Game Boy cartridges). It has been technically likened to the Nintendo 64. Nintendo DS LiteOn January 26, 2006, Nintendo unveiled the Nintendo DS Lite, a redesigned version of the DS. It is smaller than the current DS model—133 × 73.9 × 21.5mm against 148.7 × 84.7 × 27.9. It is also lighter, at 218g against 295g. It will sell for 16,800 yen ($145), compared with the current model's price of 15,000 yen ($130). [2] AccessoriesGame Boy Camera & PrinterThe Game Boy Camera was a rudimentary digital camera. Main articles: Game Boy Camera, Game Boy Printer.The Game Boy Camera & Printer are accessories for the Game Boy handheld gaming console and were released in 1998. The camera could take basic black & white, often grainy, digital images using the 4-color palette of the Game Boy system. The printer utilized heat-sensitive paper to "burn" any saved images, making a hard copy. Both items were marketed by Nintendo as light-hearted entertainment devices, in all three major videogame regions of the world: Japan, North America, and Europe. The N64 magazine (published by Future) dedicated a monthly section to the device. It was never Nintendo's intention to transform the GB system into a PDA; any such claims are untrue. However, a commercial advertising the products showed a young kid using the devices, with an adult using a laptop looking over in astonishment. The commercial at least indicates that Nintendo was at least referencing and/or parodying adult-geared portable systems. There are also several mini-games along with the camera. A picture of the user's head is inserted into several mini-games.
Recently, the EyeToy accessory for the PlayStation 2 has vastly expanded upon the idea of using the image of the player in the game and as part of the game. Super Game BoyThe Super Game Boy is a plug-in cartridge for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System that allowed Game Boy games to be played on a television screen. The black-and-white games could be colorized by mapping colors to each of the four grays. A follow-up, the Super Game Boy 2 (primarily released in Japan, though some sold through QVC's shopping channel in the U.S.), included more colors, frames, and a link port for multiplayer support. Transfer PakThe Transfer Pak was a device that fit onto the Nintendo 64 controller. However, unlike the Super Game Boy, it was only for the transfer of Game Boy Color data to their N64 equivalents. The only exception was Pokémon Stadium, which allowed players to play Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow on the television screen. Pokémon Stadium 2 was compatible with all the Game Boy and Game Boy Color Pokémon games except for the Crystal Version. Game Boy ExChanger (GBX)The (unofficial) GBX, produced by Bung Enterprises Ltd, was the best-known backup unit for Game Boy and Game Boy Color games. The device plugged into the parallel port of the PC and allowed dumping ROM and SRAM sumee data to PC, as well as rewriting flashcarts to play copies of Game Boy games. Game Boy PlayerThe successor to the Super Game Boy, the Game Boy Player allows Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance games to be played on the Nintendo GameCube. It also has a link port so players can use multiplayer and e-Reader functions. It uses the same color palette built into the cart instead of colorizing the games. Game Boy Advance Wireless AdapterThe Wireless Adapter allows players to play wirelessly without a link cable. As of 2005, fewer than twenty games support this feature. The feature's greatest usefulness is most evident in Pokémon FireRed, LeafGreen, and Emerald, where up to sixteen Wireless Adapter-connected players could convene in a "Union Room" of sorts. e-ReaderA peripheral released for the Game Boy Advance and SP that unlocks special content for certain games. Content includes mini-games, different worlds, or full and complete games. The content was added or unlocked by purchasing e-Reader cards and swiping them in. The e-Reader was considered to be a general failure; although still selling in Japan, it was not released in Europe, and was quickly discontinued in North America. CartridgesA Game Boy screen may look unusual if a game cart is pulled out while the power is on.Each video game is contained in a small plastic cartridge (or "cart"). Game Boy and GBC cartridges measure 5.8 cm by 6.5 cm. The software contained within provides the data, logic, and rules of the game, accepts input from the console controls or buttons, and outputs the results to the screen display and speaker. If the developer wishes, they can include either a small battery or a flash chip within the cartridge, which allows game data to be saved; this allows the game to be continued at a later time. The game cart is inserted into the console cart slot. If the game cart is pulled out while the power is on, the Game Boy will exhibit undefined behavior. This will freeze the game and may cause weird occurrences, such as rows of zeros appearing on the screen and the sound remaining at the same pitch as was emitted the instant the game was pulled out. Pulling a cart out of the Game Boy while the power is on may cause saved data or hardware to be damaged. This applies to almost all video game console using cartridges. The original Game Boy power switch was designed to prevent the player from being able to remove the cart while powered on. Cartridges intended only for Game Boy Color (and not for the original Game Boy) use the space intended for the locking mechanism to prevent insertion into the original Game Boy. Even if this is bypassed, the game will not run, and an image on the screen will inform the user that the game is only meant for Game Boy Color systems; however, the Game Boy Pocket allows for bypassing of the notch. Game Boy cartridgesThere are four types of cartridges used on Game Boy systems:
PopularityMost game consoles become obsolete as newer systems become available. The Game Boy is unique in its stamina. 2004 brought about its 15th anniversary and in that time it has seen off many (often technically superior) rivals; most notably the Sega Game Gear and the Atari Lynx. Thousands of games are available for the Game Boy, which can be attributed in part to its sales in the amounts of millions, a well-documented design, and a typically short development cycle. The Nintendo DS is able to play the large library of Game Boy Advance games. However, it cannot play multiplayer GBA games or link to the Nintendo GameCube, and it is not backward-compatible at all with the original Game Boy or the Game Boy Color due to the lack of a Z80 processor. Popular culture
EmulationSome firmware has been released for the GBA Movie Player to allow ROM images for old Game Boy games to be used on the GBA, as well as the Nintendo DS. The ROM images are stored on CompactFlash cards used in the GBA Movie Player. ScreenshotsThis page about Gameboy includes information from a Wikipedia article. Additional articles about Gameboy News stories about Gameboy External links for Gameboy Videos for Gameboy Wikis about Gameboy Discussion Groups about Gameboy Blogs about Gameboy Images of Gameboy |
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The ROM images are stored on CompactFlash cards used in the GBA Movie Player. Generally, each series listed above will have its own set of products, although the MSiA and Gundam Models lines, such as High Grade Universal Century may extend across series. Some firmware has been released for the GBA Movie Player to allow ROM images for old Game Boy games to be used on the GBA, as well as the Nintendo DS. Categories of products include the Mobile Suit In Action or MSiA action figures, and Gundam Model Kits in several scales and complexity levels. However, it cannot play multiplayer GBA games or link to the Nintendo GameCube, and it is not backward-compatible at all with the original Game Boy or the Game Boy Color due to the lack of a Z80 processor. Other companies produce unofficial toys, models, t-shirts, etc. The Nintendo DS is able to play the large library of Game Boy Advance games. Bandai, the primary licensee of the Gundam trademark, makes a variety of products for the Gundam fan. Thousands of games are available for the Game Boy, which can be attributed in part to its sales in the amounts of millions, a well-documented design, and a typically short development cycle. Although not directly related to Gundam, these series incorporate Gundam models as part of the stories:. 2004 brought about its 15th anniversary and in that time it has seen off many (often technically superior) rivals; most notably the Sega Game Gear and the Atari Lynx. There have been so many Mobile Suit units that its impossible to tell a distinct style, however generally Mobile Suits are extremely agile and have an enormous variety of different weapons. The Game Boy is unique in its stamina. The games units are often separated by being "Super Robots" (powerful mecha that often have near-limitless powers and technology, but have a shorter range of movement), and "Real Robots" (mecha that are physically weak, but have a wide range of movement for the most part). Most game consoles become obsolete as newer systems become available. The Mobile Suit units are considered the representing unit in the "Real Robot" type of mecha. There are four types of cartridges used on Game Boy systems:. So far, almost every single major Gundam series and then some has made at least one appearance in the series. Even if this is bypassed, the game will not run, and an image on the screen will inform the user that the game is only meant for Game Boy Color systems; however, the Game Boy Pocket allows for bypassing of the notch. This title was the first in the series history to not have many of the standard characters that have appeared in every game to date such as Amuro. Cartridges intended only for Game Boy Color (and not for the original Game Boy) use the space intended for the locking mechanism to prevent insertion into the original Game Boy. This changed in Super Robot Wars J for the Game Boy Advance. The original Game Boy power switch was designed to prevent the player from being able to remove the cart while powered on. Some series come and go however, but Amuro Ray, often in the RX-93 Nu Gundam, is a regular character and has actually never missed a single game. This applies to almost all video game console using cartridges. In fact, there hasn't been a single game which hasn't featured at least one Gundam series and characters. Pulling a cart out of the Game Boy while the power is on may cause saved data or hardware to be damaged. The Gundam meta verse makes regular appearances in the Super Robot Wars series by Banpresto. This will freeze the game and may cause weird occurrences, such as rows of zeros appearing on the screen and the sound remaining at the same pitch as was emitted the instant the game was pulled out. There is also a Half-Life 2 mod called Mech Assault Genesis( http://www.mechag.com ), based on Gundams. If the game cart is pulled out while the power is on, the Game Boy will exhibit undefined behavior. Some video games have been converted into comics or novels. The game cart is inserted into the console cart slot. Following the popularity of Gundam, various video games feature original characters previously not found in other media. If the developer wishes, they can include either a small battery or a flash chip within the cartridge, which allows game data to be saved; this allows the game to be continued at a later time. Gundam manga is also published in English in Singapore by Chuang Yi. The software contained within provides the data, logic, and rules of the game, accepts input from the console controls or buttons, and outputs the results to the screen display and speaker. The manga narration of the original series is published in English in North America by a variety of companies, such as Viz Communications, Del Rey Manga, and TOKYOPOP, among others. Game Boy and GBC cartridges measure 5.8 cm by 6.5 cm. See main article Gundam Manga and Novels. Each video game is contained in a small plastic cartridge (or "cart"). These series are drawings and precise specifications for additional Mobile suit units not found in the original animated material. The e-Reader was considered to be a general failure; although still selling in Japan, it was not released in Europe, and was quickly discontinued in North America. Due to the sheer popularity of the Gundam franchise, especially the Mobile Suit design, several Original Design series were published. The content was added or unlocked by purchasing e-Reader cards and swiping them in. For the listing of the series on chronological order of the depicted events, see the individual timelines' pages. Content includes mini-games, different worlds, or full and complete games. The following characteristics are distinctive (but not unique) to many Gundams:. A peripheral released for the Game Boy Advance and SP that unlocks special content for certain games. The different series have had different ways of maintaining the tradition, and the only unique feature that all Gundams have in common is the name. The feature's greatest usefulness is most evident in Pokémon FireRed, LeafGreen, and Emerald, where up to sixteen Wireless Adapter-connected players could convene in a "Union Room" of sorts. In both Gundam F91 and Victory Gundam there are hints of this as people referred to the F91 and the Victory Gundams as 'the super-machines from history', and dubbed them Gundams. As of 2005, fewer than twenty games support this feature. Since the story takes place after the biggest time-gap in between continuities in the Universal Century, people probably forgot about the Gundams entirely. The Wireless Adapter allows players to play wirelessly without a link cable. In the G-Saviour movie there is no allusions to "Gundam" whatsoever, not even mentioning the word. It uses the same color palette built into the cart instead of colorizing the games. The name is used widely outside the animation in the merchandising of Cosmic Era toys and models. It also has a link port so players can use multiplayer and e-Reader functions. Most characters simply refer to these units by their names, such as Duel, Buster, Blitz, Strike, or Aegis, but a select few characters refer to them as Gundams, a trend which started with Kira Yamato and spread to a few close friends, as well as the subordinates of Neo Lorrnoke, who subconsciously remembers the term despite a form of amnesia. The successor to the Super Game Boy, the Game Boy Player allows Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance games to be played on the Nintendo GameCube. In an informal homage to other Gundam series, all of these unique mobilesuits use operating systems with complicated acronyms, and these acronyms always simplify to the word Gundam. The device plugged into the parallel port of the PC and allowed dumping ROM and SRAM sumee data to PC, as well as rewriting flashcarts to play copies of Game Boy games. However, there are numerous mobile suits which share the properties of Gundams from other series. The (unofficial) GBX, produced by Bung Enterprises Ltd, was the best-known backup unit for Game Boy and Game Boy Color games. In the Cosmic Era works, the word Gundam is never used in an official sense, apart from in the Chinese language translations of the manga. Pokémon Stadium 2 was compatible with all the Game Boy and Game Boy Color Pokémon games except for the Crystal Version. Corin Nander was an ace pilot who was placed under suspended animation as punishment and the color scheme of the Turn A mobile suit reminds him of the Gundam mobile suits from previous eras. The only exception was Pokémon Stadium, which allowed players to play Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow on the television screen. In the CC (Seireki) timeline, the name Gundam is given to the White Doll/Turn A mobile suit by Corin Nander. However, unlike the Super Game Boy, it was only for the transfer of Game Boy Color data to their N64 equivalents. Every Gundam has a unique name that befits the nature of the suit and/or its origins, such as Wing Gundam, Gundam Heavyarms, Sandrock Gundam, Gundam Deathscythe, or Shenlong Gundam. The Transfer Pak was a device that fit onto the Nintendo 64 controller. This alloy gives the Gundams near invincibility. A follow-up, the Super Game Boy 2 (primarily released in Japan, though some sold through QVC's shopping channel in the U.S.), included more colors, frames, and a link port for multiplayer support. In the After Colony timeline, the word Gundam refers to most mobile suit constructed out of a special alloy, called Gundanium, which can only be mined and produced in space. The black-and-white games could be colorized by mapping colors to each of the four grays. For example, the Earth Federation in the Universal Century universe used "R" (Renpou, said to be the English equivalent of Federation) to designate their mobile suits, with "X" for experimental units, "GM" (Gundam Mass-producedGeneral Machine) or "GC" for production mobile suits derived from the original V-Project suits and "MS" for mass-produced mobile suits derived from One Year War-era Zeon mobile suits. The Super Game Boy is a plug-in cartridge for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System that allowed Game Boy games to be played on a television screen. All Mobile Weapons have serial numbers, usually additions to previous Mobile Weapons in its lineage. Recently, the EyeToy accessory for the PlayStation 2 has vastly expanded upon the idea of using the image of the player in the game and as part of the game. II, Zeta Gundam, Victory Gundam, etc. A picture of the user's head is inserted into several mini-games. Afterwards, many powerful mobile suits based on the Gundam's design also carry the name, such as the Gundam Mk. There are also several mini-games along with the camera. In the Universal Century timeline, Gundam is the name of the Earth Federation's first experimental general-purpose mobile suit, which is incredibly powerful compared to most of the mass-produced models eventually used by either side. The commercial at least indicates that Nintendo was at least referencing and/or parodying adult-geared portable systems. Gundam is the name or nickname of several mobile suits or mobile fighters, although some works such as G-Saviour and Mobile Suit Gundam: MS IGLOO do not have units named Gundams. However, a commercial advertising the products showed a young kid using the devices, with an adult using a laptop looking over in astonishment. English-speaking fans have used "Alternate Universe" or "AU" as a nickname for the stories that do not take place within the Universal Century timeline, but this unofficial nickname is not used in Japan. It was never Nintendo's intention to transform the GB system into a PDA; any such claims are untrue. On the survey for the game that would become Gundam True Odyssey, the Cosmic Era series (including Astray) were collectively referred to as "21st Century First Gundam" (a reference to Mobile Suit Gundam, also known as First Gundam). The N64 magazine (published by Future) dedicated a monthly section to the device. Bandai and Japanese-speaking fans unofficially refer to projects not directly related to the first Gundam series or its staffers (such as Gundam Sentinel and G Gundam) as "Another Gundam" stories, and to projects made after 1989 as "Heisei Gundam" stories. Both items were marketed by Nintendo as light-hearted entertainment devices, in all three major videogame regions of the world: Japan, North America, and Europe. Western calendar) to mean "Correct Century" or "Correct Calendar," but Sunrise itself has not established an English translation for "Seireki" or the English abbreviation expansion for "CC". The printer utilized heat-sensitive paper to "burn" any saved images, making a hard copy. English-speaking fans have interpreted "Seireki" (a wordplay homonym of the Japanese term for the A.D. The camera could take basic black & white, often grainy, digital images using the 4-color palette of the Game Boy system. Later series take place in alternate calendars or timelines, which are mostly completely unrelated to the original Universal Century calendar system. The Game Boy Camera & Printer are accessories for the Game Boy handheld gaming console and were released in 1998. Most early Gundam works take place in the Universal Century calendar system, which is considered the most developed. [2]. This makes the plot more real: while in early Super Robot series, the hero and cast usually act in the same predictable manner in most episodes, in the various Gundam series the characters' personalities and actions are transformed/developed by the turn of events surrounding them (the best example of this is how the personalities of longtime rivals Amuro Ray and Char Aznable are influenced by their experiences in the Gundam saga). It will sell for 16,800 yen ($145), compared with the current model's price of 15,000 yen ($130). Finally, most of the stories are basically structured as coming-of-age dramas, where the main protagonist (and sometimes his main antagonist) and most of the cast personalities, points of view, and actions may (or may not) change dramatically as the events on the series unfold. It is also lighter, at 218g against 295g. Gundam also features true to life issues and clear political ideas. It is smaller than the current DS model—133 × 73.9 × 21.5mm against 148.7 × 84.7 × 27.9. Politics of war are always lurking in the background, as it is in real wars. On January 26, 2006, Nintendo unveiled the Nintendo DS Lite, a redesigned version of the DS. With few exceptions, there are no absolute good guys and bad guys; all have their motives. It has been technically likened to the Nintendo 64. The narration is always revolving around the emotions of the characters, usually thrown into conflict without much choice and faced with death, destruction and dehumanization. The Nintendo DS can be considered a part of the portable family due to structural similarities to Game Boy and its ability to play Game Boy Advance cartridges (but not Game Boy Color or original Game Boy cartridges). The technology, at least that of the Universal Century, is practical and derived from true science, including Lagrange points in space, the O'Neill cylinder as a living environment, and energy production from helium-3 (Minovsky Physics). Nintendo refers to it as their third pillar; their home consoles, such as the Nintendo GameCube, being the first, and their Game Boy line of portable-gaming devices being the second. they run out of energy and ammunition, they break and malfunction like all machines eventually do. In fact, its unusual design and touch-screen control distinguish it from the Game Boy line. All the machines, including the Gundams, are always depicted realistically i.e. The Nintendo DS launched on November 20, 2004 in North America and December 4, 2004 in Japan, making it unusual as a Nintendo device to launch in North America before Japan. The main theme of all the various Gundam series is always the harsh depiction of the atrocities of war. The horitzontal orientation was later used for the Game Boy Advance and Game Boy Micro and the clamshell design of other games was used for the Nintendo DS. Zambot 3 was an earlier program by Tomino which helped develop these ideas. There were 58 different games and also included an alarm clock. Real Robots (popularly known in English as mech, a re-borrowing of the Japanese abbreviation for the English word "mechanical") differ from their Super Robot forebearers on a few stylistic and thematic points such as attempts at realism in robot design and weaponry, as well as their thematic and ethical roles. Designed by Gunpei Yokoi, thse are considered to be the predecessor to the Game Boy. Gundam is a turning point in the history of anime and manga, as it is credited for inspiring the Real Robot genre. There also other Nintendo handheld consoles that do not fit into the Game Boy category, but are similar. Like many of the "mobile suits" appearing in the series, a Gundam is usually piloted from the torso area. The micro's North American launch price of $99.99 was lowered to $89.99 during the 2005 holiday season. However, Gundams are not robots but more extensions of their pilots. It was released in Europe on November 4, 2005. Tomino then changed the name to the current title Gundam, suggesting that the name Gundam signifies a power wielding a gun that is strong enough to hold back enemies like a dam holds back floods. It was released on September 19, 2005 in Japan and North America. The collective Yatate team combined the English word Gun with last syllable of the word Freedom, Dom, to form the word Gundom. The Game Boy micro is not backward compatible with Game Boy or Game Boy Color games. In the early stages of production, there were numerous references to the word freedom, such as the White Base being originally named Freedom's Fortress, the Core Fighter as the Freedom Wing, and the Gunperry named the Freedom Cruiser. It is slightly smaller than the SP or GBA screens while maintaining the same resolution (240 × 160 pixels). The celebrated series was originally titled Freedom Fighter Gunboy or simply Gunboy, because the title robot was armed with a gun and the target demographic was young boys. A second Game Boy Advance redesign (third design), the Game Boy micro is four inches wide, two inches tall, and less than an inch deep and weighs 2.8 ounces, by far the smallest Game Boy created. Mobile Suit Gundam was developed principally by Yoshiyuki Tomino, along with a changing group of Sunrise creators who went under the collective pseudonym "Hajime Yatate". As of this writing, the Game Boy SP is the last Game Boy handheld to offer backward compatibility with Game Boy/Game Boy Color games. . In mid September 2005, Nintendo released a new model that featured a new and improved backlit screen. The name "Gundam" itself stems from a variety of theoretical sources, most commonly attributed to a need to conform with common giant robot naming conventions during the 1970s. The SP stands for Special [1]. Gundam is the collective term for the Universal Century (UC) series like Mobile Suit Gundam and series in alternative timelines, such as Gundam Wing, made by Sunrise Inc. It features a new smaller clamshell design with a flip-up screen (protecting the screen, an issue with the original), an internal frontlight, and a rechargeable battery, but was otherwise unchanged. Gundam is one of the longest running meta-series of anime featuring giant robots. Launched in March 2003, the Game Boy Advance SP resolved several problems with the original model. Frog. It has also been accompanied alongside new titles such as Mario Kart Super Circuit and F-Zero: Maximum Velocity. Sgt. It was technically likened to the SNES and showed its power with successful ports of Super Mario World and Yoshi's Island. Plamo-Wars. It included a Z80 processor for backward-compatibility support. Plamo-kyo Shiro. The Game Boy Advance (also referred to as GBA) featured a 32 bit 16.8 MHz ARM. Genshiken. In June 2001, Nintendo released a significant upgrade to the Game Boy line. SEED Destiny MSV - variations from the SEED Destiny series. Technologically, it was likened to the NES from the 1980s. SEED-MSV - variations from the SEED series. This became a major feature of the Game Boy line, since it allowed each new launch to begin with a significantly larger library than any of its competitors. V-MSV - variations from the Victory series. A major draw of the Game Boy Color was its backward compatibility (that is, a Game Boy Color is able to read older Game Boy cartridges and even play them in selectable color). F91-MSV - variations from the F-91 movie. It also has double the processor speed, twice as much memory, and an infrared communications port. Kunio Okawara's MS Collection (M-MSV) - Kunio Okawara's personal reinterpretations. Released in November 1998, the Game Boy Color (also referred to as GBC) added a color screen to a form factor slightly larger than the Game Boy Pocket. CCA-MSV - variations from the Char's Counterattack movie. Due to its rarity, it often sells for many times more than the other models. ZZ-MSV - variations from the Double Zeta Gundam series. The Game Boy Light is the rarest Game Boy variant outside of Japan. Z-MSV - variations from the Zeta Gundam series. It uses 2 AA batteries which give it approximately 20 hours with the light off and 12 with it on. MSX, new models for a proposed but never produced new animation series, considered to be official and canonical. Only available in Japan, the Game Boy Light was about the same size as the Pocket and had a backlit screen for improved visibility. Mobile Suit X (1984) - a.ka. The first version did not have a LED to show battery levels, but was soon added due to public demand. MSV, the variations from the One-Year War, considered to be official and canonical. The screen was changed to a true black-and-white display, rather than the "pea soup" monochromatic display of the original Game Boy. Mobile Suit Variations (1983) - a.k.a. The port's design was used on all subsequent Game Boy models, up until the Game Boy micro. Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny (TV: 2004). The Game Boy Pocket has a smaller link port, requiring an adapter for linkage with the older Game Boy. Mobile Suit Gundam MS IGLOO (movies: 2004; OVAs: 2006). It had space for 2 AAA batteries, which would provide roughly 10 hours of game play. Superior Defender Gundam Force (TV: 2003-2004). In 1996, Nintendo released the Game Boy Pocket, a smaller, lighter unit that required fewer batteries. Mobile Suit Gundam SEED (TV: 2002, compilation specials: 2004). This new unit is the same as the first version, except for the availabity of various colors. Gundam Evolve (short clips: 2001-2005). In 1995, Nintendo released several colored Game Boy models, advertising them in the Play it Loud! campaign. G-Saviour (live action TV movie: 2000). However, this feature was only supported in Faceball 2000. Turn A Gundam (TV: 1999, compilation movies: 2002). In fact, it has been shown that the system could support 16 simultaneous players at once. New Mobile Report Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz (OVAs: 1997, compilation movie: 1998). The original Game Boy was the first cartridge-based system that supported more than four players at one time (via the link port). After War Gundam X (TV: 1996). The game that really pushed it into the upper reaches of success was Tetris. Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team (OVAs: 1996). It played games from ROM-based media contained in small plastic detachable units called cartridges (sometimes abbreviated as carts). New Mobile Report Gundam Wing (TV: 1995, compilation OVAs: 1996). Based around a Z80 processor, it had a black and green reflective LCD screen, an eight-way directional pad, and two action buttons. Mobile Fighter G Gundam (TV: 1994). The original Game Boy was released on April 21, 1989 in Japan and in August 1989 in the United States. Mobile Suit Victory Gundam (TV: 1993). The Game Boy console went through several design iterations, without significant changes to its computing power, since its release in 1989. Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory (OVAs: 1991; compilation movie: 1992). To celebrate, Nintendo released the Classic NES Series and a NES-themed color scheme for the Game Boy Advance SP. Mobile Suit Gundam F91 (movie: 1991). Game Boy celebrated its 15th anniversary in 2004, which nearly coincided with the 20-year anniversary to the original Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket (OVAs: 1989). Game Boy continues its success to this day and many at Nintendo have dedicated the handheld in Yokoi's memory. Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack (movie: 1988). By following this simple mantra, the Game Boy line managed to gain a vast following despite technically superior alternatives. Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ (TV: 1986). When Gunpei designed the original Game Boy, he knew that, to be successful, the system needed to be small, light, inexpensive, and durable, as well as have a varied, recognizable library of games upon its release. Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam (TV: 1985; compilation movies: 2005). Some consider these early LCD-display handhelds to be a prototype of the Game Boy. "Gundam 0079" (a nickname derived from spinoff games and manga and primarily used by English-speaking fans) (TV: 1979; compilation movies: 1981–1982). Yokoi was also responsible for the Game & Watch series of handhelds when Nintendo made the move from toys to video games. "First Gundam" (the nickname applied by Japanese fans once sequels appeared which used the whole phrase in their titles) a.k.a. The gaming device was the brainchild of long-time Nintendo employee Gunpei Yokoi, who was the person behind the Ultra Hand, an expanding arm toy created and produced by Nintendo in 1970, long before Nintendo would enter the video game market. Mobile Suit Gundam - a.k.a. Nintendo's Game Boy handheld was first released in 1989. Superior performance, in comparison to other mobile suits/fighters. . Yellow and/or red highlights are often added. The original Game Boy's design set the standard for handheld gaming consoles. In any given series, at least one Gundam, usually the one piloted by the hero of the story, will have a blue torso and white limbs and head. It is one of the best-selling game system lines selling over 120 million units world wide to date, and has spawned many successful spin-offs. A prominent red "chin" or goatee, initally thought to be a mere stylistic touch, but is now believed to be a heat vent. The Game Boy line (also: Gameboy, Game-boy; Japanese: ゲームボーイ Gēmu Bōi) is a line of battery-powered handheld game consoles sold by Nintendo. Ornament on head resembling a V-shape, sometimes units possess two V-shapes. Notably: 6955, Bit Shifter, Bubblyfish, Covox, Cow'P, dot.matrix, FirestARTer, Gameboy Music Club, Gameboyzz Orchestra, Glomag, Lo-bat, Bud Melvin, Nullsleep, OMAC, Saitone, etc. Face with two human-like eyes, which flash when the unit is activated. Numerous musical acts have appropriated the Game Boy as a musical instrument. Humanoid form. Thomas Ian Nicholas' character plays "Tetris" for Game Boy in the 1993 film Rookie of the Year. Each story is not necessarily consistent with other stories within the Super Deformed series or stories outside them. However, many saw these commercials as petulant admissions that the Game Boy was thrashing the Game Gear in sales (as indeed it was). Super Deformed Gundam is a series of super deformed parodies of the Gundam metaseries. Television commercials in the early 1990s for the Sega Game Gear often mocked the Game Boy, at one point alleging it had a "creamed spinach color" in contrast to its own full-color graphics. has acted as an acronym for a variety of things, see the Mobile Suit Operation System page for details. The short-lived 1980s cartoon series Captain N: The Game Master featured a life-sized Game Boy character, who communicated via faces on its screen. In this timeline, G.U.N.D.A.M. However, the DS cannot use the multiplayer modes of some Game Boy Advance titles due to its lack of a link-cable port. "Cosmic Era" refers to the years after the foundation of the first space colonies. Advance cartridges are half the size of all earlier cartridges and can only be played on Game Boy Advance and beyond and on the Nintendo DS. Mobile Suit Gundam SEED and Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny take place in the Cosmic Era calendar system. Roughly three quarters of Game Boy Color releases were clear cart games. Director Yoshiyuki Tomino intended this as the distant future of all previous calendar systems. They do not physically fit in the Game Boy micro or DS due to their design. ∀ Gundam takes place in the CC (正歴 Seireki) calendar system. Clear cartridges can only be played on Game Boy Color and beyond. After War Gundam X takes place in the After War calendar system; "After War" refers to the years after the conclusion of the 7th Space War, in which the Earth was devastated by massive colony drops. A small number of these games also had Super Game Boy enhancements. "After Colony" refers to the years after the foundation of the first space colony. Roughly one quarter of Game Boy Color releases was black cart games. New Mobile Report Gundam Wing takes place in the After Colony calendar system. Games such as Wario Land II DX, The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX, and Tetris DX were re-releases of gray cartridge games with additional content and in full color. Mobile Fighter G Gundam takes place in the Future Century calendar system. Pokémon Gold and Silver and Dragon Warrior I&II). Black cartridges are compatible with the Game Boy, Game Boy Pocket, and Game Boy Light systems, and are in full color on Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, and SP (e.g. Many games produced from 1994 through 1998 also had Super Game Boy enhancements. These games were programmed in black and white; when used on the Game Boy Color or Game Boy Advance, the color of the graphics can be chosen at the start-up screen. Sometimes these cartridges came in other colors, such as red and blue for Pokémon Red and Blue or yellow for Donkey Kong Land and Pokémon Yellow. All original Game Boy and Game Boy Pocket titles are of this type. Gray cartridges can be used with all Game Boy systems except the Game Boy micro and the DS. The player's head becomes attached to a cartoon body, and he or she races against a mole and a bird for the finish line. Run! Run! Run! is the bonus game, which is obtained by reaching a score of 2,000 or more in Space Fever II. The player's head becomes the boss of each level. In the game, the player controls a spaceship which fires missiles at other ships. Space Fever II is an exact port of its arcade version. The player's head is the DJ. DJ, probably the most popular game on the Game Boy Camera, the player can mix and create his or her own music. The head is the person juggling. Ball is a juggling game, in which the player moves his or hand around to catch and throw balls. |