
1989
AU Release
28 May 1990
AU Launch Price
$119 AUD
~$295 today
Units Sold
119M
Processor
Sharp LR35902 (modified Z80) @ 4.19 MHz
Memory
8 KB RAM, 8 KB VRAM
Storage
Battery-backed cartridge save
Media
Game Boy Cartridges
Global lifetime sales
The Game Boy is the definitive proof that portability, battery life, and software library beat raw hardware power every time. Nintendo's Gunpei Yokoi designed the Game Boy with a philosophy he called 'lateral thinking with withered technology' — using cheap, proven components rather than cutting-edge specs. The result was a device that ran for 10 hours on four AA batteries and cost far less than its competitors. The Sega Game Gear and Atari Lynx were technically superior in every measurable way, yet the Game Boy outsold both combined many times over. Tetris as the pack-in game was a masterstroke — a perfect portable game for all ages and demographics. When Pokémon Red and Blue launched in 1998, they single-handedly extended the Game Boy's commercial life by years and fundamentally changed how games and merchandise could intersect. The Game Boy line, including the Color, sold over 118 million units.
A Game Boy recovered from the Gulf War — still working despite being badly burned — is displayed in a Nintendo store in New York, demonstrating the console's legendary durability
Tetris was chosen as the pack-in game by Nintendo over objections from some executives — it proved to be one of the most important product decisions in gaming history, selling the Game Boy to adults and families
Pokémon Red and Blue, launched in 1998, were the first games in a franchise that would become the highest-grossing media franchise of all time — surpassing Star Wars, Marvel, and Mickey Mouse
Browse Game Boy titles available for trade on Greatest GOAT Australia — stop paying EB Games prices.
Browse Game Boy GamesThe Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
6M copies sold
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
1990 · 49M sold

Game Boy Color
1998 · TBC sold