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Nintendo Game Boy

First written November 5, 2024

Nintendo's Game Boy first released in 1989 with a four-color dot matrix display with green reflective LCD and stereo sound when using headphones. The original Game Boy and the pack-in game Tetris included in earlier export sets became hot sellers with all kinds of new game players. The older technology used kept the Game Boy solidly in the "toy" area with great chunky plastic that far outsold its higher-spec and more capable competition. The Game Boy saw a few hardware revisions in the 1990s including the Game Boy Pocket and Game Boy Color. The model number DMG-01 (and the series of DMG-XX products) refers to Dot Matrix Game, with the screen lens also referring to its DOT MATRIX WITH STEREO SOUND.

Original Game Boy hardware can play the original grey type I cartridges as well as black type II Game Boy Color-enhanced games, but not the type III translucent Game Boy Color exclusive games. In fact, the physical cartridge lock integrated into the power switch (removed from later styles of Game Boy) will prevent a DMG-style Game Boy from turning on at all with a type III cartridge inserted.

Game Boy (1989)

The original Game Boy was model DMG-01 and was first released in 1989. It runs on four AAA batteries, with a 6 volt D.C. input on the left side near the contrast wheel for the four-shade monochrome LCD. The right side of the device has a link cable port, originally supplied with a cover, and the volume wheel. A stereo headphone jack is located on the bottom - the single internal speaker is, of course, monophonic.

Some of these units have survived better than others. As time went on and the Game Boy was sold in more places, the toolings for the rear casing gained more logos of electronics compliance regulatory bodies from around the world. The power switch forms a physical interlock to prevent cartridges from being removed or inserted with the power turned on.

Bivert + Backlight modification

It has become increasingly trendy over the years to customize and modify Game Boys, putting them in custom colored shells and changing the buttons. I must admit I have not gotten too much into this in part because I generally quite like how most Game Boys looked right from the factory (in terms of buttons and shell colors) and I am also both pretty accepting of the quality and end result of as well as the technology behind the various displays. I did, however, want an easier (and, admittedly, better-looking) way to play the form factor of a DMG Game Boy in the dark with better results than the various screen lights and magnifiers of the era, and around 2016 I modified one of my original Game Boys with a bivert chip and backlight for the screen. Specifically, I wanted to play this solitaire multipack cartridge in the dark (lol).

Taking a look inside, you can see the bivert chip intercepting signals from the cartridge slot and the backlight panel pulling power from the front controller and display board. The original reflector and polarizer glued to the rear of the screen has to be removed, and a new polarizer inserted in front of the backlight surface. I think this modification wasn't even the cutting edge when I did it - nowadays you either replace the screen entirely or just play on an alternative device to begin with - but it achieved pretty much exactly what I wanted which was an original Game Boy with a screen that looked slightly nicer and that I could see in the dark.

Game Boy Bros./Play it Loud series (1995)

In 1995 Nintendo began selling original Game Boy hardware in new colorful shells as the Game Boy Bros. series in Japan as the Play it Loud! range in Europe and North America. Seven standard colors, two of which had limited releases, and a few other special colors and promotional styles were produced. This range began the long tradition of many color options for Nintendo handhelds and consoles going forward. Some people don't like the Game Boy's screen, which I get although it doesn't really bother me, and others don't like the feel in the hand, which I completely disagree with - the original Game Boy is certainly the one that feels the best in my hands - so I bought several of these cool color variations when I saw them for good prices over the years.

The buttons, screen surround lens, and power switch are all a dark grey color as opposed to the original Game Boy.

Radiant Red (1995)

The Red or Radiant Red Play it Loud, with a sadly degrading screen. You can see from the back tooling that this is an earlier production example than the other colors shown below.

Vibrant Yellow (1995)

The Vibrant Yellow DMG-style Game Boy. These colored Game Boys also included color-matching link cable port covers.

Deep Black (1995)

A nice black Game Boy Bros./Play it Loud, which looks good playing type II cartridges (especially the even-darker infrared ones).

Gorgeous Green (1995)

Gorgeous Green Play it Loud with Nintendo repair center sticker.

High Tech Transparent

The very cool High Tech Transparent clear Play it Loud Game Boy, giving a nice look at its circuitry. I love clear Game Boys, and the original one has the most going on... Like the other colored devices, the transparent color was carried forward to the Game Boy Pocket which also introduced the classic Atomic Purple variation.