Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
Hi everybody, this is Hooper.
Today, I'll make a special video: the history of the Gameboy,
Nintendo's extraordinary handheld console you can see right here.
Released on April 21st, 1989; a very important date.
I'll also show you all the GameBoy variations:
GameBoy Pocket, Light, Color, Advance, Advance SP and Micro.
We'll see that later in this video.
But first, I must talk about the beginning of handheld consoles.
With this. What's this? These are the Game & Watch.
This is one of the first games available in 1980: Donkey Kong [actually released in 1982].
The Game & Watch ... - I'll show you a game while I'm talking -
... can be considered as the ancestors of handheld video games.
There was already a D-pad, invented by Nintendo
- since the Game & Watch were created and developed by Nintendo.
There are about fifty of them.
- Oh! Bloody Donkey Kong! -
Here, the purpose is to dodge the barrels and to reach the crane.
If he stays there, I won't be able to go ...
What was I saying?
Heck, I fell down. Never mind.
See how it's made:
one single button - for this game; every Game & Watch is different -
and LCD screens, with backgrounds printed on the plastic.
There was only one game on a Game & Watch;
that's why the GameBoy was a revolution in its own way.
So, that's all for the Game & Watch, from 1980 to 1989.
Then, Nintendo asked Gunpei Yokoi - or "Yocois", I don't know how to pronounce it ...
He had created the Game & Watch,
and he also created, designed the GameBoy for Nintendo.
This fabulous console that is the GameBoy. A revolution.
Why a revolution? For many reasons.
First, instead of a fixed screen, there were scrollings and animations.
Amazing! Revolutionary at that time.
2 action buttons, 2 menu buttons,
the D-pad that already existed on the Game & Watch,
a power LED to see when batteries are running low.
On the side, a volume control ***;
and a port for the link cable - I'll show you that.
The link cable was bundled with the console.
You plugged it here; and at the other end you could connect another console.
You could connect up to 4 consoles simultaneously.
That enabled to play multiplayer games. That was excellent.
On the other side, there's a *** to adjust the contrast,
and on the bottom side, a headphone jack.
So, everything was there, already.
Consoles aren't more complete nowadays.
Really, the GameBoy was a precursor.
Above all, behind, 4 batteries allowed a battery life of 20-25 hours. That was huge.
And of course, the screen was monochrome, black and white.
In fact, Nintendo could have made a color screen,
but they knew that they'd have had to sell the console at a very high price;
whereas here, they could sell it at a very low price: in France, 590 francs [€ 90].
Here's the console's original package.
Let's put it back here, in the middle ... OK.
590 francs, bundled with the mythic Tetris, the link cable,
and even 4 batteries. All that for 590 francs. Amazing.
Of course, unlike the Game & Watch, that were unique games,
it used interchangeable cartridges. And once again, that was great.
Among the most famous games: Tetris and Super Mario Land, that were launch titles.
Well, Tetris came out one month after, but Super Mario Land was available at the launch.
The sales were astronomical:
18 millions - 18 millions! - copies of Super Mario Land were sold,
and more than 30 millions copies of Tetris.
That's astronomical; that exceeds any game nowadays in terms of sales.
And then, many famous games: Super Mario Land 2, extraordinary;
Link's Awakening, that nearly looks like a Super NES game ...
Yes, the GameBoy is about as powerful as a NES, except that it's black and white.
But when you see games like Link's Awakening ...
At that time I wondered: "It can't be. How ...?"
For me, Link's Awakening on GameBoy is, and will always remain a mystery.
So that's it: 590 francs, a battery life of 20 hours - amazing -,
a phenomenal catalogue of games - more than 800 games.
And moreover, the games were cheap - I'll show you what it looked like -;
the games cost less than 200 francs [€ 30]. That, too, was amazing.
Everyone could afford games,
while Megadrive and SNES games cost from 400 to 550 francs [€ 60-84].
So, here's the first ...
Let's adjust the contrast ...
You can make the game darker or brighter.
I'll try to brighten a bit ...
It's OK.
Super Mario Land ...
I'll always remember: I discovered this game - and the GameBoy - in a TV ad.
And for me, it was a revelation. I weigh my words.
That was unbelievable.
I didn't understand, on a handheld console - I only knew the Game & Watch -,
how the screen could move forward on its own.
At that time, I knew nothing about scrolling and all;
I didn't understand in this ad, how the screen could ...
That was no longer a fixed screen.
For me, it was a mystery, it was magic! I swear it's true!
Later, I was offered the console for a birthday or Christmas, and I was amazed.
With Super Mario Land and Tetris ...
I used to spend entire nights playing on it.
This game is amazing.
Let's stop here, otherwise I could spend all night playing it.
Let's stop here. I've told you almost everything about this first GameBoy.
Unbelievable.
118 millions consoles sold - including GameBoy Pocket and GameBoy Color.
118 millions. There's nothing else to say.
Well.
Oh, yes, there are also lots of accessories.
For instance, this was a magnifier - there were many different models.
It could be fixed on the console, and of course magnified the screen.
That was excellent.
Another thing: the famous Super GameBoy, that fitted into the Super NES,
and allowed us to play GameBoy games on the TV screen, via the Super NES.
That was excellent.
Unfortunately, at that time I had bought it because I thought
I'd be able to play Link's Awakening on the TV's full screen.
But I couldn't, because it's displayed in a small window on the TV.
So I was a bit disgusted for that.
So, then, in 1996, this came out: the Game Boy Pocket.
That was still 7 years after - 1989: the first GameBoy, 1996: the GameBoy Pocket
Yes, and just before that, there was the famous Pokémon phenomenon.
Wait, I wrote it down ...
On February 27, 1996, the Pokémon tidal wave was a benediction for Nintendo;
the goose that laid the golden eggs, which succeeded in re-dy ..
re-, re-denyma, re-dynamiti- ...
Wait. I'm looking for a word with "dynamite".
So: re-dynamitizing? redynatizing? re-dynamiting? re-dynamitizing?
Something like that. [Hooper means re-dynamizing!]
In short, it gave a new boost to GameBoy sales which started to stagnate in 1996.
Thanks to Pokémon, they'd sell dozens of millions additional GameBoys.
Also, the Red and Blue versions of Pokémon,
would be the world's best selling games in 1996, 1997, 1998. Amazing.
This Game Boy Pocket has the same technical specifications,
but look: it's a smaller model of the Game Boy.
It has the same buttons; a volume ***, a contrast ***, a headphone jack.
It's all the same. I won't show you any game, they're identical.
What else? The screen has the same size ...
Yes, also, only 2 AAA batteries are required, instead of 4 AA batteries.
Then, there's probably the rarest GameBoy version: the GameBoy Light.
Why is it the rarest?
First, basically, it's a backlit GameBoy Pocket.
It's rare because it was sold only in Japan, and only for 6 months;
because 6 months later, the GameBoy Color came out.
So the GameBoy Light was released in April 1998, in Japan only.
It's the same as the GameBoy Pocket, except that it's backlit.
I'll show you a game: Super Mario Land 2.
Look here: you can choose to turn the light off, like this,
or on, like that.
Look, if I turn off the light ...
This is the first backlit GameBoy.
Usually we can see clearly, but here I adjusted the contrast like a jackal ...
Wait ... Well, it's not better. Never mind.
I'll show you a bit of Super Mario Land 2, because it makes me happy; it's for me.
*Hooper hums the tune*
Oooh! *laughs*
I'm totally hopeless.
Yet, Super Mario Land 2 is really an easy game.
So, that's the GameBoy Light; and here's the box.
It's quite rare.
What's next?
The GameBoy Color, which is the first version with upgraded specifications.
As its name implies, it features a color screen - but no backlight.
Otherwise, it's the same: the D-pad, 2 menu buttons here, 2 action buttons.
Here, the volume control ***.
On the other side ... No, there's no longer a contrast ***.
The headphone jack is still here.
2 batteries behind, again.
Now you can connect two GameBoys using infrared,
but it's quite lousy because the two consoles must be very close so that the infrared works.
This was used for trading Pokémon, and stuff.
Personally, I've never played Pokémon games.
Not because it's a shame to play Pokémon; but I've simply never played it.
I'll show you a game.
The cartridges are almost the same as the original GameBoy cartridges.
Here's a GameBoy Color cartridge; here's a GameBoy cartridge.
They're the same.
I'll show you a bit of GameBoy Color.
Where is it? Here.
Let's see.
Unfortunately, since there's no backlight, we must have a light source,
like on the first GameBoy - either the sunlight, either an electric light.
You can't play in the dark.
Here's the remake of Zelda Link's Awakening: Zelda DX,
released on this GameBoy Color.
It's excellent, even if I've a soft spot for the black and white version.
Also, you could play all your old games.
The GameBoy Color is backward compatible with all GameBoy games.
Moreover, you could play them with colors.
But sometimes, it's strange, because the colors are chosen randomly,
so sometimes it's tasteless.
Let's enter here, I think it's Grandpa Ulrira's ...
No, this is for the quest for sea shells.
We're done with the GameBoy Color.
Released in November 1998, only 6 months after the GameBoy Light.
Backward compatibility with all GameBoy games.
A battery life of 15 hours with only 2 AA batteries. Huge.
And the processor speed was doubled: the first GameBoy had a 4 Mhz CPU;
this GameBoy Color has a 8 MHz CPU, in order to display color graphics.
What's next?
This is the GameBoy Advance.
And here, it's heavy, since almost everything changes.
In the GameBoy Advance, there's a 32 bit CPU.
That doesn't mean it's equal to a Saturn or a Playstation. No.
But it's still more powerful, with a CPU running at 16,8 MHz.
Also, the design is totally different, with a rounded, oval shape.
In addition to the 2 action buttons, 2 triggers appear: L and R.
The volume control is here. The headphone jack, here.
And that's all.
I'll show you a game.
The new cartridges looked like this.
Lots of Super NES games were ported ...
- where is it? there -
... ported to this GameBoy Advance.
It's a very good console. It was released in March 2001.
Also, it has a larger screen ...
- maybe you can't see clearly, I'll turn off the light -
... it has a larger screen than the other consoles.
But wait, a little piece of information for you:
You may wonder: "Wh- why is this console ba- backlit?"
- That's it, I'm starting to stammer, I can't take it anymore -
Yes, because in fact, this console isn't an official one.
I bought a thing on internet to customize this GameBoy Advance.
Theoretically, this first version of the GameBoy Advance isn't backlit.
Here, it's backlit because I bought accessories on the web,
and customized it myself. I took it to pieces and put some light bars in.
So now, it's backlit. But when you buy it, it isn't backlit,
contrary to its successor I'll show you immediately: the GameBoy SP.
- Oh, the bee got me; I'm falling down, and it's over -
It's excellent, you can play many remakes of Super Nintendo games.
You can say it's a handheld Super Nintendo.
It's really similar to the Super NES.
And, it's backward compatible with all GameBoy and GameBoy Color games.
I'll show you some games, to show there was a lot of remakes.
Super Mario World,
- Ouch! -
Super Mario Bros 3,
Donkey Kong Country 2,
- Wait, I'm re-centering the stuff -
and this one was excellent: Final Fantasy 1 and 2,
translated to French at last; and both games on the same cartridge ...
Hallelujah for this cartridge!
Knowing that today, in 2008, Final Fantasy 1 and 2 have been released on PSP,
with slightly better graphics;
but it's a shame because the two games have been released separately,
and without a French translation!
If Square Enix wanted to rip us off, they couldn't do better.
What came out next?
The GameBoy Advance SP, released in March 2003.
This console is a bit a shame. How should I explain that ...
Nintendo announced this console only in January 2003;
and the console came out in March 2003, two months later.
In fact, they could have announced it way earlier,
but, so that people buy this first version of the GameBoy Advance,
they announced it only in January 2003.
So, for Christmas, all children who asked for a GameBoy Advance were conned,
because one month later, Nintendo announced this GameBoy Advance SP,
which is an improved GameBoy Advance, with a backlit screen.
It's still backward compatible with GameBoy and GameBoy Color games.
A li-ion rechargeable battery: no more AA batteries.
- while on the GameBoy Advance there were still AA batteries.
And it has a much more compact design.
Look: like the old Game & Watch, you can close it like that.
That protects the screen from scratches. It's excellent.
Once again, 2 menu buttons, 2 action buttons, the D-pad;
2 triggers, here.
Your hands mustn't be too big, otherwise you're a bit in the ***.
And that's all.
I'll show you a game.
Let's play ... I don't know ...
Well, Final Fantasy 1; just to listen to the music.
- Oh, we've already been in this video for more than 18 minutes. It goes so fast! -
Look: here, it's backlit,
and by pushing this button,
you can turn the backlight on ... an off.
Turning the backlight off allows to save battery life.
This tune ...
That's it. A very good console, which sold extremely well.
What's left, then? I see a lot of stuff left around me, and I haven't shown you everything.
Yes, of course : The last version of the GameBoy.
I'm holding it upside down, but never mind! *laughs*
This console is so weird that you never know if you hold it the right way round.
The GameBoy Micro.
It's very small.
Look at my hand ...
Look; if we make a comparison with the first GameBoy ...
There.
On the other hand, the screen is really small.
But look: the technological development between 1989 and 2006.
I think it was released in 2006 ...
No, 2005.
Here's the technological development. That's something.
Even if it's small, the screen is of high quality.
This model is a tribute to miniaturization and technology.
Once again, a li-ion battery, you can recharge with an adapter ...
- Wait, it's not centered -
So, a li-ion battery.
However, there's no backward compatibility.
I'll show you a game ...
How can we turn it on?
I hardly ever played this console!
It's not backward compatible with GameBoy and GameBoy Color games,
whereas every other GameBoy offered a backward compatibility.
I'll show you a bit of Earthworm Jim, then we'll stop here.
With an amazing tune.
You can see the screen is really of high quality.
Such a high quality screen on such a small console is quite astonishing.
However, the SFX ... Listen to this sound.
On the Super NES version of Earthworm Jim, it sounded much better.
I don't know if it's due to the GameBoy Micro or to this cartridge,
but this sound is really awful.
Anyway, I won't show you much of it,
just to launch the cow. Here.
However, the L and R triggers are hard to reach.
Come on!
Yeah, that's it.
"Cow launched!"
OK, let's stop here.
I was telling you that, you must use L and R triggers,
but frankly, you must be a mutant to master this GameBoy Micro.
How should I do, with my big hands?
I can't play like this.
I must play like that. Can I play like that?
After 10 minutes I get cramps! It's impossible!
I admit that this console is a technical prowess,
but for me, it's unplayable. I can't play on this GameBoy Micro! *laughs*
Well, I think I've shown you everything, for this short retrospective of the Gameboy.
I'm looking around me ...
Yes; I haven't shown you the game cases.
Here's a game case for the first Gameboy.
So, those are quite poor cardboard cases.
It's frankly mediocre.
So, Gameboy cases looked like that.
Here, it's FF Legend, a very good game I recommend.
Then, the GameBoy Color cases.
In fact, they're the same, with the same crappy cardboard and "GameBoy Color".
Then, the GameBoy Advance cases are still the same - you don't change a winning team -
except that it's written "GameBoy Advance". So, those are still mediocre cases.
Frankly, Nintendo, aren't you making fools of us with your cases?
I think so ... huh, you ***!
And here ends the GameBoy history,
with the release of the GameBoy Micro in September 2005.
So, the GameBoy lasted from April 21st, 1989, to September 2005
- a great longevity - and finally gave way to this:
the DS that everyone knows.
I won't talk about the DS, but there are many innovations:
4 action buttons,
2 screens including one touchscreen, a stylus;
backward compatibility with GBA games.
The games are tiny ...
What's this?
Children of Mana - well, I don't recommend it!
Tiny cartridges ...
Anyway, everybody knows this console.
And finally, the DS Lite. The finest of the finest.
Now, we can wonder what Nintendo will invent for their next console.
That's it. We're done here.
I think I've shown you everything.
I'm looking over there,
I'm looking to the right, I'm looking to the left ...
I think it's OK.
I hope you enjoyed this video.
I tell you bye bye, and see you next time.