Game Boy line Facts for Kids

The Game Boys are a group of handheld video game consoles made by Nintendo. These portable gaming devices let you play video games on the go!

All of the Game Boys.

The Original Game Boy
- Game Boy Pocket: Smaller and Lighter
- Game Boy Light: A Rare Find
Game Boy Color: Hello, Colors!
Game Boy Advance: A New Era
- Game Boy Advance SP: Foldable Fun
- Game Boy Micro: Super Small
Other Nintendo Handhelds
Images for kids
See also

The Original Game Boy

The very first Game Boy came out in 1989. It was a simple device with a small screen, a D-pad (for moving around), and two main buttons, A and B. To play games, you needed small plastic objects called cartridges. You would slide a cartridge into the Game Boy, and then you could play the game stored inside it.

The game that really made the Game Boy famous was Tetris. It was a puzzle game where you fit falling blocks together. The Game Boy also had a special "link cable" and a port. This allowed you to connect your Game Boy with a friend's Game Boy to play games together!

Game Boy Pocket: Smaller and Lighter

After the original Game Boy, Nintendo released the Game Boy Pocket. This version was much smaller and lighter. It was also more energy-efficient, needing only two batteries instead of four. However, its link port was a different size, so it couldn't connect directly with the older Game Boy models.

Game Boy Light: A Rare Find

The Game Boy Light was a special version that only came out in Japan. What made it unique was its front-light, which helped people see the screen better in the dark. It's very rare today, with only about 12,000 ever made. Because it's so rare, it can be worth a lot of money to collectors!

Game Boy Color: Hello, Colors!

In 1998, Nintendo launched the Game Boy Color. This was a big step because it was the first Game Boy that could display games in full color! A great feature of the Game Boy Color was its ability to play older Game Boy cartridges. This meant you didn't have to buy all new games right away. This feature helped it sell very well and was also included in future Game Boy models. People sometimes call it the GBC.

Game Boy Advance: A New Era

The Game Boy Advance, often called the GBA, came out in 2001. It was a big upgrade from the Game Boy Color. It had even better color graphics and used smaller game cartridges. The GBA was designed to be held horizontally, which was different from the previous vertical Game Boy models.

Game Boy Advance SP: Foldable Fun

The Game Boy Advance SP was an improved version of the GBA. Its most noticeable feature was its "clamshell" design. This meant you could fold it in half, making it more compact and protecting the screen. It also had a much better screen light, making it easier to play in different lighting conditions. The GBA SP could play all Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance games.

Game Boy Micro: Super Small

The Game Boy Micro is the smallest Game Boy Advance model ever made. It's tiny enough to fit in your pocket! While it was super small, it had the best screen quality of all the Game Boys. However, it had a different link port than the regular Game Boy Advance, so you needed a special adapter to connect with other GBA systems.

Other Nintendo Handhelds

In 2004, Nintendo introduced the Nintendo DS. They called it a "third pillar" alongside the Game Boy and their home consoles. The Nintendo DS was unique because it had two screens, and one of them was a touch screen! DS games came on small cards that fit into "Slot 1." The DS could also play Game Boy Advance games using "Slot 2," but it couldn't play the older Game Boy or Game Boy Color games.