The Incredible Shrinking Console
Game Boy
Nintendo’s Game Boy hand-held gaming system was one of the longest-lived video game consoles. Initial success came from the introduction of Tetris, a Russian-designed puzzle game. Game Boy, and the later Game Boy Color, sold more than 100 million units over 20 years.
The Incredible Shrinking Console
As computers grew steadily smaller and more powerful, so too did video games, shrinking from arcade consoles to home systems to sophisticated handhelds.
Game Boy, introduced by Nintendo in 1989 with the best-selling game Tetris, blazed the trail. More than 100 million Game Boys were sold in 20 years.
Advertisement for the Game Boy versions of R-Type and Kung Fu Master
The Game Boy’s handheld design made it ideal for fighting, racing, and puzzle games.
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Tetris designer Alexey Pajitnov and son holding early copies of the PC version of Tetris
Pajitnov never profited from Tetris because the government of the USSR owned the rights. He moved to the US in 1991.
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Screenshot from Game Boy version of Tetris
Tetris became one of the most significant puzzle games of all time following its release. The game required players to stack 5 different kinds of pieces to form lines, preventing the stacked columns of pieces from reaching the top of the screen.
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