GameBoy Pocket's 30th Anniversary
On July 21, 1996, Nintendo released the Game Boy Pocket, a palm-sized handheld built from the original Game Boy concept. At around 150 grams (including two AA batteries), it was impressively light and truly lived up to its name.
What made it stand out wasn’t just the size—it was the value. It launched at 6,800 yen ($69.99 in the US) and later dropped to 3,800 yen ($50 or even lower in the US market) after two price cuts. During the height of Pokémon’s popularity, that made portable gaming incredibly accessible.
Another big legacy of the Pocket was model variety. Nintendo offered multiple colors and special editions, including collaborations with companies like Toys“R”Us, All Nippon Airways (ANA), and Famitsu. There were so many versions that collecting them became part of the fun.
You could argue this is where a major Nintendo handheld tradition really took shape: fans buying multiple versions of the same system. We saw that continue through the GameBoy Advance, DS and 3DS era (I was definitely one of those people), and even with the Switch line—original model, Lite, OLED, and special editions.
That’s why the Switch 2 era feels different. At around 49,980 yen ($450 in the US) and with no price cuts in sight (In fact, the base model is going to increase in price this year), buying multiple models feels much harder to justify. It’s a little sad, honestly. For a lot of long-time fans, collecting different versions was part of the experience, and gaming overall is getting expensive.
I still hope Nintendo finds an innovative way to make the Switch 2 more affordable over time—and brings back that collectible handheld excitement for the next generation of fans.
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