New and improved.
If you’re old enough, you probably have some fond memories of the original Game Boy. It was the handheld that established Nintendo’s dominance of the market against all comers, even the more technologically advanced systems of the time.
And the only updates it got over its 14 year life span were liposuction, a (very basic) color screen, and a back light (in Japan). The fact that an 8-bit handheld lasted for roughly 3 home console generations is the sort of feat that’s not terribly likely to be repeated anytime soon (then again…). And that legacy is what Hyperkin is tapping into.
The way they were all constructed is fascinating. Shout-out to The Retro Future on YouTube.
Preempting the very possibility of a Game Boy Classic, Hyperkin is working on bringing a Game Boy model of their own to market. Colloquially dubbed the Ultra Game Boy, it offers a few modern conveniences that make getting your retro game on a bit more pleasant.
For one, the shell will be made out of durable aluminum. And, naturally, the LCD will, in addition to the original contrast dial, have a dial that adjusts the LCD’s back light through the RGB spectrum.
But the upgrades don’t stop there. The Ultra Game Boy has a built in rechargeable battery good for about six hours of play time, and is USB-C rechargeable. Also, despite the fact that Game Boy games are mono, it will come with audio out for both right and left channels.
Which might seem odd, but it makes things way easier for chiptune musicians. And it makes it so that they have to do way less in the way of hacking up old, functional Game Boys.
Hyperkin plans on having its Game Boy clone on the market around the end of this Summer. They also plan on having a price point under $100. That said, you’ll still need to get yourself some Game Boy games if you don’t have any.
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