I can’t believe it’s been 30 years since "Now you're playing with power; PORTABLE POWER!" became a thing! Nintendo’s Game Boy launched on April 21st, 2019 and I think even they could not have imagined the impact that their portable console would have on the world. Today we live in an age where portable gaming is the norm. The iPhone release in 2007 along with the App Store in 2008 definitely took casual gaming to the next level, but almost 19 years before that Nintendo was already redefining what it meant to game on the go.

I remember growing up my sisters owning a number of Game & Watch mini consoles. I especially remember the ones where you had to try and save people from burning buildings, or trying to zap bugs with your insecticide. Those were amazing for the time, but I remember the first time I played Super Mario Land that this truly was something special. The irony of it all is that I actually never owned a Game Boy, but I remember after 2nd grade when I had the opportunity to borrow my friend’s for a couple of weeks. I remember traveling to El Salvador for the summers and playing at my cousins house. And now I reminisce with my wife, whose aunt owned a Game Boy and just one game, Tetris which she would fervently play whenever she came over. The Game Boy really was that much fun to play with, and it still is.

I picked up the console last night and got to World 3-2 in Super Mario Land, forgetting how difficult games used to be. I spent 40 minutes playing on a 30 year old portable console, and had a blast. That alone highlights Game Boy’s enduring appeal. Happy 30th Birthday Game Boy: thanks for all those portable power memories!

My wife played Tetris last night. She’s still got it!