My First Retro Handheld: Nintendo Game Boy

Since I can remember, gaming has been a part of my life, beginning in a small, quiet area of Houston, Texas. The famous NES, a marvel I could only explore when the living room was all mine, was the focal point of our family's enjoyment. With the arrival of my first Game Boy, replete with Tetris, as a gift in 1989, however, gaming abruptly turned into a personal adventure. That unboxing is still fresh in my mind. Regards, Mom!

Game Boy, Game Boy, Game Boy

The Game Boy was more than a gadget; it was my entryway to new universes. Classic adventures like Link's Awakening and Mario Land 2 were ideal for accompanying me to my mom's office; otherwise, it would have been a long day. I had a brief experience with the Sega Game Gear, but it was more attached than portable due to its ravenous battery consumption. The Game Boys' 30-hour or longer battery life is unmatched.

The Pokemon period then arrived, bringing a variety of grey tones to my environment, starting with my faithful Blastoise and continuing with the Game Boy Pocket. With SNES games in my pocket using the old horizontal model and Sapphire's world to explore using the Game Boy Advance SP's cutting-edge front lid screen, the Switch felt like a quantum leap.

When Gen 4 Pokemon was available on the Wii, I played some DS Pokemon. I then spent some time without a gaming machine. My love for handheld gaming was rekindled in 2016 with the debut of Pokemon Go, which prompted me to purchase a New 3DS XL and explore all of its gaming options.

The Quest for Nostalgia

I longed for the genuineness of vintage consoles, even with the appeal of contemporary gadgets like the Switch. My exploration of screen mods and custom builds, such as the Freeplay Zero, which at the time would have placed a Raspberry Pi Zero in a Game Boy Advance AGB model shell, was prompted by this desire. For me, though, they never quite captured the enchantment of the originals. After that encounter, I looked into Game Boy modification.

With developments like the consoleization of the Game Boy Advance and the FPGA hardware clone, such as the Analogue Pocket, the field of portable modding advanced quickly. Even Chinese consoles were popular. Some of the rules I used to follow vanished when we were all bored and cooped up at home, so I decided to restore my childhood collection. I had to purge a few times to keep my collection from becoming out of control.

I Choose You, Miyoo

Despite the nostalgia, I now make decisions based on practical considerations. My go-to device is the Miyoo Mini, which balances price, practicality, and gaming enjoyment. The Game Boy theme shell and the ability to save on an instance really entice me to take it wherever I go. These days, my Game Boys are mainly kept as drawer or shelf princesses.