Topic: Game Boy Classic Edition, Game Boy Mini?

[segagamersteph]

Do you think Nintendo will actually create a Game Boy Classic Edition? If so what games do you think it will include? Do you think it will feature HDMI output to keep with the tradition? Do you think it will end up having a functional screen and be somewhat fully portable?

What games do you want to see? What games do you realistically think will make it despite your best wishes? What games are you absolutely certain won't make it but would be pleasantly surprised if they did?

Do you think if they do a Game Boy Classic Edition they will follow it up with others? Should we expect a Virtual Boy Classic Edition in the future? When do you think Nintendo, the Internet and gamers will grow tired of these micro consoles? Do you think Sony will ever jump in with a proper Playstation Classic Edition? Are there any others, besides Neo Geo, Sega and Turbo Grafix that make sense? Have fun.

[Evan_B]

The tough thing about a Game Boy classic edition is that both the original Game Boy and the Game Boy Color have extremely robust libraries. If they were to make a classic or mini, I would want a number of games from both.

In terms of Game Boy:
DK 94
Super Mario Land 1 and 2
Link's Awakening
Duck Tales
Gargoyle's Quest
Kirby's Dream Land 1 and 2
Legend of the River King
Metroid 2
Mole Mania
Tetris
Castlevania 2
Final Fantasy Legend 1, 2, 3
Pokemon Red, Blue, Yellow

Game Boy Color
Bionic Commando
Bomberman Quest
Crystalis
Lufia
Mario Golf/Tennis
Mega Man Xtreme 1 and 2
Metal Gear Solid
Pokemon TCG, Pinball
Pokemon Gold, Silver, Crystal
Dragon Warrior 1, 2, 3
Mario Bros. Deluxe
Wario Land 2, 3

[Adrock]

Game Boy Classic Edition should cover OG Game Boy and Game Boy Color in a Game Boy Pocket sized unit but colored like the OG Game Boy with a color/backlit screen. OG Game Boy games should have Super Game Boy palette options including peasoup green.

Game Boy Virtual Console games cost less than NES and SNES games. Going by the NES Classic Edition and SNES Classic Edition games/pricing, maybe maybe 40 to 50 games for $80. No HDMI but include a micro-USB/USB-C port for quasi-link cable functionality (namely for Pokemon).

Nintendo wouldn’t do this, but if they included a camera in like the bezel, one of the “games” could be Game Boy Camera. “Smile! You’re on Game Boy Camera.”

[lolmonade]

My gut reaction says it's inevitable, but I don't know how much extra cost built-in screens and all that adds to the package.  Might be niche if the price ends up over $100 where Nintendo would clearly want something that hits mass-market appeal.

Game Boy Classic Edition should cover OG Game Boy and Game Boy Color in a Game Boy Pocket sized unit but colored like the OG Game Boy with a color/backlit screen. OG Game Boy games should have Super Game Boy palette options including peasoup green.

Hit the nail on the head of what I was going to suggest.  If they gate an OG game boy classic edition to just game boy games, then I hope there's a toggle to enable some of the color swaps you could do with OG game boy games on the game boy color.

[segagamersteph]

I was thinking they would just exclude the screen and make it hdmi. I know that defeats the purpose of recapturing the true meaning of the Game Boy but if it's purpose is to keep in line with the rest of the Mini consoles, and we have Super Game boy and Game Boy Player both previously allowing Game Boy games on a TV, I would fully expect this, if it happens, to connect to a TV. They could throw in any old tiny screen with low res it doesn't have to be expensive, it doen't need to be color either I mean the original Game Boy didn't use a modern screen either. I would rather the screen just be for show not functional.

[Ian Sane]

I think it needs to be portable to really meet customer expectations.  Otherwise they might as well make it look like a SNES Classic with a Super Gameboy sticking out of it (which I would find cool but the general public would not understand).  I would want it to be the size of a GBC but with the classic Game Boy styling.  Backlit color screen, modern rechargeable battery, HDMI out and a port to connect a NES/SNES Classic controller (only needs to be one since the Game Boy is single player).  PokĂ©mon is an obvious inclusion so they also need some sort of link cable functionality, if not between units then online.  You couldn't include PokĂ©mon without allowing for trades.  Either that or you include both Red and Blue on the system and offer some method to trade between them.  Not quite as nice as trading with others but it would at least allow a single player to catch 'em all by playing both versions of the game.

I would love it to offer Super Game Boy borders and palettes when played on the TV (don't see how that would work on an internal screen as it would have to shrink the playable space to make it fit).  Of course it needs to have the option to also pick GBC mode and some later GBC games have exclusive GBA features so you need to offer a way to run it in that mode as well.  I would not expect Nintendo to take it that level of detail.  They would probably just make a GBC emulator and run everything in that mode.

[lolmonade]

I was thinking they would just exclude the screen and make it hdmi. I know that defeats the purpose of recapturing the true meaning of the Game Boy but if it's purpose is to keep in line with the rest of the Mini consoles, and we have Super Game boy and Game Boy Player both previously allowing Game Boy games on a TV, I would fully expect this, if it happens, to connect to a TV. They could throw in any old tiny screen with low res it doesn't have to be expensive, it doen't need to be color either I mean the original Game Boy didn't use a modern screen either. I would rather the screen just be for show not functional.

I personally think it being playable without a TV is pretty important, BUT I wouldn't complain if they added some kind of HDMI port at the bottom to allow TV play  .

[Mop it up]

A Game Boy Classic would certainly be tricky, since making it an actual portable would mean the cost to produce it is significantly higher than the NES and SNES ones. The most expensive component would be if it had a rechargeable battery. I s'pose they could just make it run on AAs, but I'm not so sure people are nostalgic for the battery-munching quality of older handhelds, hee hee.

I also feel like it would be a tougher sell at the $80 price of the SNES Classic, so being able to make it $60 would be ideal. Though I may be underestimating the nostalgia for the Game Boy and people's willingness to pay for these games. With the higher production cost though, it could reduce the number of games in it. I doubt it would have more than 30, but it may be more like 25.

I would expect to see the game list populated with mostly Nintendo titles, maybe all of them if they can't get third-parties on board. If there are a few third-parties titles, my guess is they will be the ones which sold the best on the 3DS VC.

Game Boy Virtual Console games cost less than NES and SNES games.

If you're including GBC though, those games are priced $4.99 or $5.99, the same or a dollar more than NES. And the Pokémon games are priced $9.99 each so I have my doubts they'd be in a Classic edition.

[lolmonade]

Game Boy Virtual Console games cost less than NES and SNES games.

If you're including GBC though, those games are priced $4.99 or $5.99, the same or a dollar more than NES. And the Pokémon games are priced $9.99 each so I have my doubts they'd be in a Classic edition.

Same could be said about the NES and SNES classic pricing structure compared to virtual console as well, though.

[Mop it up]

I'm confused, what are you trying to say? My response was comparing VC prices, not the Classics prices.

[Adrock]

While I’d prefer to play on a TV, Game Boy Classic Edition would have to be portable since the entire point is to replicate the experience of playing the original. An HDMI port for the purpose of playing on a TV would require a controller port which would likely be the same Wii Remote port in both the NES and SNES Classic Editions. I don’t see how that’s doable in a Pocket/Color sized unit.

If you're including GBC though, those games are priced $4.99 or $5.99, the same or a dollar more than NES. And the Pokémon games are priced $9.99 each so I have my doubts they'd be in a Classic edition.

That’s fair though I don’t see the point of doing this without Pokemon. I was trying to justify an $80 MSRP by adding more games though perhaps 20 to 30 GB/C games in a unit with a screen and lithium ion battery does that.

[Evan_B]

The idea of making the system portable already raises so many questions about production costs and battery life and whatnot that I'd rather just forget about it.

[nickmitch]

I would think that the added cost of putting in a back lit, color screen and rechargeable battery would raise the price of such a thing to ~$100 ($99.99).  I'm assuming Nintendo wants a decent mark up on it as well.

But I would hope Nintendo would add more games to the device in order to increase the value to consumers.  So, I don't think 40 games would be entirely unreasonable.

[segagamersteph]

See, I am not seeing this as a replacement to a fully functioning Game Boy like most of you, It's a novelty product it really doesn't need to be portable at all. I know t defeats the purpose but Game Boy games are on the Wii U virtual console, there is a precedent with Game Boy Player and Super Game Boy and as a novelty item appeal to collectors it doesn't need all that fancy compatibility Ian brought up, it just needs regular Game Boy games, 30 or so, looks like an original and yes if they keep it the same size as the original, which is much larger than people tend to remember, using modern tech they could still make it portable. And they could do it with a color screen but forget backlit that wasn't a feature on the original so it's out. Also it doesn't need a battery at all its a novelty item designed to be played at home on a TV or sit on a collectors shelf. Screen, yes, battery not necessary.

It seems like most of you just want a modern Game Boy emulator, that already exists that defeats the purpose of a novelty product this isn't a mass market replacement for 3DS/Switch. It just needs to LOOK like a Game Boy and play Game Boy games, preferably on a TV because 1, 3DS already has the Roms for on the go modern gamers, and 2, it's a novelty toy.


TO Ian, oh I would totally buy a SNES Super Game Boy Classic too. I doubt Nintendo would think that far though. But I can see them doing something. I think the market has already gotten to the point they are expecting these to be an annual thing now.

[nickmitch]

I think it would become a hard sell to mass consumers to pitch a re-make of a portable console as decidedly not portable device.  And then what would you do for controllers?  Or would you have to plug the unit into an AC outlet and your TV while you hold it?  That doesn't seem like a fun experience.

And emulators for the NES and SNES also existed, but it didn't stop those from happening. There's still a TON of novelty in a GameBoy Pocket/Color-sized device that plays all those old games. 

And it doesn't have to replace the 3DS the same way the NES and SNES Classics didn't replace the virtual console on the Swit-oh no wait.  Never mind that last point.

[segagamersteph]

Yeah that's probably true. I guess this isn't really a practical product to produce at a mass market price point.

[King of Twitch]

Yeah that's probably true. I guess this isn't really a practical product to produce at a mass market price point.

No! Don't kill my hope!


Here are the OG (Original Gameboy) specs:


Technical specificationsCPU Custom 8-bit Sharp LR35902 at 4.19 MHz. This processor is similar to an Intel 8080 in that none of the registers introduced in the Z80 are present. However, some of the Z80's instruction set enhancements over the 8080, particularly bit manipulation, are present. Still other instructions are unique to this particular flavor of 8080/Z80 CPU. The IC also contains integrated sound generation.

• RAM: 8 kB internal S-RAM (can be extended up to 32 kB)
• Video RAM: 8 kB internal
• ROM: On-CPU-Die 256-byte bootstrap; 256 kb, 512 kb, 1 Mb, 2 Mb, 4 Mb and 8 Mb cartridges
• Sound: 2 pulse wave generators, 1 PCM 4-bit wave sample (64 4-bit samples played in 1Ă—64 bank or 2Ă—32 bank) channel, 1 noise generator, and one audio input from the cartridge. The unit only has one speaker, but headphones provide stereo sound.
• Display: Reflective STN LCD 160 Ă— 144 pixels
• Frame Rate: Approx. 59.7 frames per second on a regular Game Boy, 61.1 on a Super Game Boy
• Vertical Blank Duration: Approx 1.1 ms
• Screen size: 66 mm (2.6 in) diagonal
• Color Palette: 2-bit (4 shades of "gray" {light to very dark olive green})
• Power: 6 V, 0.7 W (4 AA batteries provide 15–30+ hours)
• Dimensions: 90 mm (W) Ă— 148 mm (H) Ă— 32 mm (D) / 3.5″ Ă— 5.8″ Ă— 1.3″
• Weight: 220 g

Tell me with a straight face you can't make one of those at mass market prices, 29 years later   

I'd love a Gameboy Mini and these would make a great and very likely list:

DK 94
Super Mario Land
Link's Awakening
Duck Tales
Kirby's Dream Land 1
Metroid 2
Mole Mania

In addition, my own picks:
Tennis
Baseball
World Cup Soccer
Golf
F-1 Race
Alleyway
Dr. Mario
Kirby's Pinball Land
Radar Mission
Battletoads
Pocket Bomberman
Mortal Kombat (why not)
[no way are they throwing in Pokemon]

and maybe one more each of action, rpg, & sidescroller and you've got a very appealing, diverse, and nostalgic handheld. That'd be what, 22 games? Right in the sweet spot. Ya got lots of sports, some platformers and adventure, puzzle games, a few third party games, and a bloody fighting game that parents will love. I'd definitely buy that, but would I pay more than $60 when a 2DS is a little bit more? And what about multiplayer?

Also, there are tons of great GBC games, so I think they'd make a separate mini just for that.

Comment below if you think I missed something and thanks for reading.

[lolmonade]

See, I am not seeing this as a replacement to a fully functioning Game Boy like most of you, It's a novelty product it really doesn't need to be portable at all. I know t defeats the purpose but Game Boy games are on the Wii U virtual console, there is a precedent with Game Boy Player and Super Game Boy and as a novelty item appeal to collectors it doesn't need all that fancy compatibility Ian brought up, it just needs regular Game Boy games, 30 or so, looks like an original and yes if they keep it the same size as the original, which is much larger than people tend to remember, using modern tech they could still make it portable. And they could do it with a color screen but forget backlit that wasn't a feature on the original so it's out. Also it doesn't need a battery at all its a novelty item designed to be played at home on a TV or sit on a collectors shelf. Screen, yes, battery not necessary.

What I see the "classic edition" consoles as are a nostalgia trip + easy way to plug-in and go with classic games I loved as a kid.  And for me as a kid, the Game Boy is just as much about where I was playing it (my sibling's baseball games, on long trips, when my parents were using the TV) as it is playing the games itself. 


That's why personally, the only way i'd bite is if it were a handheld.

[Adrock]

I’d imagine the hardware in a Game Boy Classic would be the same as the NES and SNES Classic. It shouldn’t be difficult to shrink it down to fit it into a Pocket/Color sized shell. Even with a rechargeable battery and low resolution screen (and headphone jack if Nintendo wanted to throw us a bone), Nintendo absolutely can release it for $80 and still turn a profit. It could even throw in a camera just for Game Boy Camera and still hit a mass market price.

For comparison’s sake, the battery in the DSi was $1.70 toward the bill of materials. The cameras in the DSi were like $4.50 for both. The screens in the DSi were $21.95 for both. DSi was released almost a decade ago. Point being, similar (or worse spec) components are even cheaper today.

Anyway, I suggested combining the OG Game Boy and Game Boy Color games because I’d rather have the DX versions of games such as Link’s Awakening and Wario Land II. There definitely are enough games to release separated Classic Editions. And I suppose it’d be asking a lot to have three Zelda games. What would Nintendo even do with Pokémon?

[nickmitch]

I didn't the added items would be that cheap.  I wonder if Nintendo would do anything with the GB Camera software?  Like make a color/DX version of it.  The GB Camera was cool when it came out because there was nothing like it.  But we've had what 15 years of cellphones with cameras?  The photo quality wouldn't exactly do it for a modern audience.

[ejamer]

I can't imagine this actually happening, but think it's a cool idea - especially if they managed to get GBC compatibility.


My dream list of games, some which definitely won't happen, would look something like:


Super Mario Land 2
Kirby's Dream Land
Revenge of the Gator (or Kirby's Pinball Land)
Link's Awakening DX
Mole Mania
Gold
Tecmo Bowl
Operation C
Tetris
Kid Dracula
Donkey Kong 94
Final Fantasy Legend II
Gargoyle's Quest
Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3
Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge
Balloon Kid
Gradius: Interstellar Assault (or R-Type)
Mega Man V

[Mop it up]

There's already some empty space inside the shells of the NES and SNES Classic, so yeah, the innards could definitely fit inside of an original Game Boy shape, and probably a Pocket or Color if they wanted it to look like that instead.

I think if any Pokémon game(s) get included would depend on how much GameFreak thinks it would take away from sales of those games on the 3DS VC, where they make more money off the games. I know these classic systems are targeting a different audience but it's still something they might be worried about. I'd bet that if any get in, it would just be Red and Blue, leaving the rest on 3DS.

[Ian Sane]

What I'm starting to think Nintendo really needs is a handheld VC.  Make it a GBA SP like device with 20 built in games plus the ability to add VC titles via an online store.  These days people are playing emulators on their phones anyway so Nintendo might as well try to meet that demand with a retail product.  Now having this on the 3DS would have been ideal but now its on its last legs, there doesn't appear to be a successor and the Switch isn't pocket friendly.  A low cost pocket handheld just for retro games could find an audience.

Or maybe due to the extra cost of making a handheld GB Classic they need to expand it to GB, GBC and GBA games to give it more games and thus more value in the eyes of the consumer.

[Adrock]

The weird thing is Nintendo could have done this with the NES and SNES Classic Editions. It would only require at least an Ethernet port and additions to the UI to take users to the eShop.

Instead, Nintendo released the NES Classic Edition, saw how obscenely easy it was to hack, then just fucking released the SNES Classic Edition the very next year anyway with the exact same hardware and absolutely no additional security measures whatsoever.

[Adrock]

The current rumor is that Nintendo is actually planning a Nintendo 64 Classic Edition which would be a Classic Edition masquerading as one without Rare games but that’s another thread.

On the list of things that should happen but most likely won’t: the ability to link a Game Boy Classic Edition to a Nintendo 64 Classic Edition for Pokemon Stadium.