Playing an Original Game Boy in 2023

With all these new handhelds coming out all the time, I thought it was time to go back to my roots and try out the original Game Boy DMG, and compare it against other handheld gaming options we have today.

Items featured in this video:
Use code "RGCRPFLIP" for $10 off the Retroid Pocket Flip

Timestamps:
00:00 introduction
02:05 the device + Everdrive
03:53 controls
05:28 hardware overview
06:09 battery life
07:20 ergonomics
08:22 the display
12:32 alternative devices
18:52 summary and conclusion

Theme song written by Jim Gray of Our Ghosts:

This video is for entertainment and educational purposes only.

#GameBoy #Nintendo #emulation

[SonicBoom]

WHAT GREAT TIMING! I found an old DMG at a garage sale for $1 last year and I played it for a couple minutes and lost interest pretty quick. So, I gave it to my friend and he modded it with a backlit display, as well as a blue shell and an EZ Flash Jr. He said he was thinking about selling it, so he charged me for parts and I've been playing it EVERY day for the past month. It's fun to casually play it at different friends' houses and even better when one of them had it in their childhood and realize what I'm playing! Donkey Kong, Wario land 2, and monopoly are my favorites! I almost never comment but thought I'd share. Thanks for reading and happy retro gaming!

[Handheld_TECH]

The Nintendo Game Boy is why I love handhelds so much. I got mine for Christmas in 1992 and the feeling at the time was indescribable. To this day this feeling from back then has hardly been surpassed. ❤️ DMG89 - Pure passion ❤️

[readybear]

“Now in the case I’m using this is covered up…” that was always on the gameboy and not just aftermarket shells. People just threw them out quickly.

[jonathanberry]

I still have my original DMG from 1990. I got it on my 4th birthday, I've kept it for 33 years and I have been keeping close with it, I still play on it every now and then!

[jasonwu]

Pokemon Red on the original DMG that I borrowed from my neighbour is a memory that will stay with me forever. It even had some huge magnifying add-on with a light it's hilarious to think about these days. Thanks, Russ!

[_Majoras]

when i first played game boy i was blown away at the visual leap over game & watch. gameplay/graphics no longer twitchy but smooth (trust me it was a sight to behold), music and sound effects, no more static backgrounds! love the dmg so much i've collected every play it loud color along with several classic grays all still work like new

[kenjlee]

My Italian motorcycle Aprilia requires hooking up an original Game Boy to switch between Novice/Expert mode that allows tweaking air/fuel ratio and so on. Can't believe it's told on manufacturer's official service manual and recall letters. I guess they must be thinking why reinvent the wheel just program the system on a Gameboy cartridge. It's an 2016 bike and on recall paper those Italians suggested me to get a gameboy, buy their cartridge, and deal with the recall issue myself.

[yeet]

Just found one a few days ago stored for like 15 years at our old property. The batteries left in still worked! I’m happy I can add a handheld retro device to my collection!

[BingbongRecto]

Would love to see this made into a series of revisiting old handhelds

[rigues]

"This panel may have aged...". No, it was always pretty bad. One of the big reasons I upgraded to the Gameboy Pocket back in the day was the screen. Besides not being green, contrast was noticeably better.

[kmieciuever]

I remember having a magnifying glass + light addon for the OG Gameboy. And bootleg cartridges with 100 games on them were a thing even back in the 90-ties.

[JD.]

I grew up in the 80's, and the Gameboy was a revelation that can't be understated, practically the entire hand held gaming industry was built on the foundations that the Gameboy laid.

Other hand helds such as SEGA's Game Gear and the Atari Lynx although more powerful and in colour just couldn't compete with the simplicity and wealth of games and price point that Nintendo's box of tricks had, and that battery life more than made up for any faults the Gameboy had.

It's still a cool console to have today, if you want to start a conversation with your friends about retro gaming, just bring out the Gameboy and watch what happens lol.

Cool video.

Cheers.

[tonymorgan]

For me, this is the video of 2023. It is such a perfectly balanced, informed, clear and instructional video. I simply love it. I've used emulators for years but have never ventured into handheld emulators outside of my phone and I have always wanted to. A month ago my partner said "I want a gameboy for xmas! I want to play the games I played as a kid!" My first thought was... yeah, me too, sounds great but... gameboys are surely a bit crap now? This video is the perfact answer to this dilema and I really feel she will be able to make the best decision after watching it. Thank you for adding 34.3% more happiness to xmas this year!!!

[PowerSynopsis]

What throws me every time I pick a DMG Gameboy up is just how big it is. Even when I was little and had much smaller hands I don't remember it being so big! I think I've just gotten so used to modern handhelds which are a bit diminutive compared to late 80's tech.

[lovelornnick]

The GB Pocket is where my nostalgia is, and that screen was actually MUCH better than the DMG Gameboy

[RyuDouro]

I played mine in the year 9000 and it exploded and I died then I saw a Pikachu living.

[joelalain]

i remember when i was 10 and had a gameboy (8:43). YES the screen was exactly like this when i was young and yes it was really annoying even back then 😀

[Karbonic]

This is a great idea for a video series!
Reviewing old hardware and seeing how it holds up to modern scrutiny is a very cool idea.
Keep it up!

[ChenZhao-mx]

I am 40 years old. Actually, I have played the original Gameboy by whole day recently. Although the green screen is so dim, it is a best awesome handheld console in my life .

[TechDweeb]

Fall of the foot clan was my birthday present one year. That kept me company for many many super long bus rides to school.