Evolution of Nintendo Handhelds | Neander Meander

Nintendo handhelds have dominated the portable gaming landscape. We'll look at the evolution of Nintendo handhelds from the Game and Watch all the way to the current Nintendo Switch (1980-2020).

Timestamps
0:00 Intro
0:49 Game & Watch
2:15 Game Boy
4:49 Game Boy Pocket
6:03 Game Boy Color
8:39 Game Boy Advance
10:51 Game Boy Advance SP
12:44 GBA SP (AGS 101)
13:21 Game Boy Micro
14:18 DS Family Intro
14:51 DS
17:01 DS Lite
18:54 DSi
19:52 DSi XL
20:26 3DS
22:24 3DS XL
23:11 2DS
24:03 New 3DS & New 3DS XL
24:57 New 2DS XL
25:38 DS & 3DS Wrap Up
25:50 Switch
27:23 Switch Lite
28:06 Conclusion

[raptorzeraora]

I like how all this was started from a calculator of all things

[SkakinBaconMedia]

This is a masterclass of a retrospective/documentary type video Neander. This, right here, is what I love about YouTube. And why I've persisted for so long. Different views of my hobby, done using different methods as well as technologies, to do so. Thank you for this. "
It is my responsibility to do what inspires me, in order to inspire others to do what inspires them." Take care always. Much kindness and respect to you always. -Marcus

[Butterism]

Before: What does Nintendo have against backlit screens?
Now: What does Nintendo have against Bluetooth?

[angeldude]

Something of note is how backwards compatibility was handled. In a way, the Gameboy Colour was pretty much just an overclocked Gameboy internally, which is why it could be considered the same generation. The Gameboy Advance on the other hand had a completely different processor, switching from a Sharp processor related to the 8080 and Z80 (yes, that is the granddaddy of the modern x86(_64)) to an ARM chip. While the Gameboy Colour could run Gameboy games natively using the same hardware as Gameboy Colour games, the Gameboy Advance had to essentially embed an entire Gameboy Colour inside it in order to run their games. When the DS released, Nintendo used a similar system where the DS contains an entire Gameboy Advance, but without the Gameboy Colour components, even if this time both of their processors were from the same family. Unlike the GBA however, DS games would actually use both processors in order to run, so when the DSi came out, it was still required to have the GBA processor in order to run DS games even if it lacked the cartridge slot, and same with the 3DS.

As a result, the GBA virtual console games from the 3DS Ambassador Program run completely natively with no CPU emulation needed. Despite not having a GBA cartridge slot, the 3DS was still technically backwards compatible with every prior handheld other than the Gameboy and Gameboy Colour (and those both had games released using standard emulation). The Switch is the only Nintendo handheld so far, and only console except for the N64, to not have any related systems in the same family.

[Rizky-Gumilar]

I love Nintendo. The gaming world is better with them in it than without.

[victorguerrero]

Nintendo is a Master class in Handheld consoles, great video, man. Saludos desde México.

[bagofnails]

The Gameboy Micro also had the longest battery life of all gameboy's and possibly of all handhelds of all time. With the screen brightness turned down you could get 17 hours on one charge, I seem to remember. The screen also seemed to be very good quality. The perfect destination point of the Gameboy evolution.

[j.makison]

Dude, I’ve watched this video like 50 times since its release. I really enjoy your longer videos. They’re great to just kick back and relax to after a long day. I’d love to see you make an “Evolution of Nintendo home consoles” video one day. I understand that’s a lot easier said than done but it’d still be awesome to see. I’d probably watch that one 50 times too! You deserve MANY more subs.

[birdsrule]

This Is a great video! You disserve more subs!

[ariesab]

This guys videos are so underrated.
They’re so high quality and they don’t get as much views as it deserves.

[LunarWingCloud]

I always forgot just how quickly the GBA SP 001, DS, GBA SP 101, Game Boy Micro, and DS Lite all came out after each other. 2003-2006 and we got 5 different models of handheld systems

[EveryDayRetroGaming]

Finally finshed the video! Man it was worth it! I regret not getting a micro when it was cheap. I love seeing how things started up to what Nintendo has out now. Great video man it was well worth the effort you put in

[lukewritesstuff]

You have quite a collection! Very fun learning the history of these since I lost most of my early childhood collection (namely the Gameboy).

[JuicyRat]

Thank the guy who was playing with his calculator and made nintendo a future and fortune

[CrystalAssassin]

This video is actually really well made! I got bored while I was waiting for something to install in the background, so I went looking for something like this and I was pleasantly surprised. Keep up the great work!

[Archivist]

Awesome video! Nintendo always seem to do an amazing job on design with their revisions, particularly original DS to DS Lite.

[harleyt]

I have autoplay on YouTube, this ends up playing and I get drawn in watching the entire thing then go to check the channel only to see barely any subscribers. This is so well done… bravo sir.

[vulcand]

I remember when the first kid in the neighbourhood got a Gameboy more than 30years ago. We all huddled to watch him play but it was so hard because the screen had a very narrow view. Still we didn't know better back then, it was mind blowing. I didn't have money and didn't own one until the Gameboy color. Oh that was fun to play. I still remember the bendable light extension you could plug in that would blind you when reflecting off the screen. We are so privileged these days, in a way I wish I was a kid this generation. Now back to playing my Switch.

[TheTallestGiraffe]

So fun fact! There was actually another revision of the GameBoy called the GameBoy Light. This was the first GameBoy and Nintendo Handheld to have a Backlight! Even before the SP! However, this was never released outside of Japan, which is a bummer!

[Kitsunzero]

Nintendo went all out with the 3ds.
(edit) The GBA was the first system I ever played on and the first game I ever played was Mario Kart Super Circuit.