It is built around the same processor as the ZX Spectrum and can display only 56 colours, but the Nintendo Game Boy is outselling the market-leading Sony PlayStation. The handheld console has sold more than 6 million units in its 10-year life and boasts an upcoming release list littered with big names such as Metal Gear Solid, Tomb Raider and Rainbow Six.
Despite its weedy sound effects and basic visuals the Game Boy has always boasted some excellent software. Up until recently the puzzle game Tetris was synonymous with the console. Its deceptive simplicity and addictive gameplay helped shift the vast majority of original machines but a recent upgrade to colour has lead to more ambitious software.
Cameron Sheppard, MD of Rainbow Six developers Crawfish, is impressed with what it can do. "It's an incredible machine; even though it's 10 years old it constantly amazes us how much it can do, which drives us to push it into doing stuff we never thought possible - in Rainbow Six, for instance, we've included motion capture."
The biggest driver of hardware sales has been the Pokemon phenomenon. This collect-'n'-nurture game has bolstered the playground presence especially as two machines are needed in order to trade or battle the little monsters. Veteran developer Jon Hare, now based at Codemasters, agrees: "It is the perfect marketing gimmick for that age group, a lesson that Nintendo have long learned about children and character-based titles."
It's not just Pokmon that has helped to boost sales. Retro conversions of old games are helping mine a rich seam of gaming nostalgia. Hare is keen. "The Game Boy Color offers a brilliant conversion platform for old 16-bit titles, something which is particularly good news for all our old Sensible Software hits that were originally mainly written on the Amiga. It is amazing to see Cannon Fodder on the Game Boy; it looks almost identical to the Amiga version."
Big name franchises have appeared and the coming months will see titles like Tomb Raider and Metal Gear Solid coming over to the system. Although bearing little graphical comparison to their PlayStation versions, both titles are similar to play. MGS in particular offers a stealthy, sneaky gameplay style not seen before on the handheld. It also includes a multiplayer option - a growing area thanks to the Pokmon-inspired sales of the link cable.
The reasons for the ageing console's continued success are varied. Sheppard feels it appeals to adults as well as children. "It's easy to mistake the Game Boy for a kid's toy but take a look around and you'll see adults of all ages taking it to work, on holiday and playing with it at home. Its sheer ease of use and portability are key factors." He points to the large variety of titles available as evidence of a wider appeal. Hare likes the fact that you can "play Game Boys on your own" and "in a secret and out of the way place, as opposed to having to be by the telly where your Mum can catch you and tell you to go and finish your homework." Cheaper development costs also help. Despite the restrictions of cart production, the Game Boy can be a profitable place for developers.
Hare agrees. "When you only need two programmers and one graphic artist it's got to be easier than the teams of 50+ that we are used to working with these days."
Next year should see the release of the 16bit Game Boy Advance (Nintendo release dates are frustratingly vague). This successor to the Game Boy will be backwards compatible, allowing access to all the current titles, though, perhaps more interestingly, there is the possibility of online gaming and email through a mobile connection. It seems that the Game Boy could finally be growing up.
