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Nintendo Handheld Consoles Timeline

  • Game & Watch

    Game & Watch
    The Game & Watch was designed by Gunpei Yokoi after he was inspired by a man playing with calculator on the train.
  • Game Boy

    Game Boy
    The first massively successful handheld that was the catalyst in popularizing the genre of console. It sold over 118.69 million units in total around the globe.
  • Game Boy Pocket

    Game Boy Pocket
    The successor to the Game Boy, It was smaller and had a clearer Black and white display.
  • Gameboy Light

    Gameboy Light
    A spinnoff of the Game Boy Pocket, released only in Japan featuring a backlight with a switch.
  • Game Boy Colour

    Game Boy Colour
    Released the same year as the Pocket but for the whole world. It featured a colour screen but still no backlight. Once again it was wildly successful.
  • Game Boy Advance

    Game Boy Advance
    The GBA was released in 2001 and is the 3rd and final iteration of the iconic Game Boy. The screen was in the middle with controls on eiother side. It was backwards compatible with the Game Boy and the Colour.
  • Game Boy Advance SP

    Game Boy Advance SP
    The SP was the second of the Game Boy's to feature a backlight, a small but much needed improvement. it also featured a clamshell design common to many of Nintendo's following consoles in the DS line.
  • DS

    DS
    The first of a new line and era of handhelds. FGeaturing the iconic clamshell design and an extensive library of games.
  • Game Boy Micro

    Game Boy Micro
    The Micro released in 2005 and was the final and smallest Game Boy. It had a small but HD screen with a powerful backlight and did not feature a clamshell design.
  • DS Lite

    DS Lite
    Relesed in 2006 after the DS's massive success. It was also met with large sales.
  • DSi

    DSi
    Another update to the popular DS line.
  • DSi XL

    DSi XL
    Yet another DS featuring the now common clamshell designthat has worked so well for nintendo.
  • 3DS

    3DS
    A new and improved line of the DS family.
  • 3DS XL

    3DS XL
    You get the idea at this point.
  • 2DS

    2DS
    A cheaper variety minus the clamshell.
  • New 3DS XL

    New 3DS XL
    It dosen't stop.
  • New 3DS

    New 3DS
    But wait, there's more.
  • New 2DS XL

    New 2DS XL
    Clamshell this time.
  • Switch

    Switch
    Finally a new and improved console that took the market by storm. featuring very innovative removable controllers for home console (docked) or handheld play. Reestablished nintendo's control of the handheld market.
  • Switch Lite

    Switch Lite
    A cheaper and purely handheld update to the insanely popular Switch. Also very succesful.
  • Switch OLED

    Switch OLED
    A slightly more improved, more expensive Switch featuring a larger OLED screen and longer battery life.