The Game Boy line may be effectively retired in Nintendo's eyes, but the name itself still carries a lot of weight with gamers all over the world - including German designer Florian Renner, who has put together a cool concept which resurrects the classic brand for the modern era.
The Game Boy 1up is of course nothing more than a few gorgeous-looking renders and will never go beyond that stage, but Renner has put a lot of thought into this fictional device. It's got a large, HD display, uses 3DS-style cards and has an analogue D-pad, four face buttons and two shoulder triggers. However, it has retained the iconic look of the original hardware, delivering a fascinating fusion of old and new.
It's not the first time we've seen concept art for a new Game Boy, and we're tempted to suggest that a smartphone would be a better way to revive the name, but if such a product did make it to market, we'd be at the front of the queue. What about you? Let us know with a comment.
Thanks to Matt Sephton for the tip!
[source behance.net]
Comments (58)
Looks neat.
But no Circle Pad.
This System is DOOOOMED
Looks more like a totally new console concept than the Game Boy resurrection (unless we include Game Boy Advance)... If Nintendo ever decide to resurrect Game Boy, I would be more than happy if they keep it classic old-style.
Looks absolutely slick, just curious if there's any place for a thing like that today.
Fallout 4? On the Gameboy?
@Chromtendo No don't worry, it's only d00med if it lacks a 2nd circle pad.
The nostalgia is strong in this one!
I think this looks gorgeous! It's nice to dream.
F**k almighty, yes.
Now that's cool looking modern-retro console.
That looks pretty darn cool. It has a nice retro feel while looking new at the same time.
I'd love that SO much. It's my favourite shape for a handheld. I bought myself a modded original model GBA last year and love playing on it. The clam shell has never quite felt as good to me and the dual screens throw things off.
Looks great, I absolutely love the overall style of the hardware. Plus I DO miss the branding of the 'game boy' an awful lot
That being said, you couldn't release a console without dual analogue sticks now. Especially for games like fallout etc...
@Chromtendo
And it would just be like Nintendo to expect us to pay $30 again for Super Mario Bros. XD
Dump the carts, make the screen a multi-touch screen and add the sticks/pads and a second set of triggers and it's not impossible; especially if it's the bundled controller with the NX.
Guuh, I'd absolutely pick up a new GameBoy if I could still use the original cartridges. Such a neat idea.
Looks neat indeed.
@Sean_Aaron That would be fantastic. Would look more slick and comfortable than Wii U's gamepad.
BOO! They switched start and select! AND X & Y!! Disgusting
No.
@Peach64 Can I ask exactly what you bought?
I'd prefer a handheld like that but with 2 analog sticks, the ABXY buttons being in the Wii U Gamepad order and being bigger (so basically a Wii U Gamepad that works on its own and plays handheld games as well as digital Wii U games)
No, thanks. I prefer the clamshell design of the DS and 3DS. I like my screen covered when traveling around to avoid scratches.
Now If someone could retrofit a WiiU gamepad inside that with all the WiiU buttons intact I would be first in line.
A nice render, but not enough inputs for me. Give me a cross between the Vita (without the back touchpad) and the Xbox One controller.
At this point on Nintendo handhelds, I don't know that I could go back to a single screen...
Oooh it looks like the Gameboy Vita!
They would obviously need to add 2 thumbsticks though knowing Nintendo would probably opt to sell us a bulky peripheral with them on instead!
@obeythed1734 I'd probably rather a single screen.
Love my 3DS but I love my Vita probably just a little bit more!
This is something I could only dream about. I'd buy it in a second.
Looks beautiful!
Looks nice but being so square would make it uncomfortable after a while. Tyen there is the lack of buttons and other inputs.
Not for me, it's nice for the aesthetic aspect, but i'd imagine it would be quite limited with that button config.
Would be nice if Nintendo revived the gameboy brand as part of the NX platform. While the NX DS is dual screen and continues using Nintendo's handheld philosophy of using old ass hardware and reusing it in interesting ways, the Gameboy line can be brought back but as their new high end handheld brand. Like, Nintendo handhelds have NEVER been the strongest of their generations, but of them all the GBA came the closest. It's main competitor was the NGage and perhaps the Tapwave Zodiac and Gizmondo. They had better 3D performance and maybe more 3D games, but their visual quality didn't vastly outstrip the GBA. Which is why I think Gameboy deserves to be revived as their high end handheld model. Give it the full complement of modern controls and add no ridiculous and expensive gimmicks (all the "innovative" crap can be allocated to the NXDS) aside from maybe a capacitive touchscreen and standard motion sensors. For the handheld gamer market it will basically take the place of the Vita's successor since Sony isn't keen on continuing with handhelds.
This way, it can offer a no-frills handheld option for developers to port NXHome games to (since NX sounds like it'll be a platform where multiple devices share a lot of the same content and games), while ALSO giving consumers of the NX ecosystem the option of using it like a Wii U Gamepad for the NXHome.
Looks nice but it seems more fitting 6-10 years ago. Circle pads, stereo speakers, and touch screens are what's funky fresh today yo.
Poor design. Lack of analogue sticks make it worthless for modern gaming. Other than playing GBA games which look horrid in HD resolutions, pointless. Nice try though.
I would love it if they made this today! Although I agree that dual circle pads and stereo speakers are pretty necessary.
Hell yes! Make it happen Nintendo!
@liveswired There's nothing wrong with d pads. Circle pads are nothing more then miniature joysticks, so those are nothing new either.
I'd buy it! GameBoy was best ever.
It just needs a circle pad and the 3DS nipple thing
I would buy this tbh ... I always liked the "one-screen"-handhelds way more than the "two-screens" ones ....
Much better than that garbage smart phone one that was making the rounds. At least this ones got buttons
The game boy is too amazing as it is to say that this is how it should come back.
Wow... I would buy that!
Although I still think Nintendo should release its own Gameboy-Smartphone.
Pretty much I want something similar to this but slightly smaller (less wasted edge space) and thin like an iPhone, download only. That's the world I want to live in.
Fallout? On a Nintendo console?!
LIKE THAT'LL EVER HAPPEN! NOT EVEN ON THE NX!
NOPE, NOT IN A MILLION YEARS!
Needs a circlepad and the headphone jack should be on top.
Fallout 4 on a handheld....yeah right.
Meh, people are out there building this stuff for real.
Give it the same control inputs as a New 3DS (extra shoulder buttons, circle pad, and c-nub), and you've got yourself a customer.
Looks pretty but I like having my screen protected with a clamshell design. I'm paranoid about my Vita's screen being so exposed and was about my GBA and GBC. And if we're doing that we might as well keep the second screen thing going.
I also really like the touch screen and stereoscopic 3D, some games really benefit from them. So let's keep them, we can always release a slightly cheaper version without the 3D later.
Hhmm and whilst we're at it we should probably add some circle pads. I don't think Fallout will be that great with a D-Pad. Shoulder buttons are a must too, so many games use them to great effect these days it'd be foolish to loose them.
Hhhm I'm starting to think that maybe, just maybe, that DS is a much better concept and brand. "Ressurect the GameBoy brand", it's just a name, the concept and product have evolved way beyond it.
Nice render, very nice bit of design art, terrible idea for a product.
Everyone gets excited over this look LOL Omg wait, we already have that design, it's called a smart phone. Now just add the words GameBoy and a few new cart designs and you get all the kids excited over nothing.
The name "Game Boy" would not go very far in this era.
@Peach64 I also have a modded original GBA with an AGS101 screen, best handheld ever!
Id buy it.
This just gave me the biggest boner ever! Fallout 4! On Gameboy just imagine!!!!! *drools
Which brings to mind. I REALLY hope that they do something for the GameBoy's 30th anniversary. It was such an awesome system!
@nmanifold that sounds like a great setup. I only recently(as in this week) thought to look into a backlight mod for the original model GBA. It never crossed my mind before, for some reason. Now that I see a lack of available screens and what modded systems go for, I wish I thought of it a couple of years ago. It would be great to have a AA-powered original GBA with that improved screen. I hope you get lots of enjoyment out of yours.
I'd totally buy a new official Game Boy if it had support for all of the GB library up to Advance.
@sdelfin I love mine. It has the best form factor of any gameboy, so comfortable. It's got me into collecting GBA carts, storing them in DS cases with custom covers from 'cover project'. The Gameboy itself is around €200 euro on ebay including postage.
I would totally buy that!!!!!!! Me likey!
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