Editing Game Boy

{{Infobox information appliance
| logo = [[File:Gameboy_logo.png|245px]]
| image = [[File:Game-Boy-FL.jpg|215px]]
| manufacturer = [[Nintendo]]
| family = [[Game Boy line]]
| type = [[Handheld game console]]
| generation = [[History of video game consoles (fourth generation)|Fourth generation]]
| lifespan = 1989–2003
| discontinued = March 23, 2003
| media = [[ROM cartridge]] ("Game Pak")
| CPUspeed = 4.19 MHz
| display = [[LCD]] 160x144 pixels, 47x43 [[Millimetre|mm]]
| predecessor = [[Game & Watch]]
| successor = [[#Game Boy Pocket|Game Boy Pocket]] (redesign)<br />[[#Game Boy Light|Game Boy Light]] (redesign)<br />[[Game Boy Color]] (successor)
| title = Game Boy
| releasedate = JP: April 21, 1989<br />NA: July 31, 1989<br />EU: September 28, 1990
| price = '''Game Boy''':<br />[[¥]]10242.07/[[US$]]89.95/[[AU$]]124.26
| CPU = [[Sharp Corporation|Sharp]] LR35902 core
| unitssold = Worldwide: 118.69 million <small>(including Game Boy (Play it Loud!), Game Boy Pocket, Game Boy Light and [[Game Boy Color|Color]] units)</small>
| topgame = ''[[Tetris (Game Boy)|Tetris]]'', 30.26 million<small> ([[Pack-in game|pack-in]]/separately).</small>
}}

= Introduction =

The '''Game Boy''' is an 8-bit [[handheld game console]] which was developed and manufactured by [[Nintendo]] and first released on {{Start date|1989|4|21}}, in [[North America]] on {{Start date|1989|7|31}}, and in [[Europe]] on {{Start date|1990|9|28}}. It is the first handheld console in the [[Game Boy line]] and was created and published by [[Satoru Okada]] and [[Nintendo Research & Development 1]]. This same team, led by [[Gunpei Yokoi]] at the time, is credited with designing the [[Game & Watch]] series as well as several popular games for the [[Nintendo Entertainment System]]. Redesigned versions were released in 1996 and 1998 in the form of [[#Game Boy Pocket|Game Boy Pocket]] and [[#Game Boy Light|Game Boy Light]] (Japan only), respectively.

The Game Boy is Nintendo's first handheld game console and it combined features from both the Nintendo Entertainment System and Game & Watch.<ref name="allgame" /> It was sold either as a standalone unit or [[Pack-in game|bundled]] with the puzzle game ''[[Tetris (Game Boy)|Tetris]]''.

During its early lifetime, the Game Boy mainly competed with [[Sega]]'s [[Game Gear]], [[Atari]]'s [[Atari Lynx|Lynx]], and [[NEC]]'s [[TurboExpress]]. The Game Boy outsold its rivals and became a significant success. The Game Boy and its successor, the [[Game Boy Color]], have sold over 118 million units worldwide. Upon the Game Boy's release in the United States, its entire shipment of one million units was sold within a few weeks.<ref>Kent 2001, p. 416. "According to an article in ''Time'' magazine, the one million Game Boys sent to the United States in 1989 met only half the demand for the product. That allotment sold out in a matter of weeks and its black and white (except for Konami/Factor 5 games and ''[[SeaQuest DSV (video game)|SeaQuest DSV]]''), was shown in color like the Game Gear version."</ref> Production of the Game Boy and Game Boy Color were discontinued in the early 2000s, being replaced by the subsequent [[Game Boy Advance]], released in 2001.

= Specifications =

[[File:Nintendo-Game-Boy-Cartridge.jpg|thumb|right|The standard gray cartridge for the original Game Boy games, although other colors and shapes exist.]]

The Game Boy has four operation buttons labeled "A", "B", "SELECT", and "START", as well as a [[D-pad|directional pad]]. There is a volume control dial on the right side of the device and a similar dial on the left side to adjust the [[contrast (vision)|contrast]]. At the top of the Game Boy, a sliding [[Switch|on-off switch]] and the slot for the Game Boy [[ROM cartridge|cartridges]] are located. The on-off switch includes a physical lockout to prevent users from either inserting or removing a cartridge while the unit is switched on. Nintendo recommends users leave a cartridge in the slot to prevent dust and dirt from entering the system.

The Game Boy also contains optional input and/or output connectors. On the left side of the system is an external 3.5mm × 1.35mm DC power supply jack that allows users to use an external [[rechargeable battery]] pack or [[AC adapter]] (sold separately) instead of four [[AA battery|AA]] [[battery (electricity)|batteries]]. The Game Boy requires 6&nbsp;[[volt|V]] [[direct current|DC]] of at least 150&nbsp;[[ampere|mA]]. A 3.5&nbsp;mm stereo [[Phone connector (audio)|headphone jack]] is located on the bottom side of the unit which allows users to listen to the audio with the bundled headphones or external speakers.<ref>Owner's Manual, p. 5. "(10) Headphone jack (PHONES) — Connect the stereo headphones that come with the GAME BOY to enjoy the impressive sounds 
of games without disturbing others around you...."</ref>

The right-side of the device offers a port which allows a user to connect to another Game Boy system via a [[Game Link Cable|link cable]], provided both users are playing the same game.<ref>Owner's Manual, pp. 4, 8. "(4) Extension connector (EXT CONNECTOR) — Connects to other GAME BOY…Do not insert different games in the interconnected Game Boys."</ref> The port can also be used to connect a [[Game Boy Printer]]. The link cable was originally designed for players to play head-to-head two-player games such as in ''[[Tetris (Game Boy)|Tetris]]''. However, game developer [[Satoshi Tajiri]] would later use the link cable technology as a method of communication and networking in the popular [[Pokémon (video game series)|''Pokémon'' video game series]].

== Technical specifications ==

*'''[[Central processing unit|CPU]]:''' Custom 8-bit [[Sharp Corporation|Sharp]] LR35902 at 4.19&nbsp;MHz.  This processor is similar to an [[Intel 8080]] in that none of the registers introduced in the [[Zilog Z80|Z80]] are present. However, some of the Z80's instruction set enhancements over the 8080, particularly bit manipulation, are present. Still other instructions are unique to this particular flavor of 8080/Z80 CPU. Parity flag, half of conditional and all input-output instructions were removed from 8080 instruction set also. The IC also contains integrated sound generation.
* '''[[Random-access memory|RAM]]:''' 8 [[kilobyte|kB]] internal S-RAM (can be extended up to 32 kB)
* '''Video RAM:''' 8 kB internal
* '''[[Read-only memory|ROM]]:''' On-CPU-Die 256-byte bootstrap; 256 [[kilobit|kb]], 512 kb, 1 [[Megabit|Mb]], 2 Mb, 4 Mb and 8 Mb cartridges
* '''Sound:''' 2 pulse wave generators, 1 [[Pulse-code modulation|PCM]] 4-bit wave sample (64 4-bit samples played in 1×64 bank or 2×32 bank) channel, 1 noise generator, and one audio input from the cartridge. The unit only has one speaker, but the headphone port outputs stereo sound.
* '''Display:''' Reflective [[Super-twisted nematic display|STN]] [[Liquid-crystal display|LCD]] 160 × 144 [[pixel]]s
* '''[[Frame rate]]:''' Approximately 59.7 frames per second
* '''Vertical blank duration:''' Approx 1.1&nbsp;ms
* '''Screen size:''' 66&nbsp;mm (2.6&nbsp;in) diagonal
* '''Color palette:''' 2-bit (4 shades of "gray" {light to very dark olive green})
* '''Communication:''' 2 Game Boys can be linked together via built-in serial ports, up to 4 with a DMG-07 4-player adapter. And 16 in maximum.
* '''Power:''' 6 V, 0.7 W (4 AA batteries provide approximately 15 hours of gameplay)
* '''Dimensions:''' 90&nbsp;mm (W) × 148&nbsp;mm (H) × 32&nbsp;mm (D) / 3.5″ × 5.8″ × 1.3″
* '''Weight:''' 220 g