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The Game Boy Pocket is now 30 years young, and I’d thank it for today’s retro handhelds
The Game Boy Pocket has reached its 30th anniversary, prompting reflection from GamesRadar+ on how Nintendo's slimmed-down 1996 redesign shaped the retro handheld gaming devices popular today. The original Game Boy Pocket trimmed the bulky size of the 1989 Game Boy, introduced a sharper screen and improved battery efficiency, setting a template that countless modern retro-style handhelds continue to echo.
The piece credits the Pocket's compact form factor and design choices with influencing the current wave of retro-inspired handheld consoles, which often borrow its proportions, button layout and general aesthetic. It frames the anniversary as an opportunity to appreciate how a relatively modest hardware revision from three decades ago left a lasting mark on the handheld gaming market.
In short
- Game Boy Pocket marks its 30th anniversary this year.
- Its slim redesign influenced modern retro handheld gaming devices.
- Article reflects on the console's lasting hardware legacy.
Explained simply
The Game Boy Pocket was Nintendo's redesigned version of its hugely popular Game Boy handheld console. Released in 1996, it made the already successful device significantly more compact whilst also improving its screen clarity and battery efficiency.
The Pocket's design choices proved remarkably influential in the handheld gaming market. Its compact form factor, button layout and overall aesthetic became a template that the industry would refer to for years to come, establishing design principles that shaped subsequent handheld devices.
Today's wave of retro-inspired handheld gaming devices frequently reference the Game Boy Pocket's design philosophy. Modern retro handhelds often borrow its proportions, controls and visual style, meaning that a handheld from the mid-1990s continues to influence how gaming devices are designed and sold today.