CPU: Custom 8-bit Sharp x80 core at 4.19 MHz which is similar to an Intel 8080 in that all of the registers introduced in the Z80 are not present. However, some of the instruction set enhancements from the Z80, particularly bit manipulation are present. Still other instructions are unique to this particular flavor of x80 CPU. The core also contains integrated sound generation
Sound: 2 Square Waves, 1 programmable 32-sample 4-bit PCM Wave, 1 White noise. The unit only has one speaker, but headphones provide stereo sound (for further information, see Game Boy music)
The game cartridges contained chips made by Nintendo to perform bank switching to access all of the memory contained in the cartridge as it could not all be mapped into memory at the same time. [9] The same technique was used on the NES. These chips are sometimes called Memory Mapper Chips or MMCs for short. In theory, you could have cartridges with more than 8 Megabits of memory if you have a MMC capable of handling more memory. Nintendo didn't make a MMC for original Game Boy games designed to have more than 8 Megabits. Games such as Pokemon Red & Blue were some of the last popular original Game Boy games and were 8 Megabits large. Game Boy Color cartridges could be larger than 8 Megabits.
Controls
The Game Boy's main controls are located on the lower half of its front frame. Like the NES controller, the Game Boy has four face buttons labelled "A", "B", "SELECT", and "START". The functions of these face buttons vary from game to game, though generally, the START button is used as a "pause" function to temporarily stop gameplay. The Game Boy also features a directional pad, allowing up to eight directions of movement in its games.
Outside of buttons used in gameplay, there is a volume control knob on the right side of the console, and a similar knob to change the contrast on the left side. The ON/OFF switch is located at the top of the Game Boy.[10]
The right side of the Game Boy, showing the volume control and the link cable port.
Input/output
The Game Boy contains the following input/output connectors:
A power input, located on the left side of the handheld console. The power adapter was included in a rechargeable battery pack kit. Separate editions of the battery pack were made for 110V and 230V countries. The Game Boy requires 6VDC of at least 250mA.[10]
Alink cable port, located on the right side. It connects multiple Game Boy handheld consoles, and transfers information between two or more games of the same type or same series. This was widely used in games such as Pokémon. The port can also be used to connect a Game Boy Printer
A 3.5mm stereo headphone jack output is located on the bottom side of the console.
An input for Game Boy cartridges (also called Game Paks) is situated on top of the Game Boy.
One of the top-selling games for the Game Boy was Tetris, which sold 33 million copies,[3] and is an example of a killer app. Tetris was packaged with the Game Boy and consumers often bought the Game Boy only to play Tetris.[11][12]
Sales and competition
As of March 312005, the Game Boy and Game Boy Color combined has sold 32.47 million units in Japan, 44.06 million in the Americas, and 42.16 million in other regions.[13] As of March 312006, the Game Boy and Game Boy Color combined has sold 118.7 million units worldwide.[1][2]
At the time of its release in 1989, the Atari Lynx was also just being introduced to the market. This system featured color graphics, a backlit screen, and networking capabilities.[14] Nevertheless, its release price of $179, substantial requirement of 6 AA batteries that would provide roughly only four hours of gameplay (compared to 35 hours on 4 AA batteries for the Game Boy), physical bulkiness, and other factors doomed it to a second-rate status.[15]
In 1991, Nintendo experienced heavier competition from Sega's Game Gear. To promote its new, color console, Sega aired a number of negative but unsuccessful ad campaigns in the United States that criticized the Game Boy's monochrome color palette. Like the Lynx, it too required six AA batteries that only lasted about 4-6 hours and was much more expensive than the Game Boy. The Game Gear had the advantage of being fully compatible (with an adapter) with all Sega Master System games and, while not as successful as the Game Boy, it sold from 1991 until early 1997.
Official Nintendo Magazine has praised the Game Boy and its models that follow it as it "got people who enjoyed gaming while sprawled on the couch in their undies to game wherever they liked."
Several accessories compatible with the Game Boy were also produced:
The Game Boy Battery Pack (orAC Adapter), sold for about US$30, was roughly 3 in. long, 2 in. wide, and 0.5 in. thick. One end of it had a 2 inch-long cord, ending in a 3.5 mm phone plug, while the other end had a standard mains plug. The first version of it was gray with purple lettering, to match the colors used on the Game Boy. It also featured a belt clip. The battery pack was good for several hours of gameplay per charge, providing an alternative to purchasing more AA batteries once their power was exhausted. The product used nickel-cadmium batteries, lasted about 4-5 hours per charge, and could be charged roughly 1000 times before a significant loss in effectiveness. A major drawback of the battery pack was its weight, as well as the way the phone plug stuck out prominently.[16]
The Game Link Cable an accessory that established a data connection between two Game Boys using the same game or game from the same series.
Released in 1998, the Game Boy Camera was able to take pictures that could be printed out using the Game Boy Printer. The photos were in black and white only, and the resolution of the pictures was 128 x 123. Both the Game Boy Camera and Game Boy Printer products were marketed together in Japan, the United States, and Europe, primarily towards children.
The Work Boy was an unreleased accessory for the Game Boy. It included a mini keyboard that plugged into the link cable outlet. The Work Boy cartridge included such programs as a clock, calendar, measurement conversion, and a phone book. This accessory was featured in Volume 36 (May, 1992) of Nintendo Power.
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