10 Ways Nintendo Changed the Game for the Video Game Industry

Popularized Handheld Gaming With the Game Boy…

In 1989, Nintendo would introduce the world to a hugely important video game system that let people put their games in their pocket: the Game Boy. There had been some minor attempts in the past to create a handheld game system, but the Game Boy was unlike anything seen before.

With just a few batteries to power it, the system featured fleshed out experiences that you could play for hours, not just a few minutes. Even at launch, you could grab Tetris and Super Mario Land, two incredibly popular titles. Looking back on the original Game Boy now, it might feel like a primitive machine, but it set the standard for gaming on the go and inspired countless other handheld systems by both Nintendo and a whole slew of other companies.