It Came From Japan

Now onto The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening.  This game is exciting because it is the first time I’m going to play a game on an original Game Boy cart in more than a decade.  But I’m not going to squint to see my old GB fatty.  Nope, I’m picking up one of the numerous oversights by Nintendo of America: The Game Boy Light.

This guy has seen better days.

Ask anyone who tried it what the biggest problem with the Game Boy was and you get one answer, “You can’t see anything.”  All sorts of aftermarket solutions were released.   

Speakers + Light + Magnifier + Joystick = WTF?

The one I had was the Handy Boy.  You can hardly even see the system under that monstrosity.

In 1998, Nintendo came up with a solution: The Game Boy Light.  This system has two settings on the power switch.  

The first works like a traditional Game Boy Pocket with black and white color.

But flip the switch and you get this.  The light is actually behind the display and works sort of like the old indiglo watches.   

 

It’s easy on the eyes and you can look at it for a long time without straining your eyes.  It is everything you would want the Game Boy to be.  

Sadly, NOA never brought it over to America.  Maybe it was because the Game Boy Color came out just six months later or maybe it was NOA’s misguided beliefs in what Americans like (I’m looking at you “Play it Loud”).  

Either way, I got all my gaming information at the time from Nintendo Power so I had no idea this thing even existed until about five years ago.  They are especially popular now with chiptune musicians because you can see them in a club.  If you ever find one, I highly recommend it.  

Gator's gotta have his dog food.

As for the game, I’m loving its lighthearted attitude.  It’s a nice change of pace.  I look forward to playing more of it and its inspiration (more on that to come).