Game Boy is the first major portable video game console made by Nintendo. It sold more than 118 million units worldwide (including different revisions and Game Boy Color) and became the first successful portable game console in the world. The console featured a monochrome display and used a control scheme similar to that of NES with a D-pad, A, B, Select and Start buttons. The Game Link cable allowed players to connect two Game Boys to play multiplayer or transfer data in certain games. The system launched in 1989 in North America with Tetris a packed-in game. The game became a huge hit and a reliable promotional tool for the console. The Game Boy was an origin console for Nintendo’s hit series Kirby and Pokémon.
Aside from them, various game series that became popular on other console got their Game Boy releases. They include Metroid, Super Mario, The Legend of Zelda, Contra and Donkey Kong among others. The system got two main revision throughout its lifespan: a more lightweight Game Boy Pocket in 1996, that also required two batteries instead of four, and Game Boy Light in 1998 that had backlit display and was exclusive for Japan.