Nintendo has already released a Classic Mini NES and a Classic Mini SNES, and it appears the company is not finished yet. A recent trademark filed in Japan suggests that the company could be working on Nintendo Classic Mini Game Boy.
The trademark for the Nintendo Classic Mini Game Boy was filed on September 15, and covers several things like “smartphone covers,” “programs for smartphones,” “key holders,” “necklaces,” “smartphone cases,” “watches” and “home video game console.” Though many of the categories are not related to the gaming, it may have been included to protect the Nintendo Classic Mini Game Boy brand, notes Kotaku.
In addition, the unrelated categories might also suggest a full-scale campaign, where the company may launch promotional products to benefit from Game Boy’s nostalgia factor. The Japanese firm did a similar thing when it filed trademarks Nintendo Entertainment System and Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) Classic Editions, notes Inquirer.net.
A Twitter account that tracks the Japanese trademarks spotted the trademark late last week. It must be noted that the trademark includes no details about the devices, but the image in the tweet makes is clear that it is for the gaming fans. As of now, there has been no comment from Nintendo over the development.
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Though Nintendo is now more into mobile games, the Game Boy holds a nostalgic value to the fans. “And the portable all-in-one system that doesn’t deplete smartphone batteries could prove appealing to new fans,” says Fortune. In 2005, the Japanese firm came up with a smaller version of the Game Boy Advance, dubbed as the Game Boy Micro. The original Game Boy with large, thick casing and the neon green display was released in 1989, and was the first truly portable gaming consoles.
A trademark citing does not always mean a real product, but a fact that can’t be denied is Nintendo’s Classic Edition brand has enjoyed a massive success. In five months before going out of stock due to heavy demand, the NES Classic sold 2.3 million units, notes Fortune. The company plans to relaunch the device next year now.
Even though a Classic Mini Game Boy is not completely out of question, there are some limitations to it. It will be not easy for Nintendo to develop a mini Game Boy that along with being affordable includes a screen and stays true to the original one. If the company does move ahead with a mini Game Boy, it could be more on lines with the 2005 Game Boy Micro, and would be priced based on the number of games the company plans to offer with it.
Nevertheless, if Nintendo does not come with any such device, you can always play Game Boy cartridges using Hyperkin’s Android phone add-on SmartBoy. In May, Samsung licensed the add-on, which is now available for $49.99, notes AnimeNewsNetwork.
Separately, there are reports that the Japanese company could be working on one more “Classic Edition,” this time of the N64 console, which sold nearly 33 million units during its availability from 1996-2003. The N64 Classic Edition is rumored to launch sometime next year.
