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The idea of the Game Boy Color having internet capabilities might seem a little outlandish today, but back in the 90s Nintendo had big plans for its little handheld that were way ahead of their time — plans which, unfortunately, never came to fruition.
In a new Game History Secrets video from DidYouKnowGaming?, we get the rundown on Page Boy, Nintendo’s peripheral-that-never-was which sought to capitalize on the successful sales of the Game Boy and Game Boy Color. By the late 90s, SEGA’s ill-fated Game Gear was out of the handheld race and the Game Boy Color was dominating in the market. In an attempt to increase sales even further, Nintendo looked for ways to expand on the Game Boy line.
In 1999, a former Nintendo executive and inventor from the UK approached Nintendo of America about producing a seriously forward-thinking and ambitious peripheral which would equip the Game Boy Color with wireless communication abilities, including email, web browsing, photo messaging, and more.
The video dives into all of the nitty gritty on the Page Boy: what inspired it, what features it was going to have, what technology would’ve powered it, why Nintendo ultimately didn’t pursue it, and which of its features and technology went on to inspire features in future Nintendo consoles and peripherals. It’s particularly fascinating seeing how this add-on still wound up having such an influence on Nintendo’s handhelds and consoles despite never making it to market. We highly recommend sitting down, grabbing a snack, and learning about this lost piece of Nintendo history.
Source: DidYouKnowGaming?
