Well, there was a big announcement from Nintendo today. It just wasn't what everyone has been waiting for.
While we all sit and wait with eagerness for Nintendo to officially unveil the Nintendo Switch 2, the company today revealed instead a brand new LEGO collaboration.
"Build the classic Nintendo system in LEGO form," Nintendo of America announced, alongside a very brief teaser.
The classic system they are referring to, of course, is the Game Boy. Nintendo's handheld game console was originally launched in Japan in April 1989. It arrived in North America in July of the same year, before slowly rolling out worldwide.
Designed to be a portable console with interchangeable cartridges, the Game Boy was less advanced than fellow handheld competitors, especially since it did not support color. Although it received mixed reviews, the console's low price tag, extensive battery life, and impressive game library made it popular with consumers.
The Game Boy was a smash hit upon release, selling out its entire stock in the first two weeks of its release in Japan. In the United States, it was just as popular, selling one million units in just a few weeks.
Nintendo's teaser suggests the LEGO Game Boy set will be a replica of the original design. It featured a light gray case, black directional pads, and purple buttons with a green screen in the middle. This is the version that appears to be teased in the video.
The classic Game Boy is one of the most iconic gaming systems of all time. When you think of gaming in the 1990s and early 2000s, the Game Boy is probably what comes to mind.
Nintendo ultimately released numerous iterations of the Game Boy. In 1998, they launched the Game Boy Color. Combined, the two systems have sold more than 118.69 million units worldwide. Other redesigns included the Game Boy Pocket in 1996 and the Game Boy Light in 1998.
The combined sales of all the Game Boy models make it the current fourth-best-selling console of all time. However, at the time of its discontinuation in 2003, the combined sales had made Game Boy the best-selling game console of all time. It was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 2009.
And soon, you'll be able to build yourself a brick-form model. The LEGO Nintendo Game Boy will be released in October 2025. It is the second LEGO set that's based on a Nintendo console, following the LEGO NES which launched in August 2020 and sold for $229.99. The LEGO NES set included a brick-build NES model and an accompanying 1980s-style television set that featured a scrolling Super Mario Bros. scene.
Given that the Game Boy is a handheld, it should be smaller with less pieces and therefore less expensive.