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Game & Watch

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This article is about the Nintendo-produced product line. For the American-made line, seeNelsonic Game Watch.
Game & Watch
Ball,the first Game & Watch device
Also known as
  • G&W
  • Tricotronic (West Germany, Austria)
  • Time-Out (North America)
DeveloperNintendo R&D1
ManufacturerNintendo
Product familyGame & Watch
TypeSeries ofhandheld electronic games
GenerationSecond
Release dateApril 28, 1980(1980-04-28)
Lifespan1980–1991 (11 years)
Units soldc.43.6 million
CPUSharpSM5xx family
DisplaySegmentedliquid-crystal display
Best-selling gameDonkey Kong(approx. 8 million units)[1]
SuccessorGame Boy

TheGame & Watch(Japanese:ゲーム&ウオッチ,romanized:Gēmu & Uotchi) is a line ofhandheld electronic gamescreated byNintendo.Released from 1980 to 1991, these devices were the brainchild of designerGunpei Yokoi.Their name reflects their dual functionality: a single game paired with a digital clock (like a watch) on an LCD screen. Starting in 1981, models also included an alarm.

A massive hit, the Game & Watch series sold a combined 43.4 million units worldwide, with 12.87 million sold in Japan and 30.53 million overseas.[2]This achievement marked the first major worldwide success for a Nintendo video game product.[3]

The devices are powered by a 4-bit CPU from Sharp's SM5xx family that consisted of 1792 Bytes of ROM with 65Bytes x 4 banks of RAM and an LCD screen driver circuit.[4]

Origin and design[edit]

The Game & Watch was the brainchild of designerGunpei Yokoi,who had been head ofNintendo's Research & Development 1division in the 1970s, designing physical toys and games until the1973 oil crisis,after which the market waned. At the same time, the first arcade and home video game consoles had been developed in the United States, and Nintendo had quickly caught on to this wave in Japan.[5]

While traveling on aShinkansen(bullet train), Yokoi saw a bored businessman playing with an LCDcalculatorby pressing the buttons. Yokoi then thought of an idea for a watch that doubled as a miniature game machine for killing time.[6]He pitched the idea to Nintendo's president,Hiroshi Yamauchi,when Yamauchi requested he drive him to a business meeting. Though Yamauchi had not said anything during the drive, the meeting he was at included the CEO ofSharp Corporation,who at the time was the world's biggest manufacturer of calculators, and the two discussed Yokoi's idea. Within the week, Yokoi was invited to a meeting between Nintendo and Sharp, giving him the go-ahead to develop a calculator sized game.[5]The devices would be powered by a 4-bit CPU from Sharp's SM5xx family that was integrated with 1792 Bytes of ROM and RAM for data storage along with an LCD screen driver circuit.[7]

The device would be called the Game & Watch, reflecting the dual functionality of the device: a single game paired with a digital clock (like a watch) on an LCD screen.[8][9]The first game was calledBall,and would become one of Nintendo's first major video game hits. After the success of Ball, multiple variations of the Game & Play device were developed and released between 1980 and 1991.[10]Starting in 1981, models also included an alarm, making the device more useful as a watch.[11]

Donkey Kong,showing its revolutionaryD-padand multi-screen clamshell design

To bring the iconicconsolegameDonkey Kongto the Game & Watch in 1982, Yokoi invented the now-iconicD-pad.This flat directional control pad addressed the challenge of portability by keeping the controls flush with the console's body, in contrast to thejoystickcontrols used on the console.[12][13]The design was patented and later earned aTechnology & Engineering Emmy Award.[14][15]

Over the next decade, several different models were manufactured, including some with two screens and a clamshell design (the Multi Screen Series) that was said to inspire the laterGame Boy Advance SP,Nintendo DS,andNintendo 3DShandhelds.[16]

Series[edit]

Chef,a Game & Watch Wide Screen series device
Main article:List of Game & Watch games

Over the initial eleven year life span of theGame & Watchline, 60 different games were produced for sale.[17]Titles available inGame & Watchform vary fromMickey MousetoBalloon Fight,and included Nintendo staples such asThe Legend of Zelda,andMario Bros.These games came in eleven different series, each with a different form-factor:

  • Silver (1980)

The silver series was the first version of the game and watch.

  • Gold (1981)

The second version the Gold series was similar to the previous version.

  • Wide Screen (1981–1982)

The wide screen was similar to the last two versions.

  • Vertical Multi Screen (1982–1989)

The Vertical Widescreen version was the inspiration for the DS.

  • Horizontal multi screen (1983)

The horizontal Multiscreen was like the Vertical Multiscreen but horizontal.

  • New Wide Screen (1982–1991)

The New Widescreen series was a updated version of the Widescreen series.

  • Tabletop (1983)

The tabletop Series was made to compete with coleco.

  • Panorama (1983–1984)

The panorama series is similar to the panorama series.

  • Super Color (1984)

The super color series was made entirely out of color but it bas still LCD

  • Micro vs. System (1984)

The micro vs. series was had 2 player games

  • Crystal Screen (1986)

The crystal screen series were nes ports of 3 games Super Mario bros,Climber and Balloon fight. There was also one "prize" game that was built but never sold. It was a yellow-cased version ofSuper Mario Bros.that came in a plastic box modeled after the Disk-kun character Nintendo used to advertise their Famicom Disk System.[18]The prize game was given to winners of Nintendo's F-1 Grand Prix tournament. As only 10,000 units were produced and it was never available for retail sale, the yellow version is considered rare.[17]

The Game & Watch series sold 14 million units worldwide during its first year of release by 1981.[19]The Game & Watch version ofDonkey Kongreleased in 1982 sold 8 million units.[1]Mario the Juggler,released in 1991, was the last game created in theGame & Watchseries.[20]

Game A and Game B[edit]

Most of the titles have a "GAME A" and a "GAME B" button. Game B is generally a faster, more difficult version of Game A, although exceptions do exist:

  • InSquish,Game B is radically different from Game A—the player must touch aliens to eliminate them as opposed to avoiding moving walls.[21]
  • InFlagman,Game B is a mode where the player has to press the right button within a certain amount of time, not memorize patterns.
  • InJudge,Boxing,Donkey Kong 3,andDonkey Kong Hockey,Game B is a two-player version of Game A.[22]
  • InClimber,[23]Balloon Fight,[24]andSuper Mario Bros.,[25][26]there is no Game B button.

In most cases, both Game A and Game B would increase in speed and/or difficulty as the player progressed, with Game B starting at the level that Game A would reach at 200 points.

Re-releases[edit]

Nintendo Mini Classicsseries

The Game & Watch games were renewed between 1995 and 2002 with theGame & Watch Galleryseries,five Game & Watch collections released for theGame Boy,Game Boy Color,andGame Boy Advance.They feature the original ports, as well as new, modernized versions starring theMarioseries cast.

From 1998 onward, a number of third-party distributors have been licensed to re-release smaller LCD versions of ten separate Game & Watch games which together compose theNintendo Mini Classicsseries.

In 2001, Nintendo releasedManhole-ebundled with itsNintendo e-Readersystems.[27]Although an entire line of Game & Watch e-Reader cards were planned, they were never released.

Between July 2006 and March 2010, Nintendo produced twoGame & Watch Collectioncartridges for theNintendo DSto be released exclusively forClub Nintendomembers.The first cartridgefeatured three games from theGame & Watch Multi Screenseries:Oil Panic,Donkey Kong,andGreen House.The second compilation,Game & Watch Collection 2,containedParachute,Octopus,and a new dual-screen game withParachuteon the top screen andOctopuson the bottom. Both cartridges are now available to the general public.

Between July 2009 and April 2010 Nintendo released nine separate Game & Watch ports forDSiWareincluding remakes ofBall(calledGame & Watch: Ball),[28]Flagman(calledGame & Watch: Flagman),Manhole(calledGame & Watch: Manhole),[29]andMario's Cement Factory(calledGame & Watch: Mario's Cement Factory) among others.[30][31]

In March 2010,Takara Tomyreleased officially licensedGame & Watch-styled keychains, based on the Wide Screen series editions ofOctopus,Parachute,andChef.They do not actually run the games, instead just display a demo screen. While the game cannot be played, the speed at which the demo runs can be adjusted. The batteries are recharged with solar panels on the unit.[32]

Ballwas rereleased exclusively viaClub Nintendo,to celebrate the 30th anniversary ofGame & Watch,with the Club Nintendo logo on the back. Unlike the original release, this version includes a mute switch.[33]For members of the Japanese Club Nintendo, it was shipped in April 2010 to Platinum members.[34][35]For members of the North American Club Nintendo, it was available for 1200 coins from February 2011.[36][37]For members of the European Club Nintendo, it was available for 7500 stars from November 2011.[38][39]

In 2020, Nintendo published a limited run Game & Watch system namedGame & Watch: Super Mario Bros.as part of theirSuper Mario Bros. 35th Anniversarycelebrations. This system contained the full NES versions ofSuper Mario Bros.andSuper Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels,along with a variant ofBallwith Mario's head (or Luigi's head, with a cheat code) replacing the original character's head. The included release ofThe Lost Levelswent by its original Japanese title,Super Mario Bros. 2,in all regions. It was released on November 13.[40]Unlike the classic Game & Watch consoles that useddisposable batteries,the console instead has a built-inrechargeable batterythat charges by aUSB-Ccable.[41]

In 2021, Nintendo published a similar new Game & Watch system,Game & Watch: The Legend of Zelda,which was released in celebration of that franchise's 35th anniversary. This system contained four games;The Legend of Zelda,Zelda II: The Adventure of Link,The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening,and a variant ofVerminwith Link replacing the original character's head. It was released on November 12.[42]

Legacy[edit]

Main article:Game & Watch ports and remakes

The Game & Watch made handheld video game consoles vastly popular. Many toy companies followed in the footsteps ofGame & Watch,such asTiger Electronicsand theirStar Warsthemed games.Elektronikareleased a line of Game & Watch clones in theSoviet Union.[43]

Nintendo's Game & Watch units were eventually superseded by the originalGame Boy.EachGame & Watchwas only able toplay one game,due to the use of asegmentedLCD display being pre-printed with an overlay. The speed and responsiveness of the games was also limited by the time it took the LCD to change state. The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) controllers were based on the controls in Game & Watch, and Game & Watch Multi Screen version became the model on which theNintendo DSwas based.

TheGame & Watch Galleryseries recreates the Game & Watch games in video game form, with modes that imitate the LCD displays and modes that modernise the graphics and include Mario characters. Game & Watch games have also been released throughDSiWare.

In the DS releaseCooking Guide: Can't Decide What to Eat?,the player can unlock both A and B versions of the gameChefif they use the timer function.[44]

Nintendo Landfor theWii Uhas a mini-game namedOctopus Dancethat is based on the Game & Watch gameOctopus.[45]

Game & Wariofor the Wii U, a play-on-words of the Game & Watch, heavily references the Game & Watch line, including the ability to play a virtual Game & Watch version of Pyoro, called Bird.

Mr. Game & Watch[edit]

Main article:Mr. Game & Watch

The Game & Watch brand is represented in Nintendo'sSuper Smash Bros.series with the character Mr. Game & Watch.[a]First appearing inSuper Smash Bros. Melee,the character was redefined and designed to match his presentation as a genericstick figure-styled silhouette in theGame & Watchdevices: he moves with limited animation, he is purelytwo dimensional,his noises only consist of beeps, and his abilities correlate to the presentation in theGame & Watchgames. BeyondSuper Smash Bros.,Mr. Game & Watch has also appeared inGame & Watch Gallery 4,wherein he is the manager of the "classic games" area alongside Mario. He also makes a cameo appearances inDonkey Kong Country ReturnsandRhythm Heaven Fever.

In September 2015, Nintendo released a Mr. Game & WatchAmiibocollectible.[46]The design also comes with three additional detachable alternatives of the character in different positions and moves. The Amiibo can be scanned intoSuper Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii UandSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate,where it can be used to create a personal CPU that can train and fight usingartificial intelligence.The Amiibo can also be used to unlock a cosmetic option forSuper Mario Maker.[47][48]

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^Japanese:ゲーム＆ウォッチ

References[edit]

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External links[edit]

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