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In this retro gaming video, we test three Nintendo Game Boy consoles, purchased together with some video games and accessories. After rearranging the boxes and cartridges, the time has come to check the operating status of the consoles and test two historical games: Super Mario Land and Tetris.

In addition, we see in action the Handy Boy accessory, a kit that promised to improve the gaming experience with magnifying glass, speakers and joystick.
The bought lot
The lot includes:
- 3 Nintendo Game Boy, two of which complete with box;
- Several videogames, many with original packaging: Tetris, Super Mario Land, Batman, Gauntlet II, Loopz, Terminator II, Adventure Island, Double Dragon II, Mercenary Force, Super Kick Off, Spiderman, ...
- The Handy Boy accessory
- Manuals, advertising and cables links to connect two consoles and play video games for two players

An interesting opportunity: the price of the entire lot was slightly higher than that of a single broken game boy. In short, a sign of fate: I wanted a game boy, and three of them have found!
First Nintendo Game Boy console
The first tested console has a good appearance and perfectly clean battery housing. Inserted the new batteries and switched on, we are able to hear the audio, but the display shows only strange characters.


To try the repair it will be necessary to open it with a special screwdriver (Trip Wing). The screws that close the Nintendo Game Boy, in fact, are not standard, but Y shaped.
Second Nintendo Game Boy console
The second GameBoy console is boxed, with the original box, manuals, and accessories. The screen's glass is detached. When the cartridge is inserted and the console is turned on, it is noted that the audio is working and the controls respond, but the display has defects: whole vertical bands of pixels do not light up correctly.

Also in this case, without a Tri Wing screwdriver, it is not possible to open it to attempt a repair.
Third Nintendo Game Boy console
The third console is the most yellowed aesthetically, but the test went well! After inserting the batteries and Super Mario Land, the game started without any issues. Audio and display are working correctly.

The Nintendo Gameboy console is fully functional, despite the external appearance.

The videogames I tried: Super Mario Land and Tetris
Super Mario Land was one of the launch titles of the Nintendo Game Boy, published in 1989. Developed by Nintendo R&D1 and produced by Gunpei Yokoi, the game resumes the style of Super Mario Bros by adapting it to the portable console, with monochromatic graphics. The music composed by Hirokazu Tanaka made it a timeless classic.
The Tetris included in the lot was the official edition distributed by Nintendo in 1989. Originally created by Aleksej Paลพitnov in USSR in 1984, the puzzle game became famous thanks to the Game Boy: the console was sold in bundle with Tetris, contributing to its success.
The type A soundtrack of the game Tetris, the one we hear in the video, is inspired by Russian music Korobushka.
The Handy Boy accessory
Inside the lot there is also a Handy Boy SV-907, an accessory that promised to enrich the gaming experience. Comprehends:
- magnifying glass to expand the size of the small screen;
- external stereo speakers;
- mechanical joystick for directional commands.

In the practical test, the accessory proved to be not very useful: the magnification did not improve readability. The speakers, connected via jack, did not work. Only the additional Joystick replied correctly, but with a playability lower than the original keys.
Judgment: accessory rejected!
Emulation: Visual Boy Advance
For those interested in emulation, Visual Boy Advance (VBA) is one of the most popular Nintendo Game Boy emulators, Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance for PC. It works on several operating systems, including Windows. Allows you to play the ROM games directly on the computer, offering additional functions such as save, management of external controllers and video/audio recording.

Those who want to use emulators should inquire about how to legally use physical cartridges ROMs, so as not to violate copyright.
Technical suggestions for the conservation of Game Boy and cartridges
During the test some useful ideas emerged for those who own old consoles and video games and want to use and preserve them correctly.
We saw how to use the spray desoxidizer, to be applied to a cloth, to clean the contacts of the cartridges and consoles. This way, we avoid soaking the cartridge with spray and gently remove the oxide from the metal pins.

Before storing consoles or cartridges in the cellar or attic, it is essential to remove the batteries. Over time, the batteries can release acids that irreparably damage the electrical contacts of the battery door and, in serious cases, also penetrate the console by damaging the electronic board.


Over the years, electrical cables tend to release substances that dissolve the plastics of the objects with which they come into contact and the polystyrene of the boxes. To avoid damage to console and accessories, it is better to wrap the cables on paper or protective plastic, preventing direct contact with surfaces.

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