Nintendo’s next Mini console hints at Game Boy Classic

Nintendo has been re-treading its retro consoles recently, re-releasing the popular systems that launched its success in the form of Classic Minis. With the Nintendo NES Classic releasing last year and the SNES Classic following suit in 2017, many would believe that the N64 Classic would be up next but it seems the company might have other ideas.

Nintendo has revived its Game Boy brand via a recent trademark in Japan, suggesting that the next Classic might be handheld. The news appeared via a Japanese trademark bot tweeting the news out on September 15th, according to Ninten-Switch.com and is regarding the very first iteration released in 1989.

As usual, the trademark covers a broad variety of things and without official confirmation from Nintendo, it’s possible that the company isn’t planning a re-release of the handheld that began its dominance over the portable market.

[商願2017-123766]商標:[画像] /
出願人:任天堂株式会社 /
出願日:2017年9月15日 /
区分:9(家庭用テレビゲーム機用プログラムほか),14(キーホルダーほか),18(かばん金具ほか),21(化粧用具ほか),25(被服ほか),28(家庭用テレビゲーム… pic.twitter.com/noRhof6vF1

— 商標速報bot (@trademark_bot) October 6, 2017

While we will no doubt see an N64 Classic at some point with it being one of the firm’s most popular consoles to date and having received a European trademark filing for the Nintendo 64’s unique controller, the delay might be due to most of the beloved titles that the system houses having seen remakes for more current consoles in recent years. This encompasses the likes of Super Mario 64 for the DS, both The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of time and Majora’s Mask for 3DS and Goldeneye, which has received a few remakes over the years of questionable quality.

If a Game Boy Classic is to hit the market, though, it begs the question of whether it will tread the same ground as the Game Boy Micro once did in size and functionality. And unfortunately for Nintendo, many games are available on its 3DS eShop, mobile emulators and even a recent adaptor for mobile phones to make use of the old cartridges.

KitGuru Says: I have no problem with the idea of a Game Boy Classic pushing the N64 Classic back a bit more as it does house some classic titles. I lost many hours to Pokemon Red, Link’s Awakening and Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins. Just please, for Pete’s sake Nintendo, please give people a built-in backlight. What do you want to see next in Nintendo’s Classic line? What games would you want on the Game Boy Classic?