List of handheld game consoles

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This is a list of handheld game consoles, portable video game consoles with a built-in screen and game controls and separate games. It does not include PDAs, smartphones, or tablet computers; while those devices are often capable of playing games, they are not primarily video game consoles.

For handheld dedicated consoles, which only play games built into the system, see list of dedicated consoles.

Consoles

Console Release date(s) Discontinuation date(s) Manufacturer Generation Notes Picture
Microvision 1979[1] 1981[1] Milton Bradley Second
  • The very first handheld game console that used interchangeable cartridges
  • Contained no processor; all computation was handled by the game cartridges themselves
  • Plays monochrome games from ROM cartridges
Microvision-Handheld.jpg
Children's Discovery System 1981 N/A Mattel Second
  • Educational handheld game console
Select-A-Game 1981 1982 Entex Industries Second
  • Contained no processor; all computation was handled by the game cartridges themselves
  • Plays monochrome games from ROM cartridges
Entex-SelectAGame.jpg
Adventure Vision
      Entex Industries Second
      • Contained an Intel 8048 CPU, cartridges consisted of 4k ROM chips (2532 EPROMs)
      • Plays monochrome games from ROM cartridges
      • Sold over 50,000 units[2]
      Entex-AdventureVision.jpg
      Super Micro 1983 N/A Palmtex Second
      • Only 3 games known to exist for the system
      • Plays monochrome games from cartridges with built-in LCD screen that had color overlays to display color
      Palmtex-SuperMicro.jpg
      Gamate 3D 1983 N/A VTech Second
      • Only 3 games known to exist for the system
      • All games also released for the ProScreen
      Variety 1983 N/A VTech Second
      • Only 6 games known to exist for the system
      • Plays cartridges with built-in LCD screen
      Digi Casse 1984 N/A Bandai Second
      • Only 4 games known to exist for the system
      • Plays cartridges with built-in LCD screen
      • Variant under the same name released by Lansay in Europe
      Game Pocket Computer 1984 N/A Epoch Second
      • Only 5 games produced for the system, in addition to the built-in puzzle game and paint program
      • Plays monochrome games from ROM cartridges
      Gamepocketcomputer.JPG
      ProScreen 1984 N/A VTech Second
      • Combination Projector and handheld game console
      • Only 3 games known to exist for the system
      • All games also released for the Gamate 3D
      • Variant under the same name released by Ludotronic
      Etch A Sketch Animator 2000 1988 N/A Ohio Art Company Fourth
      • Only 4 games produced for the system
      • Features a touchscreen with an included stylus
      Oaetch2000.jpg
      IM-26 1988[3] N/A Electronika Fourth
      • Only 5 games known to exist for the system[3]
      • Plays cartridges with built-in LCD screen[4]
      • Games also individually sold as dedicated handheld consoles
      Игра электроника ИМ-26.jpg
      Light Games 1988 N/A Grandstand Fourth
      • Combination Projector and handheld game console
      • Plays cartridges with built-in LCD screen, which is projected onto any flat surface for display
      • Other variations released in Europe
      Playtime-LightGames.jpg
      PreComputer 1000 1988 N/A VTech Fourth
      • Educational handheld game console
      • The successor PreComputer 2000 plays PreComputer 1000 cartridges
      Game Boy
          Nintendo Fourth
          • First release of the Game Boy line of handheld consoles
          • Plays monochrome games from ROM cartridges
          • Smaller version named the Game Boy Pocket released in 1996
          • Version with a backlight named the Game Boy Light released in 1998
          • Version capable of displaying games in color released as the Game Boy Color in 1998; the Color is backwards compatible with non-color Game Boy games but is considered part of the fifth console generation
          • All Game Boy versions combined sold 118.69 million units[8]
          Game-Boy-Original.jpg
          Lynx
            1996 Atari Fourth
            • First handheld electronic game with a color LCD
            • Plays ROM cartridges
            • Smaller and lighter version named the Atari Lynx II released in 1991
            • Sold fewer than 500,000 units[9]
            Atari-Lynx-I-Handheld.png
            Game Gear
                Sega Fourth Game-Gear-Handheld.jpg
                TurboExpress
                    NEC Fourth
                    • Portable version of the TurboGrafx-16 home console
                    • Some games allow multiplayer options by connecting two TurboExpress consoles with a TurboLink cable
                    • Plays ROM cartridges
                    • Could be connected to a TV with a TurboVision TV tuner
                    • Sold 1.5 million units[9]
                    TurboExpress-Front.jpg
                    Gamate 1990 1993 Bit Corporation Fourth Gamate.jpg
                    Game Master 1990 N/A Hartung Fourth
                    • Known by different names in different countries, including Systema 2000, Super Game, Game Tronic, and Game Plus
                    • Plays monochrome games from ROM cartridges
                    Hgm front-1-.jpg
                    Supervision 1992[15] N/A Watara Fourth
                    • Releases in different countries were by different suppliers with different names similar to Supervision
                    • Screen could be tilted relative to controls via flexible connection
                    • Plays monochrome games from ROM cartridges
                    • Could be linked up to a television via a link cable
                    • Version without a tilted screen released
                    Watara-Supervision-Tilted.jpg
                    Mega Duck 1993 N/A Welback Holdings Fourth Mega duck cougar boy and games Lighter Sharper.jpg
                    Game Wizard 1994 N/A MGA Entertainment Fifth
                    • Plays cartridges with built-in LCD screen
                    • Cartridges bundled with system and not sold separately
                    • Similar handheld game consoles released in the UK as the Game Player by Grandstand and in Japan as the Triple-In by Epoch
                    Virtual Boy
                        Nintendo Fifth Virtual-Boy-Set.png
                        Nomad
                          N/A Sega Fifth
                          • Handheld version of the Sega Genesis that played the same cartridges[17]
                          • Early version for use on Japanese airplanes was named the Mega Jet[17]
                          • Plays ROM cartridges
                          • Sold 1 million units; considered a commercial failure[9]
                          Sega-Nomad-Front.jpg
                          Design Master Senshi 1995 N/A Bandai Fifth
                          • Features a touchscreen with an included stylus
                          R-Zone 1995 N/A Tiger Electronics Fifth
                          • Displayed stereoscopic 3D graphics via a headset; the cartridges contained an LCD screen which the headset displayed via mirrors
                          • Plays red monochrome games from ROM cartridges
                          • Version that plays color games named the R-Zone Super Screen released in 1995
                          • Version that did not use a headset named the X.P.G. Xtreme Pocket Game; games were instead reflected onto a mirror on the console itself
                          Tiger-RZone-Headset.jpg
                          PasoGo 1996 N/A Koei Fifth
                          Game.com
                              Tiger Electronics Fifth
                              • Features a touchscreen with an included stylus
                              • Plays monochrome games from ROM cartridges
                              • Could be connected to a 14.4 kbit/s modem
                              • Smaller version released as the Game.com Pocket Pro
                              • Cheaper version without the frontlight released as the Game.com Pocket
                              • Sold fewer than 300,000 units; considered a commercial failure[9]
                              Tiger-Game-Com-FL.jpg
                              Neo Geo Pocket
                                  SNK Fifth
                                  • Part of the Neo Geo family of consoles
                                  • Plays monochrome games from ROM cartridges
                                  • Version that plays color games released as Neo Geo Pocket Color worldwide
                                  • Neo Geo Pocket was quickly discontinued in favor of the Neo Geo Pocket Color due to lower than expected sales[9]
                                  • Color version is backwards compatible with Neo Geo Pocket games, but is considered part of the Sixth console generation
                                  • Pocket and Pocket Color combined sold 2 million units; resulted in SNK leaving the hardware business completely[9]
                                  Neo-Geo-Pocket-Anthra-Left.jpg
                                  WonderSwan
                                    2003 Bandai Sixth
                                    • Plays monochrome games from ROM cartridges
                                    • Version that plays color games released as WonderSwan Color in 2000
                                    • Redesigned version of the console with a better LCD screen released as SwanCrystal in 2002
                                    • Sold 3.5 million units: 1.55 million WonderSwans, 1.1 million WonderSwan Colors, and 0.95 million SwanCrystals[21][22]
                                    WonderSwan-Black-Left.jpg
                                    Cybiko
                                      2003 Cybiko Sixth
                                      • Combination PDA and handheld game console[23]
                                      • Features an included stylus for keyboard[23]
                                      • Plays digital games via internet download from PC[23]
                                      • More than 430 games and applications produced for the system, all were free[25]
                                      • Improved version named Cybiko Xtreme released in September 2001[23]
                                      • Sold over 500,000 units by the end of 2000[26]
                                      Cybiko.jpg
                                      Turbo Twist 2000 N/A LeapFrog Enterprises Sixth
                                      • Educational handheld game console
                                      Game Boy Advance
                                          Nintendo Sixth Nintendo-Game-Boy-Advance-Purple-FL.jpg
                                          Pokémon Mini
                                              Nintendo Other Pokémon mini system.jpg
                                              GP32
                                              • KR: November 23, 2001
                                                N/A Game Park Sixth Gp32.jpg
                                                iQuest 2001 N/A LeapFrog Enterprises Sixth
                                                • Educational handheld game console
                                                Kasey the Kinderbot 2002 N/A Fisher Price Sixth
                                                • Educational handheld game console
                                                Pixter 2002[31] 2002[31] Mattel / Fisher-Price Sixth
                                                • Educational handheld game console
                                                • Features a touchscreen with an included stylus.
                                                N-Gage October 7, 2003[32] N/A Nokia Sixth
                                                • Combination game console and phone
                                                • Plays MultiMediaCards
                                                • Redesigned version that made changing game cartridges easier and moved the earpiece off of the side of the device released as the N-Gage QD in 2004
                                                • Sold 3 million units[9]
                                                Nokia-NGage-LL.jpg
                                                Leapster October 2003 N/A LeapFrog Enterprises Sixth
                                                • Educational handheld game console
                                                • Features a touchscreen with an included stylus
                                                • Redesigned version with TV output named Leapster L-Max released in 2004
                                                • Console version named Leapster TV released in 2005
                                                Zodiac October 2003 July 2005 Tapwave Sixth
                                                • Combination PDA, handheld game console, and mobile entertainment device
                                                • Features a touchscreen with an included stylus and an MP3 player
                                                • Plays digital games via internal memory or SD cards
                                                • Sold fewer than 200,000 units; Tapwave declared bankruptcy in July 2005[9]
                                                Tapwave-Zodiac2-FL.jpg
                                                GameKing
                                                • HK: 2003
                                                N/A TimeTop Other
                                                • 8-bit monochrome console designed to look like the Game Boy Advance, released solely in Hong Kong
                                                • Plays monochrome games from ROM cartridges
                                                • A redesigned version of the console intended to look like the PlayStation Portable released as the GameKing II in 2004
                                                • A redesigned version of the console with support for color games released as the GameKing III in 2005
                                                • A fourth version of the console which takes different cartridges released as the Handy Game in 2007
                                                • Almost all games for the system are clones of third generation games, such as Nintendo Entertainment System games
                                                Gameking I.jpg
                                                Nintendo DS
                                                  2007 Nintendo Seventh
                                                  • First console in the Nintendo DS line
                                                  • Uses two separate screens
                                                  • Features a touchscreen with an included stylus
                                                  • Backwards compatible with Game Boy Advance games
                                                  • Plays ROM cartridges
                                                  • Lighter version with a brighter screen released as the Nintendo DS Lite in 2006
                                                  • Larger version with cameras and without Game Boy Advance compatibility released as the Nintendo DSi in 2008
                                                  • Larger version with larger, better LCD screen released as the Nintendo DSi XL in 2008
                                                  • Sold over 154 million units[33]
                                                  Nintendo-DS-Fat-Blue.jpg
                                                  PlayStation Portable
                                                      Sony Seventh
                                                      • Features interactivity with PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 3 consoles
                                                      • Plays Universal Media Discs and digital games via internet download
                                                      • Lighter and thinner version released as the PSP-2000 in 2007
                                                      • Lighter version with a microphone and better LCD screen released as the PSP-3000 in 2008
                                                      • Smaller, redesigned version without a UMD drive released as the PSP Go in 2009
                                                      • Cheaper version without internet connectivity released as the PSP-E1000 in 2011
                                                      • Sold 80 million units[34]
                                                      Psp-1000.jpg
                                                      Gizmondo
                                                        February 6, 2006 Tiger Telematics Seventh
                                                        • Features camera, GPS, text messaging, and Bluetooth wireless connectivity
                                                        • Plays SD cards
                                                        • Released in advertisement-supported and ad-free variants
                                                        • Sold fewer than 25 thousand units; considered one of the worst commercial failures of a handheld console[9]
                                                        Gizmondo.jpg
                                                        GP2X
                                                        • KR: November 10, 2005
                                                        N/A GamePark Holdings Seventh GP2X 01.JPG
                                                        digiBlast
                                                          N/A Nikko Seventh
                                                          • Kids media player for music, video games and cartoons videos
                                                          • Cartridge for MP3 playback and a cartridge with a 1.3-megapixel camera were released as add-ons
                                                          Thumb-digiblast.jpg
                                                          V.Smile Pocket 2005 N/A VTech Other
                                                          • Handheld version of the V.Smile educational console
                                                          • Plays ROM cartridges
                                                          • Redesigned version with a microphone released in 2007
                                                          • Redesigned clamshell version named the V.Smile Pocket Cyber released in 2008
                                                          VideoNow XP 2005 N/A Tiger Electronics Seventh
                                                          Didj
                                                            N/A LeapFrog Enterprises Other
                                                            • Educational handheld game console aimed at children
                                                            • Plays ROM cartridges
                                                            Dingoo A320
                                                              N/A Dingoo Digital Technology Company Seventh
                                                              • Combination game console, radio, and media player
                                                              • Plays digital games via internet download
                                                              Dingoo A320 White.jpg
                                                              GP2X Wiz May 12, 2009 N/A GamePark Holdings Seventh Gp2xwiz.jpg
                                                              Pandora May 21, 2010 N/A OpenPandora Seventh
                                                              • Open source hardware game console only sold online
                                                              • Combination game console and subnotebook
                                                              • Unofficial successor to the GP2X
                                                              • Plays digital games via internet download
                                                              • Features a touchscreen with an included stylus
                                                              PandoraFront.JPG
                                                              Leapster Explorer July 15, 2010 N/A LeapFrog Enterprises Seventh
                                                              • Educational handheld video game console
                                                              • Backwards compatible with Didj games
                                                              CAANOO August 16, 2010 September 2011 GamePark Holdings Seventh CAANOO.jpg
                                                              iXL 2010[36] 2012[36] Mattel / Fisher Price Seventh
                                                              • Educational handheld game console
                                                              • Features a touchscreen with an included stylus
                                                              Nintendo 3DS
                                                                N/A Nintendo Eighth
                                                                • Part of the Nintendo DS line
                                                                • Uses two separate screens and is capable of projecting stereoscopic 3D effects without the use of 3D glasses
                                                                • Features a touchscreen with an included stylus
                                                                • Backwards compatible with Nintendo DS games
                                                                • Plays ROM cartridges and digital games via internet download
                                                                • Larger version released as the Nintendo 3DS XL in 2012
                                                                • Version without 3D capability or clamshell design released as the Nintendo 2DS in 2013
                                                                • Redesigned version with better performance and exclusive titles released as the New Nintendo 3DS in 2014
                                                                • Larger redesigned version with better performance and exclusive titles released as the New Nintendo 3DS XL in 2015
                                                                • Sold over 45 million units[33]
                                                                Nintendo-3DS-AquaOpen.png
                                                                K-Magic September 2011 N/A K's Kids Other
                                                                • Educational handheld game console
                                                                PlayStation Vita
                                                                  N/A Sony Eighth PlayStation-Vita-1101-FL.jpg
                                                                  Kids Pad N/A LG Corporation Other
                                                                  • Educational handheld game console
                                                                  Neo Geo X
                                                                    N/A Tommo Other 1screenshot3-672x360.jpg

                                                                    See also

                                                                    References

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