Game & Watch

From WE Computers Museum
Game & Watch logo.png
Game & Watch
Designer Nintendo R&D1
Nintendo PTD
Manufacturer Nintendo
CPU Sharp SM series
Graphics liquid crystal display
Memory N/A
Media discrete circuitry
Released 1980-2021
Added to Museum See the Game & Watch category

The Game & Watch series of games comprised the first handheld video game console line by Nintendo. Each device contains a single game that is played on a simple liquid crystal display screen.

Development

Gunpei Yokoi conceived of the idea for simple handheld games using a liquid crystal display after watching a man on a bullet train push buttons on an LCD calculator. The result was the Game & Watch series. They became a hit in Japan and North America, leading to Game & Watch consoles being released over the course of eleven years from 1980 to 1991, plus a short revival from 2020 to 2021.

Models

The Game & Watch games were released in several variations:

Silver: The original five Game & Watch games were released in 1980. They had a silver case and a standard, single, LCD screen.

Gold: The games that were released with the standard, single, LCD screen in 1981 had a gold case to differentiate them from the original games.

Wide Screen: After the first two iterations, games began being produced with a single, wide-screen LCD.

Multi Screen: More complex games were designed using a multi-screen system, consisting of a clamshell design, with gameplay that takes place simultaneously on two LCD screens.

New Wide Screen: The wide-screen releases that began in 1983 were branded as New Wide Screen to differentiate them from the original wide-screen games.

Table Top: Four tabletop Game & Watch games were released in 1983 that resembled miniature arcade machines.

Panorama: The panorama games were handheld devices that used a color LCD and contained a mirror that allowed the screen to be visible in bright light.

Super Color: In 1984, the Super Color line was released. These games had different colored LCD panels to represent the characters on the screen.

Micro Vs.: Three Micro Vs. games were released in 1984. These games had two tiny controllers attached to the unit to allow for two-player gaming.

Crystal Screen: The Crystal Screen series was released in 1986. They had a translucent shell, which allowed viewing through the play area.

Color Screen: For the Game & Watch revival in 2020 and 2021, LCD screens with then-current technology provided full-color displays for the emulated Game Boy and Nintendo Entertainment System games contained within.

Unauthorized Soviet clones

Beginning in 1984, factories in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics began producing unauthorized clones of Game & Watch consoles that were released under the Elektronika brand name.

The clones used the 4-bit KB1013VK1-2 microprocessor, which was a Soviet clone of the Sharp SM series of microprocessors used in the Game & Watch systems.

Game & Watch games

Title Release Notes
Ball 1980 Released in a standard screen format with a Silver case in 1980.
Remade as part of Game Boy Gallery for Game Boy in 1995.
Remade as part of Game & Watch Gallery 2 for Game Boy Color in 1998.
Remade as a digital release through DSiWare for Nintendo DSi in 2009.
Re-released as a platinum reward for Club Nintendo members in Japan in 2010.
Flagman 1980 Released in a standard screen format with a Silver case in 1980.
Remade as part of Game Boy Gallery for Game Boy in 1995.
Remade as part of Game & Watch Gallery 3 for Game Boy Color in 1999.
Remade as a digital release through DSiWare for Nintendo DSi in 2009.
Vermin 1980 Released in a standard screen format with a Silver case in 1980.
Remade as part of Game Boy Gallery for Game Boy in 1995.
Remade as part of Game & Watch Gallery 2 for Game Boy Color in 1998.
Remade as a digital release through DSiWare for Nintendo DSi in 2009.
Fire 1980 Released in a standard screen format with a Silver case in 1980.
Released in Wide Screen format in 1981.
Remade as part of Game Boy Gallery for Game Boy in 1995.
Remade as part of Game & Watch Gallery for Game Boy in 1997.
Remade as part of Game & Watch Gallery 2 for Game Boy Color in 1998.
Remade as part of Game & Watch Gallery 3 for Game Boy Color in 1999.
Remade as part of Game & Watch Gallery 4 for Game Boy Advance in 2002.
Remade as a digital release through DSiWare for Nintendo DSi in 2009.
Judge 1980 Released in a standard screen format with a Silver case in 1980.
Remade as part of Game & Watch Gallery 3 for Game Boy Color in 1999.
Remade as a digital release through DSiWare for Nintendo DSi in 2009.
Manhole 1981 Released in a standard screen format with a Gold case in 1981.
Released in New Wide Screen format in 1983.
Remade as part of Game Boy Gallery for Game Boy in 1995.
Remade as part of Game & Watch Gallery for Game Boy in 1997.
Remade for Game Boy Advance e-Reader in 2002.
Remade as part of Game & Watch Gallery 4 for Game Boy Advance in 2002.
Helmet 1981 Released in a standard screen format with a Gold case in 1981.
Released in Wide Screen format in 1981.
Remade as part of Game & Watch Gallery 2 for Game Boy Color in 1998.
Remade as a digital release through DSiWare for Nintendo DSi in 2009.
Lion 1981 Released in a standard screen format with a Gold case in 1981.
Released in Wide Screen format in 1981.
Remade as part of Game & Watch Gallery 3 for Game Boy Color in 1999.
Parachute 1981 Released in Wide Screen format in 1981.
Released as part of the Nintendo Mini Classics miniature LCD game line in 1998.
Remade as part of Game & Watch Gallery 2 for Game Boy Color in 1998.
Remade as part of Game & Watch Gallery 4 for Game Boy Advance in 2002.
Remade for Game & Watch Collection 2 Nintendo DS in 2008.
Octopus 1981 Released in Wide Screen format in 1981.
Remade as part of Game & Watch Gallery for Game Boy in 1997.
Released as part of the Nintendo Mini Classics miniature LCD game line in 1999.
Remade as part of Game & Watch Gallery 4 for Game Boy Advance in 2002.
Remade for Game & Watch Collection 2 Nintendo DS in 2008.
Popeye 1981 Released in Wide Screen format in 1981.
Released in Table Top format in 1983.
Released in Panorama format in 1983.
Chef 1981 Released in Wide Screen format in 1981.
Remade as part of Game & Watch Gallery 2 for Game Boy Color in 1998.
Remade as part of Game & Watch Gallery 4 for Game Boy Advance in 2002.
Remade for Game & Watch Collection 2 Nintendo DS in 2008.
Remade as a digital release through DSiWare for Nintendo DSi in 2009.
Mickey Mouse 1981 Released in Wide Screen format in 1981.
Also released without the Disney license as Egg.
Egg 1981 Release of Mickey Mouse without the Disney license.
Released in Wide Screen format in 1981.
Remade as part of Game & Watch Gallery 3 for Game Boy Color in 1999.
Turtle Bridge 1982 Released in Wide Screen format in 1982.
Remade as part of Game & Watch Gallery 3 for Game Boy Color in 1999.
Fire Attack 1982 Released in Wide Screen format in 1982.
Remade as part of Game & Watch Gallery 4 for Game Boy Advance in 2002.
Snoopy Tennis 1982 Released in Wide Screen format in 1982.
Released as part of the Nintendo Mini Classics miniature LCD game line in 1998.
Oil Panic 1982 Released in Multi Screen format in 1982.
Remade as part of Game & Watch Gallery for Game Boy in 1997.
Released as part of the Nintendo Mini Classics miniature LCD game line in 1998.
Remade as part of Game & Watch Collection for Nintendo DS in 2006.
Donkey Kong 1982 Released in Multi Screen format in 1982.
Released as part of the Nintendo Mini Classics miniature LCD game line in 1998.
Remade as part of Game & Watch Gallery 2 for Game Boy Color in 1998.
Remade as part of Game & Watch Gallery 4 for Game Boy Advance in 2002.
Remade as part of Game & Watch Collection for Nintendo DS in 2006.
Donkey Kong Jr. 1982 Released in Multi Screen format in 1982.
Released in Wide Screen format in 1982.
Released in Table Top format in 1983.
Released in Panorama format in 1983.
Released as part of the Nintendo Mini Classics miniature LCD game line in 1998.
Remade as part of Game & Watch Gallery 3 for Game Boy Color in 1999.
Remade as part of Game & Watch Gallery 4 for Game Boy Advance in 2002.
Remade as a digital release through DSiWare for Nintendo DSi in 2009.
Mickey & Donald 1982 Released in Multi Screen format in 1982.
Green House 1982 Released in Multi Screen format in 1982.
Remade as part of Game & Watch Gallery 3 for Game Boy Color in 1999.
Remade as part of Game & Watch Collection for Nintendo DS in 2006.
Donkey Kong II 1983 Released in Multi Screen format in 1983.
Remade as part of Game & Watch Gallery 3 for Game Boy Color in 1999.
Mario Bros. 1983 Released in Multi Screen format in 1983.
Remade as part of Game & Watch Gallery 3 for Game Boy Color in 1999.
Mario's Cement Factory 1983 Released in Table Top format in 1983.
Released as part of the Nintendo Mini Classics miniature LCD game line in 1998.
Remade as part of Game Boy Gallery for Game Boy in 1995.
Remade as part of Game & Watch Gallery 4 for Game Boy Advance in 2002.
Remade as a digital release through DSiWare for Nintendo DSi in 2009.
Snoopy (video game) 1983 Released in Table Top format in 1983.
Released in Panorama format in 1983.
Rain Shower 1983 Released in Multi Screen format in 1983.
Remade as part of Game & Watch Gallery 4 for Game Boy Advance in 2002.
Lifeboat 1983 Released in Multi Screen format in 1983.
Remade as part of Game & Watch Gallery 4 for Game Boy Advance in 2002.
Mario's Bombs Away 1983 Released in Panorama format in 1983.
Remade as part of Game & Watch Gallery 4 for Game Boy Advance in 2002.
Pinball 1983 Released in Multi Screen format in 1983.
Spitball Sparky 1984 Released in Super Color format in 1984.
Remade as part of Game & Watch Gallery 3 for Game Boy Color in 1999.
Crab Grab 1984 Released in Super Color format in 1984.
Boxing 1984 Also known as Punch-Out.
Released in Micro VS. format in 1984.
Remade as part of Game & Watch Gallery 4 for Game Boy Advance in 2002.
Donkey Kong 3 1984 Released in Micro VS. format in 1984.
Remade as part of Game & Watch Gallery 4 for Game Boy Advance in 2002.
Mickey Mouse 1984 Also released without the Disney license. as Donkey Kong Circus.
Released in Panorama format in 1984.
Donkey Kong Circus 1984 Release of Mickey Mouse without the Disney license.
Released in Panorama format in 1984.
Donkey Kong Hockey 1984 Released in Micro VS. format in 1984.
Black Jack 1985 Released in Multi Screen format in 1985.
Tropical Fish 1985 Released in New Wide Screen format in 1984.
Remade as part of Game & Watch Gallery 4 for Game Boy Advance in 2002.
Squish 1986 Released in Multi Screen format in 1986.
Super Mario Bros. 1986 Released in Crystal Screen format in 1986.
A Diskun version was given to F-1 Grand Prix contest winners in Japan in 1987.
Released in Wide Screen format in 1988.
Climber 1986 Released in Crystal Screen format in 1986.
Released in New Wide Screen format in 1988.
Remade as part of Game & Watch Gallery 4 for Game Boy Advance in 2002.
Balloon Fight 1986 Released in Crystal Screen format in 1986.
Released in New Wide Screen in 1988.
Bomb Sweeper 1987 Released in Multi Screen format in 1987.
Remade as part of Game & Watch Gallery 4 for Game Boy Advance in 2002.
Safebuster 1988 Released in Multi Screen format in 1988.
Remade as part of Game & Watch Gallery 4 for Game Boy Advance in 2002.
Gold Cliff 1988 Released in Multi Screen format in 1988.
Zelda 1989 Released in Multi Screen format in 1988.
Released as part of the Nintendo Mini Classics miniature LCD game line in 1998.
Remade as part of Game & Watch Gallery 4 for Game Boy Advance in 2002.
Mario the Juggler 1991 Remake of Ball with a Mario theme.
Released in New Wide Screen in 1991
Super Mario Bros. 2020 Includes Super Mario Bros., The Lost Levels, and a remake of Ball.
Released in Color Screen format in 2020.
The Legend of Zelda 2021 Includes The Legend of Zelda, Zelda II, Link's Awakening, and a remake of Vermin.
Released in Color Screen format in 2021.
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