Given the huge success of both the SNES Classic Mini and NES Classic Mini, it shouldn't surprise anyone that Nintendo could be considering a revival of the GameBoy.

The handheld console, which first debuted in 1989 and - believe it or not - was only discontinued in 2003. Following on from the GameBoy came the GameBoy Pocket, GameBoy Color and the GameBoy Advance. In other words, the console was popular and remained popular for the better part of a decade.

But, like all good things, it eventually came to an end and the GameBoy passed into history. However, a recent tweet by a Japanese licensing and trademark bot has set off rumours that Nintendo is exploring possibilities of either bringing back the GameBoy or revitalising it for a new generation of players.

Here's the tweet in question.

According to a translation from Kotaku, the application covers everything from "home video game console" programs as well as “programs for smartphones,” "smartphone cases," "smartphone covers," as well as "key holders," "necklaces," and "watches" - but nothing specific relating to either GameBoy Mini or GameBoy Classic.

Nintendo has yet to confirm anything on the topic, but it did previously file a trademark for the Nintendo 64 and the prevailing rumour is that Nintendo are planning a Classic Mini version of that console. How a Classic Mini version of the GameBoy is going to work is another story entirely.

If Nintendo are working on something, it could be something along the lines of either a GameBoy conversion for iPhones - Nintendo has said it's getting into the smartphone market - or something else entirely different that we can't even think of.

Either way, it's pretty exciting to see something as iconic as the GameBoy make a return.

 

Via Twitter / Kotaku

 

Via Twitter / Kotaku