Nintendo had Game Boy phone plans

By Ellie Gibson Published 13 August, 2010

Was in discussions with Nokia.

A report by Pocket Gamer says Nintendo considered producing a mobile phone back in the early 2000s.

According to a "development source", Nintendo worked with Nokia on an R&D project around the same time the first N-Gage was being developed. However, the board of director's rejected the concept. Instead they gave the green light to what would become the DS.

"You have to remember Nintendo is a very conservative company," said the source. "It always has various R&D projects on the go, but most of them are eventually rejected. It's just how it operates."

It's not the first time these plans have been discussed. In fact, back in 2007, engadget dug up a patent for a Nintendo mobile filed in November 2001.

Picture of Ellie.

About Ellie Gibson

Since joining Eurogamer in the mid 2000s, Ellie has written about subjects as diverse as the fall of Gizmondo, the rise of Hollyoaks actresses in Red Alert games and the noise a bear makes under NSFW circumstances.

Read more articles from Ellie by visiting the Ellie Gibson archive page.

You may also like...

Comments (14) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • J0rdan_KZ #1 2 years ago

    Really is strange how things change in this industry. Nokia probably thought to themselves "Nintendo have backed away from the idea, but let's drill some money into it anyway. We've never built anything video game related before apart from Snake, but this can't possibly go wrong!"

    And now rumours of Sony making a PSP-esk Android device? It's the end of the world! Mass hysteria! Cats and dogs living together! And I'm all for it :D

  • gamerBOB #2 2 years ago

    I suppose this wouldn't really fit with Nintendo's core values with handhelds (value for money and good battery life)

    The next logical step would probably be to include a built in 3g data card

    EDIT: Eurogamer could you please provide the ability to edit comments using the iPhone app - cheers :D
    Edited by gamerBOB at 13/08/10 @ 12:16

  • nuanimal #3 2 years ago

    If only Nintendo do decide to ever go into the entertainment mobile phone space....

  • Stuz359 #4 2 years ago

    Nokia probably thought to themselves "Nintendo have backed away from the idea, but let's drill some money into it anyway. We've never built anything video game related before apart from Snake, but this can't possibly go wrong!"

    ---------------------------------

    You could have said the same thing about Sony back in the day when they were going to release a CD drive for the SNES that turned into the Playstation. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

  • chrisjm #5 2 years ago

    combine a GBA micro & a phone and i'll buy one.

  • Spuzzell #6 2 years ago

    I would only be mildly interested in a Nintendo or Sony gaming phone if it was in addition to all the things I expect from my smartphone already, and even then I'd only want emulation of older titles.

    Phone hardware is improving faster than any other tech sector, handsets released 6 months ago are out of date.

    I upgrade my phone every year, I've got zero intention of buying £30 games that won't work in 12 months time.

    Satnav, web-browsing, e-mail, camera, music and video are what I use my phone for, and I wouldn't sacrifice any of those to be able to play games instead.

    Plus I've yet to play an indepth game on a touchscreen only device that didn't cry out for physical controls, and I wouldn't want to carry a phone the size of a DS just to make room for those physical controls.

    Wow. Turns out I really am not interested in a Nintendo/Playstation phone.

  • JohnnyWashnGo #7 2 years ago

    'combine a GBA micro & a phone and i'll buy one.' +1 * 1000

    GBA Micro was my favourite handheld from Nintendo in recent years. The games just looked so pretty on that small screen.

  • originaljohn #8 2 years ago

    I think nintendo would release a kick ass gaming phone. I have a feeling that nintendo want to do what amazon have done with the kindle and make a free connection to a 3g network.

  • Phishfood #9 2 years ago

    People calling me in the middle of a game? No way!

  • EraSerX #10 2 years ago

    the wiiPhone?

  • GaryHoward #11 2 years ago

    I wonder if people out there still use their Nokia N-Gages...for games and calling haha.

  • spookyzombie #12 2 years ago

    In other news, Mario's trousers were nearly yellow.

  • alcides #13 2 years ago

    I'd have bought it. YES, over the (first) iPhone.

  • electrolite #14 2 years ago

    I'm sure they could make money licensing a consistent VC OS to phone manufacturers