Handheld electronic games are interactive games, often smaller versions of video games, that are played on portable devices called handheld game consoles. These devices have controls, screens, and speakers all built into one unit. Unlike general-purpose screens made of tiny pixels, handheld games usually use custom screens designed for a single game. This simple design allows them to be as small as a smartwatch. The screens on these games can show simple lights, letters, and numbers, or more detailed images. Over time, these screens were mostly replaced by liquid crystal and vacuum fluorescent displays that showed colorful images. Handheld games were most popular from the late 1970s through the early 1990s. These devices were the early versions of modern handheld game consoles.
History
Early handheld games used basic ways to interact with players, often with simple lights and sounds. Examples from the 1970s include Mattel Auto Race (1976) and Mattel Electronic Football (1977), which had small red LED screens. Players pressed buttons to move a car or a quarterback icon (a bright dot) and avoid obstacles (less bright dots).
In 1978, the Milton Bradley Company released Simon, a game that matched colors and sounds. Simon used four colored, lighted buttons instead of a screen. The original version was large enough to play on a table or hold in the hand. Later versions became smaller. Around the same time, Parker Brothers released Merlin, a more advanced handheld game that could play six different games using 11 buttons with built-in lights. These early games were simple but very popular.
The success of these games led to many similar handheld devices being made in the early 1980s. Coleco created a series of two-player "head-to-head" games, and other companies made smaller versions of popular arcade games.
In 1979, Gunpei Yokoi saw a businessman using an LCD calculator on a train and thought of creating a watch that could also play games. Starting in 1980, Nintendo released a series of games called Game & Watch, designed by Yokoi. These games used LCD technology, similar to calculators, and included a digital clock on the screen. For more complex games, Yokoi created a cross-shaped directional pad, or "D-pad," to control characters. This design later became standard on game consoles.
During the 1980s, LCD screens became cheaper and replaced LED displays in handheld games. LCDs allowed for more detailed images and avoided the pixel-like appearance of earlier screens. However, all graphics were fixed, meaning every possible position and state of game objects had to be pre-designed. Movement was created by flashing objects between their positions. Backgrounds were static drawings, and the moving parts were transparent when not in use. These limitations made early LCD games simpler than their LED predecessors.
Popular LCD games included Nintendo’s Game & Watch series and games from Tiger Electronics. Many other companies also made games, especially versions of arcade games. New games are still made today, but most are based on simple card or board games.
In 1982, Bandai created the LCD Solarpower series, the first solar-powered handheld games. Some games, like Terror House, used two stacked LCD panels to create an early 3D effect. This allowed for more varied gameplay by showing different stages. In 1983, Takara Tomy released the Tomytronic 3D series, which used two LED panels lit by external light to simulate 3D effects. This was the first home video game system to use 3D technology.
The LCD Solarpower series includes handheld games powered by solar energy, made by Bandai in 1982. The Double Panel series uses two LCD screens stacked together, allowing games to have two different stages for more variety.
Other handheld games used flipcase designs with two or three LCDs, showing different scenes for the foreground and background. This added variety to gameplay.
Handhelds today
Handheld gaming devices, such as the Nintendo Switch, have become more advanced over time. However, simpler dedicated handhelds still have a special place in certain groups of gamers, like those who enjoy the Akiba-kei style of gaming. Devices like the 2008 Tuttuki Bako, which have unusual control methods, have sold well because of their unique design, though such devices are rare. Adult hobbies like playing blackjack, poker, and Sudoku have also led to many handheld games being created, including both original and copied versions.
A game called "The Brick Game" was first made in China and Russia during the early 1990s. It uses a 10 × 20 block grid as a simple, low-resolution screen. These devices often include many versions of Tetris and Snake, and sometimes other games like racing, Breakout, or shoot 'em up games similar to Galaga or Battle City. In these games, one block sends blocks toward the "enemy" blocks. More advanced models usually have 26 different games labeled by letters, include sound effects, and use CMOS memory to save game progress and high scores when the device is turned off. Many of these handhelds are advertised as having thousands of games, such as "9999 in 1," but most of these games are just variations in speed or difficulty. The simplest models can now be purchased for as little as $1.
Another common type of game involves avoiding or catching falling objects. These games use two movement buttons and show a screen with a column of player positions and rows of moving projectiles. The player and projectiles can be represented by any image, such as tanks dodging missiles or a dog catching sausages.
Additionally, while Tamagotchi and similar digital pets are often seen as virtual pets, they are also considered handheld electronic games. These devices continue to be sold to the public.