by in If you were around in the eighties, the mere mention of some of the handheld games from that era will no doubt cause your heart to beat faster as those memories of playing these groundbreaking devices come flooding back.
The kids of today will laugh at how basic these games are when compared to the latest technology but back in the day, the excitement of playing a handheld game took your breath away.
Everyone has their own personal favourite so let’s take a closer look at some of the most popular games.
Nintendo Game & Watch
Originally launched in 1980, the gold and red styling of this handheld device certainly takes you back in time but credit must be given to the designers of this iconic device because it looks even better with age.
The actual playing screen only measures 2 inches but that does not detract from the playing experience in any way.
There are three games preloaded onto the Nintendo Game & Watch, Super Mario Bros, Super Mario Bros 2 and Ball which is the first game in the Game and Watch series.
If you can get your hands on the Nintendo Game & Watch, you will realize that it is a retro classic that fully deserves all the plaudits it gets.
Tomytronic 3D
If you’ve never had the pleasure of a Tomytronic 3D device before, you don’t know what you’ve been missing.
Released in the early eighties, the Tomytronic 3D was way ahead of its time and gave the impression that you were picking up and looking through a futuristic pair of binoculars.
The advertising at the time boasted of 3D gaming on this device and whilst this claim could be described as being a little bit of an exaggeration, the Tomytronic 3D did take gaming to another level and anyone who was lucky to have one often received envious glances from their friends.
Tandy – Cosmic 1000 Fire Away (198x)
The Tandy – Cosmic 1000 Fire Away was a dream come true for so many on its release back in 1980.
Based on the Space Invaders arcade game, it used to be the case that you had to visit an amusement arcade and part with cold hard cash to play the game but this release meant that you could play the game to your heart’s content, without having to spend a penny.
With a stylish design and three different skill levels, The Tandy – Cosmic 1000 Fire Away can be credited for keeping players of all ages amused for many hours on end.
Entex – Electronic Baseball 3
Released in the late seventies, the Entex – Electronic Baseball 3 was obviously more popular in the US market but it would be fair to say that this device definitely had its fans in the UK.
Looking back now, this was a very basic game which used red LED lights to light up under the green playing service,
The game could be played by one or two people so it is of little wonder why this game proved to be so popular back in the seventies and eighties.
Slingo Handheld Game
The Slingo Handheld Game is a relative newcomer compared to some of the other devices we have spoken about as it was released in 1999.
If you are a Slingo lover you will instantly recognise the 5 x 5 grid and with the big purple Spin button at the bottom of the game, you will be able to play Slingo until the cows come home, albeit a very basic version of the game when compared to the latest releases from Slingo Originals.
That being said, it is still an entertaining game to play on a device that is easy to hold and easy to play.
Epilogue
Who’d have thought that there would still be a demand for these games today but retro games are all the rage and the five that we have spoken about all fall into that category.
Players would have to be forty years of age or older to remember these games first-hand but younger gamers who are playing these games for the first time will no doubt appreciate how good they are, hence the reason why they are still so popular.
So if you would like to go on a trip down memory lane or play one of these handheld games for the first time, you’d better be quick because they are often snapped up as soon as they become available.
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