Nintendo Game Boy: Demand for second-hand handhelds increases

35 years after the original Game Boy was released, the console and its variants are being sold for a pretty penny in Akihabara, Tokyo. According to an article from Akiba PC Hotline!, a home appliance store in the area called Ken-chan has been selling Game Boys at various high prices.

While the Nintendo Game Boy wasn’t the first handheld game console ever created (that title goes to the Milton Bradley Company’s Microvision), it was the console that put portable gaming on the map. With titles such as Super Mario Land, Tetris, and the ever-popular Pokémon games, Nintendo popularized the notion that people don’t need to go to arcades or own hefty home consoles to play video games.

At Ken-chan in Akihabara, clear-colored, working Game Boys that come complete with their box and instructions cost the most at 34,800yen (roughly $223 USD), while regular colored Game Boys that have a few lines on their LCD screen go for 24,800yen ($159 USD). What’s interesting is that Game Boys that have defects and aren’t working are also expensive. A working Game Boy with some mystery liquid on its battery terminal goes for 14,980yen ($96 USD).

Mint condition clear Nintendo Game Boy in box in Akihabara store — *Complete in-box clear-colored Game Boy* *(Image credit: Akiba PC Hotline!)*

Though the original Game Boy is still a top-seller, the people at Ken-chan have stated that the store has been seeing a higher demand for second-hand Game Boy products. There have been multiple inquiries for first-generation Game Boy Advance consoles, and even battered Game Boys with exposed parts are selling out.

Cracked and dirty Nintendo Game Boy retailing for 3000 yen — *Cracked and dirty Game Boy retailing for 3000yen (approx. $20 USD) (Image credit: Akiba PC Hotline!)*

An older Akiba PC Hotline! Article delves into the demand for second-hand Game Boy consoles. Based on research, it was found that original Game Boys are popular among foreign tourists due to their retro appeal and iconic design. Thanks in part to the weaker Japanese yen, foreigners don’t mind spending extra to get their hands on a piece of Nintendo’s handheld history – even if the parts don’t work. Owners of Game Boy consoles and peripherals are being encouraged to sell their old belongings as they can fetch a good price while the demand is high. Whether you want to get yourself a working Game Boy or a video game-themed paperweight, it looks like Akihabara is the place to go.