What initially started as an April Fool’s joke will soon be a reality later this year. Hyperkin SmartBoy is what they’re calling it!
This magical device is ONLY compatible with Samsung phones which feature a USB-Type C connections, including the recently released Samsung Galaxy S8. It’s currently estimated to cost US$49.99 and will work with both Game Boy original and Game Boy Color games. Unfortunately, it’ll only be released in the US and Korea, for now.
Here’s the official press release from Hyperkin.
Hyperkin, a video game hardware development company from Los Angeles, has announced it will be releasing the SmartBoy through the Samsung Mobile Accessory Partnership Program (SMAPP) to the U.S. and Korean market. Originally a development kit in late 2016, the SmartBoy attaches to Android smartphones, such as the Samsung Galaxy S8, turning your smartphone into a handheld gaming device. Hyperkin is aiming for a Q2 or Q3 release with an MSRP of US$49.99.
The SmartBoy is compatible with actual NTSC/PAL Game Boy and Game Boy Color cartridges, while sporting a classic-style tactile button set, making the SmartBoy look and feel like a real handheld gaming console. The SmartBoy is compatible with other apps and games, including Game Boy Advance apps from Google Play; configuration for such apps may vary. Out of the box, the SmartBoy was designed for current-gen Samsung devices with USB Type-C ports, like the Samsung Galaxy S8 – another Android device compatibility may vary. Hyperkin Product Developer, Chris Gallizzi, was ecstatic to learn his team’s baby is now a retail-ready device officially licensed by Samsung.
”The SmartBoy has been about two years in the making – three if you count the months we were kicking around the idea,” Gallizzi said. “From an April Fool’s Joke to a successful dev kit, and now an officially licensed device, that little guy has come a long way!”
