What do the Frisbee, Monopoly, the Bicycle, G.I. Joe and the Easy Bake Oven all have in common? They are all toys that have found their way into the National Toy Hall of Fame. And now, Nintendo's Game Boy joins their ranks.
Earlier this month, the Game Boy was inducted into the Strong National Museum of Play's Toy Hall of Fame. Along with the ball and the Big Wheel, the Game Boy now joins a timeless collection of toys and games that have been recognized for their innovation, endurance of time, reputation and educational value. These three were chosen from a group of twelve finalists to be selected as the 2009 class for the Toy Hall of Fame.
Other finalists included Cabbage Patch Kids, Hot Wheels, Transformers, the Rubik's Cube and playing cards. While these and the seven others made it to the final stages, they were not selected to enter the Toy Hall of Fame and join the 42 honorees that have been recognized over the past decade.
The National Toy Hall of Fame inducted its first class in 1998 and honors prestigious and renowned toys and games by adding them to their timeless collection of entertainment history. The Strong National Museum of Play is the only museum in the country that is exclusively devoted to the studying of "play" and its influence on the American culture.
The Game Boy, now retired and replaced by the Nintendo DS, had an iconic role in the lives of many children growing up in the ‘90s. Senior Amanda Muti reflects on her experience with the Game Boy.
"Growing up and having a Game Boy was the best," Muti said. "It was fun to play and convenient in the way that you could bring it in the car or play it at home."
Sophomore Eric LeTellier also recalls the Game Boy and his childhood,
"Whereas the television is a window to other worlds, the Game Boy was a doorway that let you enter new realities," LeTellier said.
Where other hand-held gaming systems such as Sega's Game Gear and the short lived Neo Geo Pocket Color have come and gone, the Game Boy proved to be at the top of its league and rivaled by none. Extremely innovative, Nintendo's masterpiece has only been replaced by a product of its own manufacturer. The Game Boy has established itself as a hallmark in American culture and is now honored and recognized as such by the National Toy Hall of Fame.
Derek Martinez can be reached at derek.martinez@student.shu.edu.
