Nintendo Game & Watch Series (1980-1991)

Nintendo Game & Watch - "Ball"

🥇First Handheld Video Game System from Nintendo 

thought:The Nintendo Game & Watch Ball (Model AC-01), released on April 28, 1980, is the "Patient Zero" of Nintendo’s handheld empire. Conceived by the legendary Gunpei Yokoi after he observed a bored businessman playing with a calculator on a Shinkansen train, Ball was the first entry in the "Silver Series" and the first time an LCD screen was used for a dedicated gaming device. The premise was deceptively simple: players moved a juggler’s arms to catch falling dots, with Game A featuring two balls and Game B increasing the chaos to three. While it lacked the directional pads or complex sprites of later models, it introduced the world to the "segmented" animation style that defined portable gaming for a decade. In 2026, the original 1980 unit remains a high-value crown jewel for collectors, often fetching between $300 and $500 depending on the condition of the silver faceplate, though many modern fans own the 2010 Club Nintendo reissue, which faithfully recreated the hardware to celebrate the brand's 30th anniversary.

Source: eBay Auction