Bandai WonderSwan
The Bandai WonderSwan, released in 1999, was designed by the legendary Gunpei Yokoi (creator of the Game Boy) as his final gaming hardware before his passing. This Japanese-exclusive handheld emphasized elegant simplicity: a low price point, exceptional battery life (30+ hours on a single AA battery), and the unique ability to play games in both horizontal and vertical orientations. The WonderSwan and its color successor became home to impressive ports and exclusives: multiple Final Fantasy remakes (I, II, and IV), Front Mission, and Digimon games that rivaled their console counterparts. The system's sound capabilities were particularly impressive for a handheld of its era. While Bandai's handheld never officially released outside Japan, it captured around 8% of the Japanese handheld market despite competing against Nintendo's dominant Game Boy line. The WonderSwan represents Yokoi's "Lateral Thinking of Withered Technology" philosophy—using mature, inexpensive technology in innovative ways.
Bandai
1999
Handheld Consoles
0
Popular WS Games
View All →About Bandai WonderSwan
The Bandai WonderSwan, released in 1999, was designed by the legendary Gunpei Yokoi (creator of the Game Boy) as his final gaming hardware before his passing. This Japanese-exclusive handheld emphasized elegant simplicity: a low price point, exceptional battery life (30+ hours on a single AA battery), and the unique ability to play games in both horizontal and vertical orientations. The WonderSwan and its color successor became home to impressive ports and exclusives: multiple Final Fantasy remakes (I, II, and IV), Front Mission, and Digimon games that rivaled their console counterparts. The system's sound capabilities were particularly impressive for a handheld of its era. While Bandai's handheld never officially released outside Japan, it captured around 8% of the Japanese handheld market despite competing against Nintendo's dominant Game Boy line. The WonderSwan represents Yokoi's "Lateral Thinking of Withered Technology" philosophy—using mature, inexpensive technology in innovative ways.