Nintendo was first seen in 1985 when they released the NES entertainment system. The first Handheld MicroConsole was the Gameboy, released in 1989, games were viewed using the screen which was made up of 4 shades of Grey. Probably most memorable for the game Tetris, it has sold over 150 million units worldwide and is the most successful video game ever released.

Next up was the Gameboy Pocket; this was released the same time as Nintendo's N64 console in 1998. It was a slimmer upgrade to the original and came in a variety of colours. The playing screen was still in Grey.

Followed next by the Gameboy Advance (GBA) MicroConsole in 2001. This portable console provided better graphics than its predecessors and played on a larger screen. 10 of millions were sold around the world.

2003 bought the Gameboy Advance SP. The design for this handheld was considerably different to previous models and was able to close shut like a clam. The screen size was the same as the GBA but it was lighter and smaller. Additional features included a rechargeable battery and a back light for the screen.

The next console is the Nintendo DS, released in 2004 in Japan and the US followed by the 2005 Europe release. This is truly a step up in technology from the last Gameboy. This became the leading portable handheld of its time by a significant margin and features top of the range technology. This included Wi-Fi, a Microphone and Touch Screen, also backward compatibility which meant all previous games could be played on this model.

Nintendo Gameboy Micro was officially the last handheld to bear the famous Gameboy name and is the same as a GBA in a compact form. Released in late 2005 worldwide.

Early 2006 came the Nintendo DS Lite. This was an upgrade to the original DS and features brighter screens and is both smaller and lighter. Another popular handheld.

The most recent portable console to be unleashed by gaming giant Nintendo is the Nintendo Dsi. Japan had first sight in November 2008 whilst the rest of us are still waiting for the release in April 2009. This new console is packed full of the latest technology and functions and is almost going to be a certain hit with gaming fans. The Dsi has 2 touch screens, 2 built in cameras (1 x 3 mega pixels and 1 x 0.3 mega pixels), Wi-Fi, SD Card slot, Picture, Music and Video capabilities. Games are downloadable online as well as new software updates.

Below is the Nintendo Handheld Micro Console time line presented in a nut shell.

Gameboy Original - 1989 US and Japan | 1990 UK
Gameboy Colour - 1998 worldwide
Gameboy Advance - 2001 worldwide
Gameboy Advance SP - 2003 worldwide
Nintendo DS - 2004 US and Japan | 2005 UK
Gameboy Micro - late 2005 worldwide
Nintendo DS Lite - 2006 worldwide
Nintendo DSi - Nov 2008 Japan | 2009 US and Europe