
WonderBorg: A robot kit, similar to Nintendo’s R.O.B.MobileWonderGate: This web browsing and email add-on featuring NTT DoCoMo cellular phone interface was way ahead of it’s time and set the stage for the PSP and DS browsers.Though even with a big name publisher and several stellar titles, Nintendo released the Gameboy Advance shortly after and simply sunk the ship that was the Wonderswan. Bandai’s Deal With Squaresoft: Versions of Final Fantasy 1 & 2 redone in a more modern graphical style really sent wind into Bandai’s sails.(See “Control Schemes” below for more info) Innovative Design: Designed by fabled Gunpei Yokoi and featuring both horizontal and vertical game controls, the Wonderswan truly was ahead of its time.The Wonderswan never actually made to a retail scene outside of Japan.A strong Japanese backing, and several redesigns, allowed the Wonderswan to hang on for several more years and have many amazing ports, but ultimately it was laid to rest in early 2003.After a year of success, the little handheld met the same fate as all that preceded it when Nintendo released the Gameboy Advance.The Virtual Boy failure caused him to resign from Nintendo in ignominy, but Gunpei Yokoi remained a man with an impressive video game pedigree). (Gunpei Yokoi was the mastermind behind the early Game & Watch games, the original Gameboy, Kid Icarus, Metroid, and the infamous Virtual Boy.


The RetroGaming 101 series is aimed at gamers who are just starting out in the classic gaming scene or are curious about an older console that they don’t know much about yet. Bandai Wonderswan 101: A Beginner’s Guide
