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How Much Did Handheld Game Consoles Cost? Game Boy to Switch

Handheld consoles have always had to answer one awkward question: how much will people pay for a small screen? This guide looks at what handheld game consoles cost at launch, using five machines that went on sale between 1989 and 2017.

The original Game Boy, which launched in 1989; handheld game consoles cost far less than home consoles for years.
Photo: Evan-Amos, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Each price is the launch price in the United States, and each machine has its own page with the sources.

Game Boy (1989): $89.95

The Game Boy went on sale in North America on July 31, 1989 at $89.95, with Tetris in the box. Nintendo had deliberately chosen simple, proven parts: a green-tinted black-and-white screen and an 8-bit processor. Rivals had colour screens but cost more and ran through batteries quickly, whereas the Game Boy ran for hours on four AA batteries. Nintendo backed it with a $20 million marketing campaign. In today’s money it is about $243.63. See the Game Boy launch price page.

Sega Nomad (1995): $179

Sega’s Nomad was a handheld Genesis that played the same cartridges, and it arrived in North America in October 1995 at $179. Game Players magazine called that price “a bit steep”, but still said it was the best portable system on the market. It sold about 1 million units, came late in the Genesis era and was discontinued in 1999. See the Sega Nomad price page.

Game Boy Color (1998): $79.95

The Game Boy Color went on sale in North America on November 18, 1998 at $79.95, which was $10 less than the original Game Boy had cost nine years before. It had a 2.3-inch colour screen, and it still played every original Game Boy game. See the Game Boy Color price page.

Nintendo 3DS (2011): $249.99

At $249.99, the 3DS was the most expensive Nintendo handheld ever when it launched in North America on March 27, 2011. Its headline feature was a screen that showed 3D pictures without special glasses. Sales were so disappointing that Nintendo cut the price by nearly a third to $169.99 on July 28, 2011, less than six months after launch, and gave early buyers 20 free classic games. See the Nintendo 3DS price page.

Nintendo Switch (2017): $299.99

The Switch launched worldwide on March 3, 2017 at $299.99 in the United States. It is a hybrid: the tablet can be docked to a TV or used as a handheld. Consoles usually get cheaper with age, but on August 3, 2025 Nintendo raised the US price of the Switch, Switch Lite and Switch OLED by about $50, blaming new tariffs. See the Nintendo Switch price page.

Handheld launch prices at a glance

What the numbers show

The 3DS cost about 2.8 times what the original Game Boy did in headline dollars, but the Game Boy’s price is about $243.63 in today’s money, so the real gap is much smaller. Across the five machines, the cheapest launch was the Game Boy Color at $79.95 and the most expensive was the Switch at $299.99. The cheapest handhelds were the ones that kept their technology simple. For the bigger picture, see the evolution of video game consoles.

Play it yourself

Think you know what a console cost on launch day? Play the free daily price-guessing game on Price Time Machine and challenge your friends.

Questions about handheld game consoles cost

How much did the original Game Boy cost?

The Game Boy cost $89.95 when it launched in North America on July 31, 1989, with Tetris in the box.

How much did the Game Boy Color cost?

The Game Boy Color cost $79.95 when it launched in North America on November 18, 1998.

How much did the Nintendo 3DS cost at launch?

The 3DS cost $249.99 in North America on March 27, 2011, and Nintendo cut it to $169.99 on July 28, 2011.

How much did the Nintendo Switch cost at launch?

The Switch cost $299.99 in the United States when it launched on March 3, 2017.

Related guides

Sources