The Wonderswan Color was Bandai’s upgraded version of the original Wonderswan, a handheld console that initially launched in 1999. Introduced in December 2000, the Wonderswan Color was designed to compete more effectively against Nintendo's Game Boy Color and the soon-to-be-released Game Boy Advance. Although it never achieved worldwide success, the Wonderswan Color made a notable impact in Japan, and its legacy is still recognized by gaming enthusiasts today.
The Wonderswan Color represented an important chapter in the evolution of handheld gaming, as it introduced a new set of features and a more robust game library compared to its predecessor. This article delves into the history, innovations, challenges, and eventual decline of the Wonderswan Color and its role in the broader gaming industry.
1. Background and Development of the Wonderswan Color
By 2000, the gaming landscape had evolved significantly. Nintendo’s Game Boy series had already become the dominant force in the handheld gaming market, with competitors like Sega's Game Gear and Atari’s Lynx struggling to maintain a foothold. Bandai’s original Wonderswan had seen moderate success in Japan, thanks in part to its affordability and unique features like its dual-orientation design and long battery life. However, it was clear that the black-and-white screen of the original Wonderswan would not suffice in a market increasingly drawn to color handheld consoles.
To compete more directly with Nintendo’s Game Boy Color, Bandai needed to introduce a color version of their handheld. The Wonderswan Color was the natural evolution of the original system, offering a more vibrant gaming experience while maintaining many of the features that made the original system unique. The introduction of color significantly enhanced the console’s appeal and broadened its potential game library.
The Wonderswan Color was developed under the guidance of Gunpei Yokoi, the legendary creator of the Nintendo Game Boy. Yokoi had a philosophy of "lateral thinking with seasoned technology," which emphasized using mature, proven technology in innovative ways to keep production costs low. This approach was evident in the Wonderswan Color’s design, which focused on affordability without sacrificing functionality.
2. Hardware and Features of the Wonderswan Color
The Wonderswan Color boasted several improvements over its predecessor, making it a more competitive option in the market. One of the most significant changes was the inclusion of a color LCD screen. The screen could display up to 241 colors simultaneously from a palette of 4,096, which was quite impressive for its time. This allowed for more visually complex and engaging games, making the console more appealing to a broader audience.
In addition to its color capabilities, the Wonderswan Color maintained the dual-orientation design of the original Wonderswan. This allowed players to hold the console either horizontally or vertically, depending on the game being played. This design was particularly useful for genres like puzzle games and shmups (shoot 'em ups), which benefited from a vertical orientation.
Another notable feature was the Wonderswan Color’s battery life. Despite the addition of a color screen, the console remained incredibly energy-efficient, able to run for up to 20 hours on a single AA battery. This was a significant selling point, as competitors like the Game Boy Color required more frequent battery changes. The Wonderswan Color’s impressive battery life helped it stand out among handheld consoles of the time.
In terms of hardware, the console was powered by a 16-bit NEC V30 MZ processor, which allowed it to handle more complex games compared to the original 8-bit Wonderswan. This upgrade made the Wonderswan Color more competitive with other 16-bit handheld consoles, such as the Neo Geo Pocket Color and even the Game Boy Advance, which would be released in 2001.
3. Game Library and Notable Titles
One of the Wonderswan Color’s biggest strengths was its game library, which included a mix of exclusive titles and ports of popular games. Bandai’s existing connections to the anime and toy industries allowed it to release games based on well-known franchises, such as Gundam, One Piece, Digimon, and Dragon Ball. These games appealed to fans of these franchises and helped drive the system’s popularity in Japan.
Perhaps the most significant boost to the Wonderswan Color’s library came from Square (now Square Enix), which released Final Fantasy games on the system. Final Fantasy I and Final Fantasy II were ported to the Wonderswan Color with enhanced graphics, and these games were seen as system-sellers, particularly for fans of the RPG genre. The release of these iconic titles gave the Wonderswan Color a level of prestige that helped it compete against the Game Boy Color.
Other notable titles on the system included Chocobo's Dungeon, Tales of Phantasia, and various Bandai Namco games. The Wonderswan Color also supported backward compatibility with the original Wonderswan's library of black-and-white games, giving players access to a larger selection of titles.
4. Challenges Faced by the Wonderswan Color
Despite its many strengths, the Wonderswan Color faced several challenges that ultimately hindered its success. The most significant of these challenges was the imminent release of the Game Boy Advance, which launched in 2001. The Game Boy Advance was far more powerful than both the Wonderswan Color and the Game Boy Color, featuring 32-bit graphics and a robust library of games. With backward compatibility for all previous Game Boy titles, the Game Boy Advance quickly became the preferred handheld console for most gamers.
Another major challenge was the Wonderswan Color’s limited availability. Bandai chose to focus almost exclusively on the Japanese market, which prevented the console from gaining traction in other regions like North America or Europe. Without an international release, the Wonderswan Color couldn’t compete with the global dominance of the Game Boy series.
Additionally, while Bandai’s connections to anime and toy franchises helped drive sales in Japan, the company struggled to secure third-party developer support outside of these niche markets. The Wonderswan Color lacked support from major Western developers, which limited its game library compared to the Game Boy Color and the Game Boy Advance.
The Wonderswan Color’s screen quality was also a point of criticism. While the console’s color display was an improvement over the original black-and-white screen, it was not as bright or vibrant as the displays on competing systems. This made it difficult to play in low-light conditions, a problem that would later be addressed by backlit handheld consoles.
5. Decline and Legacy
Despite a promising start, the Wonderswan Color’s sales began to decline after the release of the Game Boy Advance. By 2003, Bandai had officially discontinued the Wonderswan line, marking the end of its efforts to compete in the handheld gaming market. In total, the Wonderswan series (including the original Wonderswan, Wonderswan Color, and SwanCrystal) sold approximately 3.5 million units in Japan, a respectable figure but far from the success of Nintendo’s handheld consoles.
Although the Wonderswan Color was not a global success, its legacy within the gaming industry remains significant. The console demonstrated that there was room for innovation in the handheld gaming space, particularly with its dual-orientation design and focus on affordability and battery life. The Wonderswan Color also introduced several beloved titles to its fans, particularly the Final Fantasy ports, which are still regarded as some of the best versions of the original games.
6. Conclusion
The Wonderswan Color holds an important place in the history of handheld gaming, particularly in Japan. Although it could not topple Nintendo’s dominance in the market, it offered an alternative for gamers who were drawn to its affordable price, energy efficiency, and strong game library. Bandai’s decision to focus on color gaming while maintaining backward compatibility with the original Wonderswan’s games demonstrated a commitment to innovation within the constraints of proven technology.
The Wonderswan Color’s legacy lies in its ability to provide a unique handheld gaming experience during a highly competitive era in the industry. While the system may not have achieved the same global success as the Game Boy Advance, it remains a cherished piece of gaming history, particularly for fans of anime-based games and classic RPGs like Final Fantasy.