The Game Boy That Survived a Gulf War Bombing

When people talk about Nintendo’s Game Boy, the usual memories are of Tetris marathons, trading Pokémon with a link cable, or sneaking in one more round under the covers with a flashlight. But there is one Game Boy out there with a history so wild that it belongs in a museum, and it actually does.

During the Gulf War in the early 1990s, a soldier’s Game Boy was caught in the middle of a bombing strike. The device was scorched, melted, and battered beyond recognition. Its once light gray shell had turned into a charred husk. The D-pad looks fossilized and the screen casing bubbled from extreme heat. By all logic, this little handheld should have been nothing more than a hunk of plastic and circuitry.

When it was tested, something unbelievable happened. The Game Boy still powered on and played games. Despite taking the kind of punishment that would destroy most electronics in seconds, Nintendo’s little handheld kept going and proved itself to be every bit as tough as its reputation.

Today, this battle scarred relic is on display at the Nintendo store in New York City. It sits behind glass, still functional, still loaded with Tetris, still a testament to the durability that helped make the Game Boy one of the most beloved consoles of all time.

So next time your Switch drifts or your controller dies mid game, just remember that somewhere in New York there is a Game Boy that survived a war and kept on gaming. #RetroReplayFYI

What’s the most extreme thing you have put your console through and it still worked? Drop your story below.