The "April Fools" product that was displayed earlier this month turned out to be real. Dubbed as the Smart Boy, it seems that this product is a smartphone case that turns an iPhone 6 Plus into a Game Boy Color, able to play the handheld system's games. However, since the announcement came on April 1, many scoffed and dismissed the idea as a prank.
But the peripheral's developer was just testing the waters. Since the announcement also garnered many positive reviews, maker Hyperkin decided to go with it. According to their Facebook page, the developer said that the idea is now in development.
Said Hyperkin, "A lot of you were speculating that the Smart Boy is an April Fools' Joke. Well, it sort of was. We 'leaked' it with the initial intent of testing the market, seeing whether or not it should be something we'd actually make, under the guise of an April Fools' Joke."
The company added, "Looks like you awesome folks ACTUALLY WANT IT, so the Smart Boy is now in development!"
In the concept artwork on the company's social media page, the Smart Boy attaches into the iPhone 6 Plus, making the smartphone its screen and then turns the phone into a gaming handheld that is able to play Game Boy and Game Boy Color games via cartridges.
True to the original Game Boy design, the case will have an eight-way D-pad, a Start and Select button, two action buttons, and batteries that will provide at least five hours' worth of gameplay.
Today's smartphone users might find the peripheral bulky, and may ask why would there would be a need for cartridges in order to play. However, for those who grew up in the Game Boy era, the case would definitely take them back into the fledging yet glory days of retro gaming.
