The Game Boy Is Back, On Your Mac

If you see the distant glow of neon wind breakers and your mood ring is rapidly shifting colors, we have news for you. Thanks to a new patent filed by Nintendo, your favorite Game Boy classics could be available through an emulator on tablets and smart phones. Let your inner '90s kid shine like a Lite Brite.

According to My Nintendo News, the patent was filed this June and made public last Thursday. The emulator would make various iterations of Game Boy platforms available on your phone, tablets, and in the back of planes. This is huge, because not only could you possibly be able to play Mario while flying, but the patent goes against previous pledges from company bigwigs to only make the games available on its own platforms.

Here is the patent:

A software emulator for emulating a handheld video game platform such as GAME BOY.RTM., GAME BOY COLOR.RTM. and/or GAME BOY ADVANCE.RTM. on a low-capability target platform (e.g., a seat-back display for airline or train use, a personal digital assistant, a cell phone) uses a number of features and optimizations to provide high quality graphics and sound that nearly duplicates the game playing experience on the native platform. Some exemplary features include use of bit BLITing, graphics character reformatting, modeling of a native platform liquid crystal display controller using a sequential state machine, and selective skipping of frame display updates if the game play falls behind what would occur on the native platform

Funny how Game Boy, which used to be the height of gaming sophistication, now seems like such a nostalgic thing. But strap on your butterfly clips, because we're about to hit you with a blast of pure '90s joy.

Pokemon

Red, blue, yellow — the primary colors that ruled our lives in the latter part of the decade. It is perhaps the most successful cross-medium franchises of the '90s, encompassing a card game, video game, TV show, and a very awful movie.

Super Mario Land

"Eeetsa me! Maaario!" This early version of the handheld Mario series, released in 1989, gave birth to over 30 appearances of the beloved character. They also probably also gave you a permanent complex about mysterious turtle shells.

Donkey Kong

Donkey Kong became the first Mario series game to support color on the Super Nintendo, which meant it was the most awesome thing that ever happened. Does anyone else remember the roller coaster level?! Legit the real reason I won't ride those at fairs.

Images: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images; Giphy (5)