National Toy Hall of Fame Welcomes Game Boy

Congratulations, Game Boy, you’re not only pushing 20 years old, you’re also now a legend among toys, having been inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame. Here’s what the Strong Museum of Play had to say about the induction: “No video-game platform did more to put gamers on the go than this invention. And go they did – bringing their gaming experience to school, to summer camp, and to the back seat of the family automobile.” Strong also notes that the Game Boy pioneered handheld multiplayer long before ad-hoc wireless and Wi-Fi were the standard, and hit the big time with Super Mario Land (the sequel was particularly excellent) and Tetris, which came packed in with the device.

Game Boy is the second game console to enter the Strong Museum’s hallowed halls, joining the Atari 2600, which popularized the home console gaming front. Also among this year’s inductees were the ball (straight-up) and the Big Wheel, a sit-down tricycle with a front wheel large enough to grant you neighborhood pimp status. Toys inducted into the hall of fame are judged on icon status, longevity, innovation and discovery, meaning the toy fosters learning and creativity. I’ll tell you what I learned from Super Mario Land: You can collect coins by throwing Power Balls at them. That’s the kind of lesson that sticks with you. [PR (PDF) via Nintendo Life]