Bandai WonderSwan

The WonderSwan was Bandai’s first handheld console, released in Japan in 1999 as a low-cost, long-battery-life alternative to dominant portable systems. Designed by Gunpei Yokoi after his work on Nintendo’s Game Boy family, it emphasized efficient hardware, a lightweight form factor, and the ability to play in both vertical and horizontal orientations.

Its library was concentrated in Japan and became especially known for role-playing games, strategy titles, and adaptations tied to anime and classic franchises, with Square providing several acclaimed releases. Although it never launched broadly outside Japan, the WonderSwan and later WonderSwan Color and SwanCrystal remain culturally significant in handheld history for their clever design and niche software catalog.