Game & Watch Gallery 3

Before consoles, before handhelds as we know them, there were the little LCD boxes called Game & Watch — and Game & Watch Gallery 3 is a loving tribute to that very first generation of handheld gaming. It's a time capsule and a full-fledged bit of fun rolled into one.

The Gallery series rests on a clever idea: take the classic, now legendary Game & Watch titles and offer them in two forms. First in the original (Classic) version, which faithfully reproduces the austere yet addictive LCD gaming of the late '70s and early '80s, and second in a modernized (Modern) version, reworked into colorful, richer graphics with characters from Nintendo's world. So you can see with your own eyes how game design evolved.

Mechanically it's a collection of arcade and puzzle minigames whose charm lies in simplicity and the chase for a higher score. They're built on instant comprehensibility and a gradually accelerating pace — you grasp them in a few seconds, but keeping your reflexes and focus as the momentum builds is a challenge that holds you at the screen far longer than you'd expect.

This collection is at the same time valuable as a piece of history. Game & Watch were what laid the foundations of portable gaming and inspired even the control elements of later consoles. Having them together on the Game Boy Color means holding in your hand a showcase of the roots of an entire industry.

For the nostalgic it's a touching visit to the past; for younger players an unexpectedly fresh showcase of how little it takes for catchy fun. In both cases it's a title that ages with grace — because a good game idea never grows old.

Why play it: For a loving collection of classic Game & Watch games in both original and modernized form — addictive fun and a look at the roots of handheld gaming.