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Vintage Game & Watch

Nintendo's little LCD games that beeped in our pockets.

Game & Watch were born in Japan, and Japanese listings are full of them, often with their box. The words you use matter a lot: “ゲーム&ウォッチ” and “液晶ゲーム” do not give the same results at all.

In the guide below, I explain how to recognise a genuine Game & Watch and date it from its model number.

The guides

  • Game & Watch

    Nintendo's very first handheld consoles, dreamed up by Gunpei Yokoi: 60 games released from 1980 to 1991, recognisable by the model number on the back.

Searching in Japan

Keywords to paste into the search bar on Buyee, Mercari, Yahoo! Auctions or PayPay Flea Market.
KeywordWhat it means
ゲーム&ウォッチGame & Watch
液晶ゲームLCD game (a broader term, gives other results)
動作確認済みchecked and working by the seller
ジャンクsold as is, often not working

Where to find it in Japan

If you are travelling to Japan, these are the shops in the guide that stock it.

The full guide to shopping in Japan

Recent finds

  • Game & Watch Popeye Panorama Screen, open, next to its illustrated box and papers.

    Game & Watch · 1983

    Game & Watch Popeye PG-92, colour Panorama Screen, boxed (1983)

    You lift the lid and, like magic, a small mirror projects a colour picture: that is how the 1983 Panorama Screen models work, and they are among the most sought after. This Popeye works, buttons and sound included, and its mirror is not scratched. It comes with its outer box, inner box and leaflets, but without the instructions. The box is barely rubbed at the corners. A display piece, at a display-piece price.

    Toy line
    Game & Watch
    Condition
    Very good condition, working, incomplete
    Listing price
    ¥68,000 · about €378
  • Game & Watch Squish Multi Screen with its illustrated box, polystyrene tray, instructions and leaflets.

    Game & Watch · 1986

    Game & Watch Squish MG-61, Multi Screen, boxed with instructions

    Squish is the little creature squeezing between closing walls: one of the less common Multi Screen games in the series. This one is complete, with its box, polystyrene tray, almost unused instructions and two leaflets. The seller is honest: the lower screen has yellowed in places, and it is sold “as is” even though it switches on. A lovely piece to complete a collection, less so if you want a perfect copy.

    Toy line
    Game & Watch
    Condition
    Used, lower screen yellowed, switches on, complete
    Listing price
    ¥53,500 · about €298
  • Auction endedTwo-screen Game & Watch Mario Bros, open, with the Pokka brand marking, photographed by the seller.

    Game & Watch · 1980s

    Game & Watch Mario Bros, the Pokka promotional edition

    My favourite of the week. Mario Bros (model MW-56) is the two-screen Game & Watch where Mario and Luigi keep a bottling plant running. But this one is special: it bears the name of Pokka, a Japanese drinks brand that gave it away in a promotional campaign. It was never sold in shops, and you come across it far less often than the standard model. Before you fall for it: it has scratches, and the seller has not tested it. Assume it might not switch on, and have a look at the battery compartment in the photos.

    Toy line
    Game & Watch
    Condition
    Scratches, not tested, completeness to check
    Listing price
    ¥20,000 · about €111