Nintendo's creation of the cross-shaped pad changed gaming
forever; indeed, every subsequent Nintendo game system has used
the same basic shape, which has become an industry standard for
gaming consoles. (The clamshell look incorporated in later
designs of Game & Watch systems would also prove to be
timeless.) Was the Game & Watch a pioneer that paved the way for
modern handheld technology? Maybe. The "& Watch" part of the
system name referred to the platform's inclusion of a fully
functional watch, featuring an alarm. That may have inspired
future designers to include additional features to improve a
product's selling points through multifunctionality--a
forerunner of today's PDAs or BlackBerrys. Or maybe I'm
overestimating the impact of the platform's simple digital watch
feature. A look at the primary board for the original Nintendo
Game Boy. Click on image to enlarge. The Game & Watch systems
had a short shelf life because the simple design made for
repetitive play and somewhat unimaginative action. Under