If you live and breath calcio, you might be fond of the Serie A Italian football side Fiorentina. Even if you just love the global game and are also a fan of Nintendo, you'll probably remember this team's classic 'Nintendo' kit of 1998. To this day, it remains one of the club's most iconic and memorable designs.
During this same period, Nintendo and Fiorentina maintained such good relations on and off the pitch, the Japanese company's kit sponsorship led to the release of an officially licensed Game Boy Pocket in the same year. The system was limited to Italy and distribution was handled by Florence-based toy company GiG. There were only 300 of these units ever produced, even though the issue number on the front of each system extends to 3,000. As noted by football news site WhoAteAllThePies, it's likely this was a misprint.
Each system featured an embossed club logo; the cardboard box it was inside had appropriately-themed logos and the plastic case had ribbons to help lift the system out. The silver handheld came bundled with Super Mario Land and the Game Boy version of Soccer, which was a fitting choice given the collaboration it spawned from.
This wasn't the only time Nintendo released a football-themed Game Boy. There was a Manchester United one, based on the original system, that was also made available many years ago. Considering how the Red Devils were a marketing powerhouse back then, and still are, this would have been a great way to cash in on what was young and hip at the time. Check it out in all its glory below:
Do you remember the years of the Game Boy Pocket? Would you like to add this limited edition system to your collection? Tell us below.
[source whoateallthepies.tv]
Comments 14
every 300 are in florence
That looks like someone's homemade additions to a standard unit. It could have at least been in purple!
What even are the odds that, despite actually living in the country in question, I found out about this just now?
That said, @Auenegheps is probably right - mostly because owning one could have given the kid in question some trouble whenever going to Pisa back in the day.
For those unaware, Florence (or Livorno) stands to Springfield what Pisa stands to Shelbyville. Pisa is the butt of many jokes among people living in Tuscany, and being from Pisa is often even used as a tongue-in-cheek insult there.
(I don't recall who else besides @spizzamarozzi and @BensonUii happens to be Italian, I'm bad with remembering names and the users I'm trying to list don't mention their nationality that often.)
The sticker in the middle is wonky and off centre and the limited edition on the bottom left looks shoddy, once again I am sceptical (as with the NBA Jam Ball)
I remember the Man Utd gameboy though
Il mio cuore è con La Viola!
Some years ago, shortly after I'd bought my Gamecube (my first Nintendo console) I was browsing in a charity shop when I found this:
I snapped it up for about £2. I'd always assumed it was a knock-off, but the lilies embedded into the fabric couldn't be easy to replicate, so maybe it's legit.
But that is how my love for La Viola (@Lroy) began.
What I wouldn't do for one of these Gameboys...
Looks to me like someone just put some stickers on an otherwise standard Game Boy pocket and sold it as a special edition.
@gcunit loved battygoal and baggio. Bernardeschi should have stayed at Fiorentina, can only imagine him and Chiesa together.
Nice! Not as rare as this though... https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/163381758127?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649
@datamonkey Man, that is cool.
Good old days: Fiorentina almost won a championship in those seasons.
I remember a Super Mario animation used to appear on the stadium screen when Fiorentina scored, while Wario appeared when the away team scored.
There are some other Fiorentina & Nintendo memorabilia around, like Super Mario keychains:
https://www.ebay.it/itm/PORTACHIAVI-SUPER-MARIO-AC-FIORENTINA-GIG-NUOVO-/113348524654
@gcunit You were right: that shirt is fake. The club logo is different.
I remember there being an Australia-exclusive green and gold Game Boy Color to commemorate the Sydney Olympics. Those were the days.
I still have my older brothers Man Utd GameBoy. It’s missing the front screen protector and back battery lid but I’ve since replaced those.
Never seen it go for higher than £70 online though.
THIS is the limited RETAIL version, there is also a similar, but slightly different, bundle that was STRICTLY limited and not for sale. THAT bundle has been given as a gift to Fiorentina players.
@Siddif the Manchester United version is a wonderful collectible item, but wasn't a limited edition (5000/10000 were made), making it more common to find
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