Cartridge After Cartridge, Pokémon’s Tiny Sport Boy Jukebox Revives Kanto Tunes

Pokémon turns 30 this 12 months, and the Pokémon Firm needs to present its followers slightly one thing to rejoice. They created the Sport Boy Jukebox, which is a modest tribute to the unique Sport Boy. It’s a tool that pulls music instantly from Pokémon Purple and Blue. We’re speaking 45 tiny mini cartridges buried within the field, every with a single observe or sound impact from the unique 1996 video games.

You will get a pink or blue unit on the Pokémon Middle web site for $69.99, however you’ll must act shortly. Gross sales started on February 27, 2026 in america, United Kingdom, and Canada, and followers went loopy, thus provides bought out shortly on-line. In the UK, individuals are already making an attempt to promote them on eBay for double the value. In Japan, nonetheless, it’s a lottery, which is handy for many who can take part, with the Purple and Inexperienced cartridges representing the video games that have been first launched in Japan.

It’s slightly system, roughly a 3rd the scale of the unique Sport Boy, sufficiently small to slot in your pocket or go away in your desk. There aren’t any buttons or video games to talk of; it’s merely a prop, a chunk of historical past, however in case you pop the again off, one can find three LR44 button cell batteries inside to maintain it working, nonetheless you need to provide your personal. There’s additionally a helpful compact storage container to maintain all of the cartridges organized whilst you’re not utilizing them.

Once you insert a cartridge, a static picture seems on the display screen that corresponds to the observe inside, and you’ll then hear the very same music or sound impact that might have been discovered on the unique Sport Boy, which was made to sound precisely prefer it did again then. All the audio was managed by the identical Junichi Masuda who composed the music for these video games, making it a real piece of historical past.

The cartridges are all miniature, but equivalent, copies of classic Sport Boy video games. Flip them over to disclose small footage or scenes that correspond to the music, resembling Pallet City for a serene vibe, Rocket Hideout for a extra tense environment, or Lavender City for a chilling impact. You may hear Jigglypuff’s lullaby, the title display screen bell, the concluding swell, and even the profitable music. Each one of many 45 music from the unique video games made it onto the Jukebox; none have been left off.

There isn’t a headphone jack, so that you’ll must depend on the built-in audio system to play your music (albeit at a decrease quantity). Good as a nostalgic desk toy or a quick pick-me-up. When the batteries run out, merely change them and proceed as traditional.