Like Bandai, SNK totally underestimated Nintendo. However, one thing it lacked was a colour display. It boasted a powerful 16-bit CPU, 20 hours of battery life from two AA batteries and even built-in PDA-style functionality, such as a clock, calendar and horoscope reader - these features required an additional Lithium CR2032 battery. 1998's Neo Geo Pocket was, like the WonderSwan, built to outshine the then-ageing Game Boy. After an abortive attempt to make its domestic tech more affordable with the Neo Geo CD system in the mid-'90s, SNK decided to expand into the handheld sector. However, the WonderSwan never saw release outside of Japan, and as a result it is SNK's Neo Geo Pocket which tends to stick in the memories of most western handheld enthusiasts.Ī veteran of the '80s arcade scene, SNK was most famous at this point for its Neo Geo arcade system, which also spawned a home console in the shape of the Neo Geo Advanced Entertainment System. The Bandai WonderSwan was perhaps the most interesting challenger - on paper, at least - because it was designed by Gunpei Yokoi, the man who created the Game Boy when he was still at Nintendo. As the '90s drew to a close Nintendo's massively popular Game Boy handheld - which was almost a decade old and had already seen away more powerful rivals like the Atari Lynx and Sega Game Gear - was about to face a fresh wave of competition.

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