Nintendo Game Boy x Air Jordan 1… why hasn’t this collaboration happened before?
Let’s rewind back to the era of vibrant neon hues, the distinctive click of cassette tapes, and beats spilling from blaring boomboxes. Of course, we’re talking about the late 80s/early 90s. It was a time when the Nintendo Game Boy was an absolute must-have for any young gamer. Sure, it wasn’t the most cutting-edge technology on the block, but the pure joy that gaming on the fly brought was enough to make it an accessory every kid needed.
But let’s bring it back to 2024 for a moment. This year is the 35th birthday of the Nintendo Game Boy, a device that transformed how we played video games. To rightly honour this sturdy grey gamer, we’ve decided to pay homage to it in the best way we know how: by highlighting a sneaker design inspired by its iconic look!
This fantastic custom design by Andrew Chiou shows off all the things we remember so fondly about the Game Boy. For starters, the sneaker features a retro-aged look that perfectly captures what one of these little machines might look like after time if it had been well-loved or well-used.
The use of light and dark grey on the base and overlays is a dead ringer for the handheld device’s plastic frame and screen border. Chiou also translated its magenta-hued buttons onto the Swooshes and Jordan Wings on the ankle flap.
RELATED: Air Jordan 6 “Butter and Toast” Celebrates National Toast Day
The classic green screen resurfaces via the 8-bit tongue label and the matching swing tag that hangs from the shoelaces (is that MJ leaping in 8-bit?). And to amplify the theme? Subtle nods to gaming iconography like the ‘start’ script and the Nintendo Game Boy logo make this pair that much sweeter.
The final touch to this stunning custom is the artfully aged white midsole and grey rubber outsole combo below. Now this is a gaming-inspired aesthetic we’d love to see on the AJ1.
RELATED: We Really Need A PS5 x Air Jordan 5 Sneaker
As I mentioned before, the Nintendo Game Boy wasn’t the most sophisticated portable gaming console of its era. In fact, those green screens and black pixels probably didn’t intimidate its competitors. But where it did shine (and oh, how brightly it did) was that it allowed us to carry gaming legends with us wherever we went. This meant we could pack in even more hours of faves like Tetris and Super Mario Land. To top it off, the shell felt kinda invincible. That’s to say, it survived an endless battering by young, somewhat irresponsible owners with greasy pizza fingers or clumsy feet.
This Air Jordan 1 Nintendo Game Boy design is a fun way to remember all those good old times.
Source: CNET
