Boxing Day 2020 saw the resurfacing of one of the strangest peripherals the gaming world has ever seen; the Nintendo WorkBoy.
Nintendo WorkBoy Discovered by Video Game Historian
Let's face it, Nintendo didn't originally manufacture the Game Boy console with productivity software in mind. However, at one point it intended to release an accessory that flipped the idea of the Game Boy on its head.
The WorkBoy essentially converted the popular handheld Game Boy console into a PDA, and video game historian Liam Robertson has dug one up, as shown in his YouTube video above.
How Was the Nintendo WorkBoy Located?
Robertson is a video game historian, so he knows a thing or two about obscure add-ons and elusive concept peripherals.
The Nintendo WorkBoy is one such peripheral, and Liam made it his business to locate the device. He knew Nintendo wouldn't stump up its own prototype, so he looked elsewhere.
First, he spoke to Eddie Gill, whose company, Source Research and Development, had designed the WorkBoy. This proved fruitless, but Gill sent Robinson in the direction of former Fabtek founder, Frank Ballouz.
Fabtek was the company responsible for producing the WorkBoy prototypes and, as luck would have it, Ballouz had one in his possession. It was soon in the hands of our intrepid video game explorer, ready for him to share with Nintendo fans everywhere.
What Could the Nintendo WorkBoy Do?
Initially, not much. When Robertson received the device, the applications cartridge wasn't in the box. Sadly, testing couldn't continue.
However, a mass leak of Nintendo files soon allowed the historian to locate the required software and test out the WorkBoy.
The apps actually sound quite interesting (although most of it still doesn't work). There are twelve applications in total, which include the likes of a calendar, accounting software, and even an auto-dialer for your landline phone!
The peripheral itself looks like a keyboard, and viewing the boasted physical features in the video is quite amusing. Two call-outs highlight the shift key which "doubles keyboard functions" and the arrow keys which are "used for cursor movements". Big selling points...
OK, so it is no Nintendo Switch and is unlikely to have ever been one of the best Nintendo accessories but this is a significant find, nonetheless.
Can You Get Your Own Nintendo WorkBoy?
No, you can't unfortunately. We believe that only two exist; this one and Nintendo's own prototype, which it has probably locked away in a vault somewhere.
If you want to try out some of the Nintendo Switch's best productivity apps, like Korg's Gadget digital audio workstation, or the FUZE4 custom coding app.
