Who founded Bandai and when did the company start?
Naoharu Yamashina founded Bandai in 1950 as a manufacturer of toy cars and plastic models. The company shifted its focus to electronic games by licensing the anime character Tetsuwan Atomu in 1963.
Questions about WonderSwan
Short answers, pulled from the story.
When was the WonderSwan console officially unveiled and released?
The system was officially unveiled in Tokyo on the 8th of October 1998. The WonderSwan launched on the 4th of March 1999 in Japan with nine casing colors available including pearl white and skeleton green.
What processor does the main CPU of the WonderSwan use?
The main CPU of the WonderSwan is a 16-bit NEC V30 MZ processor that functions as a variant of the Intel 8086 chip. This hardware allows the original model's screen to display up to 16 shades of gray while showing eight colors simultaneously.
Why did Bandai decide against releasing the WonderSwan in North America?
Bandai signed an agreement with Mattel to bring the handheld to North America in 2000 but ultimately decided against a Western release due to the crowded market. The exact reason for this decision remains unknown to historians today.
How many units of the WonderSwan sold combined across all variations?
Selling 3.5 million units combined across all variations, the WonderSwan captured up to 8% of the Japanese market at its peak. Bandai discontinued the entire line in 2003 due to low demand and backed out of producing video game hardware altogether.