The Nintendo Museum has been open for just about two days and it's already adding some fascinating new exhibits, including a host of lost prototypes for the Game Boy, Wii, GameCube, and other classic consoles.
Kyle McLain, a Nintendo fan who has resided in Japan for many years, was among the first to go to the museum when it opened on October 2. Having followed coverage of the museum closely, he was surprised to discover a brand-new exhibit featuring several Nintendo platforms in the early part of their development.
Nintendo Museum Slideshow
IGN's Twenty Questions – Guess the game!
IGN's Twenty Questions – Guess the game!
To start:…try asking a question that can be answered with a "Yes" or "No".000/250
"So apparently very late in the development of the museum, we’re talking *days* before it opened, Nintendo put in a 'Storage' exhibit on the 2nd floor; and this corner is dedicated to prototype Nintendo hardware. Literally gasped when I saw this exhibit and what was on display," McClain wrote on X/Twitter.
In a separate message, McClain told IGN that he received a tip about the addition of the prototype corner on September 24. He says that Nintendo Museum employee separately confirmed to him that the exhibit had been opened at the last minute. IGN has reached out to Nintendo to confirm.
One prototype was shaped exactly like a fidget spinner with a D-Pad and buttons. Another looked like a giant D-Pad with buttons all over it. (excuse my rough drawings). pic.twitter.com/gsktpfNIt1
— Kyle McLain (@FarmboyinJapan) October 3, 2024
While photography was forbidden in the section with the prototypes, McLain put together a lengthy X/Twitter thread using previously-released images and hand-drawn sketches of what he saw. Some of the most interesting artifacts include a handful of prototype Wii remotes, of which he claims looks something like a fidget spinner, and an N64 controller without the extra grips.
There was also a prototype of a controller that *only* had a center grip. I created this pic in photoshop to give you an idea of what it looks like. pic.twitter.com/HXnzcOBkHC
— Kyle McLain (@FarmboyinJapan) October 3, 2024
Particularly amazing is what appears to be a glimpse at a very early version of the Game Boy, which McClain says "was black with red buttons, and the layout was similar to the original GBA." McClain included a rough sketch of this prototype as well.
Prototype Game Boys. I gasped. The earliest model was black with red buttons, and the layout was similar to the original GBA. And while the final Game Boy release has the phrase “Dot Matrix With Stereo Sound”, this prototype has the phrase “Dot Matrix Game” above the screen. pic.twitter.com/k7RBblurC0
— Kyle McLain (@FarmboyinJapan) October 3, 2024
The prototype corner may also dispel some long-held rumors. Asked if the exhibit included Project Atlantis, a Game Boy rumored to be in development in 1996, McClain said, "When I saw the prototype exhibit, I was hoping the infamous Project Atlantis prototype would be on display. Sadly Project Atlantis was nowhere to be found."
Ultimately, the entire thread is worth reading, since it offers an intriguing look at early Nintendo history. McClain also separately details the rest of his trip in an exhaustive thread filled with photos and other observations.
We took our own trip to the Nintendo Museum back in September, which we described as "light on history, big on fun." In a separate interview, Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto called it the "most un-Nintendo-like thing we've ever done." The Nintendo Museum is now open in Kyoto, with tickets available via a lottery system.
Kat Bailey is IGN's News Director as well as co-host of Nintendo Voice Chat. Have a tip? Send her a DM at @the_katbot.