A Buyer's Guide to Handheld Electronics From the 90s

Even with so many modern-day forms of electronics, there's still a lot of fun to be found with electronic devices from the 1990s. With a mix of nostalgia and simple technology, the devices make great gifts and allow you to relive games you played as a child. While you cannot find a lot of the items at retail, a pawn shop offers many ways to buy the tech.

Follow this guide to learn about various electronics from the 90s and what to look for when you're shopping for the items.

Game Boy Systems

The Nintendo Game Boy was one of the top handheld consoles of the 1990s. The original Game Boy was released in late 1989, making it one of the top electronics for the early 90s. The 8-bit system played games on cartridges and relied on disposable batteries to power the device.

As you shop for a Game Boy, you should know the difference between the different models and releases. The first release featured the bulkiest design and used four AA batteries. The batteries are one of the biggest indicators of the model.

In 1996, the Game Boy Pocket was released, which featured a much slimmer style and design. The Game Boy Pocket only uses two AA batteries. You should open the battery compartments to see if old batteries were left inside the handheld console. If batteries were left, some of the acids may have leaked. If so, the area would need to be fully cleaned before use.

You could also shop for the Game Boy Color, which was released in 1998. One of the biggest benefits of the Game Boy Color was the console could play new color cartridge releases along with the whole back catalog of original Game Boy games.

Tiger Electronics

For individual games, the 90s was a really popular time for Tiger handheld electronics. The Tiger handhelds featured a small LCD screen with permanent background designs and graphics over the top. While Tiger released generic games with themes like football and wrestling, a majority of their catalog included licensed movies, TV shows, and characters.

As you shop, look for popular themes like Disney movies, children's cartoons, or superheroes like the XMen. No matter what the theme is, the layout is pretty much the same. The games feature a D-pad on the left and action controls on the right. Just like the Game Boy, you should check the battery compartment to ensure acid erosion isn't present.

Digital Pet Toys

One of the crazes in the 90s was the digital pet toy craze. Digital pet toys were featured on small key chains. Kids could take care of their pets, play games, and interact in various ways. Many companies released digital pets. Some of the more popular options were Tamagotchi, Digimon, and Giga Pets.

The small screens displayed basic pixels and often included a small speaker. The key to purchasing a digital pet toy is replacing the internal batteries. Many of the small toys relied on small circular watch batteries to operate. A small screwdriver will give you access to the back and a pawn shop may have tools you can use to inspect the digital pet toy.

Along with general pets, the toys also feature licensed characters like R2-D2, the Jurassic Park T-Rex, and Reptar from Rugrats. The licensed characters may be more rare and valuable. You can expect those prices to be a little bit higher than traditional digital pets.

Casino Games

Older kids and adults in the 1990s would often enjoy casino-based handheld electronics. The handheld games would typically feature basic themes. For example, you could purchase a five-card poker game or a blackjack game. With a new battery, you can save high scores and keep those scores for extended periods of time.

Basic casino games are probably some of the cheapest handhelds you could find. Without licensed characters or advanced features, the games were produced cheaply and the low prices still remain.

Check out all of our electronic options available at 2 J's Pawn & Gun. We have a wide inventory and will guide you in the right direction as you seek out retro electronics.