Hyperkin plans to revive the Game Boy before Nintendo has a chance , II The Game Boy Is Coming Back, Hyperkin's Ultra GB Plays Original Cartridges , II Hyperkin plans to release a new (old) Game Boy in 2018

Game Boy Hyperkin is known for its lineup of retro consoles and introducing new ways to play old games. At CES 2018, the company revealed a prototype of the Ultra GB, which plays Nintendo Game Boy games using the original cartridges.
The Ultra GB shares a similar design to the Game Boy Pocket, but it's built with an aluminum body and a front-lit screen. Button layout and ergonomics remain the same as the old handheld, though. You'll find the volume control and power switch in same place as the original Game Boy. While the concept design has a blue tint to the screen, Hyperkin is adding an RGB wheel to change the screen's color tint in the final model.
The prototype Ultra GB has a DC power connector, but the final version will charge through a USB-C port. There's also a link cable port to maintain the multiplayer capabilities of some Game Boy games. Stereo audio is another big feature on the Ultra GB, which was implemented with Chiptune musicians in mind.

The Hyperkin Ultra GB prototype running Pokemon Blue.

Hyperkin hasn't given a release date for the Ultra GB just yet but stated that it's aiming to launch by the end of the year. A price hasn't been set either, but the company said it's likely to be under $100 USD. A near-final build will be shown off in June at E3 this year.

 

With the wild popularity of gaming's past, seen with the NES Classic and SNES Classic, it seems a return of the old handhelds is in order. We've covered some of Hyperkin's products in the past like the SaveWizard for PS4, the retro-style X91 Xbox One controller, and Retron HD that plays NES games.

Enlarge / Not an actual picture of the Ultra Game Boy.

 

FURTHER READING

Everything you need to know about the Super NES Classic Edition

There has been plenty of nostalgic attention being paid to classic console hardware updates in recent years, from Nintendo's official plug-and-play Classic Edition consoles to third-party clone consoles. But for all the focus on the TV-based game consoles of yesteryear, we haven't seen much corporate interest in recreating the portable system of the past.
That now seems set to change, as Gizmodo reports from CES on the Ultra Game Boy, an aluminum-cased portable console that resembles the slimmer Game Boy Pocket more than the bulky 1989 original system. The case's authenticity extends down to a cartridge slot that supports classic games and those familiar volume and contrast knobs on the edge, along with a new third knob letting players adjust the color of the system's backlight.
Gizmodo reports a six-hour battery life with USB-C charging for the prototype, which also sports stereo speakers and dual audio outputs targeted at chiptune makers. Hyperkin is reportedly still finalizing the hardware and is aiming for a 2018 release at "under $100," according to the report.
This isn't Hyperkin's first foray into Game Boy nostalgia. The company first introduced its SmartBoy accessory as a joke, then actually released the Android phone sleeve, which provides authentic Game Boy controls and cartridge support for smartphone-based emulators.
The Ultra Game Boy removes the need for a separate Android phone and slims down the form factor quite a bit. But it's not clear yet if it will provide emulator-style benefits like Super Game Boy color palettes, save states, and the ability to save ROM images of your actual cartridges. It's also not clear if Game Boy Color games will be supported or whether the Ultra Game Boy is simulating the actual Game Boy hardware or relying on less reliable software emulation for the console.
With Hyperkin laying down the gauntlet, the pressure is on Nintendo to hurry up and announce the Game Boy Classic Edition everyone assumes is being planned. Pack-in games like Tetris and Pokemon Red and Blue and that rerelease would pretty much be a guaranteed best-seller.