If you think Sony’s PlayStation Portable was the first portable console with video games that are not black and white, think again. Now, if you think it was Nintendo’s Game Boy, you are, unfortunately, mistaken. Surprisingly, it was an American computer and video game consoles manufacturer, Atari Corporation’s Lynx, launched in 1989.

And to pique your curiosity more, guess who starred in the video game console’s promotional advertisement? It’s your friendly neighborhood superhero, Spider-Man. But Tobey Maguire is yet to be bitten by a spider, so he’s just a regular human in the ad.

The first of its kind: Atari Lynx and Tobey Maguire in a commercial

Competing directly with Nintendo’s Game Boy, Atari launched Lynx in 1989, two months after the launch of its direct rival. But Lynx had the upper hand in the bout. The console hit the ground running with its remarkable color LCD display and went down in history as the world’s first handheld console to offer such a feature.

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The Lynx was commercialized as a handheld pocket-sized console. However, it was far from being a pocket-sized gadget. In spite of its portable and handheld capability. The console had the potential of being the best-selling console of its time and was a powerhouse of a machine with its hardware and software advancements compared to the Game Boy.

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However, the two-month lead helped Nintendo seal its market dominance with third-party developers opting to stray away from Lynx. In 1991, Atari debuted the Lynx II with improved battery life, hardware, and a classy look. Although the new and improved console saw a ray of hope in terms of increase in sales, Nintendo had already cemented its place in the market.

Well, at least Tobey Maguire preferred the Lynx over the Game Boy. But it was mostly because it was a “Color video game you can get away with.” Or at least they claimed so in the 1990 commercial.

Have you ever had the chance to try out an Atari Lynx? Or do you prefer the Game Boy? Let us know in the comments down below.

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