Getty Images/Getty Images

Millennials and some Gen Zers who grew up in the early 2000s may fondly look back on some of their earliest gaming experiences on consoles like the Game Boy Advance. The handheld system, which launched in 2001, was an essential gadget for gaming on the go . It is also one of several retro gadgets that have made a comeback through Nintendo Switch Online, third-party emulators, and devices capable of loading GBA cartridges. While some gamers may have far more vivid memories of cracking open titles like "The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap" and "Metroid Fusion," among others, a select few may vaguely remember hearing of, or perhaps even playing a GBA competitor developed by the telecommunications company Nokia, of all entities: the Nokia N-Gage.

The Nokia N-Gage was a hybrid mobile phone and handheld console intended to one-up competitors like the Game Boy Advance and PlayStation Portable with its calling and texting capabilities, among other functions like Bluetooth connectivity and…