GlucoBoy blood-sugar testing game finally ships

We first noticed the GlucoBoy blood-sugar testing game for the Game Boy Advance way back in 2004, but it's taken three years for inventor Paul Wessel to get the necessary approval from Nintendo to start manufacturing the game. Targeted at kids with juvenile diabetes, the device rewards timely testing and target blood sugar levels by doling out points that can be used to unlock 2 full length games and 3 additional mini-arcade games, and kids can share point totals and high scores on a related website called GRIP. GlucoBoy is now available in Australia, but the company hopes to have wider availability soon.

[Via Joystiq]

[strider_mt2k @ Dec 7th 2007 8:26AM]

Blood sugar baby
he has it

Game magic
That's tragic

[oshean @ Dec 7th 2007 9:48AM]

Who sings that song? The Red Hemoglobin Clotting Platelets?

[Grizz @ Dec 7th 2007 8:37AM]

Damn, i need to get me some of that Diabetes!

[Bob The Mexican @ Dec 7th 2007 9:10AM]

Don't be such a Diabetes fanboy.

[Karim @ Dec 7th 2007 10:49AM]

Blood sugar levels can be tested either via blood or urine. Rumors are that Nintendo is working on a urine test game for diabetics called the Pii.

[Ray Romanczuk @ Dec 7th 2007 11:01AM]

Is there a way to speedrun this? Something like testing yourself until you black out? If the GBA had achievement points I'd go for it.

[Andrew @ Dec 7th 2007 12:09PM]

I'm Wilfred Brimley, and I suffer from diabetes.

You play your Glucoboy, you play it often. It can help you live a better life.

[kevjohn @ Dec 7th 2007 12:29PM]

If you like this, you'll LOVE the game they're coming out with for people infected with herpes to test for outbreaks!

[Greg Legowski @ Dec 7th 2007 1:09PM]

I understand the thinking, but I think it's a horrible idea. Type 1 diabetes can be a real hardship on kids as it is (believe me -- I was diagnosed on my 3rd birthday!), now add this external "competition".

How demoralizing is it going to be to a child when they "lose" a game?

Good intent, bad idea.

[ZeroCorpse @ Dec 7th 2007 2:16PM]

I think they should make one like this that uses a pregnancy test instead of a blood sugar test.

If you're pregnant, your pokemon WINS!

[Wwhat @ Dec 7th 2007 2:45PM]

I think it's an awful idea to combine medical stuff and bloodtesting with games, that's so certain to go wrong sooner or later.

[Blake Bowen @ Dec 7th 2007 3:30PM]

Check you feet.

[Roofus @ Dec 7th 2007 6:09PM]

There's nobody who deserves a little fun in the drab routine more than those kids.

[ratnikh @ Dec 8th 2007 12:48AM]

My bloodsugars. Let me show you them.

Ahem.

But seriously... can it play Doom?