What was the first handheld console to use cartridges?

The dawn of the 80s: neon was everywhere, hairstyles threatened to block out the sun, and technology looked like props from a B-movie sci-fi flick. But amidst the chaos of acid-washed jeans and synth-pop, something revolutionary was brewing in the world of gaming.

Back then, handheld gaming was about as exciting as watching paint dry. You'd get one game, hardwired into a chunk of plastic, and that was it. Hope you like tennis, buddy, because that's all you're getting for the next five years.

But some genius had an idea. What if - and stick with me here - what if you could change the game? Like, literally swap it out for a different one? Mind-blowing, right?

Enter the game cartridge. Suddenly, your handheld device wasn't just a one-hit wonder. It was a gateway to endless possibilities. One day you're saving the princess, the next you're racing cars, and the day after that you're... well, probably still saving the princess. Look, game designers weren't exactly bursting with originality back then.

This wasn't just a step forward for gaming; it was a giant leap. No longer were you stuck playing the same mind-numbing game until your thumbs fell off. Now you could play multiple mind-numbing games until your thumbs fell off. Progress!

It's hard to overstate how much this changed the game (pun intended, and I'm not even sorry). This was the moment handheld gaming went from "mildly diverting" to "holy cow, I've been playing for six hours and I think I missed dinner."

So, what was this miraculous device? What was the first handheld gaming console to use cartridges?