The Game Boy Color hit shelves in 1998 and proved that Nintendo’s rip-roaring success with the originalwasn’t just a fluke. The console has a Goliath library of phenomenal games and even boastedbackward compatibilitywith original Game Boy titles.
Those games vary massively in quality, and there are some absolute stinkers that plague the library. On the bright side, there are somebrilliant system sellersand many examples of the innovation we expect from Nintendo.
The hardest part of putting this list together was picking just 10 games, but here are some of the best titles that prove the Game Boy Color meant business.
10Tetris DX
More Than Just Tetris In Color
Tetriswas a system seller for the original Game Boy and remainsthe authority in the puzzle genreon its successor. The IP isstill going strong todayand even boasts a VR option.
Tetris DXlooks like the original game with asplash of color, and honestly, they could have gotten away with just that, and players would love it.
Thanks to the upgraded hardware, moving tetrominoes around feels snappier and more responsive. You’re alsoincentivized to play fast, as you get more points for dropping blocks manually.
DXdoesn’t have modern features like ‘holding’ but is a brilliant iteration of ‘classic’ Tetris.
The only downside is that the soundtrack is a notable downgrade from the original.Everything else is a marked improvementand great for yourTetrisfix on the go.
9Kirby Tilt n' Tumble
A Great Gimmick
Kirby Tilt ‘n’ Tumble
The Game Boy Color may seem like limited hardware, but that didn’t stop Nintendo from trying all sorts of’one-off' experimentswith it.
Kirby Tilt and Tumbleis one of those thatincorporates an accelerometerbuilt into the game cartridge! The accelerometer allows you to tilt the Game Boy Color to manipulate Kirby’s movements in the game.
Speaking of the gameplay, Kirby Tilt n' Tumble tasks players withnavigating obstacle courses by tilting the consoleinstead of using the D-Pad. It’s a bizarre mechanic, but it works incredibly well, even on the original hardware.
While there are certainly deeper games on the system, this particular Kirby outing is unforgettable.
8R-Type DX
A Must For Shmup Fans
TheR-Typegames are space shooter or ‘Shmup’ royalty, andDXisone of the most ambitious gamesin the series, considering the hardware.
The developers actually managed to cramtwo gamesinto theR-Type DXcartridge. Both original Game BoyR-Typetitles are built-in and havewelcome color enhancements. It’s much easier to read the game state when your opponents shoot different color bullets than your own.
There’s even an autofire setting, so you canhold the shoot buttoninstead of wearing out your thumb.R-Type DXhas a battery built into the cartridge, saving your progress. Those batteries in the original software might be failing around now, but it was a novel way for players to store their high scores.
The R-Type games never stumble intobullet hellterritory, but they don’t need to, and they have a uniquebiomechanical stylethat fans have adored for decades.
7Dragon Warrior Monsters
A Top-Tier RPG You Never Played
Dragon Warrior Monsters
We live in a time when Nintendo isattacking the developersofPalworld, but back in 1999, they were OK with games likeDragon Warrior Monstersby Enix.
Dragon Warrior Monstersis asuperb JRPGthat focuses on collecting monsters. There areover 200 critters to collect, and much likePokémon, your monsters replace you in combat.
There aren’t any Pokeballs inDragon Warrior Monsters. Instead, the monsters you defeat on the field may ask to join your team, so there’s much more randomness.
In fact,even the world layout is randomized, which makes the game replayable, although I prefer curated worlds. There’s abreeding systemwith thousands of combinations, and your monsters even follow you in the open world, like Pikachu inPokémon Yellow.
Dragon Warrior Monstersis an incredible RPG on the Game Boy Color. If you enjoy it, you’ll be pleased to learnthere are five more gamesin the series.
6Metal Gear Solid
Kept You Waiting, Huh?
Key Information
Action Adventure
Release Date
April 2000
Every Game Boy console has its fair share ofhome console ports. Sadly, these often end up as poor imitations and a waste of time if you own them on a more robust system. However, that’s not the case withMetal Gear Solid.
Metal Gear Soliddoesn’t try to recreate the PS1 game story, opting for anexclusive pocket-sized adventureinstead. This was a smart choice, and the tactical stealth action series is a perfect fit for the plucky handheld.
Everything you expect fromMetal Gear Solidis here. Stealth is the best way to play, exploration is rewarded, and there are even Codec conversations.VR training even makes an appearance, and it’s admirable how much the developers crammed into a humble Game Boy Color cartridge.
If you’re after a new adventure in theMetal Gear Soliduniverse,this is a solid entryyou can take around in your pocket.
10 Best Game Boy Advance Games, Ranked
The Game Boy Advance gave us several fantastic titles, but here are some of the best and unforgettable ones.
5Super Mario Bros. Deluxe
Brimming With Features
Platformer
My favorite portable Mario game will always beSuper Mario Worldon the Game Boy Advance, butSuper Mario Bros. Deluxeremainsan incredible entryfor fans.
TheSuper Mario Deluxecartridge ispacked full of features, but the main attraction is the originalSuper Mario Bros, faithfully remastered for gaming on the go.
The gameplay feels almost identical to the home console, and there’s evena save featureto make those 32 levels a little less insurmountable.
Super Mario Bros. Deluxeeven made use of several optional Game Boy Color peripherals. You could use aLink Cableto battle your friends in an addictive racing mode.
The game even hadGame Boy Printer support, and you could print out cute little stickers based on achievements in-game.
4Pokémon Pinball
One Of The Best Spin-Offs
Pokemon Pinball
Pinball games work great on a handheld, andPokémon Pinballis easilythe best on the console.
Pokémon Pinball captures theaddictive gameplay loopof ‘catching ‘em all’ but on a pinball table. You can initiate a capture minigame by hitting specific shots and can evenevolve your Pokémonin a similar way. There’s a travel system to visit different areas from the games and show, and you havetwo tablesto play with.
Honestly, the table layouts are pretty basic, andthe physics are nonsensical, but they get the job done. The original cartridge even had a cute littlerumble packpowered by a single AAA battery, a system a few other games utilized.
Besides the Pokémon Pinball game on the GBA, Nintendo never revisited the spin-off series, and the only way to get more is to go down theROM hack route.
3Wario Land 3
No Pain, No Gain
Wario Land 3
Everyone knows who Wario is, but farfewer have played his Game Boy Color games. It’s a shame because they are unexpectedly decent puzzle platformers, withWario Land 3just inching out its predecessor.
Unlike a certain Italian plumber,Wario can’t diein his platformers. In fact, he must get hurt to solve puzzles and progress through the game.
For example, if you find blocks with a fireball symbol, you must break through them by setting Wario on fire and letting him charge across them.
There are some impressivelywell-thought-out mechanicsinWario Land 3, and it’s a breath of fresh air compared to regular 2D platformers.
2The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages
A Pocket-Sized RPG Of Epic Proportions
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages
Link’s Awakeningis aphenomenal Zelda gameon the original Game Boy and even has a color upgrade inThe Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening DX. The Game Boy Color also has its own Zelda games, which areabsolute bangers.
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Agesfeels likea natural upgradefromLink’s Awakening, with pretty graphics, environments, and anexcellent soundtrack.
Without delving too deep into spoiler territory, Link unwittingly manages to give an evil sorcerer the power of time travel, and it’s your job to fix the mess you’ve caused.
Your epic adventure will take you everywhere, from stone dungeons to whimsical forests. I’ve recommended Oracle of Ages as it’s my favorite, butSeasons is just as good.
Ages is more puzzle-focused, while Seasons is more combat-oriented, so pick whichever is best for you. I daresay if you beat one, you’ll want to finish the other.
1Pokémon Silver and Gold
You Can’t Beat The Classics
Pokemon Gold and Silver
It may not be the most surprising conclusion, butPokémon Silver and Goldmake the top of the list as a pair ofphenomenal entries in the franchise.
Silver and Goldfeel like anupgrade in almost every wayfromRed, Blue, and Yellow, with a new map and Pokédex. Everything you love about the series is here, and it’s a surprisingly challenging entry if you’ve not played the older games.
The part that kicks these games into the stratosphere for me is thatthere are two maps. Before we all had the internet at our fingertips, it was mind-blowing to ‘beat’ the game only to realize there wasan entire new continentjust east of your hometown!
The Pokémon games on the original Game Boy werelightning in a bottleand titles we still talk about today. The entries on the Game Boy Color proved the series has real staying power.
10 Game Boy Color Hidden Gems
The GBC had much more to offer than just Pokemon Silver and Gold.
