The Gameboy Color was one of the most popular handheld consoles ever released. It had a great library of games, many of which are still considered classics. In this blog post, Glitchmind will be taking a look at some of the best Gameboy Color games ever released.
Best GameBoy Color Games?
1. Legend Of Zelda – Oracle Of Ages/Seasons (2001)
I couldn’t tell these two apart either. If you’ve read my previous articles, you won’t be surprised that the top spot on our list of the best GameBoy Color games has gone to a Legend of Zelda title (or two, in this case). After discussing Pokemon Red and Blue in the previous entry, it’s pretty fitting that we now have an entirely different Red and Blue split adventure on our hands.
2. Pokemon Gold/Silver (1999)
Because it was never going to be feasible to separate these two games, the following item on our top GameBoy Color games list is a ‘2-4-1’ special. Where do I begin; there is so much to say about gold and silver.
I always believed it would be challenging to top Red and Blue, but including 100 new Pokemon and a completely new area was all it required.
These new storylines sent players on a journey around the Johto region searching for the Pokemon master. The same principle as the earlier Pokemon games applies: facing Gym Leaders and filling up your Pokedex. Still, some of the unique features and surprises that Game Freak included in the games made 2001-me go wild with excitement!
So what made Gold and Silver stand out? The game has a real-time internal clock and is the first time we see Pokemon holding objects like berries. Legendary Pokemon walked about waiting for you to capture them, even though they always escaped, but their health didn’t return to normal between encounters, so you kept returning for more.
We saw new Pokemon, Pokeballs, and Pokegear – essentially, everything that would have improved Red and Blue is now available in Gold and Silver. If you’ve never had the opportunity to play these games, I implore you to do so.
3. Kirby Tilt’ n’ Tumble (2000)
This is a puzzle game in which Kirby must tilt and tumble his way through several brain-tickling riddles, and it’s also the first portable game to employ a cartridge with an accelerometer built in! Instead of utilizing the D-pad to navigate Kirby through trials, users may use the GameBoy Color.
This is the first instance of a gameplay style that would become the Wii, the most successful and best-selling system ever manufactured by Nintendo, as well as a significant element in the 3DS and Nintendo Switch Joy-con designs. That’s quite fantastic!
This game reminds me of Super Monkey Ball, or maybe it’s the other way around since Kirby’s Tilt ‘n’ Tumble came out earlier. Players must tilt and spin the console to steer Kirby to the objective after the level.
A countdown induces blinding horror as the numbers approach zero. However, the time remaining to finish a level may be expanded by rolling the pink-peril overclocks or completing specific checkpoints. Collect all the stars to restore Dream Land’s peaceful order and prosperity.
4. The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening DX
The original Link’s Awakening was an odd departure from prior Legend of Zelda games’ frameworks. Despite the absence of Hyrule, the Triforce relic, or even the eponymous Zelda herself, the Game Boy game was a highly hailed experience when it was launched in 1993. Fast forward to 1998, when Nintendo launched the DX version of the game to showcase the Game Boy Color.
The DX version of Link’s Awakening, not to be confused with the famed WWE partnership of Triple H and Shawn Michaels, improved the game with colorized visuals, distinct adversaries, a unique dungeon, and color-based puzzles.
There was also a photographic feature, which allowed for a dozen photos to be produced and printed using the Game Boy Printer. The final result was a delight since one of the finest Zelda games was now even better, and this version was re-released on the Nintendo 3DS for its virtual system over a decade later.
In 2019, a complete recreation of the famous title for the Nintendo Switch will be released, riffing on the original with an exquisite retro-modern graphic style.
5. Mario Golf
It is one of those titles that perfectly showed off what the Game Boy Color was capable of with its eye-catching colors, pick-up-and-play mentality, and tons of extras loaded into the cart memory. You didn’t need to pay membership fees or risk your access being revoked if you weren’t appropriately dressed.
Mario Golf was the most excellent portable golf game at the time, whether you were aiming for a hole-in-one or measuring for a perfect putt. It was much better with the N64 connection, which could compete with more established brands back then.
6. Mario Tennis
Mario Tennis, another Mario-themed sports game for the Game Boy Color, was remarkable for how rarely it utilized its cast of Mushroom kingdom residents.
While Mario and pals would come in Exhibition mode and as the final adversaries in this tennis match, the emphasis was on developing your rookie sensation and spending ability points in their development.
The concept worked well, and if you were very loyal to your tennis hero, you could even move them to the N64 edition of Mario Tennis for a more three-dimensional debut on the court.
7. Metal Gear Solid
For a good reason, Metal Gear Solid on PlayStation was one of the defining games of its period. But Metal Gear Solid on the Game Boy Color?
This port was a remarkably accurate portable version of what made the 1998 game so famous, just pared down to its fundamental foundations to function on the Game Boy Color. An excellent illustration of how a spin-off may and should attempt to match the original title’s level of fun.
The Game Boy Color version of Metal Gear Solid succeeded in providing a quality handheld spin-off experience, pitting an alternate timeline Snake against an Outer Heaven separatist group, with each operative having their specialty and a ludicrous codename that only this series could get away with.
This edition of Metal Gear Solid was more than just a fun game to practice stealth and espionage techniques; it also featured a fantastic plot and lots of extra VR mission stuff to explore after the credits rolled. All of this is included in a single cartridge.
8. Pokemon Trading Card Game
Pokemon mania saw its collectible card game spin-off reach the Game Boy Color before Pokemon cards became a viable currency or an ostentatious display of affluence that graced the necks of YouTubers.
The essential concept of the TCG remained there, as players could face each other using the original 151 Pokemon. Still, it was all wrapped up in an experience that resembled and even outperformed the original Game Boy games in several areas.
HudsonSoft was tasked with turning the TCG into a considerable RPG. The firm produced one of the finest titles on the Game Boy Color with a simplified and approachable take on the tabletop gaming sensation.
Battling club leaders, collecting cards, and relishing in the clear graphics provided a memorable—and utterly fascinating—experience that was difficult to put down. If there was a battery shortage in 2000, you could blame the compulsive one-more-turn gameplay of the Pokemon Trading Card Game.
9. Super Mario Bros. Deluxe
The original Super Mario Bros. games might have easily been ported to the Game Boy Color and abandoned. At the same time, the nostalgia-fueled revenue flowed in, but Nintendo chose a different course with Super Mario Bros. Deluxe.
Nintendo packed this version of their bestselling game, which was more than a decade old when it was launched on its portable platform, with gobs of additional material, making the whole game seem like a brand-new experience.
This bright return of Nintendo’s beloved plumbers reminded the duo’s ageless escapades from the NES days, blending familiar terrain with a slew of fresh twists.
10. Tetris DX
Tetris is as near to perfection as possible due to its ageless design, simple physics, and the challenge of mastering it at its most significant levels. When the Game Boy was initially released, it was a stroke of brilliance to include a copy of Tetris, and an upgraded version of Tetris was unavoidable for the Game Boy Color.
Tetris DX was its name, and it had several enhancements to the classic game’s stack them and clear them block-busting action.
Two new gaming modes had been introduced, as well as a profile option for save games, and the game looked beautiful, with vivid colors that made each tetromino stand out. Tetris DX, another Game Boy favorite in this iteration, was familiar but better.
11. Wario Land 3
Powering up your character via exploration was an old notion by the time Wario Land III arrived. Still, Nintendo’s unkillable bruiser found a way to breathe new life into these old ideas.
Each level in this game was a wonderfully exciting time game, each building on its many features to discover other hidden mysteries when returned in this cult classic sequel. Each one was very drawn and filled with amusing music.
12. Dragon Warrior Monsters (1998)
The next item in our list of the top GameBoy Color games was published before the system itself, which is unusual when you think about it!
Dragon Warrior Monsters was also backward compatible with the original GameBoy, making it one of the top GameBoy games of all time! This was the first DWM book published in Europe, and it tells the narrative of the series’ main protagonists, Terry and Milly when they were both youngsters.
The settings in this vibrant RPG are evocative of a Legend Of Zelda title. At the same time, the gameplay is reminiscent of the Pokemon series in the form of in-game breeding of your Dragon Warrior Monsters. Don’t be alarmed; you don’t see any creatures getting filthy. After all, it’s a family game.
The plot centers on Terry embarking on a journey to rescue his sister. Instead of fighting fights, like in previous Nintendo RPG titles like Quest 64 (or Holy Magic Century if you’re a fan of the top N64 games in the world), Terry relies on creatures he meets or coaxes into combat route to perform his fighting for him. Allow someone else to get their hands filthy, youngster.
Along with Terry’s first monster, ‘Slib the slime,’ you must overcome a wicked monster and all of the hurdles and dark dungeons that lie in your way if you are to rescue your sister and restore some peace to the earth. Slib may not be as excellent as Pikachu, but everyone has to start somewhere, right?
13. Donkey Kong Country
Donkey Kong Country, one of the finest SNES games, was ultimately converted to the Game Boy Color, complete with the same gameplay as its bigger brother.
The graphics had to be reduced to operate on the less powerful Game Boy Color, but the distinctive and somewhat stiff leaping remained, making it one of the most challenging games on the device.
Donkey Kong Country may not have the same general popularity as Super Mario Bros., but it has a unique charm and flavor. The fact that it can be played anywhere only adds to its allure.
14. Harvest Moon GBC
When Harvest Moon GBC is available, who needs Stardew Valley on Switch? The Game Boy Color version, an upgraded version of Harvest Moon GB for the original Game Boy, is a portable take on the series’ typical farming action, tasking you with remodeling a farm and making it into a successful plot for both crops and animals.
The Harvest Moon series’ appeal has made it a classic for years, and designing your farm to your desire is both soothing and gratifying.
15. Pokemon Pinball
Pokemon Pinball, like a conventional pinball machine, includes one control button on each side to adjust the direction of your ball.
Pokémon Pinball is a themed pinball game that may be played in the usual manner to accumulate the highest possible score before running out of balls.
However, it includes additional Pokémon-specific elements, with players able to collect and even evolve creatures via good pinball play.
It’s one of the more popular spin-offs in a franchise that has had its fair share of success, and although it won’t keep players entertained for as long as the core role-playing games, it’s still worth a look.
16. Asterix & Obelix
They allow players to play as either Asterix or Obelix as they battle Romans throughout the realms of Britania, Helvetia, Grecia, and Hispania.
This side-scroller included multiple levels designed to represent other nations, and you could even play with a companion using the same keyboard.
The brawls in Asterix & Obelix never stopped, and these hard-hitting Gauls were a fan favorite from the start.
17. Toy Story 2
While you may have played Toy Story 2: Buzz Lightyear to the Rescue on your home console, the Game Boy Color version was radically different.
Players took control of Buzz, who could run, jump, and shoot his way through 11 levels. Players who gathered the unique coins throughout the game might unlock two additional levels.
Although it wasn’t a big game, it was fun to play through, and taking on the primary enemy Stinky Pete was funny.
18. Wacky Races
Wacky Races featured many cars, each with its own distinct skills, giving players various driving styles to select from.
It also borrowed a page from Mario Kart’s playbook by equipping each vehicle with objects such as exploding pumpkins and bubblegum to confuse other racers.
Four game modes, including multiplayer, gave gamers a wealth of excellent stuff to enjoy.
19. Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets
Fans of the series appreciated being able to play their favorite characters in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, which followed the same idea as the book and film of the same name.
The gameplay was similar to the Philosophers Stone, except it included Wizarding Cards and a new spell that exposed adversaries’ vulnerabilities.
Overall, it wasn’t the most refined game, but it was a terrific opportunity for Harry Potter enthusiasts to explore the wizarding world on portable devices.
20. Resident Evil Gaiden
Unlike the Resident Evil 3 remake, Resident Evil Gaiden featured top-down gameplay that switched to a first-person perspective when your character was assaulted.
On the other hand, the scenario was typical of a Resident Evil game, with three playable protagonists attempting to escape a cruise ship overrun with the undead.
21. Blaster Master: Enemy Below
The initial game was launched for the NES, and its sequel let players drive the Sophia 3 land vehicle in an attempt to save the planet.
Enemy Below seemed highly similar to the original game for those who played it, but not in an overdone sense.
It was similar enough to feel familiar yet distinct enough to keep gamers interested.
22. Ghosts ‘n’ Goblins
There were never enough fantasy Game Boy Color games to go around, and Ghosts’ n’ Goblins was one of the greatest.
It was up to players, dressed as the mythical King Arthur, to save Guinevere from wicked creatures ranging from trolls to gorgons.
This game was a must-play for everyone who liked battling enormous monsters.
23. Mega Man Xtreme
Mega Man is undoubtedly recognizable to everyone who has played Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
As a Capcom legend, this character received his own Game Boy Color game, which neatly fit within the character’s storyline, which began on the SNES.
Mega Man may be used to climb walls and blast through foes to reach the finish of each level in this game.
The bosses were all mash-ups of previous game characters, making them scary and nostalgic.
24. Dragon Ball Z: Legendary Super Warriors
The Dragon Ball Z game covered several sagas and gave gamers a lot of bang for their dollars.
Even if you just played it once, there was always more to discover the more you played.
It was a fantastic motivation to keep coming back, and the simple, turn-based gameplay made it a fun game to play.
25. Toy Story Racer
While there were several racing-based Game Boy Color games, only this one enabled you to play as your favorite Toy Story characters.
There were ten distinct courses to race on, including one set at Pizza Planet, and they were all pre-rendered in full video motion.
26. Legend of the River King
Real-life simulation games are undeniably popular, so fans are ready to pay to see players play titles like Farming Simulator.
This underappreciated fishing game is comparable to simulation games and is surprisingly enjoyable to play.
Legend of the River King was everything but dull for a fishing RPG. It charged players with fishing to catch the one fish that would heal their ailing sister.
It was simple, but it had a lot of heart, and it was easy to lose track of time fishing to attain your character’s objective.
27. Grand Theft Auto 2
Although many Game Boy Color games were aimed at children, GTA 2 introduced all of the depravity and bloodshed that the franchise is renowned for to the portable system, providing adults with a more mature game to play.
Players may pick up assignments from phone booths and spend a lot of time stealing automobiles and killing people to unlock new locations to explore, much like in the original game.
28. Bomberman Quest
Players took control of Bomberman as he progressed through several levels, battling enemies and earning essential goods.
The ultimate aim was to become strong enough to battle the four distinct bosses in each section, which may be challenging.
29. Tomb Raider: Curse Of The Sword
Lara Croft is one of the most well-known video game characters, and she made her Adventure Boy Color debut in this fascinating game.
Lara is injured after witnessing the theft of a magical sword from an artifacts museum, and her blood is collected by the followers of an evil wizard who wants to use it in a horrible ritual.
30. Shantae
A true hidden treasure and latecomer to the Gameboy Color party. Shantae was a bright and exciting portable platformer.
Shantae reimagines outstanding concepts from previous Nintendo games and adds fresh, imaginative twists to the platform genre. Innovative gameplay elements include transforming into animals to solve puzzles, collect things, and secret access regions.
Do you want to climb the walls? Change into a monkey. An impediment in your path? Transform into an elephant. These inventive elements contribute to the game’s overall variety of strategy and excitement.
Hidden trinkets and a day and night cycle for risk and reward scenarios add to the replay potential of this incredible gem of a game.
31. Hamtaro: Ham-Hams Unite!
The purpose of Hamtaro, a delightfully charming Game Boy Color game, was to find the other Ham-Hams in his clubhouse.
There were several items to engage with and unique terminology that players had to master as they filled up the Hamchat vocabulary.
32. Lufia: The Legend Returns
The RPG has all of the components that fans of Final Fantasy and Skies of Arcadia have grown to appreciate, and you may form a party of up to nine members to assist you in moving through the narrative.
Every second of this game was crammed with combat, mysteries, and thrilling adventures, all set inside a vast landscape that you could explore in detail.
33. Game & Watch Gallery 2
The game & Watch Gallery series was full of collections of Nintendo’s biggest titles, and this Game Boy Color version included games like Parachute, Donkey Kong, and Chef.
There were two modes of play: classic mode, which faithfully reproduced the games, and modern mode, which used a different style and Mario series characters.
34. Toki Tori
Toki Tori was a puzzle game with platformer elements that told the story of a young yellow chick on a mission to save his younger samples which had not yet hatched.
Players must proceed through four worlds, picking up each egg using specific tools discovered in that level.
It was basic yet cute and a must-play for Game Boy Color players of all ages.
35. Street Fighter Alpha: Warriors’ Dreams
Street Fighter is one of the finest fighting games of all time, and Warriors’ Dreams transformed it into one of the best Game Boy Color games.
The super combination mechanism was modified in the Game Boy Color version, and a three-level combo gauge was included.
Players could learn brand-new techniques, and the single-player mode pitted players against seven distinct opponents, with the final boss dependent on the player’s character’s backstory.
36. Rayman
Rayman is a video game classic, and it’s difficult to mistake this armless and legless hero for anybody else.
Everything from the original game was faithfully ported to this handheld console in this Game Boy Color adventure, and critics and fans loved it.
It was the ideal side-scrolling adventure, with over 70 levels to explore, and it was easy to get lost in the quest to conclude.
37. Crystalis
In this game, a terrible conflict almost wipes out all of humanity, and the survivors build a massive tower to watch over the earth’s ruins.
When the player character awakens from cryo-sleep, they are faced with battling creatures, and the remains of a totalitarian empire prepared to repeat the errors that led to the first great war.
38. Survival Kids
Survival Kids was one of Konami’s finest adventure Game Boy Color games, featuring memorable characters and intriguing narratives from start to finish.
This game is incredibly versatile since you may move at your speed and discover several open-ended solutions to challenges.
Its top-down viewpoint was wonderfully depicted, making collecting treasures seem natural and satisfying.
39. Game & Watch Gallery 3
Classics including Mario Bros., Donkey Kong Jr., Flagman, and Donkey Kong II were included in the game & Watch Gallery 3.
Like its predecessor, users could play these games in traditional or contemporary forms, and having them all in one place was convenient.
The museum mode also allowed you to examine screenshots from some of the most famous video games of all time, such as the original Super Mario Bros., even though they couldn’t be played in-game.
40. Pocket Bomberman
Pocket Bomberman was one of those simple-looking Game Boy Color games rapidly becoming difficult.
All players had to toss bombs and blow up foes, but it was simple to blow oneself up, forcing you to replay the level… and again.
41. Yu-Gi-Oh! Dark Duel Stories
Yu-Gi-Oh! Dark Duel Stories was a craze when it originally debuted, and even people who didn’t collect or play the card game found something to like about it.
The gameplay was similar to the Pokémon trading card game, which gained a higher ranking and needed players to combat opponents to advance.
42. Mr. Driller
Mr. Driller had a similar idea to the classic game Dig Dug: players had to dig their way to the bottom of the screen by breaking colored blocks throughout the playfield.
If four blocks of the same hue were touching, they would be demolished, and you’d have to keep an eye on your character’s oxygen meter, filling it up by collecting air capsules.
It has the feel of something you could play on one of the top Sega Saturn emulators, yet it looks current and can be played on your Game Boy anywhere.
43. Bionic Commando: Elite Forces
In an alternative universe where Hitler has been revived, it is up to the player character, a super commando, to eliminate him once and for all.
While the Game Boy Color edition followed the same general plot as the original game, it featured new characters and settings that set it apart.
44. Warlocked
Players could choose to play as a member of the evil Zog forces or as a human under the command of Queen Azarel in this impressive Game Boy Color fantasy title.
This game featured wizards and magic, as well as real-time battles and collecting and building elements that made it truly unique.
It was also great to witness the tale unfold from two separate viewpoints, which gave it more replayability than many other Game Boy Color games.
45. The Black Onyx (2001)
You may think the following example on our list of the finest Gameboy Color games is a bit strange. Because this is a Japanese release, it differs from the NTSC and PAL boxes.
After all, no one said this list had to be regional!
You can find Japanese consoles and games on second-hand websites all over the internet, and The Black Onyx is one to add to your collection if you do. It was the first successful Japanese language role-playing adventure and one of the early portable RPGs.
Conclusion
The Game Boy Color may have only been for a brief time. Still, it was a fantastic age since its primary objective was to upgrade over the original Game Boy games, which had no color and weaker technology. This might explain why the Game Boy Advance was released shortly after since the console became obsolete quickly.
