Taking the Game Boy into full color with the Game Boy Color and while it wasn't a huge step up from the original Game Boy in terms of specs but it was a great Game Boy system for wanting your Game Boy games in Colour as well as being able to play your old games. Here of the best of the best of the games on the Game Boy Color.
10: Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble
Developer: Nintendo R&D2
A Kirby game that introduced the Tilt control mechanics that were revolutionary for it's time. You control Kirby by tilting the Game Boy device around to move and also rotate the character around and flipping the console upwards like you would flip a pancake will even fling Kirby up into the air. The player's goal is to complete the levels by finding the Red Star in each level and the levels are designed well with the tilt mechanics in mind. The game was well praised for the Tilt controls which worked out pretty well solid level design making it a simple game to pick up and play.
9: Metal Gear Solid
Developer: Konami/Tose
A Metal Gear Solid game on the Game Boy Color that was not directed by series former creator Hideo Kojima but instead it is Shinta Nojiri leading the project alongside assistance from Tose. It adapts the trademark stealth gameplay of the 2D entries in the series as well as utilizing mechanics from the PSOne Metal Gear Solid game. With smooth well animated sprites, amazing graphics alongside excellent cutscenes and a storyline that acts as a alternative continuity of the original Metal Gear game 7 years after that game. Anyone who enjoys the main console releases of the Metal Gear games will enjoy this entry on the Game Boy Color.
8: Pokemon Trading Card Game
Developer: Hudson Soft/Creatures
Pokemon goes into the Trading Cards arena and then a game comes out from that and it is a really fantastic one at that. In the game players draw out different Pokemon Cards resembling the different Pokemon to use in battle and also use special cards to not only heal their Pokemon but also to power them up to attack as well. The card aspect of the game is addictive and features many different cards based on the actual card decks. It was a truly unique spin on the Pokemon formula and was a brilliant way to catch em all.
7: Bionic Commando Elite Forces
Developer: Nintendo Software Technology
Bionic Commando Elite Forces is a great handheld adaptation of the NES Bionic Commando game however playing a little different from that. The game features a different plot with an unnamed male and also female commando alongside brand new segments like sequences where you get to use a sniper rifle to take out enemies. It also features a map design similar to Super Mario Bros 3 and it has all round solid gameplay where you use a grapple hook to get around the levels and pull yourself up to higher ledges. It may have NOT been made by Capcom but it is still a very amazing worthwhile game to play.
6: Mario Golf
Developer: Camelot Software Planning
While the Mario Sport series of games have been the more recent things to come out from Nintendo just so that they can easily fill up empty holes in their release schedule but the original Mario sport games released as far on the Nintendo 64 and the Game Boy Color were where the games were at their best. The Game Boy Color version of Mario Golf sports fantastic visuals even for the platform, a nice variety of different courses and the mechanics were simple and easy to pick up and get the hang of instantly. It even added RPG mechanics where your golfers will get experience points making them more efficient and even features music composer for Tales of Series and Dark Souls games Motoi Sakubara who crafted excellent music for the game. Anyone wanting to take a brilliant golf out on the go the Game Boy Color version of Mario Golf is easy to recommend.
5: Shantae
Developer: WayForward
Despite coming out when the brand new Game Boy Advance console was on the market Shantae still managed to become a cult classic among fans. You play as the eponymous half genie character Shantae on her quest to travel the lands of Sequin Land while dealing with the evil pirates and their leader Risky Boots. It was well praised for the fantastic graphics and animation as well as brilliant sound as well as getting upgrades like new dance moves as well as a day & night cycle. It maybe overly expensive because of the obscurity due to being released late in the Game Boy Color's life but thankfully it has been re-released on other platforms including the Nintendo Switch Online Service and modern PlayStation consoles.
4: The Legend of Zelda Oracle of Seasons/Oracle of Ages
Developer: Flagship
Two fantastic Zelda games that were developed by a subsidiary of Capcom known as Flagship and they truly delivered. Oracle of Seasons as Link travel through the different seasons that can be controlled with the Rod of Seasons while Oracle of Ages as Link going through time for the Harp of Ages which allow him to travel through the past, present and future. These two games carry the gameplay of Link's Awakening which also got a fantastic Game Boy Color upgrade with fun puzzles and gameplay mechanics. You can even link the two games together so the storyline of Ages follows from Seasons allowing for a very unified experience. So you don't just get one adventure but you get both fantastic adventures that can transcend incredibly well and they are worth experiencing to see how the two play out.
3: Wario Land 3
Developer: Nintendo R&D1
After his villain role in Super Mario Land 2 Wario would go on to star in his own series of games with Wario Land and change his role into an anti-hero. Wario gets taken into Music Box World where he gets to go through a series of all new levels that have treasures to collect and enemies that can give Wario different abilities to use. These abilities range from being turned into a zombie or getting set on fire which doesn't kill him at all. With the exception of the final boss Wario can't die or lose a life in anyway from enemies instead he shows off such massive resilience that he has against everyone else in the game. With treasures that open up new paths in levels, minigames to play and seeing what other abilities that Wario can try out this was an insanely entertaining platformer for the GBC handheld.
2: Super Mario Bros Deluxe
Developer: Nintendo R&D2
An incredibly faithful handheld adaptation of the NES game Super Mario Bros Deluxe not only has levels of the original Super Mario Bros but also levels from Super Mario Bros The Lost Levels that you can unlock. It looks and plays like the original NES game albeit with a smaller screen to compensate for the resolution of the Game Boy Color. It even has new features including two player races to see who can reach the finish line the fastest, challenges for different levels with various toys and collectibles that you could print out on the Game Boy Printer accessory. Super Mario Bros Deluxe has went on to be one of the most successful games on the Game Boy Color selling over 5 million units worldwide and like the NES game gain massive acclaim.
Honourable Mentions:
Pokemon Pinball (Jupiter/Hal Laboratory)
Mario Tennis (Camelot Software Laboratory)
Tetris DX (Nintendo)
Lufia The Legend Returns (Neverland)
Dragon Warrior Monsters (Tose)
1: Pokemon Gold/Silver/Crystal
Developer: Game Freak
And taking this top spot of the best Game Boy Color games list is the 2nd Generation Pokemon games with Pokemon Gold/Sliver and later Pokemon Crystal which take place in the Johto Region. The amount of Pokemon you get to capture is up to 250 Pokemon from both new and old. It introduced a day and night system which affect events and what Pokemon could show up. Pokemon can hold items and use them when needed and special kinds of Poke Balls were added to make use of when needed to capture certain types of Pokemon and there were new types like Steel and Dark. A new called the Poke Gear was added that functioned as a watch, map, radio and phone which allowed you to call other characters who give you their phone numbers, words of encouragement or possibly a rematch. Best of all you didn't just have the Johto Region to go but you also had the original Kanto Region with redesigned Gym Leaders like Brock, Misty and Blaine and after that one more final challenge which many who have played the game before knows. Pokemon Gold/Sliver/Crystal continued the addictive trend that Pokemon Red/Blue/Yellow started and expanded upon them with all new features and all new Pokemon that you wanted to catch. The 2nd Generation Pokemon games have went on to become one of the most popular and fastest selling games on the Game Boy Color while also going on to still becoming one of the best Pokemon games in the franchise selling over 29 million units.
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