It’s been nearly 24 years since the Gameboy Color revolutionized the handheld world by introducing consumers to handheld games with color.
While its tenure as a console was short-lived from 1998 to 2003 in favor of the Gameboy Advance, the Gameboy Color was a handheld system that created some great games to experience nostalgia and remember when things were simple.
If you are looking for games that will immediately bring you back to the simple times of childhood, keep reading on as we take you on a road trip back to the past. The following games listed are in no particular order.
Wario Land 3
Wario, the arch-rival of Mario, provided players with a nice dose of weird and fun gameplay true to the Mario series with Wario Land 3. The game maintained its core platforming elements that made the Mario series popular while capitalizing on the puzzle-solving aspect that makes Wario Land 3 a game that you could come to appreciate the older you get.
Fans who got frustrated solving some of the game’s pesky puzzles back then may enjoy the game more with a new lens.
Overall, the game is a satisfying joy to play on the Gameboy Color which has wonderful sound effects and bright music that has players’ nostalgia at its peak.
Donkey Kong Country
Originally a SNES game, Donkey Kong Country made its way to the Gameboy Color with virtually the same gameplay, apart from slight visual downgrades.
Still, Donkey Kong Country’s gameplay is still just as fun, as it was on the SNES, except this version, can be played anywhere you go. Players are able to jump around the universe as Donkey Kong as he and his nephew Diddy Kong journey on a quest to acquire their stolen banana hoard from the evil King K. Rool. A different feel from Super Mario Bros., Donkey Kong Country has a charm to it that makes any re-run or first-time play of the game one that can appeal to anybody.
Pokemon Pinball
The unorthodox Pokemon game is quite a simple, yet fun and addicting game that had ’90s kids locked in on trying to get the maximum score each playthrough. Similar to how a physical pinball machine has one control button on the left and right side, Pokemon pinball used the left and right bumpers on a Gameboy color to do the same.
But, it would not be a Pokemon game if there wasn’t a twist involving Pokemon-specific features. In this game, players are able to capture Pokemon and evolve them throughout the pinball game.
While it does not have a long runtime compared to the series’ main role-playing games, Pokemon Pinball is definitely one of those Pokemon games that will bring you down a whirlwind of memories.
Super Mario Bros. Deluxe
The 1999 Mario platformer is a timeless classic that never really needed updates, but the updates it did receive were very impactful toward the overall feel of the game. The Gameboy Color added a lot with its colors and extra graphics.
Super Mario Bros. Deluxe takes you down a trip to memory lane and I highly recommend it to you. Overall, the game can even be seen as a better enhancement of the future successors with better graphics.
This game revolutionized some of the colors that only enhance the graphics for its time to feel as if they are coming towards you. Overall, it is a fantastic game to play from a nostalgic perspective and one that has aged well over the years.
Dragon Ball Z Legendary Super Warriors
One of the defining characteristics of the fun and nostalgic Dragon Ball Z game is the expansive cast of characters available at the helms. Not many games in the series allow someone to play as all five Ginyu Force members as well as Goten and Kid Trunks.
The fact the Gameboy Color game had such a mix of people available in the game makes it one that must be revisited.
On top of its excellent free-play setup, Dragon Ball Z Legendary Super Warriors also has an expansive story mode that allows players to explore all four different sagas of the Dragon Ball Z anime in the game. With 30 chapters in the story mode and a roster of 48 playable characters, Dragon Ball Z Legendary Super Warriors is an incredibly fun game to relive your Dragon Ball Z nostalgia in a unique fashion.
Dragon Warrior Monsters
The Dragon Warrior series is known for revolutionizing video games and becoming the building block for role-playing games as we know them today. In this iteration, players journey as a character named Terry through the world, where you can relive what role-playing games were like in their very early stages. A game with so much story, make sure to have extra sets of batteries on standby while you play this game though because it is quite the battery drainer.
Once that is settled, brace yourself for a story-driven experience that will make you appreciate the focus on telling a story.
Time Force 2001
This entry may come as quite a shocker, but Power Rangers was at the top of its popularity when the Game Boy Color reigned. In addition, the Power Rangers Time Force season is often known as one of the best Power Rangers seasons.
It’s not a complex game. All you do is go around and beat up villains, but this list is about what provides you the most nostalgia, and Time Force 2001 is a game that many people picked up when they were kids. Time Force 2001 is a fun pick-up nearly 20 years later as you reminisce on how simple things were all those years ago.
Pocket Bomberman
Pocket Bomberman functioned very similar to other Bomberman games with slight twists to the style of gameplay. Instead of the usual puzzle format, you are greeted with gameplay that has players move around like a platforming game. This Gameboy Color variation of Bomberman provides players with a throwback style of gameplay that was common in retro games. Add on top of the fact it is one of the first handheld Bomberman games that utilizes color and it is a great game to pick up in your free time.
Balloon Kid
The original Gameboy game Balloon Kid is quite literally about a kid with a balloon.
This Gameboy Color game is another simple game where you play as a kid trying to collect balloons. Simple right? What makes the game exciting and challenging is that there are obstacles that are trying their best to pop your balloons. Balloon Fight GB is such a simple, yet addicting game that will have you locked in and saying, “just one more level.”
Sometimes, when you are looking for something to pass the time and remind you of your childhood, that is all you really need.
Legend of Zelda: Links Awakening DX
This original Gameboy game was remastered for the Gameboy Color and is one of the most experimental titles in the entire Zelda series. Legend of Zelda Link’s Awakening DX is a masterful game that intertwined elements seen from the Super Mario series with the dungeon exploration elements that made it a true Zelda game.
While there is a Nintendo Switch remake of the game, it is quite hard to experience that same nostalgic feeling if you don’t play it on the Gameboy Color. Not to mention this version will provide the same fun feel for less damage to your wallet.
Pokemon Gold and Pokemon Silver
Pokemon Gold and Silver might not just be the best Gameboy Color game, it might also be the best Pokemon game in the series for its expansive post-game that allowed players to explore the Kanto region after defeating the Johto Elite.
Kids who didn’t grow up with the Kanto region were able to explore it to its fullest while those who grew up with the original Blue and Red versions were provided an update to the region in the second generation.
With over 23 million units sold worldwide, Pokemon Gold and Silver is a game that is not only great but also nostalgic. If there is one game on this list that is a must-play, it is this game. While the Nintendo DS remakes, Heartgold, and Soulsilver are also viable options to fulfill this nostalgic feel, there is something special about the original versions of these games for their timeless approach.
Well, there you have it! This is a nice start for any owners of a Gameboy Color to begin their travel back to childhood with this sample of Gameboy Color classics. With a nice mix of classic handheld platform games, role-playing games, as well as beat ’em’ up fighting games, you will be set for quite some time.
Once you are finished with your Gameboy Color nostalgia, make sure to check out our piece on the 20 best Game Boy Advance games as you continue down memory lane.
