The Game Boy Color is home to a lot of classic, old-school video games that many gamers will have grown up with. Part of the fifth generation of consoles, it was released in 1998 as an upgrade to the traditional Game Boy that added - as the name might imply - color. Nintendo announced the Game Boy Color would be backwards compatible, the first time a handheld console had ever done so. That meant all subsequent Game Boy iterations would be compatible with original Game Boy titles, allowing them to launch with a bigger library than before.

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When gamers think of the Game Boy Color, certain games spring to mind. Pokemon Gold & Silver was the best-selling GBC title, and it was home to other iconic games like The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons & Ages. But these titles were part of incredibly popular Nintendo-led franchises, and as a result, almost all the GBC biggest games have since been ported to more modern consoles. But, once those stand-out titles are removed, there's a whole selection of unique and fun games that deserve their time in the spotlight.

Updated February 20, 2024 by Alexandra O'Leary: Although the Game Boy Color isn't often considered a staple in the progress of handheld consoles, for the time it was an impressive and exciting feat for gamers everywhere. The improvements to graphics and memory were huge, and the console played a huge part in the childhoods of many Nintendo fans.

The video game industry has progressed faster than many anticipated, and has made massive strides in technology, art, and narrative in only a short few decades. As a relatively new medium, gaming has secured its place among entertainment heavy hitters like cinema and literature, and consoles like the Game Boy Color have played an instrumental part in that history.

9 Conker's Pocket Tales

GameFAQs Rating: 2.97

Conker's Pocket Tales was the very first installment in the Conker series, which follows Conker the Squirrel on his various quests. Fans of Conker's Bad Fur Day may be surprised when playing this title since the NSFW version of Conker is nowhere to be seen. Of the entire series, Conker's Pocket Tales was the only one released for a family audience.

Although Conker's Pocket Tales doesn't measure up to its descendants, like all great games it was key in the eventual achievement of it. It was developed in tandem with Conker's Bad Fur Day, by different teams and for different consoles, and the N64's version ended up influencing the GBC's Conker's Pocket Tales away from their original gothic take and more towards fantasy. In the end, the game wasn't particularly loved since it was released around the same time as Banjo Kazooie and Zelda, which achieved the same things but better. This is the exact problem Conker's Bad Fur Day encountered and is ultimately what encouraged its pivot into the adult, critically acclaimed comedy title it became.

8 Perfect Dark

GameFAQs Rating: 3.1

Perfect Dark is an action game developed for the Game Boy Color. It follows Joanna Dark towards the end of her training at the Carrington Institute when she's assigned a mission to investigate a facility manufacturing cyborgs in South America. The Game Boy Color's Perfect Dark is often forgotten about, or conflated with the N64 game of the same name.

Perfect Dark is a prequel to the N64 title and was only ever released for the Game Boy Color. It was developed by Rare, the creator of the original N64 title, as well as a whole host of classic games. The game cartridge featured a rumble effect, and praise was given for its overall development. Despite this, the game is typically thought to be unnecessarily difficult thanks to poor interface design. Ultimately, it was believed to be a step back from the original N64 Perfect Dark and ended up getting lost to time.

7 Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble

GameFAQs Rating: 3.5

Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble is a Game Boy Color original Kirby title. Since its release in 2000, the game was never remade or ported until June 2023 when it was released on Nintendo Online for the Switch - which technically no longer makes it a Game Boy Color exclusive. However, the game has still been included for its revolutionary place in the console's history. Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble was one of the first games to be controlled by physically moving the Game Boy Color - tilting it to roll Kirby around and flicking it upwards to make Kirby bounce.

It was praised for its innovation. Players appreciated the new perspective on Kirby which saw him roll around the map like a marble rather than swallowing enemies for powers. The controls were brand-new to gamers and provided a creative way to tackle a game, although it was noted that Kirby's means of jumping was unhelpful and could stunt gameplay since players can't really see the screen when they're flicking it upwards. It might not look like much now, but this little game was one-of-a-kind for over twenty years.

6 Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone

GameFAQs Rating: 3.51

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (named Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone outside the US) is an RPG game based on the book of the same name. It follows Harry through his first year at Hogwarts and the trials he faces as he uncovers his history with Voldemort. It was released the same year as the PlayStation and Game Boy Advance versions, but each iteration was developed uniquely and was not a port of one game - which has caused some confusion to gamers.

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The title was praised for its loyalty to the book and its fun integration of spells into the RPG-style turn-based combat. In 2021, a Nintendo Life article even posited that it might be the best video game adaptation of the franchise so far. However, the game was overall criticized for failing to improve or innovate on any of its mechanics, naming it as another unimpressive and forgettable addition to the RPG genre.

5 Project S-11

GameFAQs Rating: 3.78

• Platforms: Game Boy Color
• Released: January 3, 2001
• Developer: Paragon 5

Project S-11 is a shooter game not dissimilar to classic arcade titles like Space Invaders. The player takes control of an S-11 fighter plane and shoots at waves of enemies as they descend from the top of the screen.

There was a distinct lack of games like Project S-11 for the Game Boy Color, and the title was therefore received relatively positively. Although it didn't break any genre conventions, the graphics were nonetheless very impressive for the console and the maps were simple but took full advantage of the GBC's abilities. The game also ran well, with little to no slowdown and exciting upgrades available as players progressed.

4 Warlocked

GameFAQs Rating: 3.78

Warlocked is a real-time strategy game released exclusively on the Game Boy Color. Despite being developed by a British company, the game wasn't released outside of North America, making it one of the rarer Game Boy Color titles. It was released to favorable reviews, but its low sales meant a sequel was never released, and the game essentially died with the Game Boy Color.

Players can choose between a Human and Beast campaign, strategizing how best to take down the other camp and win the war. Each side builds its army and offensive capabilities, each with its unique Wizards that have their own spells. The Game Link Cable could be used for a multiplayer playthrough, where friends could plot against each other.

Audiences were generally surprised to see a real-time strategy on the Game Boy Color since handheld consoles were not typically the platform for that genre. It was applauded for well-adjusted, simple controls and the engaging world the game was placed in. While it wasn't exactly heralded as original, players thought the vision was executed well and achieved exactly what it aimed to be.

3 Hamtaro: Ham-Hams Unite!

GameFAQs Rating: 3.82

• Platforms: Game Boy Color
• Released: October 28, 2002 (North America)
• Developer: Pax Softnica

Hamtaro: Ham-Hams Unite! is a Game Boy Color game based on the popular manga and anime Hamtaro. It's an adventure game where players assume the role of Hamtaro, who is on a quest to locate his friends - many of them featured in the anime - and send them back to Boss. Players explore the world and communicate with other hamsters using the dialogue options provided, usually having them solve a puzzle before the other hamster agrees to return.

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This game holds a very important place in the Game Boy Color's history because it was the last game published by Nintendo that was made for the console. It was also one of the best-selling games for the Game Boy Color in Japan, which was likely helped by the familiarity of the characters. Although it is based on a recognizable franchise, Hamtaro: Ham-Hams Unite! was well-received by audiences and critics for its genuinely fun gameplay and the clear amount of love that had gone into making it. Despite the premise, it appealed to a wide age range and was dubbed entertaining and charming by almost all players - which was tremendously helped by the striking and endearing art and coloring.

2 Pocket Bowling

GameFAQs Rating: 3.93

• Platforms: Game Boy Color
• Released: September 9, 1999 (North America)
• Developer: Jaleco

Pocket Bowling is exactly what it claims to be: a bowling game released exclusively for the Game Boy Color in 1998. It was a launch title for the handheld console, and was released in North America the following year. Bowling is now a staple of the Nintendo Wii, but long before then, Pocket Bowling was the newest and best in the bowling simulator field.

Despite being a simple game by modern standards, Pocket Bowling was incredibly popular. It was a reliable choice to launch with the Game Boy Color, since the game appeals to a wide range of gamers and executed its intentions perfectly. While it's not exactly considered a shining staple of the console, there's nonetheless very little to criticize, even if it would be considered boring by today's standards.

1 Metal Gear Solid

GameFAQs Rating: 4.07

Metal Gear Solid (released in Japan as Metal Gear: Ghost Babel) is an action-adventure, stealth-based game released on the Game Boy Color in 2000. This title is another that suffered the repercussions of branding, since it appears to be a port of the 1998 Metal Gear Solid released on PlayStation. Despite having the same name, Metal Gear Solid was actually a sequel that picked up seven years after the events of the 1987 Metal Gear.

Its confusing title, however, did not stop critics from hailing the game as an absolute success. Now extinct review aggregator site GameRankings even listed it as the best Game Boy Color title released, above other better-known games. It was praised for its loyalty to the stealth aspects, since reinforcements would be called if players were caught mindlessly attempting to gun down all enemies. It was also complimented on the care and detail that went into the graphics - with emphasis on the brilliant cutscenes - which highlighted it as a game optimized for the capabilities of the Game Boy Color.

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