10. Dragon Warrior III (GBC)

A fine handheld entry in this seminal line of JRPGs, Dragon Warrior III is based on the Super Famicom remake of the original Famicom Dragon Quest III and it's one of the most ambitious RPGs available on the Game Boy Color, filling out a (then) massive 32 Mb ROM cart. This version boasts a wide range of improvements when compared to the original, including a new character class (thief), mini-games, medals, dungeons and a brand-new introduction sequence. It's little wonder, then, that Dragon Warrior III is considered to be one of the finest examples of the genre on Nintendo's handheld system.

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9. Dragon Warrior Monsters 2: Tara's Adventure & Cobi's Journey (GBC)

With over 300 monsters to capture, Dragon Warrior Monsters 2 is a beast (sorry) of a game, and really builds on the good work seen in the original. Taking a leaf out of Pokémon's book, the game is available in two versions: Cobi's Journey and Tara's Adventure. While both titles are essentially identical in terms of story, they possess unique monsters and keys which are only present in that particular version. If you want the full experience then you'll need both games. The vast array of monsters on offer really does make this a fantastic RPG experience. Square Enix would remaster Dragon Warrior Monsters 2 for the Nintendo 3DS with Dragon Quest Monsters 2: Iru and Luca's Marvelous Mysterious Key, which included both versions rather than splitting them into two releases.

8. Wario Land II (GBC)

Released in both monotone and Color versions, big fans of the first game might lament Wario Land II's sudden and significant change in gameplay, but if you give it a try, it'll surely grow on you. Its unique new features and approach to platforming turn the series in a wildly different direction from the Mario games — Wario forges ahead and creates his own bespoke platforming path that's equally entertaining in its own way.

7. Metal Gear Solid (GBC)

Shifting the perspective from Solid's 3D back to the series' 1987 roots, it's incredible just how faithful this 8-bit portable Metal Gear Solid is to both the 2D games of the MSX/NES and the later polygonal PlayStation entries in terms of gameplay, tone and aesthetic. Lengthy, challenging and rewarding, MGS GBC is far and away one of the best carts you can buy for your Game Boy Color.

6. Wario Land 3 (GBC)

Like Wario Land II before it, Wario Land 3 is, in some ways, more of a puzzle game than an action game and it's essential to know going in that this is very different from a standard Mario platformer. The Wario concept was refined further in this third entry, with a ton of stages and different paths making it easily the biggest Wario Land in terms of scope. If you enjoyed the previous adventure, then this generously expanded outing is likely to please you even more. If this is your first Wario Land, you absolutely must try it.

And if the previous one wasn't your cup of tea? Waaaaaaaaaaaaah!

5. Pokémon Crystal (GBC)

Pokémon Crystal is the perfect swan song to what many fans consider the best generation of Pokémon games and the series' final Game Boy Color entry. It featured a plethora of welcome new features over the base games — including the ability to play as a female character for the first time — plus more things to do, tweaked graphics and UI, and a slight notch up in the challenge department.

Crystal took what Pokémon Gold and Silver did so marvellously and made Johto worth exploring once more – and Kanto for the umpteenth time for that matter. It truly proves that nostalgia is far from the sole factor that makes this game so great to pick up again.

4. Pokémon Gold And Silver (GBC)

Pokémon Gold and Silver have always been a highlight in the Pokémon series and even now, decades since they were originally released, they remain a truly brilliant experience. Perhaps its indicative of the series' slow-and-steady iterative approach, but these games feel just as good as they did all those years ago.

They're fantastic games that evoke warm, fuzzy memories for anybody who played them all those years ago. Updating the original with a gorgeous splash of colour on GBC, adding 100 new Pocket Monsters, and throwing in the entire Kanto region for good measure (thanks, Satoru Iwata), even people who adore the entire series have been known to argue that Pokémon peaked at Gen II.

3. The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons (GBC)

If you're looking for a straightforward Zelda adventure, this battle-heavy quest is about as straightforward as it gets. Oracle of Seasons put combat centre stage, but adds in enough originality to keep it from feeling monotonous. Developed by Capcom subsidiary Flagship and helmed by Hidemaro Fujibayashi, director of several later games including Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, Seasons was most notable for allowing you to use the Rod of Seasons (shocker!) to shift the world's climate and solve a variety of puzzles, from freezing lakes to growing Deku Flowers. It was a smart weather-switching system that would later be revisited in various other Zelda entries.

There is much incentive to play the Oracle games together, and if you do, we'd recommend tackling this one second. Doing so adds in interesting plot twists that enhance the relatively barebones storytelling and enables crucial weapon upgrades that help against the challenging end boss. It may not be as engrossing as Ages, but Seasons still offers up an old-school adventure that will feel fondly familiar to long-time franchise fans.

2. The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages (GBC)

Oracle of Ages manages to feel both new and familiar at the same time. Link wields the Harp of Ages, which you could use to travel through time. Now, he may have already done some time-travelling with his ocarina, but in Oracle of Season's companion piece it becomes the central aspect of gameplay, primarily used to solve puzzles, by moving a stone in the past to redirect the flow of water in the future, for example, or planting seeds that will grow into trees and vines. This makes for a puzzle-heavy adventure, one that's enhanced by nuanced, colourful characters, interesting items, and a plot much unlike those previously seen in the franchise.

While many beloved Zelda tropes remain, the game still takes plenty of chances, many of which really pay off. It may have been built on Link's Awakening's engine, but Ages feels like its own game.

1. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX (GBC)

Link's Awakening is a game of contrasts: sadness and joy, bleakness and whimsy, dream and reality, confusion and comfort. Its success lies in its ability to balance these contradictory elements with tight, compelling gameplay and a timeless presentation. The extra dungeon and other features of this DX version don't add up a huge amount over the original monochromatic release, but it's still a mighty fine game enhanced by the upgraded console's colour palette.

Grezzo's Switch remake might have prettified Koholint Island, but the joyous, quirky characters, melancholy, and beauty of Link's first portable adventure were there right from the very beginning. If you own a Game Boy Color or have any other way to access it — like, say, a Nintendo Switch — this game is essential.

Game Boy Color Pokémon Special Edition and Atomic Purple
Image: Damien McFerran / Nintendo Life

What a lovely system! We're quite partial to the teal variant ourselves, although it seems the majority favour purple of the Atomic variety. You can't go wrong with any colour, really.

Remember, you can still influence the ranking by rating your Game Boy Color games and, perhaps, elevating one that's bubbling under into the top 50. Either click/tap the User Rating stars on the titles above to rate games from this article, or head to the Nintendo Life games database and search for your game of choice. Click on the title to go to the game page and tap/click the 'Game Rating' box on the right to give the game a rating out of 10. Once a game reaches the 10-rating minimum, it's eligible for the list.