40. Toki Tori (GBC)

Toki Tori is a game many players probably missed the first time around, though it's easy to catch up with the game these days on Switch. With forty increasingly challenging main stages and several optional hard stages, you're likely be entertained for a good amount of time before reaching the end of the GBC original, and there's something to be said about experiencing this fun puzzle platformer on the system it was originally designed for.

39. Legend of the River King 2 (GBC)

A fantastic fishing-focused adventure with lots of heart, Legend of the River King 2 is a portable delight. There’s plenty to see and do, with bug catching, flower picking, and diving joining the line-casting central hook from the previous game. Two different routes through the story add significant replay value for avid anglers, too. Fishing fans and RPG fans will both have a blast, though those who come for the atmosphere will get the most out of the experience; the soundtrack, setting, and sense of scale all work in concert to deliver one of the most charming depictions of seaside summer ever put on an 8-bit cartridge.

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A real catch, even all these years later.

38. Dragon Ball Z: Legendary Super Warriors (GBC)

A strategic turn-based card fighter, Dragon Ball Z: Legendary Super Warriors launched in 2002 (in Europe first, funnily enough) and brought the series' colourful cast of characters to GBC in a thoroughly decent card battler.

37. Legend of the River King (GBC)

The sequel might have expanded on this game, and Legend of the River King might be a short ride, but it's highly entertaining while it lasts; there aren't a huge amount of fishing-focused RPGs out there (for shame!), so the series is pretty unique. Besides, not every RPG has to be 200 hours. This bite-sized delight from Natsume is still worth casting a line for.

36. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (GBC)

Building on the fine work of the previous GBC entry, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets captured the spirit of the books (and subsequent films) far better than you might expect — and certainly better than the many lacklustre platformers and alternate takes on the source material that littered consoles for years to come. A gem.

35. Rayman (GBC)

Rayman's Game Boy Color port absolutely has its charms, but it also has its share of irritations. Stiff controls, a confusing layout and a few troubling glitches mar an otherwise fine experience. It's still a lot of fun, and it offers some incentive to play through it again upon completion, but it's a port that sacrificed a lot of content in order to make the transition to handheld, and that leaves it feeling rather slight compared to the Ubisoft mascot's more celebrated platformers.

34. Lufia: The Legend Returns (GBC)

Lufia: The Legend Returns is a solid entry in a series that really doesn't get enough attention these days. This is a big adventure with plenty to keep players occupied, and it looks good for a Game Boy Color title, with some impressive (if sometimes repetitive) music. It's by no means perfect and certainly has some issues, not least overly complicated menus, but the combat system is a fine one and it's still worth a look.

33. Ms. Pac-Man: Special Color Edition (GBC)

This edition of Midway's celebrated Ms. Pac-Man, which is more highly regarded than the original in many quarters, bundled in a port of Super Pac-Man for good measure. Beyond that, it's just a solid handheld version of one of the best pill-munching puzzlers ever made.

32. Harvest Moon (GBC)

The original GBC Harvest Moon is a reasonably addictive, concise entry in the series that throws out any chaff, but that's also its downfall: there's not enough variety to keep it interesting for huge stretches, especially if you've played other games in the series. If you're after a super simple farming simulator with repetitive-but-satisfying mechanics, this could still be worth several of your precious hours – but these days you'll likely be disappointed if you're looking for something with more depth.

31. Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble (GBC)

Released in 2000 in Japan and the following year in North America, this GBC spin-off never came to PAL shores, at least not until it was added to the Nintendo Switch Online retro catalogue in June 2023. The cartridge included a tilting sensor which enabled you to control Kirby by rolling him around levels, guiding him to the goal.

Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble isn't ground-breaking, but it's a fun Kirby curio and worth playing if you can track it down. Make sure you're playing it in a regular GBC or GBA, though — the accelerometer doesn't like being held upside down in a GBA SP, and you won't get very far plugging it into a Game Boy Player, either. Thankfully, the version on Switch uses that console's gyro sensors.