Remember, several of these Game Boy Color titles are playable on Switch. Enjoy!
It was 1996 in Japan and 1998 in North America (and a year later in Europe) when the ageing Game Boy got an unexpected shot in the arm thanks to a little game named Pokémon. Nintendo's granddaddy of handheld gaming suddenly had a new lease on life, but in the West the release of the game was followed just weeks later by the arrival of a new console — the Game Boy Color — and it was on that wonderful system that many of us caught our very first Pocket Monster.
A colour update to the original DMG-001 — which had previously been revised in the smaller form of Game Boy Pocket — was a long time coming, but after nine years Game Boy Color finally gave handheld Nintendo gamers the proper upgrade they'd been waiting for.
GBC launched, appropriately, in a range of eye-catching colours and was fully backwards compatible with the existing Game Boy library. Many dual 'black cart' games would also play perfectly well on the original monochrome console, although the sexier Color-exclusive games came on clear cartridges which let you glimpse the board inside. The GBC soon built up its own great software library before the Game Boy Advance came along in 2001. Three years is a relatively short life span, especially compared to its predecessor, but we're big fans of this gorgeous system and its impressive, oft-forgotten library.
We've previously assembled Top 50 rankings for every other Nintendo console, each and every one based on User Ratings submitted by readers, and this list of the Best Game Boy Color games ever is the last to go live. Thank you all for contributing, to this list and all the others.
Remember, though, that just like the others, this ranking is not set in stone. The list will continue to evolve automatically based on user scores submitted to the Nintendo Life game database. If you missed out on 'voting', you can still do so right now by simply scrolling down and rating them, or hunting down a game that's missing via the search bar below. Games require a minimum of 10 ratings to become eligible, but once that threshold is reached (and if it scores highly enough) it will appear below.
Ready to take a look? Grab yourself a fresh pair of AAs, sit back, and relax as we take you on a tour of the 50 best Game Boy Color games of all time...
Note. In order for games to become eligible, they need a minimum of 10 User Ratings in total.
50. Prince of Persia (GBC)
Handled by Ed Magnin, the same programmer behind the regular GB release, the Game Boy Color version of Prince of Persia is an alright port, though it is marred by a handful of small annoyances. If you don't have any other options (which seems unlikely all these years later), it might entertain you for a while, but the other ports fare much, much better. This one was also available on the 3DS Virtual Console.
49. Mr. Driller (GBC)
The arcade game shrunk down on a handheld, Namco's simple, addictive gameplay (drill down to destroy blocks piling up beneath your feet) and clean, colourful visuals work very well on the GBC. The home console versions might look prettier, but Mr. Driller felt right at home on Nintendo's portable.
48. Bionic Commando: Elite Forces (GBC)
Bionic Commando: Elite Forces has some problems (a few dull boss battles, forgettable music and it could use a few more of the well-put-together sniper sections) but for the most part it's an entertaining, challenging title with enough swinging action to keep you busy for some time. Once cleared it may be a while before you feel the urge to go back to it, but it's a decent entry in Capcom's series and a good choice for people who consider jumping overrated.
47. Pac-Man: Special Color Edition (GBC)
A Pac-Man port for the series' 20th anniversary, Pac-Man: Special Color Edition was most 'special' due to the inclusion of Pac-Attack as an added bonus. Otherwise, it's pretty much just good ol' Pac-Man. Classic.
46. Yu-Gi-Oh! Dark Duel Stories (GBC)
The third game in the Duel Monsters series, Konami's Yu-Gi-Oh! Dark Duel Stories was the first Yu-Gi-Oh! game to release in the West and (evidently) the first in this particular series of trading card battlers. With eye-catching art and link cable multiplayer, the series would grow into a very successful and very long line of games based on the manga.
45. Blaster Master: Enemy Below (GBC)
The mixture of old and new elements give Blaster Master: Enemy Below enough new twists to make it a worthy sequel to the amazing original. Sure, many of the same audio/visual elements have been carried over fairly unchanged, but the new bosses and open setting offer up a whole new experience for fans to enjoy. If you never gave the Blaster Master series a chance (and Switch owners don't have much excuse considering that both this and the NES original are available with a Nintendo Switch Online subscription), this great Game Boy Color title is as good a reason as any to get stuck in.
44. Perfect Dark (GBC)
Rare did a great job on squeezing so many features and technical magic into the little cart, and this GBC rendition of Perfect Dark certainly looks impressive considering the hardware, but this focus on the tech seems to have had an averse effect on the gameplay. It's not a bad game by any stretch, but as a stealthy Metal Gear-alike, it's lacking a little in the 'Fun' department. If you're forgiving of its flaws, you might have a pretty good time with it, but it's far from Perfect.
The non-backlit Game Boy Color screen provides plenty of Dark, mind.
43. Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone (GBC)
Bucking the trend of low-quality movie-licensed tie-ins on handheld platforms, Harry Potter and The Philosopher's/Sorcerer's Stone was a wonderfully solid little RPG and, in our opinion, legitimately in the running for Best Harry Potter game ever — certainly in the top three. Not that the series boasts a host of stone-cold classics, but still.
Its turn-based RPG gameplay fit Harry's spell-filled wizarding world perfectly and it remains one of the best interpretations of the source material in video game form. Flipendo!
42. Mega Man Xtreme 2 (GBC)
Mega Man Xtreme 2 is a major improvement in every way over its predecessor. It looks fantastic, plays very well, offers a smooth and varied experience and draws from a whopping four Mega Man X games. This is much closer to the portable X experience that fans were looking for back in 2001, and while screen size, some minor control issues and a few unresolved problems from the first game contribute a bit of a drag factor, it's still an ultimately enjoyable experience.
41. Crystalis (GBC)
Developed by SNK before it became the fighting game factory of the 1990s, Crystalis made quite an impression on the NES when it was released in 1990, and this Game Boy Color remake — coded by Nintendo Software Technology, no less — is viewed by many fans as a step backwards. Sweeping plot changes are involved, and there's a whole new soundtrack. The visuals are also a little cramped due to the Game Boy Color's smaller display. Even so, it's still one of the best RPGs on Nintendo's handheld, and if you're approaching it having never played the NES original (which is on the SNK 40th Anniversary Collection on Switch, by the way) then you'll find plenty to enjoy.
Comments 75
Resident Evil Gaiden didn’t even make the top 50? Who was spamming it with low reviews? There’s no chance it’s worse than a Yu-Gi-Oh and DBZ game.
I regret not participating, but am super happy legendary super warriors made the list. Its actually a decent game boy game. To pull off both a turned based and card based system was pretty cool, plus there were tons of characters.
I wish king of fighters was on the list. Glad mario tennis and wario made it.
Pokemon Cristal is better than Gold/Silver by far. The only advantage gold and silver have is that they are playable on Super Game Boy (and DMG Gameboy too)
How did Pokemon Gold and Silver rank about both Pokemon Crystal AND both Zelda Oracle games?!
Pokemon Crystal and Gold Silver are basically the same game! So yeah Pokemon used to be the very best back then
@PlusUltra You can still participate! The list is dynamic and depends on each game's User Rating.
Gold/Silver is not better than Crystal.
Tetris DX also has a working high score table, OG Tetris' biggest annoyance. Mr Driller, sadly doesn't, which is a reason just to go for Mr Driller 2 on GBA.
While some will argue the specific ranks, the Zelda games and Pokemon games for me were the absolute best of the GBC library. So seeing Oracles, Link's Awakening, and Gold/ Silver/ Crystal all in the top 10 just makes sense.
Ranks will always vary slightly, but the right ones are near the top, for me. Solid list — makes me want to dig out these carts and give em another go.
You say the first Harry Potter is the best, but it ranks lower?
As how Pokemon Crystal ranks lower than Gold/Silver.
I mean, leaving out Mareep was a huge mistake, but I don't think GS should still be better.
Not sure why the two Oracle games have different release dates, but I've learned not to pay too much attention to NL's retro release dates.
Survival Kids sounds like an idea that was used in a Super Famicom game that has not yet been even fan-translated. Mujintou Monogatari (which I'm guessing means something like Uninhabited Island Story).
Sports games with a RPG mode I think has been done only a couple times before. Final Lap Twin for the TurboGrafx had that, as well as the unreleased NES port of the arcade hockey game Hit the Ice (it was released on other consoles, but that RPG mode would've been an NES exclusive feature).
I'm still sour S-E never localized the 3DS Dragon Quest Monsters games.
@Screen
Actually, Gold and Silver ARE better than Crystal. Gold is currently at 1900 dollars an ounce, and silver is at 28 dollars an ounce. An ounce of crystal, on the other hand, is worth a few cents at the most.
It's not a good sign when the first 15 of the top 50 are full of reviews saying the games are crap. The original Gameboy had way more great games.
Pokemon and Zelda in the top 10 was expected but is correct. Those games are endlessly replayable.
@KingMike Not having Mareep in Crystal was the biggest flaw of the game.
❗NO 'Blade'?
SHAM!
😛😛😛
Genuinely my least favorite Nintendo library.
@Screen @ObeseChihuahua2 @abdias Crystal is obviously better, as it's an enhanced version of the other two, but it actually adds just a little more content and was sold as a full-price game. Sure, I grew up with Crystal, and loved it to bits, but look at it this way: when Gold/Silver came out, they were absolutely incredible games, in themselves or compared to the first generation. Then Crystal came out a year later, and it was much less exciting, as it was pretty much the same game with some minor stuff added. The achievements of Crystal are pretty much just the extra stuff, but we can thank everything else we love about gen 2 to G/S.
@PickledKong64 What about the Virtual Boy? N64 DD? DSi?
This is a decent list. The only glaring omission for me is Motocross Maniacs 2 - genuinely one of the most addicting games I've ever played.
A lot of those Pokemon and Zelda games in the top 10 are also on 3DS VC, probably cheaper to go that route than find the carts on Ebay.
I never really got into the GBC back in the day, but when i got my 1st 3ds a few years ago I started to check out a bunch of GBC games on the eshop.
There have been some really awesome games on it, between the Zeldas, Wario Lands, Shantae, etc. I have been really happy to have the ability to play a bunch of them now.
@dartmonkey Thanks
May they all come to switch online soon.
Hey, a reference to Richard Herring's Leicester Square Theatre Podcast! I actually appear in an episode of that show asking a question to one of his guests! It's my very minor claim to fame. Lovely to see a reference to a love of mine in another love of mine
No Cannon Fodder in the list what now? In all seriousness, the GBC port was fantastic given the hardware it was on.
@TheWingedAvenger depends on what crystal it is.
I was very much into the Neo Geo Pocket when the Game Boy Color was current, so I only played a little bit of GBC here and there. A list like this is a good way to see what's worth checking out if I feel the need. I do remember keeping up with news and reviews then and seeing clever ways developers were using the GBC which is something I always appreciated. Making Street Fighter Alpha work well on the system may be a good example of that. There's not much reason to play that version now other than to see how they dealt with the hardware limits, but the single-player only wouldn't have bothered me. Most of my time with fighting games has been against the CPU and, despite what most people say, I've always found that to be quite fun.
I have been reluctant to try the Wario Land sequels. The shift toward puzzle platforming sounds less appealing to me. I was a big fan of the original Wario Land on the original Game Boy. I last played it about six months ago and had a great time still. I'll have to read more about the follow ups. Hearing that Zelda Oracle of Seasons is combat heavy and straightforward sounds like my style. I've been meaning to dive into all the old Zeldas I missed and a few I haven't played in a long time but did enjoy. As for Metal Gear Solid, I really like how they shrunk the game down. It looks good and plays well. As with most things MGS, I found the dialogue parts far too wordy, and I didn't love the stage design as much. I would have preferred more emphasis on stealth and combat and less on exploring and looking for items. But the game is what it is. The VR missions are closer to what I enjoy. I'm glad I played it though.
I think it's stupid to give separate ranks for Gold, Silver, and Crystal, as they're all virtually the same game (with Crystal being a glorified deluxe version).
But the Gen II Pokémon games are my absolute favourites in the series, perhaps followed closely by the excellent Gen V games (which I would love to play again, but couldn't bear to write over my save data!).
I absolutely love GB and GBC games though, and I would throw myself at compilations of the library's very best.
Not to get too pedantic, but Pokemon Gold/Silver are actually Gameboy games that can be played in color on the GBC. So they're kinda hybridish? Not sure it's a big deal, but they are technically GB games.
Pokemon Crystal is the one that is GBC exclusive.
@Harmonie A bunch of the games on this list are the same way, but they're still advertised as GBC games on their boxes. It would be a truly pathetic list if they stuck solely to the relatively small amount of GBC exclusives.
I've played NONE of these games. I actually didn't get a Gameboy until quite late, and never a GBC. I was content with the NES and saw the Gameboy as something for kids. My mom, who bought the NES for me one Christmas, was the one to buy me a transparent Gameboy complete with Space Invaders & Galaxians in the box. I would have bought about 5 more games for it myself over time.
DON'T WORRY, GUYS, CRYSTAL IS BEATING GOLD & SILVER NOW
I can't believe Harvest Moon outranks Harvest Moon 3.
I feel like the Dragon Warrior games would rank a lot higher if more than 40 people had played them. I, II, and III on GBC are the sole reasons that I never played Gold/Silver when they came out.
Very good list!
But I thinking will be counting only GBC exclusive titles.
Fun fact: the first dedicated cartridge to the system is Top Gear Pocket.
@Strumpan
Hey, this is a G-rated website! You mustn't talk about crystal m___.
Donkey Kong GB: Dinky Kong and Dixie Kong should be included, but it's not catalogued on Nintendo Life. A definite 9/10.
Good to see MGS at 4, it is certainly my number one as i have never been a fan of Pokemon at all. Links Awakening was brilliant too, but i always consider that a GB game as that is my first fond memory of that game.
@MajorasLapdog we stopped listening after he called my wife a bitch (as a joke). We've just about forgiven him however many years later. I used to feature on the Edinburgh Fringe podcasts a lot.
@NerdyBoutKirby Is it not just (basically) Japanese 'Donkey Kong Land III'?
@TryToBeHopeful oof that’s rough. His humour does come across as mean-spirited and bitter sometimes and I can’t imagine he’s a particularly pleasant bloke. His podcasts are always amusing though, the emergency questions spruce things up and his guest list is basically unparalleled (except for maybe Adam Buxton’s) if you want to hear some candid conversations with some of Britain’s biggest names in comedy.
While we’re on the topic of podcasts (and decidedly not on actual topic), everybody should check out Athletico Mince. Not many podcasts have me grinning ear to ear so consistently
Weird that neither of the Spider-Man games cracked top 50.
@BulbasaurusRex I see. TBH, I didn't have too many GB or GBC games, so I wasn't aware of other GB games that played in color on the GBC.
@Krisi do those really count tho?
Where the heck is Micro Machines 1 + 2?
@PickledKong64 I mean sure, they are Nintendo libraries, right?
@TryToBeHopeful But in color, and Bear isn’t animated for some reason. It’s the definitive way to experience DKLIII.
Megaman Extreme 1/2 are missing, excellent games.
Has anyone on their staff even played the oracle games, from their description, I highly doubt it.
Every bomberman game I on here and I love it! There's hope for humanity! 🤯🤣
I'd put Little Magic on here
❗️My Top 5️⃣ GBC Games:
1️⃣Blade
2️⃣Super Mario Bros. Deluxe
3️⃣Tetris DX
4️⃣Power Rangers: Time Force
5️⃣Power Rangers: LightSpeed Rescue
@TheWingedAvenger crystal meth though…
Wario didn't even break the top 5? Booo.
I am currently playing through LoZ:OoA and OoS and am really enjoying Seasons (which I started first). Really hoping for a two-pack remake some day!
I might be the only one who thinks Link's Awakening sad story is exaggerated.
I keep hearing fans talk about how you form a connection it's with characters only to be heartbroken in the end.
I'm not knocking the gameplay. That part is stellar, but I do question if alot of this supposed deep story stem from outside influences, because I found none of it in the game.
Link is a mute, you interact with the inhabits for no more than a few seconds, and the supposed closed bond you form with Marin seems questionable. There is virtually no character development, from start to finish. You just meet a cast of quirky individuals and then done.
You meet her a couple of times, she tells you about wanting to be reborn a bird, and then you're gone. You don't remotely spend enough time with the cast of characters to form any sort of believable bond.
The ending asks you to feel sad, but the game doesn't immersive you enough in it's world to feel sad at all. The remake, which had a chance to do that, doesn't.
That's why I wonder if some of that supposed deepness comes from outside factors, than from the actual game itself.
Only really liked the wario games, really good.
I will die on the hill that the Oracle games are overrated, bottom-tier Zelda and not very good.
@RappinRootbeer They are still fun, but the best way I can explain this is, they feel fragmented.
After reading up on how the supposed original idea was 3 games, it looks Capcom might have had this huge idea, but due to issues, just scrapped the supposed 3rd game and split in between the current two.
As, the article sates Oracle of Seasons has a barebones story, while Ages doesn't. However, playing the latter first, enhances the former.
My belief is due to the original idea failing, Capcom couldn't make this quite complete epic trilogy they wanted. As a result, some of the story ideas had to be scrapped because of limitations.
I'm happy with the 3 Zeldas at the top, and I'm glad Wario 2 is as well, but Survival Kids should 100% be in the top 5. Phenomenal game. For me it would be #2 after Link's Awakening.
It's too bad that fan-translated games never make it to these lists, because Star Ocean Blue Sphere is an amazing action rpg with one of the best sprite works on the console (if we take out non-action games like the sakura taisen ones), the second Pokemon TCG game and Samurai Kid, all really good games.
When Link's Awakening, which will be in my best games ever list, is your competitor, it's really hard to win, but my favorite GBC game is Ganbare Goemon - Hoshizorashi Dynamites Arawaru!! It's got a lot of elements which make gameplay really fun both for your first play or replays (excellent 8-bit 2d platforming, nice bosses with great diversity, a nice overworld map that allows you to go back to previous stages to get items, towns to visit, shops where you can buy upgrades and other items). I really recommend it!
It was never released out of Japan, but there's little text and it won't be a problem for you
It seems so bizarre to me now that there would be a 3 year gap between hardware being released in Japan and Europe.
Metal Gear destroys every other title not named Zelda. It's sooooo good! Still worth the $100+ for a loose cartridge.
Very good list, i couldn't agree more.
I quite enjoyed Magi Nation, wish more people would give it a chance (it's based on a card game, but I had no problem with zero knowledge of this before hand, it just came off as more of a really good Pokemon knockoff with hilarious dialogue)
Just seeing Harry Potter on this list makes me proud. 😌
If you're into modding you should play Mega Man 5 World. It's a Gameboy Color mod of Mega Man 5 and it's excellent!!
The Game Boy Color was my first handheld ever. Cheers to 25 years!
@dartmonkey Actually only Europe got both versions of Pocket Bomberman. Japan only got the monochrome version and North America only got the color version.
I don't know if it's telling of the Game Boy Color's short history that the game rated the best is an incremental upgrade of a previously available game.
@KingMike But the Game Boy Color itself was an incremental upgrade of a previously available console.
I was more of a GBA man in the GB era of consoles. I did have a cousins hand me down, second hand GBC though which I enjoyed a number of their games, and a handful of additional, self bought ones. Links Awakening DX was superb and "signature game" of the console for me. Loved Pokemon Pinball, Tetris DX, Mario Golf and Tennis, Pokemon Crystal, Metal GS. Ah good times.
@mauhlin12 There is another
Of the games listed, I've owned:
-Yu-Gi-Oh! Dark Duel Stories
-Game & Watch Gallery 2
-Pokémon Pinball
-Pokémon Trading Card Game
-Super Mario Bros. Deluxe
-Pokémon Gold
-The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages
-The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons
The definitive version of Link’s Awakening is still the monochrome original. It is very well designed, very atmospheric and just perfect in every way.
The remake and the game boy color port are nice too, but I will always recommend the original one over those, due to the garish colors and overpowered items available in the GBC port and the fact that the remake is an entirely different game.
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