Rediscovering Game Boy games

[socrates63]

I just returned from a trip to Los Angeles. I had a lot of fun playing some OG Game Boy games on my new Game Boy Color with IPS screen. 

Of course, there's Tetris. Then I played Nemesis for the first time since the early 90s when I first bought the OG Game Boy. I broke 100k which I believe is a first, but it doesn't have a persistent scoreboard, and my score disappeared after like 3 three seconds. I'm getting better with age ✌️ Fine wine anyone?

I played Bomberman GB for the first time, and actually, this was the first time I played any Bomberman game. I'm still playing through the training levels but having a lot of fun. I see now why people love the series. It also has the cutest pause screen

I also played Mario Picross for the Game Boy. I found out about Picross a few months ago, and the Game Boy version is a lot of fun.

A few weeks ago, I had some quick fun with the original Game & Watch for the Game Boy.

What are your favorite Game Boy games❓

 

 

[RickR]

Other than what you have, here are some favorites:

• Super Mario Land
• Super Mario Land 2
• Wario Land
• Kirby's Dream Land
• Donkey Kong (it's not just an arcade port)
• Space Invaders (it is an arcade port, BUT if you use it on the SNES gameboy plugin cart, it has a special SNES version of the game!)

[socrates63]

Thanks for the list, Rick!

I forgot to mention that I actually played a little bit of SML. I think I made it to 2-3 or something like that. It was the first time ever that I spent more than 2 minutes playing a Mario platformer. It was neat, and I want to try to get into platform games.

I had heard about DK and about unlocking levels. I also read about Space Invaders and got a Super Game Boy to try some of these GB games with Super Game Boy content.

[Atari 5200 Guy]

I had Super Mario Land I loved.  I had Nemesis, too.  Fun game.  I got Motocross Madness, F1 Race, Alleyway, Tennis, Baseball, Castlevania Adventures, Qix, Bubble Ghost, and Solar Striker.  Most of the initial release titles are solid games.  Alleyway is pretty much Arkanoid.  I had great fun with Tennis and Baseball.  All the games I had were fun.  

[LeeJ07]

Mario's Picross is an awesome puzzle game for sure.

Mole Mania is one I'd suggest. It was made by Shigeru Miyamoto, the Mario and Zelda creator, but nobody ever talks about it.

[Atari 5200 Guy]

Never heard of Mole Mania but knowing Miyamoto it has to be good.

I was trying to remember the games a friend and I would play.  He would bring his games with him and I had a small collection so it would give us a chance to try out each other's games.  He had TMNT Fall or the Foot clan but I really don't remember much about it.

Y'all making me miss having a GB Pocket.  I should have never sold that thing.  I had a silver one with no game and I debated whether to keep or sell it.  I sold it along with a GB Color a few years ago.  I had no games for them and couldn't find any.  Then again I didn't think to use EBay and was sticking with local places.  Never found a thing.

Hmm.  I do have a GBA and those play GB games.  Maybe I need to think about picking up some of those old games again.  

[RickR]

I'm going to write down Mole Mania and give that a try later.  Good suggestion here everyone. 

I really like the screen upgrade that @socrates63 has on his GB and need to look into buying something like that.  Maybe once @CrossBowis back in six months to do regular upgrades. 

 

[RickR]

Another one I really like is Pokemon Pinball.  It's got a built-in rumble pack.  But I think that is a GBC game.  I'm not sure if it works on an OG GB. 

[LeeJ07]

2 hours ago, RickR said:

Another one I really like is Pokemon Pinball.  It's got a built-in rumble pack.  But I think that is a GBC game.  I'm not sure if it works on an OG GB. 

It has a black cartridge, which shows that it is compatible with an OG GB.

[socrates63]

11 minutes ago, LeeJ07 said:

It has a black cartridge, which shows that it is compatible with an OG GB.

Really?!? If the game comes in a black cartridge that it means it plays on the OG? That is rad! I always wondered why some GBC game cartridges came in a black shell while others were in a clear case.

[RickR]

I didn't know that tidbit either.  Thanks @LeeJ07

[LeeJ07]

5 minutes ago, socrates63 said:

Really?!? If the game comes in a black cartridge that it means it plays on the OG? That is rad! I always wondered why some GBC game cartridges came in a black shell while others were in a clear case.

Yep.

The clear ones only work on GBC, but there were quite a few games released with black carts and compatible with the GB just after the GBC came out.

Wario Land 2 is one of the more high profile games released in a black cart, but Pokémon Pinball and Bugs Bunny Crazy Castle are two more.

Edited August 10, 2022 by LeeJ07

[RickR]

Well, I got curious and gathered up all my black carts and here they are.  I have 10!

[CrossBow]

4 hours ago, RickR said:

 Maybe once @CrossBowis back in six months to do regular upgrades.

6 months? Nah... I should be able to get back to offering normal services again not long after PRGE.

 

[socrates63]

Show n tell 🙂 Looks like I have 7 GBC games in the black shell.

 

[Atari 5200 Guy]

I found a neat GameBoy emulator for android called EmuBox.  It also plays DS games.  I have not tried original or GB Color games on it yet.  Nice emulator but nothing like the real thing.

[RickR]

1 hour ago, Atari 5200 Guy said:

I found a neat GameBoy emulator for android called EmuBox.  It also plays DS games.  I have not tried original or GB Color games on it yet.  Nice emulator but nothing like the real thing.

Android emulation has come a long way, but I've never been able to overcome the lack of a physical controller.  But I'm also the type that hasn't been able to adjust to a virtual keyboard at all (I was really good at thumb typing on a Blackberry physical keyboard). 

[socrates63]

1 hour ago, RickR said:

Android emulation has come a long way, but I've never been able to overcome the lack of a physical controller.  But I'm also the type that hasn't been able to adjust to a virtual keyboard at all (I was really good at thumb typing on a Blackberry physical keyboard). 

Same -- I think it was about five or six years ago when I first got an iPad. I decided to make it a portable gaming machine but gave up the endeavor. I couldn't get over not having a physical controller. I looked into some options that were available (e.g., joystick attachment) but none seemed worthwhile.

[Atari 5200 Guy]

I'm with you guys...while it does work I much prefer the real thing.  Nintendo games have become ridiculously high no matter the system and sometimes game it is.

[HDN]

On 8/9/2022 at 5:29 PM, socrates63 said:

I just returned from a trip to Los Angeles. I had a lot of fun playing some OG Game Boy games on my new Game Boy Color with IPS screen. 

Of course, there's Tetris. Then I played Nemesis for the first time since the early 90s when I first bought the OG Game Boy. I broke 100k which I believe is a first, but it doesn't have a persistent scoreboard, and my score disappeared after like 3 three seconds. I'm getting better with age ✌️ Fine wine anyone?

I played Bomberman GB for the first time, and actually, this was the first time I played any Bomberman game. I'm still playing through the training levels but having a lot of fun. I see now why people love the series. It also has the cutest pause screen

I also played Mario Picross for the Game Boy. I found out about Picross a few months ago, and the Game Boy version is a lot of fun.

A few weeks ago, I had some quick fun with the original Game & Watch for the Game Boy.

What are your favorite Game Boy games❓

 

 

Hey! I got Nemesis from @RickR!

The Game Boy is my favorite system period. There are so many games I love. The first two Mario Land games are phenomenal. Pokémon is great as always. Links Awakening is a downright masterpiece. But if I had to pick my favorite, it’s Metroid II, hands down. Almost as close as you can get to a perfect video game in my eyes. A lot of people dislike it, but I think it’s just divine. Especially this time of the year. I get really nostalgic for it around the holidays and play through it every year.

[socrates63]

Why am I not surprised that your favorite is Metroid II @HDN? 🙂 The OG Game Boy has an incredibly strong library.