Game Boy

Information | Software | Hardware

Information

Nintendo's Game Boy is the most successful handheld videogame system to have ever been created. Released in 1989, the idea was to combine the portability of the Game & Watch with the cart games of the NES. The Game Boy could only manage four shades of green, and had a blurry screen, but it was utterly groundbreaking at the time.

Nintendo followed the Game Boy with a number of improvements. The Game Boy Pocket was a smaller system with a longer battery life, and the Super Game Boy was a Super Famicom cart that allowed you to play Game Boy games on a TV - games made specifically compatible with the Super Game Boy came with exclusive borders, colour schemes and sound.

Finally, the release of the Game Boy Color heralded the next evolution. The system (supported by the massive Pokémon phenomenon) allowed graphics comparible to those of the NES, as well as a higher level of screen clarity. Around a decade after the release of the Game Boy, Nintendo had a 95% share of the handheld market with no lack of classic titles to keep them there. This continued on into the next Game Boy evolution - the Game Boy Advance.

Game Boy Software

Regional Release Lists

• Game Boy Japanese Releases
• Game Boy US Releases

Main Nintendo Titles

Game Title	Developer
Alleyway	Nintendo RD1
Balloon Fight GB	Nintendo RD1
Balloon Kid	Nintendo RD1
Baseball	Nintendo RD1
Donkey Kong	Nintendo EAD
Donkey Kong Country	Rare
Donkey Kong Land	Rare
Donkey Kong Land 2	Rare
Donkey Kong Land III	Rare
Dr. Mario	Nintendo RD1
F-1 Race	Nintendo RD1
Game & Watch Gallery	Nintendo RD1
Game & Watch Gallery 2	Nintendo RD1
Game & Watch Gallery 3	Nintendo RD1
Game Boy Gallery	Nintendo RD1
Game Boy Wars	Intelligent Systems
Golf	Nintendo RD1
Hamtaro: Ham-Hams Unite!	Nintendo EAD
Kaeru no Tameni Kaneha Naru	Intelligent Systems
Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters	Nintendo RD1
Kirby Tilt N' Tumble	Nintendo RD2
Kirby's Block Ball	HAL Laboratory
Kirby's Dream Land	HAL Laboratory
Kirby's Dream Land 2	HAL Laboratory
Kirby's Pinball Land	HAL Laboratory
Kirby's Star Stacker	Nintendo RD1
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening	Nintendo EAD
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX	Nintendo RD1
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages	Flagship
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons	Flagship
Mario Golf	Camelot
Mario Tennis	Camelot
Mario's Picross	Jupiter
Metroid II: Return of Samus	Nintendo RD1
Mobile Golf +	Camelot
Mole Mania	Nintendo EAD
Phantom Zona	Nintendo RD1
Picross 2	Jupiter
Play Action Football	Nintendo IRD
Pokémon: Green Version	Game Freak
Pokémon: Blue Version	Game Freak
Pokémon: Crystal Version	Game Freak
Pokémon: Gold Version	Game Freak
Pokémon: Red Version	Game Freak
Pokémon: Silver Version	Game Freak
Pokémon: Yellow Version	Game Freak
Pokémon Pinball	Jupiter
Pokémon Puzzle Challenge	Intelligent Systems
Pokémon Trading Card Game	Game Freak
Radar Mission	Nintendo RD1
Solar Striker	Nintendo RD1
Super Mario Bros. Deluxe	Nintendo EAD
Super Mario Land	Nintendo RD1
Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins	Nintendo RD1
Tennis	Nintendo RD1
Tetris	Nintendo RD1
Tetris 2	Nintendo RD1
Tetris Attack	Intelligent Systems
Tetris DX	Nintendo RD1
Top Rank Tennis	Nintendo RD1
Tottoko Hamtaro: Tomodachi Daisaku Ikusa Dechu	Nintendo EAD
Trade & Battle: Card Hero	Intelligent Systems
Vegas Stakes	HAL Laboratory
Wario Blast	Hudson Soft
Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3	Nintendo RD1
Wario Land II	Nintendo RD1
Wario Land 3	Nintendo RD1
Wave Race	Nintendo EAD
X	Argonaut
Yakuman	Nintendo RD1
Yoshi	Game Freak
Yoshi' Cookie	Bulletproof Software

Nintendo Published Titles

Game Title	Developer
Alice in Wonderland	Digital Eclipse
Arcade Classics: Asteroids + Missile Command	The Code Monkeys
Arcade Classics: Defender + Joust	Williams/Midway
Arcade Classics: Centipede + Millipede	The Code Monkeys
Arcade Classics: Galaga + Galaxian	Namco
Battle Arena Toshinden	Takara
Beauty and the Beast: A Boardgame Adventure	Left Field
Bionic Commando: Elite Forces	NST
Bomberman GB	Hudson Soft
Bugs Bunny: Crazy Castle 3	Kemco
Crystalis	NST
James Bond 007	Saffire
Ken Griffey Jr.'s Slugfest	Software Creations
Killer Instinct	Rare
The King of Fighters '95	Takara
The Little Mermaid II: Pinball Frenzy	Left Field
Major League Baseball	Software Creations
Mickey's Racing Adventure	Rare
Mickey's Speedway USA	Rare
Monster Tactics	Spiral
NBA 3 on 3	Left Field
Nintendo World Cup	Technos Japan
Pocket Bomberman	Hudson Soft
Pocket Soccer	Game-Play Studios
Qix	Taito
Quest for Camelot	Titus
R-Type DX	Bits Studios
Shadowgate Classic	Kemco
Space Invaders	Taito
Star Wars Episode I Racer	Lucasarts
Street Fighter II	Capcom
Super R.C. Pro-Am	Rare
Tetris Blast	Bulletproof Software
Tetris Plus	Jaleco
Warlocked	Bits Studios

Licensed Games

The following Game Boy games used Nintendo licenses, but were not published by Nintendo. The licenses were officially granted by Nintendo to the publishers.

Game Title	Developer
Game Boy Wars 2	Hudson Soft
Game Boy Wars 3	Hudson Soft
Game Boy Wars Turbo	Hudson Soft
Kirby Family	Jaguar/Natsume
Mario Family	Jaguar/Natsume

Cancelled Nintendo Titles

Game Title	Developer
Densetsu no Starfy	Tose
Game Boy Music	Nintendo RD2
Game Boy Wars: Pocket Tactics	Intelligent Systems
Pokémon Picross	Jupiter

Game Boy Hardware