After nine long years, the Game Boy Color was the first, true upgrade to the original Game Boy in 1998 for all participating te꧒rritories. It had a significantly shorter lifespan comparatively, ﷽only lasting for five years up until 2003 before it was replaced by the Game Boy Advance.
Compared to the original hardware, it doesn’t have as impressive of a library of exclusives. Of the game that were released, a lot of the seemingly more interesting ones were held back i🐠n Japan. Thankfully some of these have been patched by fans into English, but it still would be nice to see official releases in the West someday. So without further delay, let’s see what gems we managed to gather.
10 Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Children
Most Shin Megami Tensei games star teenagers or adults in their adventures, but this was an attempt to aim to an even younger, pre-teen audience. There were two games that launched in this spinoff series, Red Book and Black Book, which was in 2000. Later a third game, White Book, debuted a year later. As one could guess, this is even more of a Pokémon clone, but again, one that was more kid-friendly. There is a full English fan translation for Black Book, but none of the others. Eventually, the West would get an official release via the Game Boy Advance sequels with the series renamed to DemiKids.
9 Tales of Phantasia: Narikiri Dungeon
The Tales series has been going strong since 1995, which includes eighteen main games and tons of spinoffs as well. Tales of Phantasia: Narikiri Dungeon is the first in the Tales of the World su𓄧b-series, which changes the action RPG gameplay into more traditional turn-based, dungeon-crawling affairs. This also released in 2000. There is an English fan translation, kind of, which is to say little effort has been put into it. It helps a little, but not much.
8 Grandia: Parallel Trippers
Grandia: Parallel Trippers is yet another 2000 GBC release, spinning off from the main franchise. Unlike Narikiri Dungeon it doesn’t change the turn-based RPG combat radically. It instead dumbs it down to be less flashy. It’s not a bad thing as the core gameplay is solid, but it’s just less cinematic. This is the only game in the franchise to be exclusive to Japan. Thankfully there is a f๊ull English fan patch for this as well.
7 Bomberman Max: Ain Version
Similar to Pokémon, Bomberman Max launched with two different versions: Red Challenger and Blue Champion. Could the colors be more on th൲e nose? In fact, each edition had exclusive Charaboms, which were more o🍰r less Pokémon.
Anyway, both of those launched in the West. However, a third game, Bomberman Max: Ain Version, was exclusive to Japan. Not only that, but it was a limit𝓀ed edition and꧙ could only be obtained through a contest. Only 2,000 copies were made. The gameplay is typical Bomberman stuff and no, there is no patch.
6 Meitantei Conan: Karakuri Jiin Satsujin Jiken
Yes, there is a full English fan patch for this one. Why bother playing an adventure game if one can’t read it, right? Translated, the title comes out to Detective Conan: The Mechanical Temple Murder Case. It’s based on the manga and anime of the same name, which was changed to Case Closed in t🍸he West. It follows a teenage boy genius who gets turned into a child via a secret organization. Now he solv🐟es murders. For those looking for a good sleuth game, this is it.
5 Koto Battle: Tengai no Moribito
AlphaDream, known primarily for developing the Mario and Luigi RPG series for Nintendo, began in 2000 and pushed out Koto Battle: Tengai no Moribito a year later in 2001 as their first game. It is similar to Pokémon, but the story is more of a focus. Sꦜince the company filed for bankruptcy last year, chances are slim this will ever get an official release. There isn’t even a f🐷an patch for it.
4 Super Robot Pinball
The Super Robot Wars series is huge in Japan that never hit it big in the West. The first title was for the Game Boy in 1991. Most games are tactical RPGs featuring mecha from tons of anime like Gundam, Big O, Neon Genesis Evangelion, and so on. There are some occasion✅al spinoffs like this game. For a virtual pinball table, this is surprisingly good on the handheld with a lot more to do then just paddle around 🥃a ball.
3 Daiku no Gen-san Kachikachi no Tonkachi ga Kachi
This is a GBC spinoff to a series Western fans may recognize as Hammerin’ Harry although not many of those games crossed overseas. Anyway, while there is a full patch for this game, it isn’t needed since it is an action platformer. Jump around and smack stuff with a hammer. Pr꧒etty basic stuff for a🃏 platformer and it isn’t the best in the series, but still a worthwhile adventure.
2 From TV Animation One Piece: Maboroshi no Gra𒐪nd Line Boukenki
Yes, we agree that that is an odd name for this 2002 release, but here is the important part. This is based on One Piece, the gigantically popular manga and anime series in Japan. If one doesn’t know anything about it imagine Dragon Ball as if it were themed around seafaring pirates and there it is. This is a pretty basic turn-based RPG and there are no patches ꦆfor it wha𒆙tsoever aka good luck.
1 Kettou Transformeꦺrs Beast Wars: Beast Senshi Saikyou Ketteisen
This is a 1999 fighting game for the GBC based on the Transformers property, or more specifically, the Beast Wars arc of the show.
Most fighting games on the Game Boy series of platforms🍒 are pretty terrible, but this is surprisingly responsive. The sprites look great and the animations are fluid plus it does support multiplayer via link cables. There are no patches, but as this is a fighting game, they aren’t really needed anyway.