Top 10 Game Boy Color Games

Before tablets, before smartphones, how did we ever survive those family roadtrips that seemed to take forever? With a little thing called the Gameboy Colour. What, did you think we meant something non-electronic? We’re not that old. Join http://www.WatchMojo.com as we countdown our picks for the Top 10 Game Boy Color Games.

For this Top 10, we’re looking at the best games specifically released for the Gameboy Color, rather than enhanced ports of original Gameboy Games, that means that The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX is out. That being said we are dropping the one per franchise rule for this list alone … just this one.

Tumbling into our 10th spot is the our favourite galactic pink ball – and we’ve never seen him more ball-like than in this oddball of a game. Using a unique motion-sensor mechanic – and yes, this was a pretty big deal in 2000 – players controlled Kirby by tilting the gameboy itself, sending him rolling into baddies and on his way to victory. Nintendo was thinking outside of the box for this one, and we had a ball playing it.

A cult classic that shattered the idea that platforming adventures belonged to pipe-warping plumbers or vine-climbing gorillas. This hip-shaking, hair-whipping half-genie shook things up in this often forgotten gem, released too late in the system’s life to get the love it deserved. With a host of abilities, including transforming into various animals and delivering serious beat-downs with only her hair, Shantae is more than up for adventure. The game is gorgeous, from the detailed levels to the fluid animation, so give Mario a rest and give Shantae a whirl. If you’d like to, your choices are to find an extremely rare physical copy for about 300 clams or just grab the Virtual Console version on the 3DS for about five bucks.

You can’t go wrong when combining platforming, grappling hooks, and a sci-fi adventure that fits in your pocket. Elite Forces continued the shooting-and-swinging action of the NES classic as the protagonist travels through Karinia to save it from the evil Arturus. The plot wasn’t the only thing that got an upgrade – new mechanics and features brought life to this sequel. With smooth animation and action-packed gameplay, this gem of a game fits right in on our Top 10.

The 90s were a glorious time for the Pokémon franchise: you could take any game concept in the world, slap the word ‘Pokémon’ before it, and it’d sell like hotcakes. Surprisingly, a lot of these spin-offs were actually really fun, Pokémon Pinball included. With the addictive critter-catching features of the main game and some solid pinball mechanics, this hybrid was one of the best time-killers you could ask for. Because you can never have enough ways to catch ‘em all.

If you’ve ever wanted to take your giant nuke-wielding war tanks “to go”, this is one game you need to check out. Also known as Metal Gear: Ghost Babel, this non-canon handheld entry in the cinematic Metal Gear series sees Snake return to his 2D roots. The game is a far cry from its MSX brethren, though, with updated mechanics from the later Metal Gear Solid games, making for a perfect blend of old and new, and a surprisingly perfect blend of stealth and action for you to sink your teeth into.

Some games were clearly made for those super long road trips: Dragon Quest III is a massive RPG experience that will keep you busy for hours. A remake of the NES classic that featured a robust class system and an epic plot, this version ensures that the quest is of the epic variety by adding even more new features. There’s just so much to do in Dragon Quest III, it was guaranteed that your parents would never hear you ask, “Are we there yet?”

No Nintendo system would be complete without a little taste of Hyrule – or in this case, Holodrum. Released as a two-piece with “Oracle of Ages” (Don’t worry, we’ll get to that one soon), the scope of this Zelda adventure was anything but pocket-sized. With traditional 2D gameplay reminiscent of Link’s Awakening, a new and colourful land to explore, and the ability to control the seasons, there’s no doubt that Link’s on-the-go adventures had us all obsessed.

From arch-enemy to anti-hero, Wario saw a turn-around quite unlike any Nintendo villain before him: getting to star in his own series of platformers, including the gem that is Wario Land 3. After being whisked away to Music Box Land, Wario shows off his trademark resilience against a whole new host of enemies, each with new abilities for him to absorb. A fireball might make someone like that old Mario lose a life, but to Wario, setting himself on fire is just one of many ways our resourceful hero saves the day. Even if he wasn’t really planning on it.

Because we can never have enough Zelda, right? Oracle of Ages, the counterpart to Seasons, finds Link in the presence of the graceful Nayru, with the ability to travel through time. Yeah, that might sound familiar, but don’t worry, it’s totally different. Pokémon may have started the trend of releasing their games in two versions, but Ages and Seasons feature completely different storylines and dungeons – and once you can even link them up for a more unified experience. It goes without saying that with all this game has to offer, it transcends the ages.

Before we reveal our top pick, here are some honorable mentions:

“Harvest Moon GBC” (1998)

“Dragon Warrior: Monsters” (1998)

“Bomberman Quest” (1998)

“Tetris DX” (1998)

“Megaman Xtreme” (2000)

Let’s be frank here: if you owned a Gameboy Colour, it was almost guaranteed that you got one just to play a Pokémon game. And Pokémon’s 2nd generation of games changed everything: Pokémon were in colour! The sun would rise and set! Mysterious eggs were being found in Daycares! Ah, the wonders of Gold, Silver & Crystal. The originals were good, but these games are what made Pokémon great, and as such, there’s no question that they deserve the top spot. The internal batteries that fried in our game cartridges after hours of playing would agree.

Do you agree with our list? What other games had you going through packs and packs of batteries? For more fun-filled Top 10s posted daily, subscribe to WatchMojo.com.