Game Boy
1989 NintendoGeneration 4
The Game Boy revolutionized portable gaming with its monochrome screen, incredible battery life, and the pack-in game Tetris. Despite being technically inferior to competitors, it dominated the handheld market for over a decade.
1046
Total Games
1989
Release Year
Want to play Game Boy games on a handheld?
We compared Game Boy emulation across 10 handhelds with published testing. 10 of them handle it, and the page lists them cheapest first with a source on every rating.
Which handheld runs Game Boy?Technical Specifications
Processor
Sharp LR35902 (Game Boy CPU) at 4.19 MHz
Memory
8 KB main RAM, 8 KB video RAM
Media
Game cartridges
Graphics
160x144 pixel LCD screen, 4 shades of gray
Audio
4-channel audio
Game Boy games
10 titles catalogued. Games with their own page are the ones published emulation testing names directly.
| Title | Year | Developer | Genre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tetris | 1989 | Nintendo | Puzzle |
| Super Mario Land | 1989 | Nintendo | Platformer |
| Metroid II: Return of Samus | 1991 | Nintendo R&D1 | Action, Adventure |
| The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening | 1993 | Nintendo | Action, Adventure |
| Pokémon Red and Blue | 1996 | Game Freak | RPG |
| Dr. Mario | 1990 | Nintendo | Puzzle |
| Mega Man: Dr. Wily's Revenge | 1991 | Capcom | Action, Platformer |
| Final Fantasy Legend | 1989 | Square | RPG |
| Kirby's Dream Land | 1992 | HAL Laboratory | Platformer |
| Gargoyle's Quest | 1990 | Capcom | Action, RPG |
Questions about the Game Boy
- When was the Game Boy released?
- The Game Boy was released in 1989 by Nintendo. It is a generation 4 console with a library of roughly 1046 titles.
- What are the Game Boy specifications?
- Processor: Sharp LR35902 (Game Boy CPU) at 4.19 MHz. Memory: 8 KB main RAM, 8 KB video RAM. Graphics: 160x144 pixel LCD screen, 4 shades of gray. Audio: 4-channel audio. Media: Game cartridges.
- Can you emulate Game Boy games on a retro handheld?
- 10 of 10 handhelds with published testing run Game Boy well enough to play. The cheapest is the Miyoo Flip at around $60. Every rating traces to testing by someone who had the hardware.
- Which Game Boy games are covered here?
- 10 titles: Tetris, Super Mario Land, Metroid II: Return of Samus, The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, Pokémon Red and Blue, Dr. Mario, Mega Man: Dr. Wily's Revenge, Final Fantasy Legend, Kirby's Dream Land, Gargoyle's Quest.
Fun Facts & Trivia
- • Survived being bombed during the Gulf War and still worked
- • Tetris was the killer app that made it successful
- • The screen was green-tinted to reduce eye strain
- • Pokémon was originally designed for Game Boy to extend its lifespan