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My Top 10 Gameboy Games


On 12/14/2013 at 05:51 PM by Casey Curran

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Okay, now onto a system I have a ton of nostalgia for. The Gameboy was the first system I never owned and is one of the reasons I love portable gaming so much. I'm going to stick to the GB/GBC from here as the GBA was so good it deserves its own list. But here's my favorite Gameboy games.

10. Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins

There was always something a little off about the two Land games. The thing is, while the first was not able to overcome this and is the only traditional Mario game I'll ever call shit, the second was able to overcome this and be an awesome game in its own right. Having some more unique ideas for levels and power ups, SML2 is short, but sweet.

9. Wario Land

But Wario was better than Mario on the Gameboy. While this formula is kind of a weird mix between traditional Mario and the later Wario formula, Wario's first platformer is still a lot of fun. It was the first game I ever owned so it is very special to me because of it.

8. Tetris

I mean, come on. It's Tetris.

7. Mario Picross

While not as good as the later DS Picross game, I still really love me some picross. It's perfect for a portable as you can get a quick puzzle in which does not demand your full attention all the time, but will keep you engaged. 

6. Wario Land 2

While I still love the original Wario Land, his later formula is just better. More focused on puzzles than challenging platforming (Wario actually can't die, he just loses coins), Wario Land 2 changed the rules of platforming. Getting hit by obstacles deforms him in ways to get through other obstacles, focusing on thinking rather than reflexes.

5. Mega Man Xtreme 2

This was my entry into the Mega Man series and my second favorite. Letting you play as both X and Zero, each with their own set of bosses (until New Game Plus at least when they fight each other's), I spent hours playing the hell out of this gem. Highly recommended.

4. Kirby's Dreamland 2

No best games list of a Nintendo console is complete without a mention from Kirby. Like I said with the NES one, he's never the best, but he's always great. While Dreamland was a little too basic, 2 added his copy ability with superior level design and three fun animals to ride on. One of his better games in the series.

3. Donkey Kong

As good as remakes get, Donkey Kong took the original four levels we all love then added over a hundred new ones of puzzle platforming goodness. Donkey Kong is the reason I love puzzle games so much and will always be one of my all time favorite games. I recommend every 3DS owner who missed out check this gem out.

2. The Legend of Zelda series

I'm having a hard time picking between Link's Awakening and Oracle of Seasons, so I'll just group them all together. But as far as 2D Zelda goes, I think the portable entries are a step up from the console ones (unless you count the DS ones as 2D). I like LttP, don't get me wrong, but there's something about the feel and tone of these games that I like more, as well as the items and dungeons.

1. Pokemon Crystal

You know something funny? I don't think the original Pokemon games are very good. Awesome for the time, sure, but nowadays the mechanics are a mess. It was an awesome idea executed very clumsily. The sequels on the other hand? My favorite JRPGs until they were remade ten years later. Pokemon Crystal was the best of the bunch even if it was just a rehash. 2nd gen added so much: Breeding, new typings to check overpowered typings (namely Psychic and Normal), exploring a new Kanto region, Heracross, it was so great. 

It even has the best glitch ever which lets you get Totodile, Chickorita, and Cyndaquill on one file.


 

Comments

V4Viewtiful

12/14/2013 at 05:55 PM

Cheater, using Color Games Tongue Out I've actually dug out my GBC it works fine. Ah, memories...

I have a Pocket somewhere.

Cary Woodham

12/14/2013 at 08:09 PM

Glad to see Zelda, Donkey Kong, Kirby's Dreamland 2, and Wario Land 2 on your list.

Other ones I liked are Shantae and Kirby's Pinball Land.

Casey Curran Staff Writer

12/14/2013 at 09:58 PM

I need to play Shantae.

Aboboisdaman

12/14/2013 at 08:50 PM

I was shocked when I played the first Mario Land. Mario Land 2 and the Wario Lands are awesome though. I need to get that Donkey Kong game. The only Pokemon game I own is Pokemon Pinball on GB.

Casey Curran Staff Writer

12/14/2013 at 09:59 PM

I think you'd really like Donkey Kong. If you ever get a 3DS, definitely download it.

ThatKidOverThere

12/14/2013 at 09:02 PM

I lost my GBA at school, and that was my first console. Probably the worst mistake I've ever made. Nintendo would make a killing if they would have way more than the amount they have now titles for virtual console. 

Casey Curran Staff Writer

12/14/2013 at 10:00 PM

I really wish they'd put more GBA games on VC. Metroid Zero Mission and Minish Cap deserve to be played by everyone.

jgusw

12/14/2013 at 09:14 PM

I hear good things about the Wario games and I hadn't played any of them yet.  

Casey Curran Staff Writer

12/14/2013 at 10:00 PM

They're all on the 3DS eshop if you want to get around to them.

Halochief90

12/14/2013 at 10:10 PM

I have some very nostalgic memories of Wario Land 3. I never played the originals but I definitely like WL3 more than the Gameboy Marios.

I also played Mega Man X2 at some point, but I've played so many Mega Mans that it's hard to tell any of them apart.

Casey Curran Staff Writer

12/15/2013 at 01:50 AM

Yeah, I can't even remember which bosses are included in Xtreme 2. Just remember that I liked that game a lot when I had it as a kid.

Super Step Contributing Writer

12/14/2013 at 11:26 PM

I was never good at Tetris as a kid, due to my mistaken belief that you were supposed to stack the blocks (yeah, I wasn't the brightest when it came to puzzle games), but that little Russian ditty is a classic. Nowadays I can regularly get to level 50 or above on freetetris.org, but I miss that awesome music.

As for Pokemon, I only ever played Blue and Red, mostly because the initial Pokemon craze hit when I was in middle school. I haven't played past those because I'm not big on JRPGs. Despite the problems you've noticed with them, they were much simpler than most JRPGs I remember playing, and I dug the collectathon gimmick, so I got much farther in them than most games I played in that genre.  

I'll trust you that they've improved though, they must be doing something right for the series to continue this long. And I wish that glitch in Crystal had been present in the initial releases. Having Squirtle, Charmander, and Bulbasaur on one file would have been cool. 

I never played the other titles you mention, but they all sound like games I'd like to play, so I may refer back to this list if I'm searching online for something to play, or if I find myself at a used game store in the near future.

Casey Curran Staff Writer

12/15/2013 at 01:51 AM

Zelda and Donkey Kong are definitely worth checking out.

SanAndreas

12/15/2013 at 01:16 AM

I got the Game Boy for Christmas the year it came out, in 1989. I got the bundled Tetris as well as Super Mario Land.

My favorite Game Boy Games: Link's Awakening (although, I still far prefer A Link to the Past), Pokemon Red/Blue, Final Fantasy Adventure, and the Dragon Warrior I & II remake and Dragon Warrior III remake, and Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters. Kid Icarus in particular was great and was far better than the NES game. I guess it's on the 3DS eShop. It'd be cool if Nintendo would do a full-color remake of it with SNES/GBA level graphics.

 

Casey Curran Staff Writer

12/15/2013 at 01:53 AM

Kid Icarus was head and shoulders above the NES one. Definitely agree it should be remade like that, or a new KI game in that style. Uprising was awesome (and I'd love a sequel with Wiimote controls) but a traditional KI would be great too. The series has potential that Nintendo never tapped into the way they did Zelda or Metroid. Never played the others save Pokemon.

KnightDriver

12/15/2013 at 04:58 AM

I've collected a few Gameboy games. My list says I have only Castlevania Adventure and Super Mario Land, but I've always wanted to check more of them out especially the Dragon Warrior games. I can plug them into the Gamboy Player on my GameCube. Wee!

NSonic79

12/17/2013 at 03:10 PM

Its sad but I never was albe to fully get into the GB era in portables. If I ever get in the mood to buy GB games for my GBA player I'll keep these in mind.

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