Welcome to the Game Boy / Game Boy Color appreciation thread. I thought it would be fitting to create one with the launch of the 3DS eShop and the Virtual Console.
As has been discussed in a number of threads, the Game Boy's library of titles has issues holding itself up to the high standards of some older consoles. A large number of titles on the Game Boy were in fact, puzzle games, and most have been surpassed to various degrees on other platforms.
However, the games that are worth playing are indeed some of the best titles one could hope to find. This is a list of a handful of titles I believe hold up the best to this day (ie; I'm not wasting time on Tetris), but feel free to discuss what titles you think hold up and which you enjoyed as kids. And let me know how horrible my selections are.
Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening: In my mind, both the original and DX versions are the best lasting memory of the Game Boy family one could have. When Link's Awakening released, it was truly amazing to be holding a game that equalled A Link to the Past in your hands. The writing in the game in amusing, the graphics hold up as well as one could hope, there's unique wonderful music, the puzzles are among the best in the series, and it's an all around great experience.
Donkey Kong (94): Donkey Kong by name, this is really a very clever and well designed puzzle game. Notably though, it was the first Game Boy title that was made with Super Game Boy specifics in mind. This included a palette designed just for the title, and a great looking SMG border as well. The title has polish and the simplistic graphics do not detract from what the game has to offer.
Kirby's Dream Land 2: It's likely most people played the original Dream Land, and missed out on this version which is truly sad. Dream Land 2 offered some unique gameplay to the Kirby series through the use of your three animal allies. Visually the game holds up quite well, and is Enhanced by the Super Game Boy. Enhanced support includes custom color palette, border, and even takes advantage of the Super Nintendo's superior sound chip.
Super Mario Land 2: Six Golden Coins: Opinions on this title always seem to divide people like no other Game Boy title (aside from maybe the Mario Land before it!). In my opinion, the game's uniqueness in levels, abilities, and well polished design make it hold up quite well. Controls are 'floaty', which may be on of the issues people have with it the most. Sadly, a Deluxe Color version was cancelled (along with Metroid II DX) late in to the Game Boy Color's life.
Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3: This title, along with Link's Awakening, is one where the development effort, and final product rival that of games Nintendo was putting out on the Super Nintendo at the time. The title has great platforming, as well as a focus on collecting treasure, and money for different end game scenarios.
Donkey Kong Land (and series): The series of Donkey Kong Land games is hardly remembered by gamers when compared to Nintendo's other platformers on the Game Boy. But they offer some of the best level design of the generation when it comes to platformers, and the titles (specifically the first) have very unique levels outside the scope of the Country series. Visually, people may want to vomit after looking at Donkey Kong Land screens, but in motion the games are not nearly as terrible. Music in the title shares some similarities with Country series, but has great tunes only found in Land. Feel free to argue with me on this one, because my nostalgia might be too strong.
Notable Game Boy mentions: Tetris, Tetris Attack, Final Fantasy Adventure, Kid Dracula, Metroid II: Return of Samus, Pokémon Trading Card Game, Super R.C. Pro Am, Gargoyle's Quest, Kid Dracula.
Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons & Ages: Developed by Flagship, and published by Nintendo the two Oracle games are two of the most unique titles in the Zelda series. While the maintain many aspects of Link's Awakening, including the two button equipment system and a variety of graphics the gameplay in both changed quite a bit. Seasons was designed to focus mostly on action, and Ages on puzzles. Either game could be played first, and then the player could transfer their data over to the other cart once they finished. A number of story elements could change depending on decisions made in the other title. One of the least played games in the series, and the titles I most hope come to Virtual Console on 3DS soon.
Super Mario Bros. Deluxe: Visually (except for the aspect ratio), this is the NES version of Super Mario Bros, with the Lost Levels being unlockable. There were plenty of additions to this title, such as an Overworld, the ability to switch between Bros and simultaneous multiplayer. But the feature most people would want to play this version for is the Challenge Mode, in which the player must find hidden coins in every level and reach/exceed a score by the end of the level. This provided a great breath of fresh air to a title that would have been great anyways.
Shantae: One of the most overlooked Game Boy Color titles, that thankfully received a well deserved sequel recently on DSiWare. Shantae really pushed the limits of the Game Boy Color for both visuals and even in its music. It was a fantastic new IP at a time when it felt like the GBC was receiving nothing, but Color'ed ports of older titles and it holds up equally as well.
Notably Game Boy Color mentions: Metal Gear Solid: Ghost Babel, Survival Kids, Warlocked, Game & Watch Gallery 2, Wario Land 2, Wario Land 3.
One of the better ways to play your classic Game Boy games is on the Super Game Boy. The Super Game Boy actually consists of the same hardware as the Game Boy; inside the cartridge is a separate CPU that processes the games while the Super NES only provided means for user-input, output of graphics to the screen, and the additional coloring, similar to the Atari 5200 version of the Atari 2600 adapter.
It was also possible for Super Game Boy games to make use of the SNES hardware for extra effects, as demonstrated in Contra: The Alien Wars, Donkey Kong, Kirby's Dream Land 2, and Toy Story; these games had expanded sound when used with the Super Game Boy. Wario Blast, the Game Boy version of Killer Instinct, and several other titles even allowed the second Super NES controller to be used for two-player action, and the title screen changed to show that these games had a two-player option, rather than a connection status.*from Wikipedia
