Best Game Boy Games (Updated 2021)

Tetris is one of the best Game Boy games available on Amazon today. It’s a classic, has adjustable difficulty levels, and is a wonderfully simple game. Originally an arcade game, a computer game, and later as a handheld version, Tetris is an iconic game that is notoriously challenging.

The renewed cartridge is available for about thirty dollars, which is altogether overpriced considering it’s, well, Tetris. But, the point of this cartridge is to have a collector’s item. And this Game Boy game is a relic of a simpler time in handheld gaming and, frankly, a simpler time in life overall.

Tetris, if you’re not familiar, is a puzzle game that challenges the player to fit tetrominoes together with rapid speed. If your pieces reach the top of the playing field, you fail. But being able to master Tetris is a feat worthy of admiration. With adjustable difficulty levels, you can develop your skills and work your way up to Tetris mastery.

The premise of Tetris is stunningly simple, which isn’t necessarily to its detriment. Yes, the gameplay is repetitive, but it’s a great game for waiting rooms and car rides. It’s largely low stress (though your heart may race as the Tetris pieces speed up) and doesn’t offer anything too unexpected. If you’re looking for an epic adventure game, you’re setting yourself up to be disappointed. But if you’re looking for a game that requires quick decision-making and simple logic, Tetris is perfect for you.

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The Pokemon Red Version is one of the best Game Boy Games available on Amazon today because of its great design, gameplay, and replay value.

At nearly $70, this is one of the most expensive games on this list. Whether or not it’s worth its price is truly up to you, since it’s a collector’s item at this point. But, for one of the most iconic games from the Game Boy, it may be worth it and worth more in the future.

The design of the game is broken up into seeking out new Pokemon and battling with others. This game has a multiplayer option enabled by the Link Cable, which allows two Game Boys to connect. This is certainly an innovative design on behalf of Nintendo. While the storyline itself is basic, it sort of speaks for itself. It’s Pokemon, and you’ve gotta catch them all.

This Game Boy game is really worth its salt when it comes to replay value. Especially if you’re investing some money in buying this Game Boy game, it’s great to know that you’ll still be entertained by it the second or third time around.

Overall, the game had positive feedback from critics, and the game has held up over time. While the graphics are primitive, the game itself was still rather impressive for its time. So if you’re a fan of Pokemon, you can’t go wrong with this one.

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The Namco Museum is one of the best Game Boy games available on Amazon today for its affordable price, big nostalgia factor, and a great variety of games.

At under twenty dollars, this is by far the most affordable pick on this list. This cartridge is made for Game Boy Advance, so if you’re looking to expand your collection of games for a console you recently found, this is a worthwhile addition to your collection.

With four arcade classics all on in one cartridge, you can enjoy the best of old-school arcade gaming (no tokens required!) With so many folks needing a break nowadays, what better way to escape than into some fond memories of yore? Namco Museum had multiple releases across several platforms and was incredibly successful. The games may not be extremely complex, but that’s the point. There’s beauty in their simplicity.

There’s also a great variety of games available in Namco Museum, you never have to play the same game twice. With Ms. Pac Man, Dig Dug, Galaga, and Pole Position, you have a perfect cartridge for car rides (as long as you’re not driving) or your commute.

There’s a lot going on in the world, a little nostalgia never hurt, and there’s fun and beauty in something so blissfully simple. If you’re looking for a blast from the past, Namco brings the arcade to you with Namco Museum.

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Super Mario Bros. Deluxe is an upgrade on the classic Super Mario Bros. game, including additional features, upgrades, and modes for it to be played on the Game Boy Color.

At around forty-four dollars, this Game Boy game is certainly a collector’s item. Its cartridge was made specifically for Game Boy Color, which was an iconic release in itself. Who doesn’t love the atomic purple Game Boy Color, a coveted handheld console of the late 90s?

The premise of the game is largely the same as the original. Princess Toadstool must be saved from King Koopa to restore peace and prosperity to the Mushroom People. The game can be played as either Mario or Luigi, and the side-scrolling platform game features challenges and adventures that the duo must accomplish in their quest to save the princess. But, there are a few key differences from the original that make this one of the best Game Boy games available on Amazon today.

With the addition of several game modes, including “Challenge Mode” and “You vs. Boo.” Various enemies also underwent minor changes across the thirty-two levels. Super Mario Bros. is one of the classic Nintendo games, so it was great to see how the Game Boy Color version differed. It would have been easy for game developers to just copy and paste what worked from the original game with incredibly minor changes but with the addition of several levels and modes, it helps to create its own reputation.

Overall, this game is perfect for any fan of Super Mario that is looking to create a collection of one of the most iconic games in Nintendo history.

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Kirby’s Dream Land is one of the best Game Boy games available on Amazon today for its overall game design, in-game challenges, and musical scoring.

This Game Boy game is available as a renewed product. Since many of these Game Boy games haven’t been actively manufactured in quite some time, it’s not surprising that new and unused cartridges of these games are particularly hard to come by. Nevertheless, Amazon notes that each cartridge sold has been “professionally inspected, tested, and cleaned by Amazon-qualified suppliers.” A price tag of around $35 speaks to the rarity of the product.

Kirby’s Dream Land is an action-platformer game in which Kirby must save the residents of Dream Land by taking back stolen food and Twinkling Stars from evil King Dedede. Flying Kirby’s main method of attack is via air puffs, which can be manipulated through certain power-up foods found along his journey. Like many similar Game Boy games, Kirby’s Dream Land is a side-scrolling game. But, there are a few key differences which sets Kirby’s Dream Land apart from others.

While level failure usually results in a player being reset to the beginning of the level, Kirby’s Dream Land has doors integrated into each level that act as benchmarks throughout it. That way, if a player is defeated, they are simply sent back to their last door. This certainly alleviates some frustration from gameplay, but can also be a determining factor in the game being criticized as “too elementary.”

Overall, this is a solid action-platformer pick.

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Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros 3 is one of the best Game Boy Games available today because of its great overall gaming experience, its fun platformer design, and its interesting use of e-cards.

At nearly forty dollars, the price of this renewed product reflects more on its rarity than the actual quality of the game. Especially when it comes to Game Boy games, the prices are going to reflect that none of them are actively manufactured anymore. So, if you’re looking to complete a collection for the nostalgia of it, this is the way to go.

Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros 3 has a great overall gaming experience. The storyline takes place in Mushroom World, where you can play as either Mario or Luigi to travel through the eight kingdoms to defeat the Koopa Kids and Bowser. Each level requires Mario or Luigi to reach a tangible goal in order to advance to the next round.

It has the classic game design that folks expect from Super Mario Brothers with power-ups from Super Mushroom, Fire Flower, and Starman, among others.

This game, in particular, was released around the same time as the Nintendo e-reader, which resulted in e-cards being designed for this game. Through the use of e-cards, users can “scan” them via the e-reader to access additional levels. While few people actually own the Nintendo e-reader, it’s still pretty interesting as far as gaming history goes that this was even a feature. Critics call it one of the best uses of the e-reader, while others criticized that it was too difficult to access the additional levels anyway.

Overall, this game is a relic from an interesting time in mid-2000s gaming.

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Donkey Kong Country for Game Boy Advance is one of the best Game Boy games available on Amazon today for its sizable upgrades over the original, its creative use of the platformer genre, and its interesting use of scoring.

At 36 dollars, it’s a little cheaper than some of the other rare games on this list. Again, it’s a collector’s item but it probably isn’t as hard to find due to it not being as popular as other iconic games. The Game Boy Advance was also released later than the original Game Boy and Game Boy Color, which leaves the possibility that there are just more games still around.

Donkey Kong Country is a platformer game in which Donkey and Diddy Kong must work to recover their stash of bananas. Swinging on vines, navigating mine cart courses, and battling epic bosses, this game is a creative use of Donkey Kong’s world. While it may not be the most graphically impressive game, it’s from the early 2000s and still holds up.

The game also features remixes of the original songs from the Nintendo 64 game. While the songs have mixed reviews among gamers, it’s still good to see that some effort was put in to make this game a departure from the original.

If you’re a fan of Donkey Kong, this is certainly a Game Boy game worth checking out.

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Donkey Kong is one of the best Game Boy games available on Amazon today for its twist on the classic arcade game, innovative game design, and challenging gameplay.

This Game Boy game is available for about 45 dollars on Amazon. As has been said before, this game isn’t purchased for comparable graphics to today’s games; it’s a collector’s item. Whether you are interested in putting a collection together for the first time or found your old Game Boy in storage and were interested in dusting it off, Donkey Kong is a welcome game to add to the mix.

The first four levels of Donkey Kong are reminiscent of the classic arcade game in which Mario must defeat four levels of obstacles and challenges to save Pauline from Donkey Kong. The twist comes in at the end of the fourth level when Donkey Kong kidnaps Pauline again and forces Mario to charge on–through an additional 97 stages across nine worlds.

The additional levels created specifically for the Game Boy game differ from the classic arcade game, challenging Mario to find a key in each level to unlock a door and every fourth level resulting in a “battle level.” Critics enjoyed this, as it showed a commitment on behalf of the game designers to create an experience different than that of the arcade game.

Additionally, it’s a challenging game. Whether Mario is actively seeking to save Pauline or defeating Donkey Kong in the process, this game takes strategy and cunning never before seen in a Game Boy game. A challenge can be delightful and give the gamer a sense of accomplishment when Donkey Kong is defeated at last.

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Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins is one of the best Game Boy games available on Amazon today for its innovative game design, use of classic Nintendo characters, and engaging storyline.

Since Game Boy games are no longer actively manufactured, it can be difficult to come across games that are entirely new. Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins is available on Amazon as a refurbished product. That being said, all of the available reviewers had positive things to say about the quality of the cartridge and their customer service experience. At $45, this game certainly qualifies as a collector’s item.

Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins follows Mario as he seeks to reclaim Mario Island from Wario, a jealous childhood acquaintance out for revenge. He must collect all six coins by defeating six different bosses throughout his journey. In addition to the primary levels, there are mini-games that can also be unlocked. Wario quickly became a favorite in the Super Mario universe after first being introduced in this game.

This Game Boy game differs from the first Super Mario Land because of its additional freedom of movement. While the first Super Mario Land simply had Mario moving “forward” or to the right, Super Mario Land 2 had more dynamic gameplay in the sense that Mario could move up, down, and right.

While the game has been critiqued as not having as detailed graphics as comparable games of the time, it still makes the list as one of the best 100 Nintendo games. If you’re looking for a classic adventure with some of your favorite characters, you can’t go wrong with Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins.

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Super Mario Land is the predecessor of Super Mario Land 2 and is one of the best Game Boy games available on Amazon today for its use of classic characters with its own original storyline, exemplary musical compositions, and a lasting legacy.

At nearly fifty dollars, you aren’t buying this game for its cutting-edge graphics or gameplay. It is a rarity and a collector’s item. Mario himself is only twelve pixels high in the game, a feature among others that left critics wondering if the game would result in eyestrain. Of course, they’re talking about this in 1989 terms, not nowadays when everyone is fixated on tiny screens all day long. Not that it still isn’t an issue, it’s just largely ignored.

Super Mario Land was the first platformer game in the Super Mario series and a departure from Super Smash Bros. It takes place in Sarasaland as opposed to the Mushroom Kingdom, which many critics weren’t a fan of as they didn’t find it to be as detailed or whimsical as the Mushroom Kingdom. Twelve-level gameplay is equally divided among four worlds with a boss to defeat at the end of each level. Mario’s arsenal of attack and travel varies from level to level.

On the upside, this game is lauded for its original score. Composed by Hirokazu Tanaka, it’s considered to be one of the best game soundtracks for its time.

Overall, this single-player platformer deserves its spot on this list for its lasting legacy as an original Game Boy game.

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