RF Generation Message Board

So far, we've looked at several of the best games for the early Nintendo systems and one of the biggest competitors in that era in the Sega Genesis. You can find those discussion threads here-

N64- http://www.rfgeneration.com/forum/index.php?topic=19297.0
Sega Genesis- http://www.rfgeneration.com/forum/index.php?topic=19279.0
Super NES- http://www.rfgeneration.com/forum/index.php?topic=19263.0
NES- http://www.rfgeneration.com/forum/index.php?topic=19248.0

For May, we're going 'portable' with the list, and looking at the Game Boy. While it wasn't the first system for gaming on the go, it was the most popular during it's day. And by using Tetris as its pack in title, was one of the first game systems to market itself to a wide age range.


While there is some debate as to what the Game Boy's library includes, for the purpose of this list we'll be focusing specifically on games for the original 'brick'. While Nintendo lumps Game Boy Color in with the Gameboy sales, on the whole Game Boy Color games are a step up technologically from the original gray carts. And after consulting with a few diehard Game Boy fans, this seemed like the best route to take.

How to participate:

1. Make an ordered list of whatever games are your favorites for the system being covered that month.

-Make your list about what games you think are the best that system has to offer, NOT necessarily the most important. (For example, Super Mario Bros. is one of the most influential games in VG history, but not many would call it a better game than SMB3)

-Also, your list needs to be limited to games you have personally played. Don't include a game just because you've heard it's good, include a game because you know it's good.

-For a few of the games, try to include a few thoughts on why that particular game made your list. That way, those not as familiar with the game can see why it's one they should put on their radar.

2. Personal Message EZ Racer with your ordered list.

Just put "Top 20 games for the (whatever system we're covering that month)" in the subject line. Throughout the month, I will be compiling the results, and release a full list based on votes sent in. I will be putting extra weight on games voted for the top of the lists, so please make sure that your games are listed in numeric order. The reasoning behind a private vote is so that each member's vote can be their own, not influenced by what they think others would want.

The voting cutoff each month will be the last day of the month at 11:59 EST.

Once again for this list, please stick to only NA and PAL releases, that way RFGen members from across the pond can have a voice. But later in the year we'll do something for Japan exclusive titles.

Also, one last reminder, we're looking at games specifically designed for the original Game Boy, not those exclusive to Game Boy Color, or the black GB Color carts that are backwards compatible.

Should be an interesting list to put together!

Participants-

EZ Racer*
Disposed Hero*
EngineerMike
singlebanana*
MetalFro*
bombatomba*
shaggy*
Crabmaster2000*

Ah, Game Boy should be interesting! I'll have to play through some games just to fill out my list, but many GB games are short, so I should be able to blow through some pretty quickly.

I will try and join in again

Oh man, this is going to be a great list!

You know I'll be making a list!!!

I'm in.  I completely missed out on GB until very late in the last millennium, and even I'd say I played less than 5% of the catalog, so I've got a lot of catching up to do!

Alright gents, I need a judgement call.  Pokemon Yellow.  This was my first GB game, and I bought it with the whole yellow GBC set to play on breaks at work.  Whether or not this is considered GB or GBC is confusing me.  I don't remember any real color to the game Further referencing the RFG database it shows it as a GB game specifically.  But if you look at the box, the front says "Game Boy" with no mention of color, but if you look at the back of the box it shows some color on Pikachu and it does say it is compatible with Game Boy Color.  Is this game legitimate for this list?

From what you said, it sounds like a GB game.

Pokemon Red, Blue, and Yellow
When I was setting things up for the month, I had to double check this as well. Pokemon Red, Blue, and Yellow are original Game Boy and eligible for this list. However, Gold, Silver, and Crystal are not.

Since it's basically a minor GBC "glow up" of Red & Blue with a few new elements, that alone would probably cement it as a GB game first and foremost, so I think there's enough precedent to say Pokemon Yellow is probably a GB game primarily, and only a GBC game because of when it was released.

List submitted.

This'll be great

That would make me very happy, as this was my first real GB game, and it turned me into a massive Pokemon fan for a couple of months.

I've been playing through a lot of the games, and am kind of surprised at the amount of attempts (some solid, some not) at NES ports.  This has got me wondering just how much nostalgia plays into this handheld.  I am genuinely having a lot of fun so far doing "research" for this list, but this question is dogging me as I play through the years of GB games (which I am choosing to play in "Pocket" black and white).

Also something I wanted to ask, to those who have a ton of nostalgia for the original GB, are your memories of playing them much brighter and uh, less blurry than they are in real life?  I had of a shock a number of years ago when showing off to my son the awesomeness that is Legend of Goku 2, I was stunned at how dark it was.  I remember the colors being bright and vivid, in stark contrast to the washed out look of my wife's GBA SP.

With the original GB, you had the contrast dial, so you could adjust the brightness, to a point. With the GBC, I always played with a snake light, so I didn't have a problem. And playing via GBA SP, even the earlier 001 model, with the front light, yeah, it looks a bit washed out. The later 101 units, with the backlit screen, probably fare better, and at some point, I hope to mod a 101 (or aftermarket) screen into a standard GBA form factor, so I can have the more comfortable to hold unit, but still have a better screen. What shocked me was the motion blur on the original GB models. I don't remember it being that bad, but playing on the old brick now is painful w/o mods. It's better on the GB Pocket, but the original model is hard to go back to when it's completely stock, because the motion blur is just so heavy.

Ah, I think I understand, FRO.  I feel the same way about the original GB.  Mine is pretty terrible, and while I didn't play much when I was a youngster, I don't remember the Tetris demo being that blurry.  I suspect my GB screen is getting a little long in the tooth though, so who knows.  I'm toying with getting one of the latest GBA IPS mods for my OG GBA (the SP just hurts my hands), but there are just too many things I want to get before that, like the Turbo16 Mini (maybe for Father's Day).

On another note, I jacked up my right hand playing GB games!  Okay, so technically I think I softened it up a bit playing through MM1 on Legacy Collection on the PC, and I cheesed a lot of the bosses with the Thunder Beam, but the last boss of the game I was playing (for GB) made things worse.  I know I am making it sound bad, but it's actually kind of funny, and I spent an hour in the Switch eShop looking at games I could play one handed (I picked up Yodanji and The Count Lucanor) all the while with a heating pad on my right hand, instead of you know, NOT PLAYING GAMES!

Don't think I'll be participating in this one but will be looking forward to the results for some ideas to play.  I had a GB for awhile but I only really played like 5-6 games on it - Pokemon, Kirby Dream Land 1/2, Tetris, and Link's Awakening are all that I can really remember putting time into. 

Never really been much of a handheld guy, so I don't have many games.  Even when I did play GB/GBC/GBA games I played on the Super Game Boy or Gameboy Player usually.

Haven't seen too many lists yet, hope to see more because this should be a really fun list to put together.

Up until this list I was the same, and had played less than twenty of the original games, mostly on Super GB back in the mid-90's, so I get it.  I had a lot of fun with this list I think because most of it was a surprise.


My list is almost done and I hope to submit it soon.  I've had to take things slow due to hand injury, but I have fifteen games ranked as of today.

I've got mine cut down to 20 just gotta figure out the order now

I can't wait until we get to some lesser known systems to hopefully find some good games I don't know about.  Unfortunately, with the lesser known system it might have to be a top 5, top 10, or a top 15 list.

Just submitted mine.  This list was a lot of fun to make, because I hadn't played most of the games, so I took it upon myself to sit down and play many of them, going by my scant few memories and box covers, almost as if I was browsing in a store.  I played what I have on a GBA SP, and what I didn't using an awesome GB Pocket overlay in Retroarch

I'm still mulling this over. Gonna be a difficult list to properly order.

Just submitted my list. It's definitely my most rushed and thrown together list so far, and it's likely to change significantly over the next few years.

Cutting it cloes, but just submitted my list. Hope I didn't leave it too late for you.

I sent mine late last night. Too many great games, and I probably had a couple choices that won't be in anyone else's list, but I felt like I got a decent cross-section of the library.

I threw a few personal nostalgia soaked choices in mine that I don't expect to see on any other lists. Curious to see what we came up with for this one

Yeah, this could be a very interesting list. I know for sure there's probably at least 1 game that wasn't on my list that will likely have made the top 20, because everyone else seems to have nostalgia for it, even though I've never played it ;)

Super Mario Land is not very good and didn't make my list

I was talking about a certain infamous RPG series :P

And to be fair, SML didn't make my list, either. I love it, and it's a sentimental favorite, but I know objectively there are better games.

I am in no way a Pokemaniac, but Pokemon Red/Blue > Super Mario Land

@crabmaster2000- There are definitely some surprises this time, and a few potentially contreversial choices. To be fair, there were some really predictable choices as well.

@metalfro- I almost PM'ed you when I first browsed your list to make sure you had intentionally left off SML. Shocked me that it wasn't there for you.

I will forever love that game, but I decided to look at it a bit more objectively :D

This list was really interesting to put together in that it seemed like the games were either on everyone's list, or on only one person's list. In fact, with 7 voters, only 31 games received multiple votes. Out of those 31, eight were on at least 5 lists, and four were on all 7 lists.

But as always before getting to the top 20, here are the games that didn't make it, but are worth attention according to the RFGen community-

Single votes from 20-16


One 20th place vote

Baseball

Boomer's Adventure in ASMIK World- "Proof that advertising works (though maybe not always in the way the advertisers want), I kept this game in the back of my head for decades, until one day I get the opportunity to do a GB top twenty list and I think, "Oh, I remember Boomer and that advertisement back in the day, that's got to be good, right?"  Despite never having played it until now, I can say this game was worth the wait.  Reminds me heavily of Heiankyo Alien in how you fight enemies, but the stages are larger and the enemies can also dig holes as well as fill them in.  Despite that, not nearly as fun as Heiankyo Alien."

Adventures of Star Saver- "There are better action games. This one is pure nostalgia for me though. And it does have one of the best jams on the system: https://youtu.be/6yfKXkx2ZNE

Ghostbusters II- "With the 2600 and NES Ghostbuster games being a bust, it was refreshing to have GB2 where you could pick your team of the four Busters and use two at a time. Zappin' and trappin' is a good deal of fun.


One 19th place vote

Super R.C. Pro-Am

Milon's Secret Castle

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: Back from the Sewers- "It's a huge step up from its predecessor in terms of visuals, but not much else. Still a very simplistic game, but decent enough."


One 18th place vote

Mario's Picross- "One of the great chill out puzzlers of all time!"

Bubble Ghost- "A lesser known title where you play as a little ghost blowing a bubble across a treacherous obstacle course.  Some neat puzzle mechanics and a game that requires a lot of finesse."

Double Dragon II- "The first appearance of the Lee brothers on the Game Boy was a conversion of the NES game, somewhat trimmed down, but with unbalanced difficulty. This 2nd game is a unique experience, however, and is better for it. Not content to be a port of the NES sequel, Double Dragon II on the Game Boy is its own thing, and ends up being a fun game in its own right, and a solid beat-em-up.


One 17th place vote

Solar Striker

RoboCop 2- "It’s probably not a great game, and I haven’t played it in probably 25 years, but it was one of the few GB games I owned as a kid, so I’ll always have a soft spot for it. I could never get past that sliding block puzzle, and I still think of this game every time I see one."

Dr. Mario- "Not quite as good as it’s console counterpart, but a decent version if you need your Dr. Mario fix on the go"


One 16th place vote

Knight's Quest- "One of the few RPGs on the Game Boy. Not a difficult game, so it's a great intro RPG for those getting into the genre. Not an elaborate story, but it suffices."

Quarth- "A puzzle game with a shmup feel. Yes Please"

Contra: The Alien Wars- "The lone port on this list, its inclusion is primarily because of what Konami managed to accomplish with this game on the hardware. The previous game, Operation C, had been a fine redux of Super C in some ways, with some new and original locations, but the sheer audacity of Konami to take their Super NES game and cram it into the hardware is on full display here. There's no reason this should be as good as it is, but it works."


Several more to come...

3 of mine down already! I thought for sure Picross and Mr. Mario would make several lists. Oh well, everyone listen to that Star Saver song, it's so good!

2 of mine so far, 1 of which I expected, the other I did not.

2 of mine gone.  1 I'm surprised about, the other not so much.

More single votes (and a few potential surprises)...

One 15th place vote

Bonk's Adventure- "Bonk on the Game Boy, which is a great thing unless you don't like Bonk.  Or maybe you had a Turbo Express and were mean about it. Not awesome, because due to necessity this is not, despite the naming, Bonk's Adventure.  Still, they managed to make it quite fun, with a large amount of the sound effects and minor tunes being excellent facsimiles of the Turbografx tunes."

Battle Bull- "If you enjoy the game Pengo, you'll enjoy Battle Bull. You play as a bulldozer whose object is to push blocks and crush your enemies. Lesser known, but lots of fun."


One 14th place vote

Godzilla- "Not what you'd expect in a Godzilla title, since it's a cutesy puzzle game.  I'm a big fan of strategy puzzle games and if you are as well, you need to add this cheapo to your collection."

Mercenary Force- "It would be easy to merely call this game a shoot-em-up, but that's far too reductive. Rather, this game adds new elements, like controlling an entire team of people that walk along and shoot, and as these mercenaries take damage and die, it significantly alters the way you play the game. You have to balance your approach, and be mindful of the different types of mercenaries you hire, because their unique skillsets change the dynamics of how you are able to attack enemies. Very innovative for its time."


One 13th place vote

Burai Fighter Deluxe- "Avoided the NES original because I pegged it for a poor imitation of Forgotten Worlds (probably with a snarky "How can you get the movement right without the rotary," comment, probably while pushing my glasses up my nose or something), but now I am putting the handheld port onto my top twenty list, because it is fun.  The  controls work surprisingly well and I feel the only slight that could be made against it would be the overall speed of the game, which is a little sluggish."


One 12th place vote

Mega Man III- "By the time Mega Man III was released, Capcom had mastered reworking their great blue bomber series into portable size portions without losing the elements that made the series so enjoyable."


One 11th place vote

Looney Tunes- "A rare licensed gem. Each stage focuses on a different Looney Tunes character so you get a great variety of stage designs from using Bugs’s jumping to Speedy’s size/speed and why not put Porky in a shmup?"

Castlevania Legends- "A good Castlevania game that adds in some new subweapon abilities."


One 10th place vote

Golf- "I probably weighed nostalgia a little heavier for this list than others. But really, Golf for GB is very much like NES Open Tournament Golf for NES, and very relaxing and enjoyable once you get accustomed to the swing speed."


One 9th place vote

Ninja Gaiden Shadow- "A fair bit easier than the NES titles, but still a fun action game for the Game Boy. This was originally developed as a Shadow of the Ninja title, and the influence from that game can be seen here."


One 8th place vote

Final Fantasy Legend

Mega Man IV- "Mega Man IV and V are not as good as the best Mega Man games on the NES, but they are better than the worst Mega Man games on the NES. Since Mega Man is better than pretty much everything else {these} are really good."


One 7th place vote

Final Fantasy Legend II- "Known as SaGa II in Japan, this is arguably the finest RPG on the Game Boy. It took the framework established by the original, and built upon it, with a more cohesive story, and more expansive world. Many of the elements from the 1st game are here, but they're just done better in this sequel."


One 4th place vote

Pokemon Yellow- "I played GB games before this on a Super Game Boy, but this was the first on the console I played on the platform.  Okay, I played in on the GBC I bought with it, but it counts!  Anyway, for me this bypassed the whole 'who should I pick' thing in the other games and gave me what I wanted: Pikachu, to whom I was very entertained with at that point in my life.  I don't remember how long I played it, but the memories of playing this during breaks on the assembly line of Ford is so strong I have to include it.  My favorite Pokemon game until Gold came out and the franchise fizzed for me (and I guess by proxy my second favorite Pokemon game). All hail Pikachu!"

Sword of Hope- "I've been a fan of Kemco ever since playing Shadowgate and a fan of the "point and click" genre.  I knew once I saw this game in Nintendo Power I had to get this and I was not disappointed and loved every minute of it."


One 3rd place vote

Final Fantasy Legend III- "This was the first Final Fantasy game I played on the system, and my personal fav.  At the time is was just what I needed, that being a traditional feeling JRPG with a twist (the addition of characters that could be customized using monster meat or robot parts), and also had a strong Chrono Trigger feeling at some points.  I tried going back to the two previous Legend games and found them inferior, containing weapons with limited use and a strange leveling system that I just couldn't get into.  Legend III is the most mainstream of the series (and thus, the least creative), but the one that feels the most polished, in my opinion."

Boggle Plus- "I know it will be contreversial putting this game this high, but as I racked my brain over where to put it on my list, I kept coming back to how much I enjoy playing this over the other games on my list. To this day I probably play it more than any other portable game I own. It's not just nostalgia that puts it here for me. The Game Boy is known for its quick, simplistic but intensely fun games, which helped make Tetris and other puzzle games so popular on the system. This word puzzler has those same elements. It's simplistic, but always changing and always fun."

Wario Land II- "An amazing take on puzzle/exploration platforming. So many secrets and reasons to replay stages and experiment. One of the best Wario games of all time and I’d even rank it extremely highly in the general Mario pantheon."


Believe it or not, that takes care of most of the also-rans, with just a few games getting multiple votes but not making the Top 20. I'll have those out soon...

Another 2 of my games down.

On a side note, I'm intrigued to see what makes the Game Boy Color list.

This list is going be bonkers. How did no one else vote for Wario Land II??? It's amazing!!

I'm guessing it would have been on my list but I never played it.

Multi-vote also rans:

F1 Race (#20, #20)

"I'm not a big racing game fan, because I'm rather terrible at them. But Nintendo provided an experience with F-1 Race that is hard to deny. I bought this as a kid, and had the opportunity to race against friends, which changed the way I saw the genre, having mostly played single player racers up to that point. I never got the chance to do a full-on, 4-player race, but it was a solid enough experience to think that it's probably the best original racing game on the handheld."


Revenge of the Gator (#19, #17)

"In the vein of video pinball games like Alien and Devil’s Crush Revenge of the Gator is a unique pinball table made just for this game. Some fun gimmicks and secrets make this a personal favorite."

"During the Game Boy's lifespan, there were a surprising number of pinball games released. This particular game took the limitations of the handheld, and managed to still make a fun game that approximated the pinball experience, while including elements that had started to become staples in video pinball games by that time, such as moving enemy characters, or bonus rooms. A very charming and fun game."


Mega Man II (#17, #13)

"Title screen music is one of the best for the GB, paired with quality gameplay"


Solomon's Club (#17, #13)

"Not just a port, but rather a improved game with a lot of new features.  I really like the NES original, and I love this game despite the fact I cannot finish it. A true portable title, while it lacks a battery save, it does have a password feature along with the ability to pick individual levels to play."


Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Fall of the Foot Clan (#20, #11)

"An extremely simple and not particularly noteworthy game."


Trax (#19, #10)

"A neat vertical tank shooter that reminds me a lot of Firepower 2000 on the SNES.  Probably not a well-known title on the Game Boy, but one every shmup fan should own."

"This unsung game takes the vertical scrolling shooter formula, and does something unique with it. Trax sees you piloting a tank, and giving you the ability to change your direction of fire, and deal with various obstacles on the ground that you have to maneuver around, along with some you can blow up, all while avoiding enemies and enemy fire. It's a clever little game that definitely needs more exposure."


Avenging Spirit (#14, #12)

"Fun action platformer where you play a spirit that jumps from creature to creature.  The manual says there are more than twenty in total, each with their own abilities, ranging from a martial artist that throws energy waves to a laughing, fanged Dracula-type character that throws bats.  Very easy to pick up with a lot of variety, but gets challenging quickly."

"Another lesser known title on the Game Boy and rather expensive these days. You play as a ghost who can take over your enemies bodies and go into battle. Some decent boss fights as well."


Fortified Zone (#16, #11)

"A simple, yet fun little overhead shooter, which is really what you need on a handheld system with no sleep function.  You basically just wander around a maze shooting at respawning enemies, collect items, and fight bosses.  I think the only people who would have not liked this back in the day were the folks that wanted deeper games on their GB.  Apparently there are sequels, one of which was released to the West on SNES.  Anyway, I would love to see a modern remake of this game."

"This overhead action/adventure game takes familiar elements from the original Metal Gear NES game, but simplifies the experience somewhat. The inclusion of male and female protagonists, both of whom are necessary to use during the course of the game, due to their unique skillsets, helped set the game apart, and brought a unique experience to the handheld."


Castlevania: The Adventure (#16, #10)

"A very sluggish feeling game, but it’s not so bad once you adjust to the pace. My least favorite of the GB Castlevania games though."


Ducktales (#16, #10)

"I missed out on the NES Top 20 list due to issues, so because of that I am including Ducktales, which as far as I know is a perfect port (sans colors) of the original NES game.  I might be wrong on that (probably am), but I haven't played it in a while and cannot remember.  What I can remember is that Ducktales on GB is a ton of fun, and one that, had I owned an original GB back in the day, would have been proud to own."

"Close enough to the console version that it’s still a lot of fun to play"


The final list comes out soon...

I like to think this is a quote from the person who placed it at 11th on their list:


Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Fall of the Foot Clan (#20, #11)

"An extremely simple and not particularly noteworthy game

Yep, a few of my games knocked off, but far less than I expected. At least some of you have good taste......

Doh Ducktales!

Ha ha, 11 was me.  Another 4 off my list.  I think half my list is gone already.

Dang, 4 more of my picks gone.

I think that's 6 of mine gone in total. Some were surprising, and some were not.

8 of mine are gone. I thought FOR SURE 4 more of my picks that havnt been removed yet would have and stuff like Wario Land II, Mega Man IV, Duck Tales, Dr.Mario and Picross would have been no brianers. Can't wait to see what you weirdos picked.

Showing my hand...


20.  Ghostbusters II - With the 2600 and NES Ghostbuster games being a bust, it was refreshing to have GB2 where you could pick your team of the four Busters and use two at a time. Zappin' and trappin' is a good deal of fun.
 
19.  Wario Land - Wario's first playable entry in the Super Mario franchise. A fun game that's only real knock is an overly large sprite. Still, lots of fun.

18.  Bubble Ghost - A lesser known title where you play as a little ghost blowing a bubble across a treacherous obstacle course.  Some neat puzzle mechanics and a game that requires a lot of finesse.

17.  Tetris - Who didn't play hours and hours of this game, or have to keep your Game Boy away from your Mom because of it? I know this will be higher on most people's list, but for me, it's worn out its welcome over the years. Still list-worthy though.

16.  Knight Quest - One of the few RPGs on the Game Boy. Not a difficult game, so it's a great intro RPG for those getting into the genre. Not an elaborate story, but it suffices.

15.  Battle Bull - If you enjoy the game Pengo, you'll enjoy Battle Bull. You play as a bulldozer whose object is to push blocks and crush your enemies. Lesser known, but lots of fun.

14.  Godzilla - Not what you'd expect in a Godzilla title, since it's a cutesy puzzle game.  I'm a big fan of strategy puzzle games and if you are as well, you need to add this cheapo to your collection.

13.  Kirby's Dreamland - This was my first experience with the Kirby franchise and the first one I beat. A really cute and fun game that helped boost the title character to Nintendo stardom.

12.  Avenging Spirit - Another lesser known title on the Game Boy and rather expensive these days. You play as a ghost who can take over your enemies bodies and go into battle. Some decent boss fights as well.

11.  Gradius: The Interstellar Assault - The best space shmup on the Game Boy. Great music and one of the most graphically impressive games on the system.

10.  Trax - A neat vertical tank shooter that reminds me a lot of Firepower 2000 on the SNES.  Probably not a well-known title on the Game Boy, but one every shmup fan should own.

9.    Kid Dracula - A cute little twist on the Castlevania franchise. We didn't get the Famicom port for the NES in the U.S., so it's cool that a version of it made it to a U.S. handheld.

8.    Castlevania II - The best Castlevania game on the Game Boy because it's the most playable.
 And.....it's a Castlevania game. Enuff said.   

7.    Super Mario Land 2 - Graphically impressive and very similar in gameplay to my favorite Mario title, Super Mario World. The incredible difficulty spike at the end drops it a little down the list for me, but still in my Top 10.

6.    Donkey Kong - A breath of fresh air in the DK series.  I love the addition of puzzle elements and happy to see these games continued on future handhelds.

5.    Super Mario Land - I disagree with anyone who says that this isn't a true Mario game.  It's a little odd in spots and too short, but I still think it's a lot of fun. I had a better time with this game than SML2 during our playthroughs, so that's why it ranks higher for me.

4.    Metroid II - Another great game in the Metroid series that really helps to tie the storyline together and set up Super Metroid.  Great concept for a sequel and gamers were fortunate to get this on the handheld. It's no wonder that there has always been a heavy push for a remake.

3.    Gargoyle's Quest - A great action/platformer with some really neat RPG elements.  You don't simply go from stage to stage, but visit towns and NPCs along your way. Really cool concept and a very well-done game.

2.    Final Fantasy Adventure - An incredible action/RPG that's really fun and beautiful. A part of the Mana series and not really a Final Fantasy game.

1.    Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening - Played this for the first time a few years ago and I was so impressed by how it pushed the graphics and the gameplay of such a simple handheld. For me, it's just a bit ahead of A Link to the Past, which I know is video game sacrilege.

Was listening to the latest episode of Retronauts about the Game Boy Color and they spend some time talking about how great Wario Land II is. So don't take my word for it, listen to experts tell you guys why you should have had it in your top 20 lists. Starts around the minute 39 mark for Wario Land II talk

https://retronauts.com/article/1540/retronauts-episode-303-game-boy-color

My list:

1.   Pokemon Blue – The first and only Pokemon game I’ve played. I spent many hours playing this and remember trading and battling with my friends. I fell out of the Pokemon craze shortly after, but I still hold the original among the best games I’ve ever played.

2.   The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening – I spent many hours with this game back in the day and have good memories of playing it alongside a friend of mine at the time, and we would often compare notes and help each other along. Revisiting it more recently, the game still holds up great and is one of my favorite entries in the series.

3.   Final Fantasy Adventure – A great action-RPG for the system that is in a similar vein to Zelda.

4.   Metroid II: Return of Samus – It’s quite a bit easier and more streamlined than most other Metroid titles, but I think I really appreciated that back when I was a kid. A very solid adventure title for the Game Boy.

5.   Operation C – A great Contra game that takes heavy inspiration from both NES titles, particularly Super C.

6.   Castlevania II: Belmont’s Revenge – The most traditional of the three Castlevania titles on GB, and my favorite of the bunch.

7.   Tetris – It’s the iconic puzzle title that everybody has played. Always a fun and addictive game.

8.   Gargoyle’s Quest – A fun and unique game that merges action-platforming with RPG elements.

9.   Ninja Gaiden Shadow – A fair bit easier than the NES titles, but still a fun action game for the Game Boy. This was originally developed as a Shadow of the Ninja title, and the influence from that game can be seen here.

10.   Kirby's Dream Land 2 – A more fleshed out game than its predecessor results in a more ‘complete’ feeling Kirby game.

11.   Castlevania Legends – A good Castlevania game that adds in some new subweapon abilities.

12.   Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 – A good friend of mine owned this as a kid, so I remember borrowing this from him and playing it a ton. My favorite of the Super Mario Land games on GB.

13.   Donkey Kong – I've never been a huge fan of the original DK arcade game, but the Game Boy adaptation puts an interesting spin on it by turning it into more of a puzzle-platformer with some inspiration from Super Mario Bros. 2.

14.   Kirby’s Dream Land – Kirby’s first adventure may not have included his signature ability to copy enemies, but this is still a fun platformer.

15.   Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins – I remember always wanting this game as a kid, but sadly I never got my hands on it until I was an adult. After finally playing it, I see that it’s a pretty good Mario game and more faithful to the series than its predecessor. The controls still aren't great, but they're an improvement over its predecessor, and it doesn't really become a problem until the final stage.

16.   Castlevania: The Adventure – A very sluggish feeling game, but it’s not so bad once you adjust to the pace. My least favorite of the GB Castlevania games though.

17.   Robocop 2 – It’s probably not a great game, and I haven’t played it in probably 25 years, but it was one of the few GB games I owned as a kid, so I’ll always have a soft spot for it. I could never get past that sliding block puzzle, and I still think of this game every time I see one.

18.   Super Mario Land – It’s got some awkward and janky controls, but this was a decent attempt at an early Mario title for the Game Boy.

19.   Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: Back from the Sewers – It's a huge step up from its predecessor in terms of visuals, but not much else. Still a very simplistic game, but decent enough.

20.   Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Fall of the Foot Clan – An extremely simple and not particularly noteworthy game.

@Crabby - Regarding Wario Land II, I actually thought it was exclusively a GBC game and wasn't eligible for this list, so I didn't try it when I was sampling games.

1. Donkey Kong 94 - Long before Resident Evil 2 Remake and Final Fantasy VII Remake were blowing our minds with their reimaginings of great games of the past there was Donkey Kong for the Game Boy. Took a classic and expanded on the solid core into something truly special.
2. Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening - For me this was the first game that proved that handheld gaming could hold its own against consoles. This game was every bit as good as the Zelda games that had come before it and wasn’t a watered down version to suit the platform.
3. Wario Land II - An amazing take on puzzle/exploration platforming. So many secrets and reasons to replay stages and experiment. One of the best Wario games of all time and I’d even rank it extremely highly in the general Mario pantheon.
4. Kirby’s Dream Land - One of the greatest gaming soundtracks of all time. As with most game boy games it’s short and not overly challenging, but it has so much charm and character that it’s always a pleasure to play.
5. Kirby’s Dream Land 2 - the addition of animal companions adds some extra depth to the original Kirby formula. Doesn’t quite have the same appeal as the original game though and definitely doesn’t have quite as strong of a soundtrack.
6. Tetris - Still a great version of Tetris to play. I enjoy a lot of the modern comforts that have been added to the series, but for its time this was one of the best!
7. Mega Man V - Mega Man IV and V are not as good as the best Mega Man games on the NES, but they are better than the worst Mega Man games on the NES. Since Mega Man is better than pretty much everything else this are really good
8. Mega Man IV - Mega Man IV and V are not as good as the best Mega Man games on the NES, but they are better than the worst Mega Man games on the NES. Since Mega Man is better than pretty much everything else this are really good
9. Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins - A massive improvement over Super Mario Land. Cool new villain with Wario, neat new power up with the Carrot and some interesting levels and secrets. First solid Mario entry on a handheld.
10. Batman:The Video Game - If you can ignore the fact that batman uses a gun through the whole game this is a really fun action platformer with great music.
11. Looney Tunes - A rare licensed gem. Each stage focuses on a different Looney Tunes character so you get a great variety of stage designs from using Bugs’s jumping to Speedy’s size/speed and why not put Porky in a shmup?
12. Gargoyle's Quest - The perfect length and challenge for a handheld RPG. Not overly long or complicated. And takes the lore of classic Ghosts n Goblins and expands it into new territories. More spin offs should be as bold.
13. Kid Icarus: of Myths and Monsters - Better than it’s console counterpart is pretty much something you can never say about the handheld version. Kid Icarus is an exception to that rule in every way.
14. Metroid II - This isn’t the best Metroid around, but it’s still a good entry. Worth playing for fans of the series, but probably not the best one to start with if you’re new.
15. Pokemon Blue - An RPG that’s shallow in story, but deep in mechanics. Still my personal favorite Pokemon game as they get far too involved in other systems later on for my tastes.
16. Duck Tales - Close enough to the console version that it’s still a lot of fun to play
17. Dr. Mario - Not quite as good as it’s console counterpart, but a decent version if you need your Dr. Mario fix on the go
18. Picross - One of the great chill out puzzlers of all time!
19. Revenge of the Gator - In the vein of video pinball games like Alien and Devil’s Crush Revenge of the Gator is a unique pinball table made just for this game. Some fun gimmicks and secrets make this a personal favorite.
20. Adventures of Star Saver - There are better action games. This one is pure nostalgia for me though. And it does have one of the best jams on the system: https://youtu.be/6yfKXkx2ZNE


All you Super Mario Land 3 fans need to do yourselves a favor and play Wario Land II!!

@disposed Hero - I was worried about that. It had an original game boy release and then they re-released it the following year with extra GBC features. So it's kind of on both.

1. Tetris - I remember playing this game for hours on end and my mom even enjoyed playing this.  There was no other choice for my number one given how much time I played this game.  Nintendo did the system right by making this the pack in game.
2. Metroid II
3. Nemesis
4. Sword of Hope - I've been a fan of Kemco ever since playing Shadowgate and a fan of the "point and click" genre.  I knew once I saw this game in Nintendo Power I had to get this and I was not disappointed and loved every minute of it.
5. Donkey Kong - This game starts out like the original Donkey Kong but after that it's a great puzzle game.  I remember after getting through the original levels of the game and getting to the puzzle levels how much I enjoyed this game.  I would definitely seek this out and give it a try.
6. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
7. Final Fantasy Adventure
8. Final Fantasy Legend
9. Batman
10. Castlevania
11. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Fall of the Foot Clan
12. Super Mario Land 2
13. Solomon's Club
14. Super Mario Land
15. Gargoyle's Quest
16. Operation C
17. Mega Man II
18. Kriby's Dream Land
19. Milon's Secret Castle
20. Baseball

Okay, here we go!

1. Tetris - I don't think there was any question this would be #1. Not only is it one of the best selling video games of all time, but as a frequent player of the game, this version in particular, I think I've clocked more hours into Tetris on the Game Boy than any other console or portable game, save for a handful of perpetual mobile games. This is the very definition of an evergreen game. The fact that this pack-in is still held up as a definitive version of the game speaks to its quality, and to the simple joy of playing Tetris.

2. Donkey Kong '94 - When Nintendo released a game in 1994, supporting their new Super Game Boy peripheral, sporting simply "Donkey Kong" as a moniker, many people probably assumed it would just be a slicker, lightly tweaked version of Nintendo's classic arcade game. They were only marginally correct. Instead, Nintendo took the levels from the original game, and fleshed out those ideas, creating an experience that spans 101 levels, and oozes with so much charm, it's hard to argue that this isn't a superior experience to the arcade original in almost every way.

3. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening - For a guy who took more than a couple decades for this series to "click" for me, I have become an unabashed apologist for this particular entry in the series. I didn't "get it" at first, and even when I bought and played the Game Boy Color redux version, it didn't grab me, like I hoped it would. Now that I've played through it 3 times, including once on the Nintendo Switch remake, I can say I'm a true fan. What Nintendo accomplished with this game, both in terms of subtle storytelling, technical achievement, and sheer enjoyment, is hard to quantify.

4. Super Mario Land 2 - I've said for years that one of my personal favorite Game Boy games is the original Super Mario Land. While that remains my own pick, I have to objectively give the nod to its sequel for taking nearly everything that was good about the original, and improving upon it, while also taking what were seen as flaws in the original, and eliminating those things. As a game, it's so much bigger, has more personality, and perfectly distills the "Super Mario Bros. 3" experience down to something that still works in the handheld format.

5. Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge - Konami's 1st foray into miniaturizing the Castlevania experience on Game Boy was an admirable attempt, but was fraught with problems, many of which caused the game to be looked at with much disdain. Not so with this sequel, however. Not only did they address most of the criticisms leveled at the original, but this sequel also proves to be a longer game, with a better balance of challenge, and even more impressive graphics and sound.

6. Gargoyle's Quest - Capcom's spin-off game, from the Ghouls 'n Ghosts/Makaimura series, this action adventure title shifts the focus from hero Arthur, to Firebrand, one of the Red Arremers depicted in the original Ghosts 'n Goblins. This prequel combines an overhead world, and light RPG elements, with methodical action platforming, and does so in a package that is quite impressive on the hardware. One of the finest early titles on the handheld.

7. Final Fantasy Legend II - Known as SaGa II in Japan, this is arguably the finest RPG on the Game Boy. It took the framework established by the original, and built upon it, with a more cohesive story, and more expansive world. Many of the elements from the 1st game are here, but they're just done better in this sequel.

8. Metroid II: Return of Samus - Nintendo took a risk with a couple of their franchises, moving them from the home console to the handheld, including Kid Icarus, and this, the 2nd game in the Metroid series. While I have a lot of nostalgia for the former, this game gets the nod for pushing the formula in a bold direction, while still maintaining the feeling of loneliness and isolation that the original was known for. This sequel does a fine job of straddling the line between homage to its predecessor, and improvement in how it approaches the game play.

9. Gradius: Interstellar Assault - The Game Boy isn't known much for shooters, but this original entry by Konami is quite possibly the finest example, at least what made it out of Japan. The graphics and sound are improved over the already solid Nemesis, and with all original levels and designs, it helped to further establish the Gradius series lore.

10. Wario Land - Rather than continue to iterate on the Super Mario Land formula, Nintendo decided to try something new, and instead, allowed the player to take control of the 2nd game's greedy figure, Wario. By changing up the approach and dynamics, you get an experience that has a mildly familiar feel, but also charts its own course, and offers a very distinct style of game play that went on to be more influential than the series from which it spun out.

11. Fortified Zone - This overhead action/adventure game takes familiar elements from the original Metal Gear NES game, but simplifies the experience somewhat. The inclusion of male and female protagonists, both of whom are necessary to use during the course of the game, due to their unique skillsets, helped set the game apart, and brought a unique experience to the handheld.

12. Heiankyo Alien - Originally a 1979 arcade game, this version just over a decade later, updates the formula with new graphics and sound, and new mechanics that help it keep its status as the seminal "trap 'em up" game.

13. Kirby's Dream Land 2 - The original Game Boy game was a lot of fun, but when Kirby made his debut on the NES a couple years later, it added new elements that really took it to the next level. When Kirby came back home to the Game Boy, those elements came with him, and elevated the experience above its predecessor to be the definitive handheld take on the character.

14. Mercenary Force - It would be easy to merely call this game a shoot-em-up, but that's far too reductive. Rather, this game adds new elements, like controlling an entire team of people that walk along and shoot, and as these mercenaries take damage and die, it significantly alters the way you play the game. You have to balance your approach, and be mindful of the different types of mercenaries you hire, because their unique skillsets change the dynamics of how you are able to attack enemies. Very innovative for its time.

15. Mega Man V - Most of the Blue Bomber's handheld games were smaller takes on the NES entries, often consisting of a combination of bosses from previous games. The 5th and final entry is the lone innovator of the bunch, with a unique set of bosses, and new elements added. It still brings the Mega Man formula to the Game Boy with competence and style, but the new robot masters and environments help push this one to the top.

16. Contra: The Alien Wars - The lone port on this list, its inclusion is primarily because of what Konami managed to accomplish with this game on the hardware. The previous game, Operation C, had been a fine redux of Super C in some ways, with some new and original locations, but the sheer audacity of Konami to take their Super NES game and cram it into the hardware is on full display here. There's no reason this should be as good as it is, but it works.

17. Revenge of the Gator - During the Game Boy's lifespan, there were a surprising number of pinball games released. This particular game took the limitations of the handheld, and managed to still make a fun game that approximated the pinball experience, while including elements that had started to become staples in video pinball games by that time, such as moving enemy characters, or bonus rooms. A very charming and fun game.

18. Double Dragon II - The first appearance of the Lee brothers on the Game Boy was a conversion of the NES game, somewhat trimmed down, but with unbalanced difficulty. This 2nd game is a unique experience, however, and is better for it. Not content to be a port of the NES sequel, Double Dragon II on the Game Boy is its own thing, and ends up being a fun game in its own right, and a solid beat-em-up.

19. Trax - This unsung game takes the vertical scrolling shooter formula, and does something unique with it. Trax sees you piloting a tank, and giving you the ability to change your direction of fire, and deal with various obstacles on the ground that you have to maneuver around, along with some you can blow up, all while avoiding enemies and enemy fire. It's a clever little game that definitely needs more exposure.

20. F-1 Race - I'm not a big racing game fan, because I'm rather terrible at them. But Nintendo provided an experience with F-1 Race that is hard to deny. I bought this as a kid, and had the opportunity to race against friends, which changed the way I saw the genre, having mostly played single player racers up to that point. I never got the chance to do a full-on, 4-player race, but it was a solid enough experience to think that it's probably the best original racing game on the handheld.

Now that the final list is out, what were the four games you thought for sure would be removed?

Batman for sure surprised me. Gargoyle's Quest and Kid Icarus too. Not sure which the 4th one I meant was though, lol. Might have just been surprised to have seen Revenge of the Gator on another list also even though it didn't make the final cut.

Gargoyle's Quest was the only game I played in the series.  I believe I rented this one and had to have and went out and bought it when I was a kid.  It's a great game.

I was a little surprised to see Batman on the list, as well. I'm guessing that's a nostalgia pick. It's a solid action platformer, but I would think that Batman: The Animated Series would have been the choice, instead. Gargoyle's Quest is a fantastic game, and it's been highly lauded for a long time, so that was no surprise for me. And as much nostalgia as I have for Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters, I don't feel it's enough of an improvement over the original game that it warranted inclusion.

The problem for me with the lists are there are games I'm positive that are better but I've never played them so I can't list them.  Also, there are games I played back when I got my original system that may be better then what I listed but I can't remember because it's been 20+ years since I've played them.  My bad memory is not good for this list.  :laugh:

Forgot about this:

1 - Legend of Zelda: Links Awakening - I think this was the second GB game I ever purchased, and my first thought was, "How did they fit this game into this little cartridge?"  Indeed.  This "little" game exudes charm, from the mystery of the owl to the personality of Ulrira (who offers helpful advice, but only if you call him on a telephone), and in my opinion was one of the first GB games to really make the platform sing.  It does have its flaws (too much menuing, I think), but it would become my personal favorite Zelda game until Wind Waker came along, even though I was unable to finish at the time (until I played the VC DX version on my 2DS).

2 - Super Mario Land 2 - So right off the bat I would like to say that the music for Land 1 is better, but if you love Super Mario World and need something portable that is akin to that experience, you can do no better than Super Mario Land 2.

3 - Final Fantasy Legend III - This was the first Final Fantasy game I played on the system, and my personal fav.  At the time is was just what I needed, that being a traditional feeling JRPG with a twist (the addition of characters that could be customized using monster meat or robot parts), and also had a strong Chrono Trigger feeling at some points.  I tried going back to the two previous Legend games and found them inferior, containing weapons with limited use and a strange leveling system that I just couldn't get into.  Legend III is the most mainstream of the series (and thus, the least creative), but the one that feels the most polished, in my opinion.

4 - Pokemon Yellow - I played GB games before this on a Super Game Boy, but this was the first on the console I played on the platform.  Okay, I played in on the GBC I bought with it, but it counts!  Anyway, for me this bypassed the whole "who should I pick" thing in the other games and gave me what I wanted: Pikachu, to whom I was very entertained with at that point in my life.  I don't remember how long I played it, but the memories of playing this during breaks on the assembly line of Ford is so strong I have to include it.  My favorite Pokemon game until Gold came out and the franchise fizzed for me (and I guess by proxy my second favorite Pokemon game). All hail Pikachu!

5 - Kid Icarus - In my opinion, this is a much better game than the NES original in nearly every way, and probably one of the better games on the early handheld, at least in my opinion.  It still retains the feel of the original, (with it's obtuse point life-leveling system) but eliminates deaths due to vertical screen scrolling, add more precision to the platforming, and allows for multiple items purchased in stores.  Oh, and this game has a SAVE, for goodness sakes!  About the only thing it doesn't have is a prettier game manual.

6 - Gargoyle's Quest - Yet another game I somehow missed out on, despite knowing of it's existence, as well as the NES and SNES sequels.  But I have finally played it, and I have highly enjoyed playing through Gargoyle's Quest, even more so than Demon's Crest on SNES.

7 -  Heiankyo Alien - I happened upon an advertisement for this game way back in the early 90's and it stuck with me, so much so that when I found it in the twilight days of Funcoland I picked it up.  A fun little arcade maze-style game where you must trap and bury aliens.  Not much to it, but man it keeps me coming back.

8 - Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 - I know we aren't supposed to do multiple franchise in the top list, but this game deserves to be here.  First of all the game has such as different feel than the others, that I agree with certain Youtube personalities that "Super Mario land 3" was tacked on to hopefully boost sales.  But Wario Land is just so crazy and fun, though if you want a good ending you will have to play this game at a near plodding pace as you gather every gold piece you can find.

9 - Metroid II: Return of Samus - Up until a few months ago I treated this game with utter contempt.  I knew of it from days of old, but found the linear progression and harsh twanging sound effects intelerable.  This doubled with I played through the 3DS remake in 2017, even though I found the reversable case cover on the Limited Edition quaint (which showed the GB original).  Then one day on a lark I found myself watching a "Famicoffee Stream" of the game by Jeremy Parish and finally gave it a chance.  Glad I did, as it is a unique title on the platform, and while I still don't like the sound or zoomed in look, I have to at least say I did and do enjoy this game.

10 - Ducktales - I missed out on the NES Top 20 list due to issues, so because of that I am including Ducktales, which as far as I know is a perfect port (sans colors) of the original NES game.  I might be wrong on that (probably am), but I haven't played it in a while and cannot remember.  What I can remember is that Ducktales on GB is a ton of fun, and one that, had I owned an original GB back in the day, would have been proud to own.

11 - Operation C - I found this game to have a very strong "Super C" vibe, which is good because I like Super C.  Operation has basically eveything one would look for in a Contra game, and because of this must have been a welcome addition to the GB library upon release.  Fun bosses and great stage design.

12 - Kid Dracula - Kid Dracula on GB is another one of those wonderful games I never knew existed, and probably wouldn't have played back in the day due to being a teenager.  Bummer, because this game is very good, and despite its "kiddie" look quite challenging.  An easy recommendation.

13 - Burai Fighter Deluxe - Avoided the NES original because I pegged it for a poor imitation of Forgotten Worlds (probably with a snarky "How can you get the movement right without the rotary," comment, probably while pushing my glasses up my nose or something), but now I am putting the handheld port onto my top twenty list, because it is fun.  The  controls work surprisingly well and I feel the only slight that could be made against it would be the overall speed of the game, which is a little sluggish.

14 - Avenging Spirit - Fun action platformer where you play a spirit that jumps from creature to creature.  The manual says there are more than twenty in total, each with their own abilities, ranging from a martial artist that throws energy waves to a laughing, fanged Dracula-type character that throws bats.  Very easy to pick up with a lot of variety, but gets challenging quickly.

15 - Bonk's Adventure - Bonk on the Game Boy, which is a great thing unless you don't like Bonk.  Or maybe you had a Turbo Express and were mean about it. Not awesome, because due to necessity this is not, despite the naming, Bonk's Adventure.  Still, they managed to make it quite fun, with a large amount of the sound effects and minor tunes being excellent facsimiles of the Turbografx tunes.

16 - Fortified Zone - A simple, yet fun little overhead shooter, which is really what you need on a handheld system with no sleep function.  You basically just wander around a maze shooting at respawning enemies, collect items, and fight bosses.  I think the only people who would have not liked this back in the day were the folks that wanted deeper games on their GB.  Apparently there are sequels, one of which was released to the West on SNES.  Anyway, I would love to see a modern remake of this game.

17 - Solomon's Club - Not just a port, but rather a improved game with a lot of new features.  I really like the NES original, and I love this game despite the fact I cannot finish it. A true portable title, while it lacks a battery save, it does have a password feature along with the ability to pick individual levels to play.

18 - Final Fantasy Adventure - While I first played this it didn't appeal to me at all, which makes sense because at the time I just wanted another game exactly like my beloved SNES experiences.  Years later I picked up the Sunsoft rerelease used to play on a long flight and I was not disappointed this time.  It's not a huge or deep game in anyway, but for a 1991 Zelda-like experience it is quite fun and still playable.

19 - Tetris - Come on, this is Tetris!  So not the first port I played, but since it is portable and thus playable anywhere (within reason) it belongs in this list.  When the original GB came out I wanted nothing to do with it, with it's weird ghosting green screen and foreign feeling Mario, but Tetris was something I could understand, if not enough to take money away from my "Super Nintendo" fund.

20 -  Boomers Adventure in ASMIK World - Proof that advertising works (though maybe not always in the way the advertisers want), I kept this game in the back of my head for decades, until one day I get the opportunity to do a GB top twenty list and I think, "Oh, I remember Boomer and that advertisement back in the day, that's got to be good, right?"  Despite never having played it until now, I can say this game was worth the wait.  Reminds me heavily of Heiankyo Alien in how you fight enemies, but the stages are larger and the enemies can also dig holes as well as fill them in.  Despite that, not nearly as fun as Heiankyo Alien.

Personally speaking, I was so stoked to see Heiankyo Alien on the list.  Bummed that Pokemon Yellow didn't, but that is okay, as that is more of a nostalgia-based vote anyway.