Zack

The Game Boy Color was the first foray into portable gaming for many. Its simple, pocketable form and sturdy build made it the perfect entertainment device for kids. Its vast library of games made it the perfect companion for long car rides, birthday parties, a trip to grandmas, or Saturday mornings lounging on the couch. It was a major step up from its predecessors, the Game Boy and Game Boy Pocket, boasting improved processing speed and a glorious color display. However, the lack of a lit screen meant playing at night was a hassle, requiring you to sit directly under a light source or utilize one of the many available accessories, such as the infamous "worm light".

With back-lit screens coming standard with all modern portables, this first-world problem is a thing of the past, but there's something special about going back and playing the old classics. Sure, many can be downloaded on the 3DS virtual console or emulated on one of the many obscure handhelds being produced, but it just doesn't feel quite the same. And while the Game Boy Advance SP is wonderfully designed, there's no denying how great a Game Boy Color feels in the hands, not to mention the nostalgia it brings.

There were many copycats clambering to cash in on Nintendo's success, releasing all manner of knockoffs, many of which were nothing more than simple one-game machines with a shell made to resemble a Game Boy. However, there were a handful of respectable clones that played the original software, and a Chinese company by the name of Kong Feng were one such producer, cloning the Game Boy Pocket (GB Boy) and then the Game By Color (GB Boy Colour). They later came out with a GBA SP model, but it's just the GB Boy Colour with a different shell.

The GB Boy Colour, in addition to playing original Game Boy and Game Boy Color cartridges, supports multiplayer via link-cable, has a headphone jack, and can be powered via AC adapter. It does have an infrared lens, but there don't appear to be any infrared LEDs inside. Physically, it's practically identical to the real thing, though it is slightly bigger, and has a rectangular screen which distorts the graphics ever so slightly. The buttons don't quite live up to Nintendo standards, but clones never do. They're less mushy and more firm (which makes quickly rocking the D-Pad a little more difficult), but they're not terrible by any means and are quite comfortable. Unlike a lot of knockoff handhelds, this one is surprisingly well built. It's got some weight to it and doesn't feel like it'll crumble under the force of your thumbs. The battery life is excellent, giving enough playtime even on store-brand batteries to play through the majority of Link's Awakening, and the speaker is significantly louder than that on the original GBC. When they're almost out of juice, the system will repeatedly reset to the boot screen.

Aside from the back-lit screen, the biggest reason to hunt one of these units down is for the built-in games. The box touts a whopping 188 titles, but it's really 66 listed three times each. Unfortunately, not every GB Boy Colour out there comes with these on-board games for one reason or another, so make sure you know what you're buying if you do decide to pick one up. This handheld was produced in blue, green, yellow, crystal blue, crystal purple, and crystal green.

Whether you're a handheld enthusiast looking for the next cool toy for your collection or just want to experience those classic games from your childhood a second time around, the GB Boy Colour is well worth owning.

Update: I've finally got my hands on one with 188 built-in games. It should come as no surprise, but the list is only 66 games long, repeated 3 times. Even so, you can't go wrong for the low $30 price tag for a quality backlit GBC clone with 66 built-in games with the option of playing carts as well. Below is a list of the included games:

Contra

Super Mario Land

Bugs Bunny

Parasoru Hembei

Go Go Tank

Tenchiwokurau

Donkey Kong

Aladdin

Mario & Yoshi

Duck Tales

Pac-Man

Side Pocket

Kid Niki

Yar's Revenge

Yakuman

Bubble Ghost

Migrain

Othello

Honk Kong

Korodice

Master Karate

Shisensyo

Shanghai

Tennis

Trump Boy

Volley Fire

Alley Way

Pitman

Space Invaders

Asteroids

Battle City

Bomb Jack

Boxxle

Boxxle 2

Amida

Tetris

Brain Bender

Tic-Tac-Toe

Castelian

Centipede

Crystal Quest

Dragon Slayer

Drop Zone

Dr. Mario

Flappy Special

Flipull

Heiankyo Alien

Hyper Loderunner

Klax

Koi Wa Kakehi

Kwirk

Loopz

The Game Of Harmony

Minesweeper

Missle Command

Motocross Mania

NFL Football

Palamedes

Penguin Land

Pipe Dream

Pop Up

Q Billion

Serpent

Tesserae

World Bowling

Daedalian Opus

You can purchase a GB Boy Colour at Geek 'N Gamer Gear