How do you follow up on one of the most successful consumer products of all time? Well, if you're Nintendo, you add a splash of colour. The Game Boy was a critical and commercial smash hit when it arrived in 1989, and its longevity surprised many; after all, the monochrome handheld had seen off the likes of the Game Gear, Lynx and PC Engine GT to remain top of the pile for almost a decade.
However, by the time the millennium drew to a close, it was clear that an upgrade was required, and that came in the form of the Game Boy Color. Released in 1998, it retained compatibility with all original Game Boy software – a masterstroke that meant parents could bankroll the purchase without worrying that their children would suddenly lose interest in their current game library.
The colour TFT display allowed developers to make their titles a little more eye-catching, and features such as an IR port for exchanging data made the console feel very futuristic. Of course, the secret to success was something Nintendo had been aware of in 1989, but its rivals had ignored: battery life. The Game Boy Color ran off just two AA batteries, which would last for around 10 hours. The drawback? No backlight (it would have reduced stamina) meant that you had to find exactly the right light source to play.
What are the best Game Boy Color games?
Our list of the best Game Boy Color games includes the likes of Zelda, Mario, Kirby, Metal Gear Solid and – of course – Pokémon. However, we've not presented these titles in any particular order or rank; instead, these are a selection of games that every Game Boy Color fan should sample.