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For a single place to start, play The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening DX: it combines exploration, memorable dungeons and atmosphere with the color enhancements and extra dungeon made for its Game Boy Color edition. The ranking below weighs lasting play value, what each game brings to the system, variety across genres and how practical it is to find or play today. It is an editorial selection, not an official or universal order; other outlets make different picks.
How the ranking works
There is no official list of the best Game Boy Color games. Nintendo Life and GamesRadar+ publish different selections, so this ranking makes its own trade-offs: strong play that holds up, a distinctive fit for the hardware era, a mix of genres and useful choices for different moods. Each numbered entry is one game; Pokémon Gold and Silver share a slot because they are paired versions of one adventure.
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The 10 best Game Boy Color games
1. The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening DX
The best all-around starting point on this list is a compact adventure built around exploration, puzzles and dungeon progression. Nintendo describes DX as the Game Boy Color edition of the earlier Game Boy release, adding color graphics and an exclusive dungeon. Those additions make it a particularly clear example of a game enhanced for the system rather than merely playable on it. If you want one cartridge that shows the appeal of a handheld adventure, start here.
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Crystal is a substantial role-playing adventure set in the world introduced by Pokémon Gold and Silver. It refines that setting and adds changes including the option to play as a female character, as Nintendo Life notes. Choose it if you want a long journey with a broad world to explore; it is a better fit for extended progression than for quick sessions.
#1 Best Overall
- New and high quality.
- Compatible for both US/EU/JAP versions console.
- RPG games can be saved by the battery inside,but Action games have no saving function.
- 108 in 1
- GBC games can't play on the GB game console
3. The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages
Oracle of Ages puts puzzles and planning at the center of its adventure. Time travel is central to how its puzzles work, making it the more cerebral of the two Oracle games in this ranking. It suits players who enjoy thinking through how a location or situation changes, rather than relying mainly on combat.
4. The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons
The companion to Oracle of Ages leans more toward combat, while its season-changing mechanic reshapes environments and creates puzzles of its own. The two Oracle games are separate adventures, not alternate names for the same game. If you prefer action and environmental interaction, Seasons is the stronger fit; playing both gives you two distinct takes on the Zelda formula.
5. Pokémon Gold and Silver
Gold and Silver introduce the Johto setting and offer a long role-playing journey; GamesRadar+ also describes subsequent Kanto content. They share a ranking slot here as paired versions, not as a claim that the cartridges are identical. Pick one if you want the earlier version of this Pokémon adventure, or consider Crystal above for its later refinements.
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Rank #2
- New and high quality
- Compatible for both US/EU/JAP versions console.
- RPG games can be saved by the battery inside,but Action games have no saving function.
- 61 in 1
- GBC games can't play on the GB game console
6. Shantae
A distinctive late-era platform adventure, Shantae stands out for its visual presentation and polish, as GamesRadar+ highlights. Nintendo Life also notes its old-school challenge. It is a good choice when you want platforming with a more demanding edge than a quick, forgiving run.
7. Wario Land 3
Wario Land 3 favors exploration over a straight line from one level to the next. You revisit areas with new abilities, turning familiar places into opportunities to uncover more. That structure makes it a strong pick for players who like mapping out a game’s possibilities and returning with a new tool or perspective.
8. Mario Tennis
This is the list’s sports pick, but it offers more than matches: its role-playing progression mode gives you a longer path to follow, and the editorial source describes link-cable multiplayer. Choose it for a change of pace from exploration-heavy adventures, or if playing with someone else is part of the appeal.
Rank #3
- This renewed game will not come with the original case or manual; cartridge only. It has been cleaned, tested, and is in nice condition.
9. Pokémon Trading Card Game
Instead of the main series’ role-playing battles, this Pokémon game centers on collecting cards, building decks and working through a campaign. It gives the list a strategy-focused option and suits players who would rather tune a deck than explore a large adventure world.
10. Mr. Driller
Mr. Driller is the compact choice: a puzzle-action game suited to short, repeatable sessions. Its quick-play shape makes it a useful counterpoint to the longer journeys in Pokémon and Zelda. Reach for it when you have a few minutes, not a whole evening.
Choose by the kind of play you want
- For a full adventure: Start with Link’s Awakening DX, Pokémon Crystal or Pokémon Gold/Silver.
- For puzzle-led exploration: Choose Oracle of Ages; for more combat and environmental changes, choose Oracle of Seasons.
- For platforming: Pick Shantae for a challenging late-era adventure or Wario Land 3 for ability-driven exploration.
- For sports or multiplayer: Try Mario Tennis.
- For deck strategy: Choose Pokémon Trading Card Game.
- For short sessions: Pick Mr. Driller.
Playing or collecting these games today
Nintendo Life’s article lists selected Game Boy and Game Boy Color games in the Nintendo Switch Online catalog at the time it was published. Catalogs and membership terms can change, and availability may vary by region, so check Nintendo’s current catalog for your location before subscribing. That listing does not establish that every game ranked here is currently included.
Rank #4
- New and high quality.
- Compatible for both US/EU/JAP versions console.
- RPG games can be saved by the battery inside,but Action games have no saving function.
- 30 in 1
- GBC games can't play on the GB game console
If you want original cartridges, retro stores, conventions and marketplaces are possible places to look, but stock and condition vary. Reproduction cartridges exist, so check authenticity and seller reputation rather than assuming a cart is original from its label or listing alone. Consider the cartridge’s condition and region as well. The cited sources do not establish current prices or the authenticity of any specific listing.
A little context on the system
Nintendo says Game Boy Color was introduced in 1998. Nintendo also reported in 2000 that sales of the Game Boy system had surpassed 100 million; that figure covers the broader Game Boy family, not Game Boy Color alone.
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