5 Most Underrated Game Boy Games Ever

by

The Nintendo Game Boy was a hugely popular handheld console with a massive library of games – nearly 2,000 titles across the original Game Boy and Game Boy Color! While many were fantastic, some weren’t so great, and quite a few never got the attention they deserved. We’ve sifted through all those games and picked out five underrated gems that every gamer should experience, presented in a random order.

1) Revenge of the ‘Gator

Released in 1989, Revenge of the ‘Gator is a pinball game where you try to score points while avoiding a hungry alligator! The game had different modes to play, and you could even connect with another player using a special cable. While critics liked it when it first came out, it didn’t sell very well, probably because video pinball games weren’t hugely popular, even the good ones. Over time, Revenge of the ‘Gator has been updated and re-released, but it didn’t get much attention on the Game Boy.

2) Gargoyle’s Quest

Released on the Game Boy in 1990, Gargoyle’s Quest is a spin-off of the popular game Ghosts ‘n Goblins. Players control Firebrand as he travels across a world map, completing levels, battling enemies, and facing bosses. The game is a well-regarded classic platformer known for its depth and enjoyable exploration. It was successful enough to inspire a prequel released on the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1992, though a Game Boy version of the prequel was only available in Japan.

3) Kid Dracula

I remember first playing Kid Dracula on the Super Famicom back in 1990 – it was such a fun surprise coming from the Castlevania series! Then a sequel with the same name came out for Game Boy in ’93. You play as Kid Dracula, but he’s lost his memory of his powers, and some other bad guy is trying to steal his castle. The gameplay is classic platforming through eight levels, and as you progress, Kid Dracula slowly remembers his abilities, which you need to beat the villain. It was really popular at the time, but they didn’t make a ton of copies. Now, it’s become a collector’s item! You can find loose copies for around $200, but Price Charting shows that really well-preserved copies have sold for over $20,400 – crazy, right?

4) Donkey Kong

It’s surprising, but the original Donkey Kong game was actually overlooked on the Game Boy, despite being Nintendo’s first big success. Some players may have avoided it because they were already familiar with the arcade version, but they missed out on a much-improved experience. While the first four levels are identical to the arcade game, the Game Boy version then expands with a whopping 97 brand-new levels. This is a fantastic remake that didn’t get the recognition it deserved, especially considering it was developed by Shigeru Miyamoto – the game’s original creator, who had stayed away from the Donkey Kong series for ten years after Donkey Kong 3 wasn’t well-received in 1983.

5) Metal Gear: Ghost Babel

Originally, Metal Gear: Ghost Babel was planned as a port of Metal Gear Solid for the Game Boy Color, which was a very ambitious idea. However, the developers decided to create a sequel to the original Metal Gear on NES instead. This resulted in a fantastic, classic top-down stealth game that’s considered one of the best Metal Gear titles for handheld consoles. While Metal Gear: Ghost Babel received positive reviews upon its 2000 release, it didn’t gain as much player attention as other popular games of the time, like Pokémon Gold and Silver.

What Game Boy game do you think deserves more attention? Share your pick in the comments and discuss it with other fans on the ComicBook Forum!

https://comicbook.com/gaming/list/10-best-game-boy-games-ranked/embed/#

Read More

2026-04-07 19:19