Nintendo Game Boy Color White Console
- Platform: Game Boy Color
- Console Type: Handheld
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A Small Machine with a HUGE Following
Pros
Very portable, long battery life, great colour screen
Cons
Screen can't be seen in the dark, controls can be numbing to use
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
The Game Boy is extremely portable and with a long battery life, it's the perfect system for use on long plane rides.
The original monochrome Game Boy was produced by Nintendo and released in Japan in late 1988. It found it?s way to the United States, subsequently winning many hearts there with it?s compact form and the provision of a great variety of games from which to choose from. Nevertheless, it never remained in the limelight for long. Battling for first place, Sega produced the Game Gear. It possessed a more powerful processor, two stereo speakers and more importantly, ran its games in full colour on an attractive backlit screen. (it gave nocturnal gamers such as myself something to play, even in total darkness)
Drawn in by the alluring ?all-new? colour display of the Game Gear, I purchased it over the then-much-coveted, monochrome Game Boy. The Game Gear came at a price though. It ran on 6 AA batteries, or a whopping 9V, chewing them up in a matter of hours, faster than any dog could. It was only then I realized I had sealed the fate of every single dollar in my wallet. I literally had to carry a hunk of batteries with me every time I went ?mobile?. Boosting a mediocre selection of games, and being almost non-existent in the world of gaming as of this writing, it makes me wish I never spent my birthday money on that system.
Within a ten-year period, subsequent siblings of the monochrome Game Boy were produced, namely the Pocket Game Boy (it was smaller than the first and ran on AAA batteries) and the Game Boy Light. (this featured a back-lit screen for the nocturnal ones) Sadly, none of them appeared to achieve the popularity of its big brother. Lacking a coloured screen, they were severely disadvantaged in a world where colour makes all the difference. With the coming of the Pokemon craze towards the end of the last century, the Game Boy?s dwindling popularity was suddenly revived. Rising like a Phoenix from the ashes, the old veteran was back in full force.
The Game Boy Colour was released in 1998, after Nintendo realized that the Pokemon craze provoked many consumers and fans to start poking around for those [previously] elusive Pokemon cartridges, and to in turn, look for their other games, antiquities by then. I too, was drawn in and bought this new toy merely for the sake of playing those talked-about Pokemon games. It does invite laughter and mockery from some, but after six months of use, I still believe that it was money well spent. This new system possessed the same volume dial, headphone jack, gamelink port and simple controls. However, it boosts a screen capable of displaying colour images, infrared port, the nifty power indicator, an 8Mhz processor (faster than the older ones), and is considerably smaller. I?m sure you?re just itching to know more about this gadget, so I?ll run you through it without delay.
Here?s the installment that comes with the box:
-Nintendo Game Boy Colour (external colour depends on your choice)
-Instruction Manual
This very comprehensive compilation is actually redundant, in view of the ease of operation of this system.
-Precaution Manual
It?s just the typical list of ?Don?t mess with it? kind of instructions on how to get the most use out of your Game Boy.
?Hey, I?m running low on time, give me the full story?NOW!?
?Yes, right away Boss??
The screen is arguably the best improvement here over the previous systems. With this new TFT liquid crystal display, the Game Boy is now capable of producing high-colour images on compatible games, utilizing up to 56 colours out of a possible 32,000. In comparison to the four shades of gray used by its ancestor, this new screen definitely allows for much more interesting detail.
One advantage that the Game Boy also possesses is its backward compatibility. While many other companies move on to newer products leaving their previous customers in the dark, Nintendo is much more polite. Older black-and-white games can still be played on the new Game Boy Colour system, but obviously the colour will be poor when compared with the more recent games, specially produced for this system. Here, only 4 to 10 colours may be used, which gives a really bad ratio out of the possible 32,000.
The screen is unfortunately, not an active one. In other words, it is impossible for one to use this system in total darkness. But while it is lacking in this faculty, it lets us see the light in other ways. The TFT screen allows for even very fast movement to be displayed vividly, mainly because it allows for faster refreshes and better contrast. Previously, the monochrome Game Boys possessed a contrast dial as well, but it has been omitted here since it isn?t a requirement. Coupled with the high resolution, images produced on this screen are incredibly detailed, and appear sharper than a knife! Various accessories such as backlighting exist on the market and are available quite readily for those who require it, but it drains the batteries much more quickly.
The gamelink port still exists, which allows for all those interactive two-player games and the like. The wire fits snugly into the port and shouldn?t be as easy to dislodge as in the earlier models. Also, (if I read correctly) the port transfers information 64 times (512K) faster than the older models. The infra-red port is a new addition to this model and allows for the transfer of small amounts of information between systems. From what I discovered though, it isn?t very dependable. The manual suggests keeping both systems within 5 cm of each other, but despite heeding this advice, I still see silly ?Your friend is not ready? messages. The best way to successful communication is to keep both ports aligned and on a flat surface. This one has yet to rival the quality of those seen on the newer palmtop models and really needs to be improved.
Taking size into consideration, it can be seen that the Colour model is much smaller than the monochrome one. While the latter ran on 4 AA batteries, this current model only requires 2 AA batteries to deliver more than 20 hours of play on average! Its negligible weight allows it to be carried in the side pocket of my cargoes or fitted snugly into a full backpack. The size is detrimental in other areas however. While the console may be comfortable to hold for the first hour or so, I eventually develop numbness, sore fingers and other typical signs of a hardcore gamer. Basically, there?s got to be a better way to get a hold on this thing.
For those who are on a budget and never want to buy batteries unnecessarily, this system also comes with a built in external power supply jack (DC 3V) that allows you to plug your AC adapter into your Game Boy for unlimited enjoyment. It took me almost 4 months to figure out why my adapter plugs never fitted into the small gap of the power supply jack: Such AC adapters were not available in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, where I live. :( I seriously hope you have better luck here. I wouldn?t suggest using rechargeable batteries here either. My friend rebelled against the instruction manual and realized the cost of her mistake.
Just like it?s predecessors, the Colour unit comes with four simple controls: an 8 directional pad, 2 buttons (A and B) as well as the Start and Select buttons. Depending on the game, they all give rise to widely varying results, but these controls are amongst the easiest I have ever encountered. Even a newbie wouldn?t take any longer than 15 minutes to piece them all together.
As always, care must be taken when handling a system such as this. It appears that this slimmer model is not as tough as the original. The plastic external casing feels thinner and the soft, plastic screen is easily scratched. If your system came with an initial protective covering, I really suggest you leave it on. Other than that, everything else should remain in order for quite some time. It really makes me wonder why Nintendo had so little faith in their products, offering only a three-month warranty for the Game Boy Colour. Perhaps they have a reason I have yet to uncover.
?Ayuh?so any last words??
?Indeed??
Compared to portable consoles of the last 20 years, the Game Boy has proven its superiority. Riding out the storms of competition and emerging even stronger than before, it has seemingly out-witted its other competitors in its genre. Even the initially more powerful Game Gear has since stepped down, having produced only around 450 games, while the Game Boy offers a growing library of over a thousand. Unless other consoles overtake it in the near future, the Game Boy will probably remain popular for some time to come. Given that it made such an abrupt and impressive comeback 10 years after its initial introduction, I have faith that Nintendo will do it again. The end is in essence, actually the beginning?consider reliving the classic small console gaming of the late 80s, now in colour!
By: Andrew Lim
Revised 14-1-01
Final note: Within the huge library of games available for the Game Boy Colour, I highly recommend one to buy either Pokemon Gold or Silver. These utilize the screen in marvelous ways to display fantastic images and could be one of the best RPG games for this console. Sagaia, an old, black-and-white side scrolling shooter was one of my early favourites, but is now rarely seen. Otherwise, other classics such as Tetris still exist for those who tend to get nostalgic.
Drawn in by the alluring ?all-new? colour display of the Game Gear, I purchased it over the then-much-coveted, monochrome Game Boy. The Game Gear came at a price though. It ran on 6 AA batteries, or a whopping 9V, chewing them up in a matter of hours, faster than any dog could. It was only then I realized I had sealed the fate of every single dollar in my wallet. I literally had to carry a hunk of batteries with me every time I went ?mobile?. Boosting a mediocre selection of games, and being almost non-existent in the world of gaming as of this writing, it makes me wish I never spent my birthday money on that system.
Within a ten-year period, subsequent siblings of the monochrome Game Boy were produced, namely the Pocket Game Boy (it was smaller than the first and ran on AAA batteries) and the Game Boy Light. (this featured a back-lit screen for the nocturnal ones) Sadly, none of them appeared to achieve the popularity of its big brother. Lacking a coloured screen, they were severely disadvantaged in a world where colour makes all the difference. With the coming of the Pokemon craze towards the end of the last century, the Game Boy?s dwindling popularity was suddenly revived. Rising like a Phoenix from the ashes, the old veteran was back in full force.
The Game Boy Colour was released in 1998, after Nintendo realized that the Pokemon craze provoked many consumers and fans to start poking around for those [previously] elusive Pokemon cartridges, and to in turn, look for their other games, antiquities by then. I too, was drawn in and bought this new toy merely for the sake of playing those talked-about Pokemon games. It does invite laughter and mockery from some, but after six months of use, I still believe that it was money well spent. This new system possessed the same volume dial, headphone jack, gamelink port and simple controls. However, it boosts a screen capable of displaying colour images, infrared port, the nifty power indicator, an 8Mhz processor (faster than the older ones), and is considerably smaller. I?m sure you?re just itching to know more about this gadget, so I?ll run you through it without delay.
Here?s the installment that comes with the box:
-Nintendo Game Boy Colour (external colour depends on your choice)
-Instruction Manual
This very comprehensive compilation is actually redundant, in view of the ease of operation of this system.
-Precaution Manual
It?s just the typical list of ?Don?t mess with it? kind of instructions on how to get the most use out of your Game Boy.
?Hey, I?m running low on time, give me the full story?NOW!?
?Yes, right away Boss??
The screen is arguably the best improvement here over the previous systems. With this new TFT liquid crystal display, the Game Boy is now capable of producing high-colour images on compatible games, utilizing up to 56 colours out of a possible 32,000. In comparison to the four shades of gray used by its ancestor, this new screen definitely allows for much more interesting detail.
One advantage that the Game Boy also possesses is its backward compatibility. While many other companies move on to newer products leaving their previous customers in the dark, Nintendo is much more polite. Older black-and-white games can still be played on the new Game Boy Colour system, but obviously the colour will be poor when compared with the more recent games, specially produced for this system. Here, only 4 to 10 colours may be used, which gives a really bad ratio out of the possible 32,000.
The screen is unfortunately, not an active one. In other words, it is impossible for one to use this system in total darkness. But while it is lacking in this faculty, it lets us see the light in other ways. The TFT screen allows for even very fast movement to be displayed vividly, mainly because it allows for faster refreshes and better contrast. Previously, the monochrome Game Boys possessed a contrast dial as well, but it has been omitted here since it isn?t a requirement. Coupled with the high resolution, images produced on this screen are incredibly detailed, and appear sharper than a knife! Various accessories such as backlighting exist on the market and are available quite readily for those who require it, but it drains the batteries much more quickly.
The gamelink port still exists, which allows for all those interactive two-player games and the like. The wire fits snugly into the port and shouldn?t be as easy to dislodge as in the earlier models. Also, (if I read correctly) the port transfers information 64 times (512K) faster than the older models. The infra-red port is a new addition to this model and allows for the transfer of small amounts of information between systems. From what I discovered though, it isn?t very dependable. The manual suggests keeping both systems within 5 cm of each other, but despite heeding this advice, I still see silly ?Your friend is not ready? messages. The best way to successful communication is to keep both ports aligned and on a flat surface. This one has yet to rival the quality of those seen on the newer palmtop models and really needs to be improved.
Taking size into consideration, it can be seen that the Colour model is much smaller than the monochrome one. While the latter ran on 4 AA batteries, this current model only requires 2 AA batteries to deliver more than 20 hours of play on average! Its negligible weight allows it to be carried in the side pocket of my cargoes or fitted snugly into a full backpack. The size is detrimental in other areas however. While the console may be comfortable to hold for the first hour or so, I eventually develop numbness, sore fingers and other typical signs of a hardcore gamer. Basically, there?s got to be a better way to get a hold on this thing.
For those who are on a budget and never want to buy batteries unnecessarily, this system also comes with a built in external power supply jack (DC 3V) that allows you to plug your AC adapter into your Game Boy for unlimited enjoyment. It took me almost 4 months to figure out why my adapter plugs never fitted into the small gap of the power supply jack: Such AC adapters were not available in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, where I live. :( I seriously hope you have better luck here. I wouldn?t suggest using rechargeable batteries here either. My friend rebelled against the instruction manual and realized the cost of her mistake.
Just like it?s predecessors, the Colour unit comes with four simple controls: an 8 directional pad, 2 buttons (A and B) as well as the Start and Select buttons. Depending on the game, they all give rise to widely varying results, but these controls are amongst the easiest I have ever encountered. Even a newbie wouldn?t take any longer than 15 minutes to piece them all together.
As always, care must be taken when handling a system such as this. It appears that this slimmer model is not as tough as the original. The plastic external casing feels thinner and the soft, plastic screen is easily scratched. If your system came with an initial protective covering, I really suggest you leave it on. Other than that, everything else should remain in order for quite some time. It really makes me wonder why Nintendo had so little faith in their products, offering only a three-month warranty for the Game Boy Colour. Perhaps they have a reason I have yet to uncover.
?Ayuh?so any last words??
?Indeed??
Compared to portable consoles of the last 20 years, the Game Boy has proven its superiority. Riding out the storms of competition and emerging even stronger than before, it has seemingly out-witted its other competitors in its genre. Even the initially more powerful Game Gear has since stepped down, having produced only around 450 games, while the Game Boy offers a growing library of over a thousand. Unless other consoles overtake it in the near future, the Game Boy will probably remain popular for some time to come. Given that it made such an abrupt and impressive comeback 10 years after its initial introduction, I have faith that Nintendo will do it again. The end is in essence, actually the beginning?consider reliving the classic small console gaming of the late 80s, now in colour!
By: Andrew Lim
Revised 14-1-01
Final note: Within the huge library of games available for the Game Boy Colour, I highly recommend one to buy either Pokemon Gold or Silver. These utilize the screen in marvelous ways to display fantastic images and could be one of the best RPG games for this console. Sagaia, an old, black-and-white side scrolling shooter was one of my early favourites, but is now rarely seen. Otherwise, other classics such as Tetris still exist for those who tend to get nostalgic.
