The Game Boy Color often gets dismissed as just a Game Boy with a colour screen. That’s a bit like calling the SNES just an NES with better graphics — technically true, but missing the point entirely. At 27 years old, the GBC has a library and a charm that more than earns it a spot in any serious retro collection.
More Than a Facelift
Released in 1998, the Game Boy Color had a faster CPU than the original Game Boy, a colour screen, and infrared communication. Crucially, it was backwards compatible with the entire original Game Boy library while also running GBC-exclusive games that genuinely pushed the hardware. Developers who knew what they were doing produced games that looked and felt like they belonged on a home console.
The Games Worth Playing
Pokémon Gold and Silver are the obvious starting point — widely considered the peak of the classic Pokémon formula. Shantae is a platformer so good it routinely fetches $300+ AUD in the wild and spawned an entire modern franchise. Dragon Warrior Monsters (Dragon Quest Monsters in some regions) is a monster-collecting RPG that predates Pokémon’s formula and is better than most people realise. Metal Gear Solid on GBC is a surprisingly complete adaptation of the PS1 game. Wario Land 3 is one of the best platformers Nintendo ever made.
The Backlit Mod Scene
One reason the GBC has seen a collector revival is the backlit screen mod community. The original GBC screen is reflective and dim by modern standards — fine in bright light, unusable in the dark. Modern IPS screen kits designed specifically for the GBC transform the experience completely. Installation requires some basic soldering but it’s a beginner-friendly mod with excellent guides available online.
A modded GBC with an IPS screen, new shell, and a decent library is one of the best retro handhelds you can carry around in 2026. The form factor is perfect, the library is deep, and the hardware is durable.
What to Pay
Unmodded GBC units in good condition run $60–$120 AUD. Games vary widely — common titles are cheap, but Shantae and a few others will cost you. Worth tracking down at markets, op shops, and local Facebook groups where prices are often well below eBay.
Twenty-seven years on, the Game Boy Color is still excellent. That’s not nostalgia talking — the games are genuinely good.
— Chris
