The Games That Defined the Nintendo Game Boy

Donkey Kong (1994)

Donkey Kong is a fascinating game that just never seems to get enough love. That’s probably because the early parts of the game are (for all intents and purposes) a recreation of the original arcade Donkey Kong title. As you continue to play, though, Donkey Kong’s gameplay evolves and becomes closer to a Super Mario adventure. Eventually, it grows into something else entirely.

I often think of Donkey Kong as the precursor of the modern video game remake. The ways this game turned the core concepts of its predecessor into the foundation of an entirely new experience feels remarkably similar to games like Resident Evil 2 Remake ultimately aspire to do. At the very least, Donkey Kong reminded fans of the timeless power of gaming generations gone by and did so via a platform that encouraged and supported such experiences.

Donkey Kong Land (1995)

One of the most impressive qualities of the Nintendo Game Boy was its longevity. It’s hard to imagine a modern piece of gaming hardware remaining commercially viable for as long as the Game Boy remained commercially viable. Yes, Nintendo eventually introduced the Game Boy Pocket and Game Boy Color, but they continued to support the original Game Boy for a remarkably long time.

Donkey Kong Land is one of the most fascinating examples of Nintendo’s commitment to the Game Boy hardware. What better way to show that the Game Boy still had a lot left in the tank than to greenlight a handheld port of one of the most technologically advanced SNES titles (Donkey Kong Country)? No, it wasn’t quite as brilliant as its SNES counterpart, but the fact that it is in that conversation is impressive.

Mario’s Picross (1995)

With Mario’s Picross, Nintendo decided to move beyond the Tetris-like puzzle game formula they found success with in Dr. Mario and attempt a more “logic-based” puzzle experience. Unfortunately for them, Mario’s Picross was a bust in the West despite performing quite well in Japan. It wasn’t until the 2007 release of Picross DS that this series would start to earn a wider global audience.

That gap illustrates the Game Boy’s capabilities to produce titles that were remarkably ahead of their time even this late into its run. Today, it’s easy enough to imagine something like Picross finding success as a browser or mobile title. Yet, when so many were focusing on the viability of the Game Boy’s technical capabilities, the Picross team (and others) were still exploring the kinds of titles that simply worked best as portable experiences.