Good GameBoy Link Games?

[Jasonbar]

Howdy-

Got any recommendations for good games (preferably puzzle-style games) to play head-to-head with a pair of GameBoys & a link cable? Dr. Mario would be an ideal game for what I'm looking for...

B&W GameBoy, GameBoy Color, or GameBoy Advance only, please--DS is too new-fangled for me.

Thanks!
-Jason

[GrandAmChandler]

GB

Tetris
Tetris 2
Tetris Attack
Tetris Plus
Dr. Mario
Yoshi
Yoshi's Cookie

GBC

Tetris DX

That's a good start right there.

-GAC-

[Pantechnicon]

GB:
Tetris, naturally
Fist of the North Star (good luck finding two of them)

GBA:
Advance Wars I or II (can support multiplayer with only one cart, but two is better)

[Jorpho]

Indeed, you're aware that single-cart multiplayer didn't exist prior to the GBA, right?

Faceball 2000 (B&W) seems to have its fans.

I quite liked Radar Mission (B&W), too.

Rampage (GBC) also apparently has link cable support, but you need to use a code to enable it. (Maybe the developers didn't have time to debug it completely?)

[LightL]

Pokemon, as that's the only one I played as a kid.

[Jasonbar]

Thanks for all the replies--that's a great start.

Dumb follow-up question:

Can I play the GB linked games on a pair of GBCs or a pair of GBAs, or must it be a pair of GBs?


Thanks!
-Jason

[Viraneth]

I haven't tried but I don't think so.

What is the black thing on the top of the GBC anyway?

And, also, if you're into it, YuGiOh DDS is pretty good, but only if both players have beaten the game. Otherwise just nevermind.

[Jorpho]

Can I play the GB linked games on a pair of GBCs or a pair of GBAs, or must it be a pair of GBs?

GBCs are probably okay, but I doubt a GBA will get you anywhere.


What is the black thing on the top of the GBC anyway?

I think you're talking about the IR port. It wasn't used very much. (Mission Impossible let you use it as a universal remote control.)

[LightL]

Actually, you could use it to trade as well. I remember using it for some games, but you had to be like right next to each other (if memory serves)

[Pantechnicon]

GBA to GBA will link legacy games without a hitch (well, actually I guess they are hitched...meh...you know what I mean), but the hardware must be identical. I remember sadly watching my son try to trade Pokemon with his pal once going GBC to GBA. Although the cable ports were similar, fail.

GBC's infrared port was posilutely craptacular. You basically had to lay two GBC's down on a table no more than 6" apart, line up the ports, and not mash the buttons too hard lest you throw off the beam and break the link :shameful:. But I guess it was a start in the direction of WiFi DS goodness.

[Jasonbar]

Thanks for all the info.

I ended up getting a pair of GBA SPs on eBay, a blue one for me & a pink one for my girlfriend.

I got 2 copies of Dr. Mario/Puzzle League (GBA), Tetris DX (GBC), Face Ball 2000 (GB), & Radar Mission (GB--1 cart arrived, 1 on the way still).

I found some rather annoying incompatibilities in playing linked games of the 1st 3 titles.

I have 2 link cables:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=370025941822
and
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=370050950823&ssPageName=ADME:B:EOIBSA:US:1123

The 1st cable works with the GB & GBC games, but not the GBA game.
The 2nd cable works with the GBA game, but not the GB & GBC games.


This is weird! I figured that a link cable is a link cable is a link cable! Nope! Apparently Nintendo changed the spec on this port between GBC & GBA???

Anyway, they must have some different pinouts or connection scheme, but it's interesting that a GBA SP can succeed in using both types of cable. I guess I could put my multimeter on the connectors & ring them out & see what the difference is, but it's rather a moot point.

Unfortunately, this means that I have to pack 2 cables for our upcoming vacations instead of just 1 cable--dang.


Anybody have anything to add?


Thanks,
-Jason

[PresidentLeever]

Some titles for original GB (coop and vs)

Battle Arena Toshinden - sd fighting
Burai Fighter Deluxe - shooter
Burger Time Deluxe - arcade
F1 Race
Game and Watch Gallery 1-2 - misc arcade
Game Boy Wars Turbo - advance wars prequel
Kirby's Star Stacker - puzzle
Kwirk - puzzle
Legend of Prince Valiant/Kingdom Crusade - real time strategy
Motocross Maniacs - sidescrolling stunt racing
Nail 'n Scale - puzzle/platform
Ninja Boy 2 - action rpg
Revenge of the Gator - pinball
Snoopy's Magic Show/Dexterity - arcade/puzzle
Super RC Pro-Am - toycar racing
Spy vs Spy - Operation Boobytrap - strategy/action
Trax - shooter
Tennis
World Heroes 2: Jet - sd fighting

[Jorpho]

This is weird! I figured that a link cable is a link cable is a link cable! Nope! Apparently Nintendo changed the spec on this port between GBC & GBA???

It probably doesn't help that neither of those cables you linked to are official Nintendo parts. But then, I suppose a compatibility problem is quite likely, given that only the GBA's link cable is capable of supporting more than two players.

Anyway, you may also enjoy IGN's list of multi-boot GBA games (http://gameboy.ign.com/articles/358/358050p1.html). Mind you, it's not complete - I know Mario & Luigi Superstar Saga also has the same Mario Bros game as the Super Mario Advance games.

And for some reason Heiankyo Alien (B&W) is coming to mind.


Game Boy Wars Turbo - advance wars prequel

Japan-only, no?


Snoopy's Magic Show/Dexterity - arcade/puzzle

Those are the same game? Odd - I thought they both came out in North America.

[PresidentLeever]

Ah yes, GB Wars is a jap only game. There is a fan translation of the rom, but it should be playable if you know the GBA games.

There are a lot of clone games for GB, like Bugs Bunny - Mickey Moue and.. others.

[Pantechnicon]

That's a nice list Jorpho referenced. It reminded me that I should have mentioned Virtual Kasparov for GBA. As a videogame...meh, but chess is chess, right? And the two-player option is handy if you're on a car trip or something. I do the multiplayer thing every now and then with my son in lieu of a bedtime story.

Mrs. Pan: "You two need to stop playing videogames all the time." Me: "That's why we're playing chess." Her: :embarrassed:

[Jasonbar]

Darn--my reply this morning didn't seem to get posted...:grrr:


Anyway, I went ahead & got a couple of GBA SPs (blue for me, pink for my girlfriend).

I have 2 copies of Dr. Mario/Puzzle League (GBA), Tetris DX (GBC), Face Ball 2000 (GB), & Radar Mission (GB--well, 1 arrived, 2nd is still in the mail).

I have 2 different link cables:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=370025941822
and
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=370050950823&ssPageName=ADME:B:EOIBSA:US:1123


After much experimentation, I found some kooky incompatibility.

The GB & GBC games will link only w/ the 1st cable, and the GBA game will link only w/ the 2nd cable.

It appears that Nintendo changed the pinouts on their link cables between GBC & GBA...

Unfortunately, this means that I have to take 2 cables w/ me to be able to play all these different linked games...


Anybody run into these issues before? It would be nice if there existed 1 super-cable that would work for the older & newer linked games...


Thanks,
-Jason

[Jorpho]

Darn--my reply this morning didn't seem to get posted...:grrr:

Um, yes it did. :hmm:


There are a lot of clone games for GB, like Bugs Bunny - Mickey Moue and.. others.

Yes, but in that particular case Mickey Mouse only came out in Japan and Bugs Bunny didn't come out in Japan at all. That's why it would be odd if Snoopy's Magic Show and Dexterity are both the same game underneath, since I seem to recall they were both available in the same territory.

[Jorpho]

Say, has anyone ever had a go at Fortified Zone? It always seemed rather nifty in the Game Boy Player's Guide back in the day.
http://www.mobygames.com/game/gameboy/fortified-zone
Looks like it had some Japan-only sequels for the Game Boy and SFC, too.

I seem to recall that at least one version of Titus the Fox GB had link support.
http://www.mobygames.com/game/gameboy/titus-the-fox-to-marrakech-and-back/screenshots

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

GB:

Killer Instinct (very common, easy to find, cheap and the absolute best 2D fighter on the system IMO)

[PresidentLeever]

Looks like it had some Japan-only sequels for the Game Boy and SFC, too.


Yeah the sequels are actually pretty good. Kinda like Metal Gear without the sneaking. But FF is meh, poor controls and not very exciting to play.




Yes, but in that particular case Mickey Mouse only came out in Japan and Bugs Bunny didn't come out in Japan at all. That's why it would be odd if Snoopy's Magic Show and Dexterity are both the same game underneath, since I seem to recall they were both available in the same territory.

Ah maybe you're right, I've only played them for a minute or two each. Other clones I'm sure of though are the Real Ghostbusters and Garfields Labyrinth, which are just the same as one of the Mickey Mouse games. There are probably some Tetris-like games with character swaps as well.

[c0ldb33r]

How about some Link: Four Swords for GBA?

I've yet to play it but have always wanted to!