NeoZeedeater
01-22-2006, 06:02 PM
A lot of us seem to have had our interest in handheld gaming increase lately with all the great DS games out. I figured it would be a good time to take a look back at the classic portables(original Game Boy, Lynx, Game Gear) and the good games they had. A lot of these don't have modern portable equivalents.
The Milton Bradley Microvision(1979) and Epoch Game Pocket Computer(1984) deserve nods for being the first programmable portable games systems. Unfortunately I have yet to play these but discuss them too if you want.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/microvision.jpg
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/Epoch-GPCBox.jpg
There are also more obscure early '90s monochrome portables like Bit Corporation's Gamate and Watara's Supervision. I was never very impressed with those.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/gamate.jpg
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/supervision.jpg
Here are thirty games from the Game Boy, Lynx and Game Gear that I consider quality. There are a lot I didn't include so please add more to the thread.
Shinobi II: The Silent Fury(GG)
Instead of porting the SMS Shinobi games or merely downgrading the Genesis ones, Sega released a superb side series that stood apart from the other Shinobi games with its non-linear design and use of multiple ninjas with different skills.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/ggshinobi2.gif
Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening(GB)
I think this is still the best portable Zelda. I would rank it third in the whole series after Ocarina and ALTTP.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/gb-zelda.jpg
Sonic Chaos(GG)
Technically this isn't an original game as the near identical SMS version came out around a month earlier in Europe but for most people in North America this was brand new and awesome. I can see how some prefer the faster pace of the first SMS/GG Sonic though.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/sonic_chaos-gg.gif
Donkey Kong(GB)
An excellent puzzle platformer and unfortunately the last game in the series to really resemble the old trilogy in style.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/dk94.png
Blue Lightning(Lynx)
Back when there weren't even console games with hardware scaling effects this was mindblowing stuff. It's still a great game.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/bluelightning.gif
Power Strike II(GG)
The GG had two exclusives in Compile's Aleste series. I would say they're still the best portable shooters ever made.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/powerstrikeiigamegear.jpg
Tetris(GB)
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/tetris-gb.jpg
Toki(Lynx)
The NES and Genesis ports failed to live up to the arcade game but this one succeeded.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/toki-lynx.jpg
Operation C(GB)
I thought the GB Castlevanias were decent but this GB Contra is what impressed me most for Konami games on the system.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/operationc.jpg
Sylvan Tale(GG)
This great Zelda-ish adventure was left in Japan but the language barrier isn't really a problem.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/sylvantale.gif
Ninja Gaiden Shadow(GB)
Originally intended to be part of the Shadow of the Ninja series, this Ninja Gaiden game by Natsume turned out quite nicely.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/ninjagaidenshadow.gif
Gates of Zendocon(Lynx)
I just love the atmosphere in this shooter.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/gatesofzendocon.gif
Shining Force II: The Sword of Hajya(GG)
Between this series and Crystal Warriors the GG had the SRPG genre covered very well.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/shining_forcegg2.png
Metroid II: The Return of Samus(GB)
I haven't played this since it came out so I'm guessing it has aged a bit but I thought it was a worthy sequel at the time.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/Metroid_II.png
Battlezone 2000(Lynx)
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/battlezone2000_lynx.gif
Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins(GB)
I never liked this series as much as the console games but it was still quality and evolved into the Wario franchise.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/Super_Mario_Land_2.png
Roadblasters(Lynx)
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/RoadBlasterslynx.jpg
Revenge of the Gator(GB)
The first of the impressive GB pinball games by HAL.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/revengeofthegator.gif
Electrocop(Lynx)
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/ElectroCop.png
Battletoads(GB)
Just to be confusing, this game is not a port of the NES game but Battletoads in Ragnarok's World is.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/Battletoadsgb.gif
S.T.U.N. Runner(Lynx)
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/stunrunner-lynx.jpg
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles(GB)
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/tmnt1gbb.gif
Xybots(Lynx)
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/xybots-lynx.jpg
Coca Cola Kid(GG)
Cheesy product tie-in but a good Sonic-ish platformer.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/cocacolakid.gif
Rygar(Lynx)
This and Ninja Gaiden were two quality ports of Tecmo arcade games.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/rygarlynx.jpg
Kenyuu Densetsu Yaiba(GG)
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/yaiba.jpg
Bionic Commando(GB)
An original game in the vein of the NES game.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/bioniccommandogb.png
Defenders of Oasis(GG)
It's too bad most GG RPGs were left in Japan. At least this good one wasn't.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/defendersoasis.gif
Burai Fighter Deluxe(GB)
Better than the NES game before it, fans of shooters like Forgotten Worlds should check out this Taxan game.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/buraifighterdeluxe.gif
Robo Squash(Lynx)
A neat 3d Breakout type game.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/robosquash.jpg
What are your favourites?
The Milton Bradley Microvision(1979) and Epoch Game Pocket Computer(1984) deserve nods for being the first programmable portable games systems. Unfortunately I have yet to play these but discuss them too if you want.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/microvision.jpg
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/Epoch-GPCBox.jpg
There are also more obscure early '90s monochrome portables like Bit Corporation's Gamate and Watara's Supervision. I was never very impressed with those.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/gamate.jpg
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/supervision.jpg
Here are thirty games from the Game Boy, Lynx and Game Gear that I consider quality. There are a lot I didn't include so please add more to the thread.
Shinobi II: The Silent Fury(GG)
Instead of porting the SMS Shinobi games or merely downgrading the Genesis ones, Sega released a superb side series that stood apart from the other Shinobi games with its non-linear design and use of multiple ninjas with different skills.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/ggshinobi2.gif
Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening(GB)
I think this is still the best portable Zelda. I would rank it third in the whole series after Ocarina and ALTTP.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/gb-zelda.jpg
Sonic Chaos(GG)
Technically this isn't an original game as the near identical SMS version came out around a month earlier in Europe but for most people in North America this was brand new and awesome. I can see how some prefer the faster pace of the first SMS/GG Sonic though.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/sonic_chaos-gg.gif
Donkey Kong(GB)
An excellent puzzle platformer and unfortunately the last game in the series to really resemble the old trilogy in style.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/dk94.png
Blue Lightning(Lynx)
Back when there weren't even console games with hardware scaling effects this was mindblowing stuff. It's still a great game.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/bluelightning.gif
Power Strike II(GG)
The GG had two exclusives in Compile's Aleste series. I would say they're still the best portable shooters ever made.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/powerstrikeiigamegear.jpg
Tetris(GB)
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/tetris-gb.jpg
Toki(Lynx)
The NES and Genesis ports failed to live up to the arcade game but this one succeeded.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/toki-lynx.jpg
Operation C(GB)
I thought the GB Castlevanias were decent but this GB Contra is what impressed me most for Konami games on the system.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/operationc.jpg
Sylvan Tale(GG)
This great Zelda-ish adventure was left in Japan but the language barrier isn't really a problem.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/sylvantale.gif
Ninja Gaiden Shadow(GB)
Originally intended to be part of the Shadow of the Ninja series, this Ninja Gaiden game by Natsume turned out quite nicely.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/ninjagaidenshadow.gif
Gates of Zendocon(Lynx)
I just love the atmosphere in this shooter.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/gatesofzendocon.gif
Shining Force II: The Sword of Hajya(GG)
Between this series and Crystal Warriors the GG had the SRPG genre covered very well.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/shining_forcegg2.png
Metroid II: The Return of Samus(GB)
I haven't played this since it came out so I'm guessing it has aged a bit but I thought it was a worthy sequel at the time.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/Metroid_II.png
Battlezone 2000(Lynx)
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/battlezone2000_lynx.gif
Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins(GB)
I never liked this series as much as the console games but it was still quality and evolved into the Wario franchise.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/Super_Mario_Land_2.png
Roadblasters(Lynx)
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/RoadBlasterslynx.jpg
Revenge of the Gator(GB)
The first of the impressive GB pinball games by HAL.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/revengeofthegator.gif
Electrocop(Lynx)
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/ElectroCop.png
Battletoads(GB)
Just to be confusing, this game is not a port of the NES game but Battletoads in Ragnarok's World is.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/Battletoadsgb.gif
S.T.U.N. Runner(Lynx)
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/stunrunner-lynx.jpg
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles(GB)
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/tmnt1gbb.gif
Xybots(Lynx)
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/xybots-lynx.jpg
Coca Cola Kid(GG)
Cheesy product tie-in but a good Sonic-ish platformer.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/cocacolakid.gif
Rygar(Lynx)
This and Ninja Gaiden were two quality ports of Tecmo arcade games.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/rygarlynx.jpg
Kenyuu Densetsu Yaiba(GG)
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/yaiba.jpg
Bionic Commando(GB)
An original game in the vein of the NES game.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/bioniccommandogb.png
Defenders of Oasis(GG)
It's too bad most GG RPGs were left in Japan. At least this good one wasn't.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/defendersoasis.gif
Burai Fighter Deluxe(GB)
Better than the NES game before it, fans of shooters like Forgotten Worlds should check out this Taxan game.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/buraifighterdeluxe.gif
Robo Squash(Lynx)
A neat 3d Breakout type game.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/robosquash.jpg
What are your favourites?