Gameboy DMG Games with Enormous Impact

[Great Hierophant]

I find it interesting that the Gameboy was the real genesis of not one, but two genuine pop-culture phenomenons. First, there is Tetris, which although had been released in the arcade and on the personal computers of its day, really emerged as a phenomenon with its release for the Gameboy. Not only did the game almost single-handedly ensure the survival of the Gameboy and the viability of handheld gaming, it also got people who never played a videogame before to try them. Many, many console and handheld versions followed, but this simple pack-in was almost certainly the wisest pack-in Nintendo did since the original Super Mario Bros. with the NES.

Towards the end of the Gameboy's (monochrome's) life, the Pokemon games were released for the system, giving it a new lease on life. Pokemon, unlike Tetris, actually started its life as a pair Gameboy games. Unlike Tetris, Pokemon was able to cross over from videogames into a highly successful anime series and collectible card game. It is a staple of toy lines. Its immediate sequels helped ensure the Gameboy Color's success.

Most consoles would be happy if they could establish one marketing juggernaut, a game that truly stands out and transcends the medium. The Gameboy had more than most, not bad for the little monochrome system.

[Agressivadue]

So are you writing an essay or presentation? I wrote a short speech about about Nintendo's handhelds for a public speaking class. I think I got an A or B, it was a few years ago. I'd say you're on your way to a good grade!

[Arkhan]

yeah, my grandpa is now officially addicted to Tetris, Dr. Mario and Yoshis cookie thanks to gameboy.


whats the DMG stand for in the thread title? O_o

[Ryaan1234]

whats the DMG stand for in the thread title? O_o

DMG stands for Dot Matrix Game. It refers to original black and white Gameboy games. Why the poster didn't just say "Original Gameboy Games with Enormous Impact" is beyond me, since not everyone knows what DMG means.


Hierophant, don't forget that the original Gameboy also had Kirby's Dreamland, which started the ever-popular Kirby video game series.

[Arkhan]

Oh. yeah ive never heard the phrase DMG before....

but, yeah the original gameboy kicked ass. Daedalian Opus man! that game is still awesome to this day.

[Archangel]

It makes me glad that I was able to find my original gameboy recently after thinking that I lost it in the move..

It truly is a great handheld...

[Arkhan]

It makes me glad that I was able to find my original gameboy recently after thinking that I lost it in the move..

It truly is a great handheld...

i always wondered, the faceplates on all my friends fell off

mine never did.

did anyone elses faceplates fall off?

[kedawa]

Given how long the GB was on the market, I'm really not all that impressed by its game library. I do have a lot of nostalgia for it, though, and I really miss playing GB Tetris in system link mode.

[Archangel]

i always wondered, the faceplates on all my friends fell off

mine never did.

did anyone elses faceplates fall off?

Not at all, I even was able to find the original box for it as well as some gameboy game manuals, the gameboy system manual, and some previews of games that were coming out..

Also I have to say, its the clear case version...

[Arkhan]

Given how long the GB was on the market, I'm really not all that impressed by its game library. I do have a lot of nostalgia for it, though, and I really miss playing GB Tetris in system link mode.

what about the game library doesnt impress? Just wondering really.


the selection, or the quality?

[kedawa]

Aside from pokemon, I can't think of any series that began on GB and really took off. Hmmm, maybe Wario?
The better games tended to be 'junior' versions of existing console games, rather than original stuff. Maybe that's an unfair criticism since that's what most gamers at the time wanted anyway, but in retrospect I just see the GB library as being a mile wide and an inch deep.

[jcalder8]

Weren't all the Gameboy games DMG?

[vivaeljason]

Aside from pokemon, I can't think of any series that began on GB and really took off. Hmmm, maybe Wario?
The better games tended to be 'junior' versions of existing console games, rather than original stuff. Maybe that's an unfair criticism since that's what most gamers at the time wanted anyway, but in retrospect I just see the GB library as being a mile wide and an inch deep.

Other than Pokemon, Kirby, and technically Dr. Mario, there really weren't a ton of franchises launched on the Game Boy, that is true, but I think that the Game Boy was designed for more casual gamers. That might have impacted the creation of more full franchises.

Also, a Game Boy recollection: I remember that there was a period in the early mid 90s (say 92-94) where there was very little made for the GB. I remember reading Game Players from back then and the writer said something to the effect of the system being dead. Man, hindsight is funny.

[Archangel]

Weren't all the Gameboy games DMG?

DMG was the model name for the original gameboy system.

MGB was the model name for Gameboy light/poket

CGB means Gameboy Color

You can find all of them here: http://maru-chang.com/hard/gb/english.htm

[Ryaan1234]

Aside from pokemon, I can't think of any series that began on GB and really took off. Hmmm, maybe Wario?

Ahem...

...don't forget that the original Gameboy also had Kirby's Dreamland, which started the ever-popular Kirby video game series.

Aside from Kirby, Gargoyle's Quest also started on the Gameboy and then had an NES sequel. This is the only instance that I know of where a Gameboy game had a direct sequel on a console. We got only the Gameboy and NES Gargoyle's Quest games here in the U.S., so perhaps the series continued onto other consoles in Japan. I'm not sure.

[Arkhan]

Gargoyles Quest was excellent, and the contra games.

Castlevania had some good gameboy stuff....

I think the thing overall did a kickass job of being a portable gamething.


Also.... I always referred to gameboy color as GBC, and GBA for advance, etc. etc.

Didn't know there were weird acronyms.

[mobiusclimber]

I'm also not that impressed with the library of games for the gameboy. Seems like a ton of shovelware, even in established series like Castlevania (good god, Castlevania...). Zelda, Kirby, Gargoyle's Quest, those were great. There were a handful of really great games. But for how long the system was out, I'd expect more than just a handful. Part of that is probably just due to my weird tastes, but even if I look at it objectively, it just doesn't seem like a really impressive amount of quality titles compared to, say, the NES (which had tons of shovelware as well but also tons of great quality titles).

[Ed Oscuro]

The GB had lots of great titles, actually. The only bad Castlevania on it is Legends (which I'm not sure is a DMG title) - Adventure can be boring, and the speed is inconsistent, but I've still had fun with it. Then there's the Nemesis games - good and great - Operation C, Bionic Commando (I've liked it thus far, anyway), Ninja Gaiden Shadow (plays like Kage on FC / Shadow of the Ninja), volumes #1 and 3 of the Konami GB Collection, and more. Kid Dracula is okay. I'm not a great fan of all the Nintendo games , but there's good stuff there too. I've picked up Kid Icarus and Metroid II a couple times and put it back down shortly after, but SM World and LoZ Link's Awakening are great.

I've always felt the square screen and B&W setup set the GB apart from other conventional game systems - not in a bad way either.

Didn't the Wario games start life as an original GB franchise?

[vivaeljason]

Speaking of Mario, Super Mario Land 2 is one of my favorite Mario games for any system; and yes, it features the debut of Wario. While he's not the most important character in the Nintendo pantheon, he's up there as an important character -- his debut game has to be one with a pretty big impact.

[Arkhan]

I'm also not that impressed with the library of games for the gameboy. Seems like a ton of shovelware, even in established series like Castlevania (good god, Castlevania...). Zelda, Kirby, Gargoyle's Quest, those were great. There were a handful of really great games. But for how long the system was out, I'd expect more than just a handful. Part of that is probably just due to my weird tastes, but even if I look at it objectively, it just doesn't seem like a really impressive amount of quality titles compared to, say, the NES (which had tons of shovelware as well but also tons of great quality titles).

bah you hate every game. lol


i think there were alot of hidden gems noone ever saw, like sword of hope, those Final fantasy games for GB, Lufia, and a ton of other crap that just didn't get the spotlight it shoulda.