Game Boy Color

Gameboy Color
Manufacturer	Nintendo
Type	Handheld
Generation	Fifth
Media	Cartridge
Release Date	JP October 21, 1998 US November 1998 EU 1999
Units Sold	49.27 million
Top Game	Pokemon Silver/Gold/Crystal
Compatibility	Gameboy
Predecessor	Gameboy
Successor	Gameboy Advance

The Gameboy Color is the second product in Nintendo's Gameboy line. It was released in 1998 in both America and Japan. It featured a color screen and backwards compatibility with the Gameboy. It also featured an infrared port, but it wasn't used by many games.

Cartridges

In order to avoid confusion about what games were only compatible with the Gameboy Color, Nintendo made the Gameboy Color cartridges clear and added a bump near the top of the cartridge. Black was used to specify new games that were compatible with the old Gameboy, but would take advantage of the color of the Gameboy Color.

Color Palettes

When playing an original Gameboy game on the Gameboy Color, the player can choose the color palette. This is achieved by pressing a certain combination of buttons when the Gameboy logo is displayed. Here are the combinations:

• Up: Brown
• Up + A: Red
• Up + B: Dark Brown
• Down: Pastel Mix
• Down + A: Orange
• Down + B: Yellow
• Left: Blue
• Left + A: Dark Blue
• Left + B: Monochrome (Original Colors)
• Right: Green
• Right + A: Dark Green (Default Palette)
• Right + B: Inverted Monochrome

Most Nintendo games have a special palette enabled when no buttons are pressed. Otherwise, they default to Dark Green.

Variations

The Gameboy Color was normally available in red, clear purple, blue, clear, aqua, and yellow. Limited editions include Kiwi(bright green), Australian, Miranda(orange with logo), Tommy Hilfiger, and four Pokemon versions.