Resident Evil Gaiden

I’ve always been a big fan of the Resident Evil series. So when Resident Evil Gaiden was released on the Game Boy Color, I jumped at the chance to play it. The chance to fight zombies on my handheld, who wouldn’t want to try it? Unfortunately, it was rather poorly made, poorly designed, and poorly conceived. The game does have its high points, but they’re somewhat few and far between.

Kid Icarus: Of Myths And Monsters

In February of 1987 Nintendo released unto the world a game unlike any of there others. This game was released with very little fanfare and was often picked it up on a whim or found it for cheap, usually became enthralled. There are very few low scores for Kid Icarus recorded. The simplistic action platformer with the plot of save the princess from Medusa, was easily overlooked when Super Mario Bros. 2 (Doki Doki Panic) was looming near. The somewhat sluggish sales did not stop Nintendo from releasing a follow up prequel on their popular Gameboy console. So in early 1991 Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters was released. Again to little fanfare and very little press, so again, off to obscurity it went. In 1993 the fans were ready for Super Kid Icarus, which was rumored to be in production. Over ten years later, we are still waiting. Nintendo did exactly what they should have done to a low selling series, but for the life of me I do not understand why it did not sale. The name is fairly childish, it has kid in the title, but Kid Cameloen on the Genesis sold fantastically. Anyway, gather your hammers we have got statue busting to do.

Castlevania: The Adventure

Released during the early days of the original Game Boy, Castlevania Adventure has many good and bad aspects worth mentioning. First off, the game has some really top-notch music – some of the best for the Game Boy.

Tetris DX

Close your eyes and its there. Lie trying to fall asleep and it’s there. Put a Tetris DX cartridge into you Game Boy and, believe it or not, it’s there. I’m talking about the Tetris mindset. Falling blocks possessing your mind, endlessly being fit into each other. This is what happens when you play Tetris (or any good puzzle game). It stays with you…. FOREVER! Not that that’s a bad thing, especially when it’s portable. Tetris DX is the best incarnation of Tetris I have ever played. There are four game modes (more one those later) on of which is very innovative. You also get color, something lacking from the most well known version of Tetris (the original Game Boy one), and a feature that quadruples the replay value. Prepare to enter Tetris in its truest form.

Super Mario Land

Poor Mario. If I went through as much chaos as Mario has to get to the end of a level, I really don’t know what I’d do when I found out the Daisy he’s looking for isn’t the real one. I kind of feel sorry for him. You all this work, for what? Nothing. There should be an option, “I know she’s not here, let me go to the last level.” Oh well. That probably wouldn’t be as fun.

Shantae

Before we get into the actual review, here’s a strange little rumor: Shantae has been in development since the heyday of (and was originally intended to be released for) the Super NES, and considering the large gap in time between the copyright dates displayed on the intro scene, I’m beginning to think this may have been the case. The point is, if there’s any truth to this dubious factoid, then Shantae is a prime example for the old saying, “Good things come to those who wait.” Honestly, this is in all likelihood, the best game released exclusively for the GBC. Most of them either borrowed or shared blockbuster fame with its green-and-grey-scaled predecessor. It’s one of the few titles for the system that lives up to the Game Boy’s legacy of delivering great games.