Do you consider Gameboy Color a successor or a variant to the Gameboy?

[diet_orange]

It feels sort of like a PS5 Pro, basically just an incremental upgrade. Still had fun with it, even though it's lifespan was incredibly short-lived compared to it's predecessor

 

[Waffles's iconWaffles]

More like an upgrade.

 

[diet_orange]

I'd say that the GBC is basically on par with an NES, and therefore a solid generational leap above the games possible with the GB, similar to how GBA is roughly on par with an SNES.

From what I understand, the GB was basically an NES with a monochrome color screen and slightly faster processor?

 

[Sonic Boomer]

From what I understand, the GB was basically an NES with a monochrome color screen and slightly faster processor?

I'm not big on technical stuff and specs, but judging by the games yes.
I have a huge library of GB games and the best ones feel every bit as good, responsive and smooth to play as their NES counterparts, some even better.
For example I prefer Kid Dracula on the GB over the Famicom version, Adventure Island 2 and 3 are also better on the GB IMO.

Hammerin Harry is a different game, but to me, a much much better experience on the GB.


Sadly for me, if not for the Super GameBoy many GB games on the original green screen GB are practically invisible even tho I LOVE the green screen when I can actually see some of the games

The GB Pocket screen tho, that I can see somewhat better

I have absolute FASCINATION with the green GB Screen but due to my severe visual impairment I can only play it briefly and under just the right kind of light and even then games like Mario Land 2 are completely unaplayble.

Kirby is ok in some levels


What I personally think is, they should have made the screen bigger and not so sunken, the Watara SuperVision is so much easier to see even for me in spite of its more pronounced ghosting

 

[sornek7]

Do you consider Gameboy Color a successor to the Gameboy or an upgrade to the Gameboy?

seems like i’m in the minority here but i consider it a variant to the original Gameboy. all the GBC did was add almost technicolor to most games, wasn’t big enough of an upgrade for me to consider it a successor.

 

[Juiceala]

I'm not big on technical stuff and specs, but judging by the games yes.
I have a huge library of GB games and the best ones feel every bit as good, responsive and smooth to play as their NES counterparts, some even better.
For example I prefer Kid Dracula on the GB over the Famicom version, Adventure Island 2 and 3 are also better on the GB IMO.

Dude, facts!
Only downside is the lack of colors but man, Adventure Island 2 on Gameboy is a better version in every aspect (that isn't colors) from the NES counterpart "Adventure Island 3".

 

[Deleted member 924886]

I think the Game Boy Color was a good development. But I'm not sure if it was better than the regular Game Boy.

 

[Egg (McMuffin) Man]

I've always considered it a successor but officially it's a varient.

 

[BrawlMan]

For me, it's both because you can play GB Color exclusives (the see through clear cartridges) and old/new GB games. There are also GB color games that have black cartridges, which means you could play them on an older GB model.

I think the Game Boy Color was a good development. But I'm not sure if it was better than the regular Game Boy.

Yes it is. Long battery life. can actually fit in your pocket, instead of barely, and had so many exclusive great games or good ports of old NES games.

 

[PhaseJump]

From what I understand, the GB was basically an NES with a monochrome color screen and slightly faster processor?

DMG was running a custom stripped down 8080 style CPU from Sharp, using the Z80 instruction set. They paired it with a low power consumption Sharp display panel.

The NES was built using unlicensed MOS 6502 based CPUs from Ricoh.

They weren't the same thing.


GBC was a backwards compatible successor running similar custom hardware, clocked twice as fast and with more memory, but I still personally consider it a variant based on the new game library being pretty limited on it's own. The GBA was the generational leap forward, and the GBC was a stop-gap upgraded release to cover their asses while the ARM based Atlantis prototype went nowhere.

 

[XenoGamezTV]

I consider it a variant. It's the Game Boy, but with colors this time. There were out Game Boy different Game Boy versions out there but the color really stepped up with visuals.

 

[medisinn]

I'd say variant. Not only because that's how Nintendo seems to see it, but also because that's how it always felt. It wasn't a different feeling experience, just a better one. It still didn't have a backlit screen, or a rechargeable battery like later systems, plus no additional buttons. Sure, there were games you couldn't play on the original GB, but the same goes for the New 3DS. I'm sure there were some technologically impressive games on GBC, but even Game Boy had Donkey Kong Land and Killer Instinct.

 

[SamanthaSamantha's icon]

I think the GB Pocket was the actual successor.

 

[Juiceala]

I'd say variant. Not only because that's how Nintendo seems to see it, but also because that's how it always felt. It wasn't a different feeling experience, just a better one. It still didn't have a backlit screen, or a rechargeable battery like later systems, ...

Neither did the GBA, in fact, before the SP I used third party rechargeable batteries for the GBA for a couple of years.

 

[diet_orange]

I'd say variant. Not only because that's how Nintendo seems to see it, but also because that's how it always felt. It wasn't a different feeling experience, just a better one. It still didn't have a backlit screen, or a rechargeable battery like later systems, plus no additional buttons. Sure, there were games you couldn't play on the original GB, but the same goes for the New 3DS. I'm sure there were some technologically impressive games on GBC, but even Game Boy had Donkey Kong Land and Killer Instinct.

Yeah, there's really no distinction made I think either and GBC had a bit more going on hardware wise than the brick and pocket too. Didn't they also spot making games for the original gameboy too at one point? I know some like Silver and Gold are cross-compatible

 

[BrawlMan]

Didn't they also spot making games for the original gameboy too at one point?

They really didn't stop until about after 2001-2002. When the GBA was coming into its own, and more exclusives started coming out for it.

 

[Juiceala]

They really didn't stop until about after 2001-2002. When the GBA was coming into its own, and more exclusives started coming out for it.

We are still getting first party Switch 1 games coming out one year after Switch 2 had already released, Tomadachi Life just dropped a cross gen demo.

 

[BrawlMan]

We are still getting first party Switch 1 games coming out one year after Switch 2 had already released, Tomadachi Life just dropped a cross gen demo.

That's usually how it works and not the first time Nintendo has done this. We got a few cross gen games from GC to Wii for about a year.

 

[Juiceala]

That's usually how it works and not the first time Nintendo has done this. We got a few cross gen games from GC to Wii for about a year.

Agreed, my point is "games releasing on GB and cross gen games releasing during the GBC era before GBA released" does not necessary make it a compelled argument that it's only a variant.

 

[BrawlMan]

Agreed, my point is "games releasing on GB and cross gen games releasing during the GBC era before GBA released" does not necessary make it a compelled argument that it's only a variant.

Ok. I consider it both, but the GBC is most defintely a successor. It basically a portable NES. My first GBC game were these two bros right here!

 

[TechBlisSTer]

It's clearly a successor. Just not a very good one. Kind of like what the PS5 is to the PS4. If it wasn't for backwards compatibility and "DX" re-releases you wouldn't have that many good titles to play on it.
... lol