Down and Dirty Reviews: Gameboy -- A - M

"Welcome all Gameboy users!" We also feature both the older black and white and newer GBC games here too so read away learn what's what. All the reviews here are by StarSoldier unless noted.

The overall scores are out of 100.

The graphics, sounds, and game play are out of 10.
SCORE  NAME

55 ASTEROIDS (Atari, 1981/1992)
This older arcade shooting game arrives on the Gameboy but there are versions of Asteroids in other GB compilations. If you don't know the deal here you have to survive a horde of deadly asteroids and space aliens in deep space. This game has slightly improved and new background music over the original. These added features are only minor additions to this classic space survival game so it's not a real must have.
For 1 or 2 players
graphics: 5
sound: 6
gameplay: 5

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78 BIONIC COMMANDO (Capcom, 1992)
Yes! There is another! This Gameboy edition is a great spin off the original NES classic. The game now looks more like a anime game than a World War II want to be this time but your mission is still the same as you go behind enemy lines to rescue a missing soldier named Super Joe. Bionic Commando is another great action platformer by Capcom.
For 1 player only
graphics: 6
sound: 7
gameplay: 8

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71 BIONIC COMMANDO: Elite Forces (Nintendo/Capcom, 2000)
There is a lot improved in this version of Bionic Commando like the option to choose between a men or a women, more improved graphics with better animation and a battery back up feature to continue your game for later too but sadly, the neutral towns are missing from the other versions and the story is not all there either. I liked the originals better than this remake but it was a good try considering that Capcom didn't help produce it this time.
*Battery back up game
For 1 player only
graphics: 7
sound: 6
gameplay: 6

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24 BLASTER MASTER BOY (Sunsoft, 1991)
Like the old Blaster Master for the NES? "Well, you won't like this then!" BMB is another bitter disappointment from this once great series. This game plays like a hard to control game of Bomberman and not the real Blaster Master on NES which wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't so slow. Not a fun game at all.
For 1 player only
graphics: 4
sound: 3
gameplay: 4

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67 BLASTER MASTER: Enemy Below (Sunsoft, 2000)

Enemy Below here is a lot like the Blaster Master on NES complete with the original 2D game play and graphics although this game isn't has quick. Like the original this game is hard as well but you can now get a password after you finish a level to help you out on the tough 8 level mission so its well worth a try.
For 1 player only
graphics: 7
sound: 6
gameplay: 6

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62 BONK'S ADVENTURE (Hudson Soft, 1992)
This is a fun action game starring the famous head butting caveman from TurboGrafx-16 fame but it still suffers from being far too easy and too short. This isn't a direct remake of the Turbo version either since there are altered stages and new enemies. Bonk's Adventure for the Gameboy is good for the younger crowd but the experts should stay far away from this.
For 1 player only
graphics: 7
sound: 5
gameplay: 6

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51 BONK'S REVENGE (Hudson Soft, 1994)

Bonk returns yet again in Gameboy form but this game is a little too weird this time because of Bonk's strange new transformations like the ability to turn into a vampire. What ever happened to just headbutting dinosaurs? This goofy game is no where near has good as the old TurboGrafx-16 game of the same name.
For 1 player only
graphics: 5
sound: 5
gameplay: 7

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25 CASTLEVANIA ADVENTURE (Konami, 1989)
Beware! Not all the CastleVania's on Game Boy are so hot. This game for example is a very basic action game starring Christopher Belmont (Simon Belmont's father). Sadly this adventure game only has four very linear levels and slow overall game play. Could have been way better if a few of the problems were fixed but it ended up being one of the worst of the popular series unfortunately.
For 1 player only
graphics: 5
sound: 5
gameplay: 3

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63 CASTLEVANIA II: Belmont's Revenge (Konami, 1993)
Now this is more like it. This Castlevania not only has more variety but the game also lets you choose the world you start on from four different levels. Not a easy title and the game is still rather slow but the classic monster killing action was there and it was still better then the first one on Game boy at least.
For 1 player only
graphics: 6
sound: 5
gameplay: 6

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54 CASTLEVANIA LEGENDS (Konami, 1995)
This is the story of the original Belmont female warrior who started it all. The game is still the same old whip the creatures sort of game just like before but now it is fairly easy and is way too short as well. If you are a true CastleVania fan than you're going to want to play this solid action title regardless.
For 1 player only
graphics: 6
sound: 5
gameplay: 6

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68 DEJA VU I & II (Kemco, 2000)

Ace Harding the private eye is back in action after years on the shelf. This Gameboy Color game includes both the original NES game Deja Vu and it's canceled NES sequel Ace Harding in Los Vegas. Not a bad deal if you ask me! These games are definitely on the slow side since both games rely heavily on searching and going through menus but the game are still very interesting to play. By the way, why did this game get a 'E' rating when there is clearly some murders and gambling involved here?
*Battery back up game
For 1 player only
Rated (E) for Everyone
graphics: 5
sound: 3
gameplay: 8

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68 DONKEY KONG (Nintendo, 1994)
This unique game kind of plays like the old Donkey Kong from 1981, but with way more levels of course. In the game Mario is trying to rescue his girlfriend Pauline from the giant ape Donkey Kong. If you loved the classic Donkey Kong then you'll love this upgrade since it includes better animation, tougher puzzles, and even crisper audio but other fans of the newer Donkey Kong Country games may be harder to please.
*Battery back up game
*Super Game boy recommend
For 1 player only
graphics: 7
sound: 6
gameplay: 5

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64 DONKEY KONG LAND (Nintendo/Rare, 1995)
This was a nice try but Donkey Kong Land can't really compare to the ground breaking 16-bit version, this is the black and white Gameboy we are talking about here. If want more of Donkey Kong Country then this may be your only option because it is still a fairly good 2D action and this is not a direct remake either.
*Battery back up game
*Super Game boy recommend
For 1 player only
graphics: 6
sound: 5
gameplay: 7

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69 DONKEY KONG LAND II (Nintendo/Rare, 1996)
Now Diddy Kong must save the captured Donkey Kong from Pirate K. Rool but the new Dixie Kong wants to help out Diddy too so you don't have to do it alone. Again the game can't compare to it's superior 16-bit cousin but it's still fun to play.
*Battery back up game
*Super Game boy recommend
For 1 player only
graphics: 6
sound: 6
gameplay: 7

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67 DONKEY KONG LAND III (Nintendo/Rare, 1997)
Just like its 16-bit counterpart you play as Dixie Kong and her new side kick Kiddy Kong as the both of you take on the evil crocs trying to take over Donkey Kong island. Expect nothing new here but if you're a fan of the series then you can't go wrong here.
*Battery back up game
For 1 player only
graphics: 6
sound: 6
gameplay: 7

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02 DOUBLE DRAGON 3 (Acclaim/Technos, 1993)
Easily one of the worst games for the Game Boy, in fact, I bet there is no bigger piece of crap for the ol' black and white then this game right here. The biggest problem here is that the enemies rule in this game, but you don't. The first time I played this the street thugs just drop kick you all the time and there is little you can actually do about it, the game never did get any easier nor did it ever get fun to play. DD3 is a awful game with very poor programming.
For 1 player only
graphics: 3
sound: 3
gameplay: 0

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45 DR. MARIO (Nintendo, 1990)
The idea of this Doctor Mario game is actually pretty clever. The game combines the addictive puzzle action of a Tetris with cute Nintendo-like characters in the backgrounds. The concept was good but there just isn't much game here unfortunately. In this simple game you must match up falling pills to the right virus to eliminate it and score points. If you get four of the same shades in the roll then they will disappear from the screen but it isn't as easy as it sounds. The game can be quite challenging on the higher levels but the game is extremely basic since this is no story, the graphics and sound are pretty sad plus the real killer is the lack of a save option. Dr. Mario is overrated and it just doesn't age well.
For 1 or 2 players
graphics: 3
sound: 3
gameplay: 5

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81
DRAGON WARRIOR III (Enix, 2000)
This cult NES game has been restored right here on the Gameboy Color. This maybe called part 3 but this is actually a prequel to the original Dragon Warriors and this story is about the legendary Erdrick and the three warriors of his choosing. Although the game still sounds the same, the graphics are improved and the game play less menu driven so it is now much easier to play. What makes Dragon Warrior III so addictive is all the different classes of characters are amazing and the game is long and interesting too.
*Battery back up game
For 1 player only
Rated (T) for Teen
graphics: 5
sound: 4
gameplay: 9

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78 FINAL FANTASY ADVENTURE (Square, 1992)
This is actually 'the Secret of Mana prequel' for the Game boy believe it or not so if you're a fan of that game too then be sure to check this out. FFA is a great action RPG that no black and white Game boy owner should be without.
*Battery back up game
For 1 player only
graphics: 5
sound: 5
gameplay: 7

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58 FINAL FANTASY LEGEND (Square, 1991)
What should sound like a deep game is only a very basic RPG with simple graphics and sound plus what is the deal with there being only one save file? Squaresoft heads should get it anyway if your a role playing fan but don't expect anything too special.
*Battery back up game
For 1 player only
graphics: 3
sound: 3
gameplay: 5

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63 FINAL FANTASY LEGEND II (Square, 1992)
This is a much better RPG from Square soft for the GB this time with more options and a better story this time around. You can even save more files now so you don't have to erase your friend's save just to play now. Final Fantasy Legend II isn't as good as the Super Nintendo adventures but it still works for the Gameboy here.
*Battery back up game
For 1 player only
graphics: 3
sound: 4
gameplay: 7

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67 FINAL FANTASY LEGEND III (Square, 1993)
This is a more in depth story that finishes the Final Fantasy Legend series on Game boy. Unfortunately, the graphics and sounds are still pretty bad plus we may never see another one of these games for the system. At least Final Fantasy Tactics is on the Game Boy Advance now.
*Battery back up game
For 1 player only
graphics: 4
sound: 4
gameplay: 8

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32 GALAGA (Hasbro/Namco, 2000)
This GB Color game is not the same 1981 Galaga that ate a lot quarters in the day. This is just a poor man's Galaga with fuzzy new graphics with unimaginative enemy bugs plus since the game has been 'upgraded' there is new slowdown and flickering effects to really annoy all you gamers out there.
For 1 or 2 players
graphics: 3
sound: 4
gameplay: 4

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56 GALAXIAN and GALAGA (Nintendo/Namco, 1994)

This cart has two ground-breaking old school shooters all on one. The original Galaxian is extremely outdated now because of its slow speed but the original Galaga is always a fun shooting game to have around thanks to its unique power up system. If you like simple arcade-like shooter then you'll love this but all others should stay away.
For 1 or 2 players
graphics: 5
sound: 5
gameplay: 6

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64 GARGOYLES QUEST (Capcom, 1990)
Remember the annoying flying red demon from those Ghost and Goblins games? Now the demon has his very own game. This is a solid action/RPG game starring an rebelling gargoyle, named Fireband in the chaotic Demon world. The controls take a bit of time to master but the pay off is worth it.
For 1 player only
graphics: 7
sound: 5
gameplay: 7

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65 GRADIUS: Interstellar Assault (Konami, 1993)
The earlier Nemesis game was a bit better Konami shooter I believe but this 2 Meg game was still fun. The 5 levels are fairly long and since this is a Gradius game, its quite tough too. The game isn't impossible of course but be prepared for some punishment.
For 1 player only
graphics: 7
sound: 5
gameplay: 7

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71 KID ICARUS: Myth and Monsters (Nintendo, 1992)
Hey! I remember this game series from the NES. It's still a fun action game starring the young angel Pit and so far this is the only way to play this legend all over again. Sadly this title may be the last we see of Kid Icarus because Nintendo didn't continue the series after this.
*Battery back up game
For 1 player only
graphics: 6
sound: 6
gameplay: 7

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86 MARIO GOLF (Nintendo/Camelot, 2000)
Mixing Golfing and Role Playing games either sounds like the worst idea in the world or a great idea that should have come sooner. Fortunately, Nintendo and Camelot were able to pull it off and this simple Golf game comes with a lot of addictive aspects like character development and tons of virtual citizens to talk to. Mario Golf is a very fun game that still packs a lot of challenge.
*Battery back up game
For 1 to 4 players
Rated (E) for Everyone
graphics: 5
sound: 5
gameplay: 9
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90
MARIO'S PICROSS (Nintendo, 1995)

Want something different in your Gameboy game? Mario's Picross lets you solve puzzles by having Mario chip away at stone tablets to discover what the design is but be aware that if you make too many mistakes then it's game over. This game play is similar to those puzzles found in the magazine Tips & Tricks so if you like those then you will like this title too. Mario's Picross takes a few minutes to learn and it is extremely addictive!
*Super Gameboy compatible
*Battery back up game
*Uncommon GB game
For 1 player only
Rated (K-A) for Kids to Adults
graphics: 5
sound: 5
gameplay: 5

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76 MEGA MAN Dr. Wily's Revenge (Capcom, 1991)
Although this game is very old now, Mega Man still has some brilliant level design. Bomb Man and Guts Man are missing in this game's line up but the other four are still here and the usual four levels are now altered from their NES counterpart to offer a different experience for Mega Man hardcore fans. Don't expect a cake walk either because this is one of the toughest games of the series. Also look for the other Mega Man GB games out there, some of them are quite rare.
*Million Seller re-release
For 1 player only
graphics: 7
sound: 8
gameplay: 6
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68 MEGA MAN II (Capcom, 1992)
Part II of the series is just more of the same of course for Mega Man's game boy adventures but Rush the robo dog is now in the game and now you have to fight some (but not all) of the robots from Mega Man 2 and 3 from the NES titles.
*Million Seller re-release
For 1 player only
graphics: 6
sound: 4
gameplay: 6
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72 MEGA MAN III (Capcom, 1993)
This great series gets another great game on the old portable unit. You can now use the Mega Buster weapon in the third installment of GB Megaman as you battle the likes of Snake Man and Gemini Man to find the evil Dr. Wily. Again there is little new but you still get a fun action game.
For 1 player only
graphics: 6
sound: 5
gameplay: 5
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70 MEGA MAN IV (Capcom, 1994)
The graphics are getting better here in the GB editions and Mega Man can now buy various parts or upgrades too in Dr. Light's lab. Mega Man now fights characters from Mega Man's 4 and 5 from the NES games so don't expect anything too different.
For 1 player only
graphics: 7
sound: 6
gameplay: 6
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70 MEGA MAN V (Capcom, 1994)

Mega Man has defeated Dr. Wily four times in the previous Gameboy adventures but now there is some new alien enemies that want to conquer earth and Mega Man seems powerless to stop them. After getting weapon upgrade from Dr. Light, Mega Man can now use his arm in a special attack that can fight back against his new rivals. Not only is the new story line cool but I also like the new robocat here too. Definitely one of the harder Mega Man games out there but again the game play isn't much different yet again. If you want more old school Mega Man then this is solid buy for action fans.
For 1 player only
graphics: 6
sound: 6
gameplay: 6
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80 MEGA MAN XTREME 2 (Capcom, 2000)

Mega Man X comes to the Gameboy again and him and Zero must stop a couple of new renegade Mavericks that are stealing away robots to do there evil bidding. Just like Mega Man X4 and X5 both X and Zero can learn seperate techniques plus each one has their story line as well. The game controls well and you can even unlock a bunch bonus features like the more difficult Xtreme mode. With all of the features this game has it is easily one the best Mega Man games I ever played for the Gameboy.
*Battery Back up game
For 1 player only
Rated (E) for Everyone
graphics: 7
sound: 6
gameplay: 9

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78 METROID II: The Return of Samus (Nintendo, 1991)
Yeah! Samus finally returns after her adventures on planet Zebeth from the NES original but her quest to rid the galaxy of the deadly Metroid creatures is far from over. Samus's new mission is to destroy the evil Metroid Queen now their home world of SR388 in this adventure/action game. Metroid II not only introduces Samus's spaceship to the series but there are some new weapons and techniques as well. Sure the colours take a step back on the old black and white unit but Nintendo was kind enough to seriously improve the detail to the characters over the NES game. The music and sound effects are almost completely different then what we heard in Metroid, some of the tracks are good but most of them are too silent. Although Metroid II is a little more linear than the first game it's still an excellent action title that will test your gaming skills plus it still remands a Game boy exclusive!
*Battery back up game
For 1 player only
graphics: 7
sound: 7
gameplay: 8

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65 MIDWAY GREATEST HITS: MOON PATROL and SPY HUNTER (Midway, 2000)
I love Moon Patrol and it even looks great on the small screen here. Spy Hunter is overrated unfortunately, and now it is even worse on the Game boy Color because of the blurry graphics. There should be more games on the cart then just two though.
For 1 or 2 players
graphics: 7
sound: 5
gameplay: 6
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41 MS. PAC MAN (Namco, 1992)
Just like original Pac Man for old Game boy, this popular game belongs in colour and not in black and white. Half the fun of a Pac Man is figuring out how to out maveur the dumb ghosts from the smart ones but it is hard to do that on when the ghosts look all the same, eh? Don't buy this legendary arcade hit because there are far versions available out there.
For 1 player only
graphics: 3
sound: 4
gameplay: 4

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68 MS. PAC MAN Special Color Edition (Namco, 2000)
Ms. Pac Man has always been one of my favorite video games of all time and it's nice to see this game back in colour after the dreadful black and white version was released on the Game boy just a few years back. I would have been happy with just Ms. Pac Man on the Game boy Colour but Namco included another game in the package to sweeten the deal. The rare Super Pac Man! Even with the two Pac Man games here, is this little cartridge worth the 40 bucks especially all of those other Pac Man translations for the Game Boy Advance? These two games would have easily scored higher if there was a build in battery back up save feature included so we could record our high scores but we are out of luck.
For 1 player only
graphics: 5
sound: 4
gameplay: 8

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32 MORTAL KOMBAT 4 (Midway, 2000)
Some games just don't belong on a 8-bit system and the Mortal Kombat series is one of them because this game is super slow, the roster has been cut in half from the big console versions, and the game is very hard to play thanks to some unresponsive controls. Forget this tournament.
For 1 player only
Rated (M) for Mature
graphics: 4
sound: 5
gameplay: 3

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N to Z Gameboy reviews