Game Boy Color - Wikipedia Game Boy Color Game Boy Color Atomic Purple version of the Game Boy Color Manufacturer Nintendo Product family Game Boy line Type Handheld game console Generation Fifth generation Release date JP : October 21, 1998 NA : November 18, 1998 PAL : November 23, 1998 AU : November 27, 1998 Retail availability 1998 -- 2003 Discontinued March 23, 2003 Units sold Worldwide : 118.69 million, including Game Boy units Media ROM cartridge CPU Sharp LR35902 core @ 4.19 / 8.38 MHz Display LCD 160 x 144 pixels, 44x40 mm Online services Mobile System GB Best - selling game Pokémon Gold and Silver, approximately 14.51 million combined ( in Japan and the USA ) ( details ). Backward compatibility Game Boy Predecessor Game Boy Successor Game Boy Advance The Game Boy Color ( GBC ) is a handheld game console manufactured by Nintendo, which was released on October 21, 1998 in Japan and was released in November of the same year in international markets. It is the successor of the Game Boy. The Game Boy Color features a color screen. It is slightly thicker and taller and features a slightly smaller screen than the Game Boy Pocket, its predecessor. As with the original Game Boy, it has a custom 8 - bit processor made by Sharp that is considered a hybrid between the Intel 8080 and the Zilog Z80. The spelling of the system 's name, Game Boy Color, remains consistent throughout the world with its American English spelling of color. The Game Boy Color 's primary competitors in Japan were the grayscale 16 - bit handhelds Neo Geo Pocket and the WonderSwan, though the Game Boy Color outsold these by a wide margin. SNK and Bandai countered with the Neo Geo Pocket Color and the Wonderswan Color respectively but this did little to change Nintendo 's sales dominance. With Sega discontinuing the Game Gear in 1997, the Game Boy Color 's only competitor in the United States was its predecessor, the Game Boy, until the short - lived Neo Geo Pocket Color was released in August 1999. The Game Boy and Game Boy Color combined have sold 118.69 million units worldwide making it the 3rd best selling system of all time. It was discontinued in 2003, shortly after the release of the Game Boy Advance SP. Contents 1 History 1.1 Launch titles 2 Specifications 2.1 Summary 2.1. 1 Color palettes used for original Game Boy games 2.1. 2 Partial list of games with special palettes 2.1. 3 Hi - Color Mode 2.2 Cartridges 2.3 Colors produced 3 Games 4 Sales 5 See also 6 Notes 7 References 8 External links History The Game Boy Color was a response to pressure from game developers for a more sophisticated handheld platform, as they felt that the Game Boy, even in its latest incarnation, the Game Boy Pocket, was insufficient. The resultant product was backward compatible, a first for a handheld system, and leveraged the large library of games and installed base of the predecessor system. This became a major feature of the Game Boy line, since it allowed each new launch to begin with a significantly larger library than any of its competitors. Launch titles Tetris DX Wario Land II Pocket Bomberman Specifications Main article : Comparison of Nintendo portable consoles Summary The Game Boy Color motherboard The technical specifications for the console are as follows : Main processor : Sharp Corporation LR35902 ( based on the 8 - bit Zilog Z80 ) Processor speed : 1.0485 ( speed of original Game Boy ) or 2.097 MHz ( two processor modes ) Resolution : 160 × 144 pixels ( 10 : 9 aspect ratio, same aspect ratio and resolution as the original Game Boy ) Palette colors available : 32,768 ( 16 - bit ) Colors on screen : Supports 10, 32 or 56 Maximum sprites : 40 total, 10 per line, 4 colors per sprite ( one of which being transparent ) Sprite size : 8 × 8 or 8 × 16 Tiles on screen : 512 ( 360 ~ 399 visible, the rest are drawn off screen as a scrolling buffer ) Audio : 2 square wave channels, 1 wave channel, 1 noise channel, mono speaker, stereo headphone jack ROM : 8 MB maximum RAM : 32 kB VRAM : 16 kB Cartridge RAM : 128 kB Power : internal : 2 AA batteries, up to 10 hours of gameplay external : 3V DC 0.6 W ( 2.35 mm × 0.75 mm ) indicator : Red LED Input : 8 - way D - pad 4 buttons ( A, B, Start, Select ) Volume potentiometer Power switch Serial I / O ( `` Link cable '' ) : 512 kbit / s with up to 4 connections in serial Infra - red I / O : Less than 2 m distance at 45 ° Cartridge I / O Dimensions : Metric : 133.5 x 78 x 27.4 mm Imperial : 5.25 x 3.07 x 1.07 in Weight : 138 g The processor, which is a Z80 workalike made by Sharp with a few extra ( bit manipulation ) instructions, has a clock speed of approximately 8 MHz, twice as fast as that of the original Game Boy. The Game Boy Color also has three times as much memory as the original ( 32 kilobytes system RAM, 16 kilobytes video RAM ). The screen resolution was the same as the original Game Boy, which is 160 × 144 pixels. The Game Boy Color also featured an infrared communications port for wireless linking. The feature was only supported in a small number of games, so the infrared port was dropped from the Game Boy Advance line, to be later reintroduced with the Nintendo 3DS, though wireless linking ( using Wi - Fi ) would return in the Nintendo DS line. The console was capable of showing up to 56 different colors simultaneously on screen from its palette of 32,768 ( 8 × 4 color background palettes, 8x3 + transparent sprite palettes ), and could add basic four -, seven - or ten - color shading to games that had been developed for the original 4 - shades - of - grey Game Boy. In the 7 - color modes, the sprites and backgrounds were given separate color schemes, and in the 10 - color modes the sprites were further split into two differently - colored groups ; however, as flat black ( or white ) was a shared fourth color in all but one ( 7 - color ) palette, the overall effect was that of 4, 6 or 8 colors. This method of upgrading the color count resulted in graphic artifacts in certain games ; for example, a sprite that was supposed to meld into the background would sometimes be colored separately, making it easily noticeable. The system also featured a rarely used `` high color mode '', capable of displaying more than 2,000 colors on the screen simultaneously. Color palettes used for original Game Boy games Alternate Color Palettes Directional pad Action button None ( default ) Up Brown Red Dark brown Down Pastel mix Orange Yellow Left Blue Dark blue Grayscale Right Green Dark green Inverted For dozens of popular Game Boy titles, the Game Boy Color has an enhanced palette built in featuring up to 16 colors - four colors for each of the Game Boy 's four layers. If the system does not have a palette stored for a game, it defaults to a palette of green, blue, salmon, black, and white. However, when the user turns on the system, they may choose one of 12 built in color palettes by pressing certain button combinations ( namely a direction key and optionally A or B) while the Game Boy logo is present on the screen. These palettes each contain up to ten colors. In most games, the four shades displayed on the original Game Boy would translate to different subsets of this 10 - color palette, such as by displaying movable sprites in one subset and backgrounds, etc. in another. The grayscale ( Left + B) palette produces an appearance similar to that experienced on the original Game Boy. Illustrated color - samples of the palettes for the different key - combinations. Any color crossed out will be present in palette RAM, but rendered as transparent. Partial list of games with special palettes Donkey Kong ( Game Boy ) Kirby 's Dream Land Kirby 's Dream Land 2 Kirby 's Pinball Land Metroid II : Return of Samus Pokémon Red and Blue Pitfall ! Super Mario Land Super Mario Land 2 : 6 Golden Coins Tetris ( Game Boy ) Wario Land : Super Mario Land 3 Golf ( Game Boy ) Pokémon Yellow ( original Game Boy version ) Hi - Color mode A few games used a technical trick to increase the number of colors available on - screen. This `` Hi - Color mode '' is a mode used by the Italian company 7th Sense s.r.l. among others, and can display more than 2000 different colors on the screen. Some examples of games using this trick are The Fish Files, The New Addams Family Series and Alone in the Dark : The New Nightmare. Cartridges Games that are designed specifically for the Game Boy Color are housed in clear - colored cartridges and are shaped slightly different from original Game Boy games. These games would display a warning message and refuse to play if used in older Game Boy models. Games that are designed for the Game Boy Color, but which also include backwards - compatibility with the previous Game Boy systems, are shaped like original Game Boy games, but usually have black colored cartridges. Pokémon Gold and Silver are also examples of Game Boy Color games that work on an original Game Boy system. The clear - colored Game Boy Color cartridges will function correctly only when used in a Game Boy Color or a later model ( a Game Boy Advance, Game Boy Advance SP, or Game Boy Player ). The clear cartridge for exclusive Game Boy Color games. The black cartridge was for Game Boy games that took advantage of the Game Boy Color 's increased palette but not the increased memory or processor speed. These games can be played on original Game Boys in grayscale. Game Boy Color exclusive games are housed in clear - colored cartridges, referred to as `` Game Pak '' cartridges. They are shaped differently from original Game Boy games. When inserted into an original Game Boy, these translucent cartridges prevent the system from turning on due to a missing notch present in original Game Boy cartridges that prevent the cartridge from being removed once powered on ( barring the Rumble Pack games or Kirby Tilt ' n Tumble ). While the Game Boy Pocket, Super Game Boy, Super Game Boy 2 and the Japanese - exclusive Game Boy Light do power on with a Game Boy Color exclusive cartridge inserted, these games display a warning message stating that a Game Boy Color system is required and refuse to play. In the cases of Chee - Chai Alien and Pocket Music, it however did power on with Game Boy Advance and Game Boy Advance SP, these games also display a warning message stating that a Game Boy Color system is also required and also refuse to play. Games that are designed for the Game Boy Color, but which also include backward compatibility with the Game Boy, Game Boy Pocket, Super Game Boy, Super Game Boy 2 and the Japanese - exclusive Game Boy Light, use the same cartridge shape as original Game Boy games, but are typically black and never gray. In some colorized versions of games like R - Type DX, it only managed to get the monochrome versions and not the full color versions if you 're playing on Game Boy, Game Boy Pocket, Super Game Boy, Super Game Boy 2 and Game Boy Light. Colors produced See also : List of Game Boy colors and styles § Game Boy Color The logo for Game Boy Color spelled out the word `` COLOR '' in the five original colors in which the unit was manufactured. They were named : Berry ( C ) Grape ( O ) Kiwi ( L ) Dandelion ( O ) Teal ( R ) Another color released at the same time was `` Atomic Purple '', made of a transparent purple plastic that was also used on the color - respective Nintendo 64 controller. Other colors were sold as limited editions or in specific countries. Games Main article : List of Game Boy Color games Due to its backwards compatibility with Game Boy games, the Game Boy Color had a large playable library at launch. The system amassed an impressive library of 576 Game Boy Color games over a four - year period. While the majority of the games were Game Boy Color exclusive, approximately 30 % of the titles released were backwards compatible with the original Game Boy. While Tetris for the original Game Boy was the best selling game compatible with the system, Pokémon Gold and Silver were the best selling games developed for the Game Boy Color. The best selling Game Boy Color exclusive game was Pokémon Crystal. The last Game Boy Color game ever released was the Japanese exclusive Doraemon no Study Boy : Kanji Yomikaki Master, which was released in Japan on July 18, 2003. In North America and Europe, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, released in November 2002, was the last game released. Sales The Game Boy and Game Boy Color were both commercially successful, selling a combined 32.47 million units in Japan, 44.06 million in the Americas, and 42.16 million in other regions. In 2003, when the Game Boy Color was discontinued, the pair was the best selling gaming console of all time. Both the Nintendo DS and PlayStation 2 would go on to outsell the pair and the Game Boy / Game Boy Color is now the third best selling system of all time and the second best selling handheld. See also Nintendo portal List of Player 's Choice games List of Game Boy accessories Notes Jump up ^ ゲームボーイ カラー ( Gēmu Bōi Karā ) in Japan References ^ Jump up to : `` Consolidated Sales Transition by Region '' ( PDF ). Nintendo. 2016 - 04 - 26. Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 2016 - 05 - 01. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 23. ^ Jump up to : `` A Brief History of Game Console Warfare : Game Boy ''. BusinessWeek. McGraw - Hill. Archived from the original on 2007 - 05 - 09. Retrieved 2008 - 03 - 28. Jump up ^ https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Support/Game-Boy-Pocket-Color/Product-information/Technical-data/Technical-data-619585.html Jump up ^ `` モバイル システム GB ''. Nintendo ( in Japanese ). Retrieved 23 September 2015. Jump up ^ `` Japan Platinum Game Chart ''. The Magic Box. Archived from the original on 2007 - 12 - 13. Retrieved 2007 - 09 - 27. Jump up ^ `` US Platinum Videogame Chart ''. The Magic Box. Archived from the original on 2007 - 04 - 21. Retrieved 2007 - 09 - 27. ^ Jump up to : Umezu ; Sugino. `` Nintendo 3DS ( Volume 3 -- Nintendo 3DS Hardware Concept ) ''. Iwata Asks ( Interview : Transcript ). Interviewed by Satoru Iwata. Nintendo. Retrieved 2011 - 03 - 07. Jump up ^ Nintendo.co.JP -- Game Boy Color Jump up ^ `` The Nintendo ® Game Boy TM, Part 1 : The Intel 8080 and the Zilog Z80 ''. RealBoy. Retrieved 2017 - 08 - 29. Jump up ^ `` Nintendo Game Boy Color Console Information -- Console Database ''. ConsoleDatabase.com. Retrieved 2011 - 02 - 19. Jump up ^ `` Technical data ''. Nintendo of Europe GmbH. Retrieved 2018 - 02 - 04. ^ Jump up to : `` First Alone in the Dark Screenshots for Game Boy Color ''. IGN. 4 August 2000. Retrieved 24 March 2015. Jump up ^ Disassembling the GBC Boot ROM Jump up ^ `` Changing the Color Palette on Game Boy Advance Systems ''. Customer Service. Nintendo. Retrieved 2009 - 01 - 04. Jump up ^ Albatross, Zen. `` Game Boy Games That Pushed The Limits of Graphics & Sound ''. Racketboy. Retrieved 24 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` Game Pak Troubleshooting - All Game Boy Systems ''. Nintendo of America customer support. Retrieved 2017 - 09 - 27. Jump up ^ `` Kirby Tilt & Tumble - Cartridge ''. www.vgfacts.com. Retrieved 2018 - 06 - 28. Jump up ^ `` プレイ 日記 ゲームボーイ 最強 伝説 ちっちゃい エイリアン 近所 の オバチャン に 聞い たら 「 あの メグ ・ ライアン が 絶賛 した 」 とか 言っ てい た ! ? ? ''. valken.obihimo.com. Retrieved 2018 - 06 - 28. Jump up ^ `` 中古 ( ゲーム / GB ) ちっちゃい エイリアン ( ゲーム... - ヤフオク ! ''. ヤフオク ! ( in Japanese ). Retrieved 2018 - 06 - 28. Jump up ^ `` Gameboy Genius '' Blog Archive '' Pocket Music GBC version GBA fix ``. blog.gg8.se. Retrieved 2018 - 06 - 28. External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to Game Boy Color. Official website Game Boy Color at Nintendo.com ( archived versions at the Internet Archive Wayback Machine ) ( 1 ) at Nintendo.com ( archived from `` the original '' ( PDF ). Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 2006 - 09 - 03. at the Internet Archive Wayback Machine ) Game Boy Color at Curlie Nintendo Announces Full Color Game Boy - ROME ( March 10, 1998 ) Game Boy family Consoles Game Boy Color Advance family Advance SP Micro Visteon Dockable Entertainment Accessories Afterburner Game Boy Advance Video Game Boy Advance Wireless Adapter Game Boy Camera Game Boy Player Game Boy Printer Game Link Cable Nintendo e-Reader GameCube -- Game Boy Advance link cable Nintendo Power Play - Yan Super Game Boy WormCam Games Game Boy best - sellers Color Advance best - sellers Super Game Boy multiplayer titles Emulation VisualBoyAdvance Wzonka - Lad → Nintendo DS family Nintendo video game hardware Consoles Home NES Famicom Titler Twin Famicom NES - 101 Sharp Nintendo Television NES Classic Edition accessories Super NES New - Style SF Naizou TV SF1 Super NES Classic Edition Nintendo 64 iQue Player GameCube Panasonic Q accessories Wii Wii U Switch Handheld Game Boy Game Boy Color Virtual Boy Game Boy Advance SP Micro Dockable Entertainment Pokémon Mini Nintendo DS Lite DSi Nintendo 3DS 2DS New 3DS New 2DS XL Dedicated Home Color TV - Game NES Classic Edition Super NES Classic Edition Handheld Game & Watch Mini Classics Pokémon Pikachu Arcade VS. System PlayChoice - 10 Super Famicom Box Nintendo Super System Peripherals Add - ons 3D System Data Recorder Disk System Satellaview Super NES CD - ROM ( unreleased ) Super Game Boy Game Boy Camera Game Boy Printer 64DD Rumble Pak e-Reader Game Boy Player Connectivity NES Four Score NES Satellite Game Link Cable GCN - GBA Link Cable Controllers Family BASIC NES Advantage NES Zapper Power Pad R.O.B. Speedboard SNES Mouse Super Scope Nintendo 64 controller GameCube controller WaveBird Wireless Wii Balance Board Wii Remote Classic Controller MotionPlus Wii Zapper Third - party accessories Wii Speak Wii U GamePad Wii U Pro Controller Joy - Con Networking Family Computer Network System Teleplay Modem XBAND Satellaview Nintendo Wi - Fi USB Connector Other Nintendo Power Nintendo DS & DSi Browser Amiibo Technology Media NES Game Pak SNES Game Pak N64 Game Pak Game Boy Advance Video Nintendo optical discs Nintendo game card Processors 2A03 PPU 5A22 GSU RCP Gekko Broadway Hollywood PICA200 Espresso Erista Allwinner R16 List of products Video game consoles ( fifth generation ) Types Home video game console list Handheld game console list Microconsole list Dedicated console list Generations First ( 1972 -- 80 ) Second ( 1976 -- 92 ) Third ( 1983 -- 2003 ) Fourth ( 1987 -- 2004 ) Fifth ( 1993 -- 2005 ) Sixth ( 1998 -- 2013 ) Seventh ( 2005 -- 17 ) Eighth ( 2012 -- present ) Fifth generation Home 3DO Interactive Multiplayer Amiga CD32 Atari Jaguar Casio Loopy FM Towns Marty Nintendo 64 NEC PC - FX Pippin Playdia PlayStation Sega Saturn Handheld Design Master Senshi Game Boy Color Game.com Neo Geo Pocket R - Zone Genesis Nomad Virtual Boy WonderSwan ← Fourth generation Sixth generation → Emulator Game History List Manufacturer Handheld game consoles Bandai LCD Solarpower Design Master Senshi WonderSwan Game Park / Holdings GP32 GP2X XGP GP2X Wiz CAANOO Nintendo ( comparison ) Game Boy family Game Boy Color Game Boy Advance family Advance Advance SP Micro Virtual Boy Pokémon Pikachu Pokémon Mini Nintendo DS family Nintendo DS Lite DSi Nintendo 3DS family Nintendo 3DS 2DS New 3DS New 2DS XL Switch Nokia N - Gage N - Gage QD Sega Game Gear Nomad SNK Neo Geo Pocket Neo Geo Pocket Color Neo Geo X Sony PlayStation Portable Xperia Play PlayStation Vita Tiger R - Zone Game.com Other handhelds 1970s Microvision 1980s Select - A-Game Entex Adventure Vision Palmtex Portable Videogame System / Super Micro Nelsonic Industries Electronika Epoch Game Pocket Computer Atari Lynx 1990s TurboExpress Game Master Gamate Barcode Battler Watara Supervision Mega Duck 2000s Tapwave Zodiac GameKing GPANG service Didj Leapster Gizmondo Coleco Sonic Dingoo V. 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Question: when did the game boy color come out
Answer: October 21, 1998