GB Boy Colour Review (Hardware)
User Review
Product Information:
Review Approach:
I have tested the system for a few hours before writing this review.
This is my review of the GB Boy Bolour. The GB Boy Colour is a hardware clone of the Nintendo Gameboy Color.The main Feature of this device is the backlit display, which improves on the nintendo original.
Hardware
As stated before, the GB Boy Colour is a hardware clone, which uses a custom SoC, which gives a high compatibility rating with games. The system itself is made of a matte plastic, like the original. It feels sturdy, and it does not feel cheap to hold. It is roughly the same size as the Gameboy Color, but it is larger in every dimension.
The main feature is the backlit screen, which has the same resolution as the original Gameboy, but it has a different aspect ratio. The buttons on the unit feel nice, I prefer them to the original, they are similar to the DS Lite's buttons.
It does have a link port, but it is a gameboy advance style one. It also has a IR port on top. I cannot test these, but other users say that the IR port is just some plastic, and there are mixed reports of the link port working.
Games
The sound is a little off in games, some sounds are not heard (in Pokemon Crystal, you cannot hear the pokemon's cries when they enter battle), and the hardware does not support pitch bends, as tested in muddyGB, and in the app, the sounds are only heard as single notes, compared to one continous note on real hardware. In Pokemon, the game also flickers slightly, but I have only found this in pokemon so far.
Testing
Pokemon Crystal - Working - the screen flickers when playing, but everything else works
Pokemon Yellow - Working, the screen also flickers when playing, but everything else works
Dr Mario - Working
Super Mario Land - Working
Tetris DX - Working
Super Mario Land 2 - Working
Pokemon Pinball - Working
Pokemon Trading Card game- Working - did not save on a 64M EMS Flashcart, but it did on the original cartridge
If anyone would like more to be tested please write in the comments.
Pictures
As stated before, the GB Boy Colour is a hardware clone, which uses a custom SoC, which gives a high compatibility rating with games. The system itself is made of a matte plastic, like the original. It feels sturdy, and it does not feel cheap to hold. It is roughly the same size as the Gameboy Color, but it is larger in every dimension.
The main feature is the backlit screen, which has the same resolution as the original Gameboy, but it has a different aspect ratio. The buttons on the unit feel nice, I prefer them to the original, they are similar to the DS Lite's buttons.
It does have a link port, but it is a gameboy advance style one. It also has a IR port on top. I cannot test these, but other users say that the IR port is just some plastic, and there are mixed reports of the link port working.
Games
The sound is a little off in games, some sounds are not heard (in Pokemon Crystal, you cannot hear the pokemon's cries when they enter battle), and the hardware does not support pitch bends, as tested in muddyGB, and in the app, the sounds are only heard as single notes, compared to one continous note on real hardware. In Pokemon, the game also flickers slightly, but I have only found this in pokemon so far.
Testing
Pokemon Crystal - Working - the screen flickers when playing, but everything else works
Pokemon Yellow - Working, the screen also flickers when playing, but everything else works
Dr Mario - Working
Super Mario Land - Working
Tetris DX - Working
Super Mario Land 2 - Working
Pokemon Pinball - Working
Pokemon Trading Card game- Working - did not save on a 64M EMS Flashcart, but it did on the original cartridge
If anyone would like more to be tested please write in the comments.
Pictures
Verdict
What I Liked ...
- Backlit screen
- Solid build quality
- Nice buttons (my opinion)
- High compatibility
What I Didn't Like ...
- Some games do not work properly
- The screen is a different aspect ratio (not very noticible because it is not much wider)
7.2
out of 10