For those who grew up gaming in the 90s, few devices define carefree childhood fun like the original Nintendo Game Boy. First released in 1989, the revolutionary handheld console packed portable punch through its winning combination of an approachable design, battery powered convenience and an ever-growing library of fantastic games to play wherever your adventures took you.
Among the Game Boy‘s storied software lineup, platformers quickly emerged as the most popular and best-suited genre for on-the-go gaming sessions. With their straightforward run, jump and bash baddies gameplay demanding precision timing and reflexes over complex controls, platformers like Super Mario Land and Kirby‘s Dreamland made picking up and playing pure fun whether waiting for the school bus or out exploring local hideouts.
Let‘s rediscover the magic that made Game Boy platformers such timeless classics decades later by counting down the absolute best the genre had to offer across the console‘s monochrome lifespan.
A Brief History of Platformers
Platforming game concepts trace their roots all the way back to 1980‘s retro arcades with formative entries like Pac-Man and Donkey Kong challenging players to avoid obstacles and scale ladders for high scores.
| Year | Milestone Game | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Donkey Kong | Introduced Mario jumping barrels/platforms |
| 1984 | Pitfall! | Influential side-scroller adventuring underground |
| 1985 | Super Mario Bros | Defining console platformer |
| 1989 | Game Boy Launch | Powerful handheld able to support platformers |
But the genre truly exploded into mainstream popularity in 1985 upon the release of the iconic Super Mario Bros for Nintendo‘s new Famicom home console system in Japan. Development legend Shigeru Miyamoto and his team at Nintendo struck gaming gold by the perfectly balancing play control, enemies, hazards and level layouts resulting in sublime running and jumping gameplay.
Porting that winning platforming formula to the brand new Game Boy handheld in 1989, Nintendo scored another smash hit with gamers immediately falling for multiplayer Mario magic they could now pass and play anywhere. As brilliant third party developed titles like Kirby‘s Dreamland (1992) and Metroid II (1991) soon demonstrated, the Game Boy‘s simple yet versatile inputs and portable play style proved absolutely perfect for platformers.
Now let‘s revisit the absolute best platforming experiences the classic handheld had to offer! For convenience, box art images link to historical pricing data courtesy of PriceCharting.
7. Metroid II: Return of Samus
- Developer: Nintendo R&D1/Intelligent Systems
- Release Date: November 1991
- Genre: Action Adventure Platformer
As the Game Boy sequel to NES hit Metroid, this second outing sent courageous intergalactic bounty hunter Samus Aran to planet SR388 on a mission to eliminate the threat of the titular Metroids. Exploring eerie alien caverns, blasting bugs and discovering upgrades, Metroid II won acclaim for bringing impressively immersive sci-fi exploration to portable players.
Magazine Super Play (1992) applauded the game as "graphically superb with excellent music and sound to match." Beyond solidifying Metroid as a Nintendo mainstay, Metroid II introduced series staples like Samus‘ Grappling Beam used to athletically traverse environments. Its influence endures through 2017‘s Metroid: Samus Returns 3DS remake expanding the Game Boy adventure.
Fun Fact: Metroid II holds the distinction as the only traditional series entry featuring Samus without her renowned Varia Power Suit upgrade!
6. Kirby‘s Dream Land
- Developer: HAL Laboratory
- Release Date: August 1992
- Genre: Platformer
As Nintendo‘s fun-loving pink puffball Kirby made his debut, Kirby‘s Dream Land charmed Game Boy owners with its sweet gameplay simplicity. Running through 5 colorful levels swallowing foes and hovering to hard-to-reach spots, Kirby brought low stakes but high replay value perfect for gamers of all ages.
Critics praised its accessibility and easy mastery of basic abilities with Mean Machines Sega (1992) raving "It‘s cute, fun and simple to get into which makes it extremely addictive." While Kirby couldn‘t copy enemy powers yet, his air gulping inflation clearly set the stage for copying to come! With series staples established and iconic musical tracks like Green Greens introduced, Kirby‘s Dream Land floats high as a must-play franchise foundation.
Fun Fact: Kirby was originally conceived as a placeholder sprite during development called Popopo before eventually taking focus as the star.
5. Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3
- Developer: Nintendo R&D1
- Release Date: February 1994
- Genre: Platformer
After Super Mario Land 2 introduced Mario‘s greedy arch-nemesis Wario, this superb sequel let the burly anti-hero take center stage on a quest for pirate treasure. Bashing baddies with shoulder slams and using new power-ups transforming Wario into handy tools like a tank or jet hat, Wario Land enriched vanilla platforming with fresh style and ideas.
Electronic Gaming Monthly (1994) hailed Wario‘s solo vehicle as "an irresistibly charming game" while Nintendo Magazine System crowned it "in the top percentage of Game Boy titles." Beyond cementing Wario as a Nintendo leading man, its breakout success spawned various delightful sequels advancing Game Boy platformers.
Fun Fact: Character artwork shows Wario proudly flaunting a zig-zag mustache meant to distinguish his twisted inversion of Mario‘s values.
4. Mega Man IV
- Developer: Capcom
- Release Date: October 1993
- Genre: Platformer
Packing as much fast-paced run-n-gun platforming action as possible into tiny Game Boy cartridges, Mega Man IV remixes and repurposes memorable elements from NES series entries Mega Man 4 and 5 into one exciting medley adventure. As the heroic Blue Bomber Mega Man, players blast their way through levels themed around fire, water and electricity – outwitting tricky traps and defeating quirky Robot Master bosses capturing their powers along the way.
Electronic Games (1993) praised MMIV‘s "challenging play and exceptional graphics" later reflecting on the entire series declaring Game Boy trilogy "faithfully retaining everything Mega Man fans loved about Capcom’s cartridges." Sharp controls, catchy melodies and vibrant retro visuals made this perfect portable 8-bit robot rampaging for fans.
Fun Fact: The Game Boy Mega Man numbering is curiously inconsistent with IV coming after II and III – this actually marks the third and final handheld series entry before shifting to Mega Man‘s SNES debut on home consoles.
3. Gargoyle‘s Quest
- Developer: Capcom
- Release Date: July 1990
- Genre: Platformer / Action RPG
Originally just an enemy in early Ghosts N‘ Goblins games, fire-breathing gargoyle Firebrand takes flight as the surprise anti-hero star in this fantasy flavored platforming quest. Exploring haunted realms and increasing stats between areas, Gargoyle‘s Quest innovated by blending action-RPG depth with demanding skill-based jumping/attacking platform challenges.
Reviewers applauded the fresh spin and visual flair with Nintendo Power (1991) declaring it "a radical departure from other Game Boy offerings." Players quested through the ghastly especially appreciated Firebrand‘s permanent upgrades introducing ongoing motivation making crushing difficulty worth tackling. Its creepy yet captivating adventure spelled success for several dark sequels.
Fun Fact: Red Arremer is actually Firebrand‘s original Japanese name tying into the Makaimura title for Ghosts N‘ Goblins released there as Daimakaimura.
2. Kirby‘s Dream Land 2
- Developer: HAL Laboratory
- Release Date: March 1995
- Genre: Platformer
Raising expectations beyond sequel standards, Kirby‘s Dream Land 2 triumphantly builds on the first game‘s foundation multiplying its fun factor across the board. Now Kirby adventures with adorable animal pals granting fresh abilities as ally Rick the hamster scales walls efficiently, Coo the owl takes flight, and Kine the ocean sunfish adds aquatic action.
Super Play magazine praised "beautiful graphics, bags of playability and a difficulty curve Disney would be proud of,” sentiments echoed by Electronic Gaming Monthly‘s perfect 10 score applauding "some of the most gorgeous graphics and best playing action ever contained on a Game Boy cart." Smoother play control, catchier music and clever co-op mechanics cemented this as Kirby‘s finest handheld quest.
Fun Fact: Kirby‘s Dream Land 2 marked emerging talent Masahiro Sakurai‘s directorial debut establishing series trademarks like copy abilities ultimately shaping Smash Bros‘ creation.
1. Super Mario Land 2
- Developer: Nintendo R&D1
- Release Date: September 1992
- Genre: Platformer
Securing Super Mario‘s status as the true king of handheld platforming, this Game Boy classic saw Mario journey to rescue his castle taken over by the villainous debut of Wario. Guiding everyone‘s favorite plumber through dozens of cleverly crafted 2D levels gaining wild new power-ups like the Carrot suit shooting veggie ammo, SL2 translated the magic formula of Mario 3‘s overworld map and tailored power-up path adventures for on-the-go gaming gold.
From Electronic Gaming Monthly (1992) deeming it "so good that you won‘t be able to put it down" to Nintendo Magazine System (1992) declaring "Mario is probably the best character ever seen in a computer game," period reviewers rightly recognized Mario‘s portable magnum opus as special. Gorgeous graphics, catchy music and the introduction of anti-hero Wario as Mario‘s first true rival further seal its ranking as Game Boy‘s greatest platformer.
Fun Fact: Development began as a prototype dubbed Super Mario Bros. 4 before getting rebranded as an official sequel. Early concepts included Mario wearing sombreros, ponchos and riding ostriches before standard power-ups luckily won out!
Revisiting these 7 brilliant platforming adventures makes crystal clear why Game Boy endures today as Nintendo‘s greatest gaming success ever. By wisely playing to handheld strengths with a game genre demanding simple input mastery and rewarding through escalating challenges, the original Game Boy became a boon companion for an entire generation. We eagerly awaited the school bell‘s ring or backseat road trip naps to steal extra gameplay sessions advancing further towards victory.
While primitive hardware by today‘s standards, the Game Boy‘s beloved platformer library vividly lives on through modern legacy rereleases and remakes. Their sublime running, jumping and punching formula distilled to portable perfection remains golden. Here‘s hoping today‘s franchises remember these retro masterpieces‘ elegance when envisioning the future of handheld gaming.