The #Nintendo Game Boy revolutionized video games by letting gamers carry squishy alien blobs, pill-munching ghosts, and whip-wielding vampire hunters in their pockets. But could such a tiny two-tone screen really scare players? I firmly believe the Game Boy had hidden depths ready for survival horror with the right creative spark.
In this guide, we‘ll unpack the absolute best survival/horror games released on the original Game Boy and Game Boy Color portables. Before controversy erupts…what exactly makes a survival horror game? Let‘s define the genre basics first!
Defining Survival Horror Games
The terms "survival" and "horror" in games encapsulate a blended genre balancing tense action with vulnerability and fear of the unknown.
Common elements of survival horror games include:
- Limited resources/save points putting the player‘s avatar in constant jeopardy
- Atmospheric environments like abandoned buildings or remote locations that inspire unease or dread
- Evasive over powered combat emphasizing escape and avoidance over direct battle
- Environmental puzzles that stand between you and safety/progress
- A pervading sense of isolation against ominous settings and entities
With these core ingredients established, let‘s see how early Game Boy developers incorporated survival horror elements given the platform‘s constraints!
The Game Boy‘s Technical Limits
The original Game Boy sported humble specs even by late ‘80s standards. The low-power Sharp LR35902 CPU, 2.6" low pixel monochrome LCD display, and limited sound synthesis capabilities posed challenges, especially for more advanced genres.
| Spec | Game Boy Capability |
|---|---|
| Screen | 160×144 pixels 4 shades of green/gray No backlighting |
| Audio | 4 audio channels Stereo sound (via headset) |
| Graphics | Sprites and backgrounds up to 40×40 pixels Max 40 sprites per screen 10 fps video output |
| Media Format | Read-only cartridges up to 8MB capacity |
As you‘ll soon discover…where there‘s a will (and deft coding skills), there‘s a way! Now let‘s scrutinize our picks for the absolute best survival horror experiences the Game Boy offered players on the go!
{: #castlevania-ii }
Konami knocked their Game Boy adaptation of the renowned gothic Medieval monster assassination series out of the park with Castlevania II: Belmont‘s Revenge. As series protagonist Simon Belmont, you seek to rescue your son captured by Dracula and his minions.
With defined stages selectable in any order, a broader range of secondary weapons, and an especially blood-pumping soundtrack by acclaimed series composer Hitoshi Sakimoto, it improved upon the solid inaugural Game Boy Castlevania game in nearly every way.
Longtime series producer Koji Igarashi reflected on the game‘s legacy in 2013, stating:
"With Belmont‘s Revenge on Game Boy, we made big advancements in terms of the breadth of options and gameplay. It felt like a turning point showing Castlevania could retain its dark appeal even with hardware limitations." [1]
While not the scariest Castlevania, this 1991 title gave gamers a satisfyingly spooky solo monster hunting quest customized for gaming in even the darkest real world locales. Where portable vampire whipping is concerned at least, Castlevania II triumphs!
{: #dr-franken }
Frankenstein‘s monster becomes an unlikely protagonist in this campy Game Boy side scroller. An amusing premise indeed…but does silly suited old school horror?
As the lumbering patchwork protagonist, you quest through a maze-like monster filled castle seeking your beloved‘s missing body parts. The goofy B-movie concept shines through with vibrant chunky sprites and varied gothic backdrops. Battling witches, mummies, and grim reapers with punch kicks, and the occasional thrown bone should make any classic horror fan smile.
Renowned Japanese game magazine Famitsu applauded the game in a 1992 review as:
"An admirable portable adaptation…a bit simple but nails the Frankenstein vibe." [2]
Dr. Franken proves comedy and zombies graft together beautifully when done right! Sometimes embracing technical simplicity heightens the inherent fun rather than detracts.
{: #deadeus }
Before you dash for garlic and pitchforks, hear me out! How could a game from 2019 make a Best Game Boy list? Created using the open source GB Studio application, Deadeus demonstrates the stunning untapped potential hiding in our dusty Game Boys.
You play a young child plagued by visions of townspeople meeting a gruesome end when monsters invade in three days. This sets into motion an unsettling tale spanning multiple characters and eleven possible endings across those 72 hours. Far deeper storytelling than typically expected on the hardware!
Pixel art cut scenes add emotional weight. The top-down adventure gameplay keeps tension high as you scramble to prepare defenses, investigate leads, and uncover the source of the prophetic dreams.
Deadeus developer Chris Maltby explained his inspirations:
"I loved bringing back the constrained aesthetic of early portable games. The limitations forced me as a creator to focus on strong narrative over technical spectacle." [3]
The sheer creativity and dedication of this 2019 labor of love pays remarkable homage to survival horror‘s early portable roots!
The Game Boy birthed multiple beloved genres, but perhaps its most remarkable achievement was proving generating suspense and terror doesn‘t require bleeding edge graphics or surround sound.
Constraints breed creativity. The titles above overcame extreme technical hurdles with inspired audiovisuals but also through tightly focused game mechanics. These fundamentals lived on both in later portable installments and seminal early 3D era horror games.
For example, Capcom cited Castlevania‘s measured yet tense pace balancing action against vulnerability as inspiration behind the 1996 hit Resident Evil according to director Shinji Mikami. [4]
Limitations, when embraced, drive innovation. Game Boy developers didn‘t settle for monochrome graphics and bleepy-bloopy music but artfully incorporated constraints into engrossing game worlds. Their scrappy DIY spirit lives on in independent games today pushing creative boundaries under tight resources.
While the above titles stand as the definitive best, several other Game Boy survival horror entries deserve acclaim for their valiant (if imperfect) efforts scary gamers on the go:
- Faceball 2000 – A pioneering 1st person maze shooter with multiplayer support
- Revelations: The Demon Slayer – An ambitious occult RPG adventure
- Darkwing Duck – Surprisingly competent movie-to-game adaptation with creepy toy factory setting
- Zelda: Link‘s Awakening – Whimsical yet engrossing world dotted with cryptic dens and enemies
Early Game Boy developers lacked horsepower…but not ingenuity. Constraints drove questioning creative limits of portable games – could a tiny two-tone screen convey tense isolation or creeping dread?
The 7 games above answered with a resounding YES! Bold vision transcended underwhelming tech to produce unforgettable pocket-sized journeys kids and adults eagerly returned to despite – or because of – their eerie flow and ominous atmosphere not "supposed" to happen on such a system.
What Game Boy survival game awakened your inner monster hunter? I welcome memories of your scariest Boss takedowns, slipperiest near death escapes, and hardest-fought survival sessions in the comments below!
