Game Boy Player vs. Super Game Boy

[Storm Eagle]

First of all, I wasn't sure which forum to post this in. It could easily be suitable for the portable section, but the console section seemed just as good too.

Which one was better?

I'd have to say the Game Boy Player. It came out at a time when Game Boy games could be played on full color, and just not through a console peripheral. I remember wanting to get a Game Boy Player back then, but then I decided against it. Something about the Game Boy Player just seemed more appealing to me though.

[Dyne]

Gameboy Player. Plus it made the gamecube a perfect cube!

[Typhoid]

The point of a gameboy, is to be handheld, and portable.
Until you can carry your gamecube around, then, and only then will I call any handheld device directly associated with the gamebube superior to a handheld device, especially when being compared about being a handheld system.

[DeathsHand]

Originally Posted by Typhoid

The point of a gameboy, is to be handheld, and portable.
Until you can carry your gamecube around, then, and only then will I call any handheld device directly associated with the gamebube superior to a handheld device, especially when being compared about being a handheld system.

Super Game Boy vs. Game Boy Player is a fair (well, sort of fair) comparison... Both were designed as a way to lose the portability, but gain a bigger screen... For those times when you feel like enjoying a nice helping of Pokemon in the comfort of your own home, in front of the warm glow of your favorite television set...

Though I don't understand why anybody would pick Super Game Boy since the Game Boy Player can play everything SGB could and then some... With a wider selection of games in color with better graphics... Though I suppose that, when considering each device's time of release, the TV's lighting would have had a much greater impact on gameplay with the Super Game Boy, since Game Boys at the time had no backlight...

I personally havn't used either, so I'm not sure why I have so much to say...

[Storm Eagle]

Originally Posted by DeathsHand

Though I don't understand why anybody would pick Super Game Boy since the Game Boy Player can play everything SGB could and then some... With a wider selection of games in color with better graphics... Though I suppose that, when considering each device's time of release, the TV's lighting would have had a much greater impact on gameplay with the Super Game Boy, since Game Boys at the time had no backlight...

Well, when I posted the same thing at another board, some people said this in favor of the SBG:

the Super Game Boy allowed older gameboy games to be viewed with a much better display, the difference was enormous. This was before the GBPocket hit. Also it displayed some color on them. Then games optimized for the Super Game Boy allowed the games to have a lot more color and even special borders all of which are not available on the Game Boy Player. not to mention it had 'cheats'

The one thing the Super Gameboy has over the Gameboy Player is that it will decode the color signals in Super Gameboy cartridges correctly. Which we all know the GBC and GBA can't.


To be fair, Game Boy games designed to use the SGB's capabilities don't fare as well on the GBP. Take Donkey Kong. On SGB, the title screen, map screens, game over screen, and the continue/save + end/record screen appeared in full color. Not on the GBP though.

Anyway, at least having the Super Game Boy would have made it so that you wouldn't have to drain out the batteries on your Game Boy. The Game Boy Advance SP was out when the Game Boy Player came out, and you could just recharge the batteries on the Game Boy Advance SP yourself. I just liked the fact that the GBP could also play GBA games and those were all in full color, unlike the original Game Boy games.

I also have component cables for my GameCube, and I found that those even improve the picture quality of all types of Game Boy games when played through the GBP. I was so impressed by the GBP that I hoped that whatever succeeded the GameCube would have built-in Game Boy game playability. It might not be worth it though, since the Wii controller isn't suitable for that sort of thing. You could always buy a classic controller or even use a GameCube controller, but I doubt people would want to shell out more money just to play Game Boy games on the Wii. So now that I also have a Wii, the only reason for me to keep my GameCube around is to play Game Boy games when I'm at home, since it provides a bigger screen and all that.

[Angrist]

I think I know more people with a Super Game Boy than a Game Boy Player, which would make the SGB better in my opinion.

I got neither of them, never saw the point. Though it's cool to be able to play ALL the Zelda games on the GameCube.

[GameMaster]

Doesn't the GBP have the ability to speed up a game?

I have one for my Gamecube but haven't used it in years. I just remember playing Pokemon and being able to speed up the game which made the tedious task of leveling up my Pokemon slightly less painful.

[gekko]

SGB lacked the system link capability until SGB2, which was exclusive to Japan.

If you're playing old games, SGB is better. For newer games, GBP is better. But if I could only have one, I'd take GBP in a second.

[TheGame]

Originally Posted by Angrist

I think I know more people with a Super Game Boy than a Game Boy Player, which would make the SGB better in my opinion.

I know more people with a SNES than a Gamecube, that probably helps SGB somewhat <.<

[Storm Eagle]

Originally Posted by GameMaster

Doesn't the GBP have the ability to speed up a game?

Speed up a game? What do you mean in this respect?

[manasecret]

Hmm after reading this thread, I see Game Boy making an appearance on Virtual Console in the near future.

[Seven7]

I have the Super Game Boy.

I remember there was one game where I used the original Game Genie (that was for the original Game Boy) for a certain feature, where in order to use it I had to take the Game Genie apart and then plug it in backwards. Such fragile wires, had to solder a few times.