The Top 5 Disney Nintendo Gameboy Games
The little portable that started the handheld revolution and a space that no matter what contenders came along Nintendo always dominated, the original Game Boy launched 35 years ago on April 21st, 1989. Many have fond memories of Tetris, great portable versions of Mega Man, and the first Pokémon games on this seminal handheld.
More than home consoles at the time though, the Nintendo Gameboy was certainly largely seen as something for younger kids than even your average gamer. As such there were also plenty of licensed games, most of them not worth remembering, and plenty of those were games bearing the Disney moniker. However, there are a handful that were worth checking out back in the day and arguably hold up as well as they ever did today. That’s what I am covering in this list. Only original Game Boy games are included here, so no Game Boy Color games.
#5. Mickey’s Ultimate Challenge
Mickey’s Ultimate Challenge was released for several platforms including home consoles like the Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis but honestly, as it’s a competent yet simple puzzle game it arguably fits a portable format much better for short gaming sessions on the go and that is exactly what you get in the Nintendo Game Boy version. Nothing extraordinary about Mickey’s Ultimate Challenge, but it doesn’t suck and can be a fun 20 or 30 minutes from time to time, and that’s enough to make it slide in at number five on this list.
#4. Bart vs. The Juggernauts
A Simpsons game? I’m as surprised as you are. Generally speaking, there are arguably only a couple of good games based on the legendary animated sitcom and you wouldn’t think any of them would be on a portable console. But, much like Mickey’s Ultimate Challenge, Bart vs. The Juggernauts plays into the pick-up-and-play strengths of Nintendo’s original portable console. It’s not some awful half-assed platformer, it’s a series of fairly decent minigames spiced up with some pretty amusing written commentary from Kent Brockman and Dr. Marvin Monroe. Also much like Mickey’s Ultimate Challenge nothing amazing here but it’s competent which already propels it to near the top of the mostly garbage heap that is video games based on The Simpsons.
#3. Mickey’s Dangerous Chase
Hey, it’s a game where you can actually play as Minnie Mouse! There are maybe five of those in existence! Granted, in Mickey’s Dangerous Chase for the Nintendo Gameboy, there’s no real gameplay difference picking between Mickey and Minnie, but the option is noteworthy enough of itself.
As far as the gameplay in Mickey’s Dangerous Chase? Well, it’s just a shameless rip-off of the NES Capcom hit, Chip ‘N Dale Rescue Rangers. To the point where it might as well be a reskin. Surprisingly, there was no Game Boy port of either NES Rescue Rangers adventure though, and Mickey’s Dangerous Chase is a pretty decent clone. So if you wanted to play something similar on the go, Mickey’s Dangerous Chase is as close as you could get.
#2. Darkwing Duck
Look, if you are seeking a Mega Man experience on the Game Boy, there are excellent Mega Man games on the console, no question, play those first, But hey maybe you are a little tired of those and want a Mega Man-style game that isn’t the games you’ve been playing but still has that same gameplay. Darkwing Duck fits that mold very nicely. Both the Game Boy and NES versions feature Mega Man-style gameplay and both versions are solid games, you can’t go wrong with either so it’s great that you can play this on the go and not lose much of the experience you get playing the NES version.
#1. Ducktales
WOOH-OOH! Arguably the best Disney game on the NES and among the all-time great NES and in general licensed games of all time, DuckTales was a monumental feat in the 8-bit era. Capcom is hot now but they were arguably even more untouchable in the 90s and as proof, they somehow made a nearly pitch-perfect port of this seminal NES game to the Nintendo Game Boy and made it look effortless (though I’m sure it was hard work for the very talented developers I don’t want to seem like I’m dismissing that).
The layout of the levels is a tad different and obviously, you don’t get that great color that helps the sprites pop on the NES. But, the Gameboy version of DuckTales is a fantastic game that you can easily play today on the excellent Disney Afternoon Collection that STILL ISN’T AVAILABLE ON THE NINTENDO SWITCH WHO DO WE NEED TO TALK TO ABOUT THIS!
And that’s the list, happy 35th anniversary to the Nintendo Gameboy a truly legendary and wonderful system. As there are only a few days left in April, I may try to squeeze one more post in but don’t be surprised if the next entry ends up being posted sometime in the first week or so of May. Either way, see ya real soon!
