Collecting Game Boy: what to look for and Spanish PAL variants
The original Game Boy is probably the easiest console to start collecting: small, plentiful games with no region locking. The difficulty lies in the cardboard boxes, which hardly anyone kept, and in the sheer number of repros of the most popular games. This guide covers the essentials.
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The console in Europe
The Game Boy arrived in Europe in 1990. Its games are not region-locked: a Japanese or North American cartridge works on a European console, and vice versa. That means region only matters for collecting, not for playing. The same goes for Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance; we cover this in PAL vs NTSC.
How to identify the Spanish edition
- The cartridge and box code starts with DMG (the console's technical name) and ends in a country or region suffix: ESP, EUR, NOE, FAH, UKV…
- The boxes are thin cardboard and had a plastic sleeve inside for the cartridge and manual. Complete copies are much scarcer than loose ones.
- Games with a box and manual in Spanish are the ones specific to the Spanish edition.
Pokémon: the most sought after and the most faked
Pokémon Red, Blue and Yellow were released in Spain in Spanish (as Rojo, Azul and Amarillo), and complete Spanish editions are among the console's most sought-after pieces. For that very reason, they are among the most reproduced games there are.
- Look closely at the label, the plastic of the shell and, if you can, the board (how to tell if a game is genuine).
- These games save using an internal battery. After so many years, many are dead: ask whether it still saves, and be wary of a cartridge that claims to have its original battery and save perfectly with no proof.
Console models
- Original Game Boy (DMG-01): the grey one, with the greenish screen. There were colour editions in the “Play It Loud” range.
- Game Boy Pocket: smaller, with a black-and-white screen and several shell colours.
- Game Boy Light: with a backlit screen, only sold in Japan.
- Game Boy Color: plays Game Boy games and its own, in colour.
A console with its box and paperwork is worth a good deal more than one on its own. Also check the condition of the screen and the battery compartment, which corrodes if batteries were left inside.
Console-specific care
Game Boy boxes are the smallest and most fragile: rigid protectors and no stacking. Always take the batteries out of any console you put away. More in how to store your collection, and the full catalogue on the Game Boy page.
Frequently asked questions
- Are Game Boy games region-locked?
- No. A Game Boy game from any region works on any Game Boy, Game Boy Color or Game Boy Advance console.
- Why won't my Pokémon Red save?
- Because it stores saves in memory powered by an internal battery that runs down over the years. It can be replaced by opening the cartridge and soldering in a new one.
More guides
See all guides- Collecting PlayStation 2: what to look for and Spanish PAL variantsFirst editions vs Platinum, Spanish-dubbed games, short-run titles and the European console models.Read the guide
- Collecting GameCube: what to look for and Spanish PAL variantsEdition codes, Player's Choice, sought-after games, 50/60 Hz, console models and accessories that are collectable in their own right.Read the guide
- Collecting Super Nintendo: what to look for and Spanish PAL variantsCardboard boxes, ESP codes, games translated into Spanish, titles that never came out in PAL and how to avoid repros.Read the guide
Work out what your collection is worth
Log each copy with its region and condition, and Games Library adds up its market value and shows you how it changes over time.