There isn't anything more nostalgic or cool then that moment when your friends ask you to take a picture of them and instead of pulling out your flashy new phone, you pull out your handy Gameboy Camera! The Gameboy Camera was a huge hit back in the day. As the name suggests, it turns your Gameboy into a camera of sorts. You plug it into the cartridge slot and BOOM, you're ready to take some pics! However, there's more to the Gameboy Camera than meets the "lens"! Ahem, couldn't come up with a better joke, sorry.
Released in 1998 for Gameboy Pocket (as its colors matched those offered for the Gameboy Pocket), though it had compatibility with all Gameboys, the Gameboy Camera marked the first time gamers could take pictures with a portable game system. Photos are stored on the cart and can be printed out via the Gameboy Printer. The quality is nothing to write home about these days, but it was decent back then. There was also a Gameboy Advance Camera that was in development but cancelled and it appeared to be similar to the Gameboy Camera except in 16 bit and would have been the sequel to it as well.
Besides taking pictures you can take a picture of yourself to play some games, one of which you become a DJ and make your own tunes, the next where you play a version of the Game and Watch game "Ball" as yourself, and a third that is secret, being able to make your own animations with pictures you've taken as well as slideshows, editing pictures with the vast array of drawing tools and stamps available, placing "Hot-Spots" on you pictures which act like hyper-links that you can set-up to do whatever you want when they're clicked on, and more. You can even exchange pictures with friends via a link cable.
Overall, the Gameboy Camera hasn't aged well as a camera, but its vast array of other features keep it fun and enjoyable to this day. I really recommend this one.
For those Gameboy-less, there are a few apps on Apple's App Store that try to re-create the fun, but you can't beat the original. Gameboy Camera gets a 8/10! While it isn't much of a game, it still is a lot of fun and is an accessory Gameboy owners shouldn't pass up!
This has been a Gameboy World Review of the Gameboy Camera! If you'd like me to review a game or accessory, give me a holler in my E-Mail inbox and I'll get it reviewed! Check the Homepage for my contact info. Cheers!
Buy Gameboy Camera (in a few different colors even!) from Amazon here:
Red: http://www.amazon.com/Game-Boy-Camera-Red-Nintendo/dp/B00002ST2P
Green: http://www.amazon.com/Game-Boy-Camera-Red-Nintendo/dp/B00002ST2P
Blue: http://www.amazon.com/Game-Boy-Camera-Blue-Advance/dp/B00119YSOI
Yellow: http://www.amazon.com/Game-Boy-Camera-Yellow-advance/dp/B00004TQYU/ref=rec_dp_0
There is also a highly rare Zelda gold version that was only available through mail order. Only 2,000 exist. They go for around $100-$300.
For most games Emulation is an option, but not this time! Gameboy Camera ROMS do not work on any emulators. Buy Gameboy Camera instead, trust me, it's worth it for this one. ;)