Your guide to the Game Boy's greatest gamesSo now, in honour of the Game Boys 35th anniversary and as a testament to my faith in your list-generating prowess, I am going to arm myself with 100 only and add as many games as I can to my collection in one week.One week, 100, 50 games - a Tal Tal taskIt's time to beg, borrow, or steal buy Image: George Banks / Nintendo LifeSome qualifiers here the NL Game Boy list is a living list, so I froze it before beginning this challenge. The last thing I need is for Amazing Tater to miraculously slide on and bankrupt me.Also, borrowing a game is fine if experiencing it as a transient part of my collection for now is the best option, then thats what Ill go with. Speaking of which, though I singled out Catrap and Kid Dracula for their brilliance, I had to sell them on after playing as they were so expensive to obtain and sadly that means they dont count toward the total for now (dratula). Its how many games are in my possession or ordered once the week is done. Lets go!The listThis is the list (in alphabetical order) as it appeared when I started anything bolded is a game that is already part of my collection.Avenging SpiritDr. MarioJames Bond 007Motocross ManiacsSuper Mario LandBalloon KidDucktalesKid DraculaNemesisSuper R.C. Pro-AmBatman: The Video GameDucktales 2Kid Icarus: Of Myths and MonstersOperation CTetris 2Bionic CommandoFinal Fantasy AdventureKirbys Dream Land 2ParodiusTetris AttackCastlevania II: Belmonts RevengeFinal Fantasy Legend IIKirbys Dream LandPinball: Revenge of the GatorTetrisCatrapFinal Fantasy Legend IIIKirbys Pinball LandPokemon Red & BlueThe Final Fantasy LegendDonkey KongGame & Watch GalleryMarios PicrossPokemon YellowThe Legend of Zelda: Links AwakeningDonkey Kong LandGame Boy CameraMega Man IVQixTiny Toons: Babs Big BreakDonkey Kong Land 2Gargoyles QuestMega Man VQuarthWario Land IIDonkey Kong Land IIIHarvest Moon GBMole ManiaSuper Mario Land 2: 6 Golden CoinsWario Land: Super Mario Land 310 out of 50. One fifth. Not a bad starting point. And for those interested, the latest addition was Kirbys Dream Land, one I was astonished I didnt own.Press startImage: George Banks / Nintendo LifeSo, where to begin? The first point of call is sounding the alarm with friends and family. I message the following:Hello! Does anybody have or know anyone who has a collection of original Gameboy games? And know if they may be willing to part with some of them? Loan or sell.I post a similar message to a few Discord groups and social media too.While I wait for replies I open up eBay. I used to love scouring it for games in my teens. It's much harder to find bargains on there these days but still occasionally throws up a gem.I opt to search for Mega Man IV and V first the Blue Bomber is fairly ubiquitous, I sense these will be an easy find and relatively cheap. I cannot possibly repeat the expletive combination that fell out of my mouth upon seeing prices for these, but almost across the board they would blow my entire budget. There is one copy of Mega Man IV that is 70 and Japanese imports are in the mid-30s. Imports are certainly an option but Id prefer to understand whats happening if possible (not that Megamans story ever deviates too wildly). I 'watch' the 70 Mega Man IV because Im an idiot and backburner this.Lets aim lower. Its the law for every household in the UK to own at least one copy of Tetris, so these other two Tetris games may hold some hope. Tetris 2: 7.99 with free shipping. Theres quite a few of these, so I watch a couple for now. Tetris Attack: 4.99! Oh, but 3.50 shipping. Smug in the knowledge therell be a similarly priced one with free shipping, I generously offer 3 and move on.I am astounded that there are two games that begin with a Q on this list and as I had never heard of them I brace for a massive hit. Both QIX and Quarth range wildly from 7 to 40ish but shipping eats up the budget once more. Watch some cheap ones, move on again.Stumbling blocksImage: Damien McFerran / Nintendo LifeNow, I have a confession. I dont like Castlevania games. I have tried, I really have. And I love Metroidvanias! Just not actual Vanias, it seems. Again though prominent series, probably sold well, cheap on the secondhand market, Id wager. WRONG. Another budget blower. Backburner.Worried that Im making no progress I decide to go back and make some bids. I search 'Tetris Attack' its gone! Shouldnt have been stingy, time to find another 4.99 one. No. Theyre all double the amount. Another volley of profanities. I cannot believe I didnt pounce on it. This is not going well.Whats rapidly becoming clear to me is that my instincts about this are way off. Established franchises that I assume wouldve sold tons of copies and therefore be freely in circulation seem to be really pricey, whereas the more obscure titles are less of a hit. This scattershot approach is doing me no favours and its all a bit pricier than I was hoping, Ill barely be able to double what Ive got if I just buy blind. Its time to pull out the big guns. Its time to make a spreadsheet.I jot the 40 missing entries down and search them one by one, adding an average price for each, making a promise to myself that I will only buy a game when its below that.I cannot possibly repeat the expletive combination that fell out of my mouth upon seeing pricesBids are placed and my phones buzzing like a Beedrill as replies start to materialise. Theres a lovely outpouring of enthusiasm from people wanting to show off their collection - but most of the folks are miles away or, quite understandably, anxious to part with these little treasures. Thats fair, I know I would be. But there is some hope. My brother-in-law Nics been looking for an excuse to raid his attic collection and he knows of a good secondhand shop in the area. He also mentions the car boot sales that are on tomorrow that have served him well. Were going to early bird it if theres any Game Boy games there, well swoop in before anybody else has a chance.Next is a reply on Twitter from Sean with an INCREDIBLE-looking collection, I can even see a few from the list from the picture hes sent. We get chatting and although weve never met, it turns out he is, by an insane coincidence, from my neck of the woods. I ask if I can send a list for him to look at and he kindly agrees. Its late now and Im zero games up, but the groundwork has been laid.Dawn of the second dayImage: Damien McFerran / Nintendo Life6am and raining. Through bleary eyes I clumsily pour tea into a thermos and question my life choices. Its better not to rush this, I tell myself. Youll get more if youre patient.With a wallet of cash and an Excel doc in my pocket, Nic and I enter the boot sale. I dont know how many of you have visited a car boot sale in England but I find they are, generally, one of the oddest experiences you can have. Cars pitched higgledy-piggledy amongst boxes and tables, all overflowing with a random assortment of items as people rifle through them at lightning speed. Want to pick up a vintage Power Rangers doll and an ornate, three-tier, pyramid tiffin box? Great theyre inexplicably next to each other on that table, by the pair of used Crocs.This apotheosis of hodgepodge is all underscored by a man in a van with a mic informing us continuously about the beautiful cuts of meat he has on offer. The only Nintendo item we find is a Mario Kart Carerra Go track and the only gaming equipment we find is a Binatone TV Master MK 6. No, me neither. It turns out to be a fun little jaunt, but after two hours of perambulation we declare it a bust.Image: George Banks / Nintendo LifeBig breakWe move onto the high street. CEX and secondhand shops throw up the usual suspects, Mario Land, Pokmon, Tetris, Zelda all at a decent price, too. Its heartening that these classics are still floating around out there for folks to discover, but theyre no use to me right now.Then we reach Wants a majestic, treasure trove of old console games. Theres a copy of Illusion of Time for the SNES in the window for goodness' sake - how have I not been here before? I chat to Jon behind the desk and he passes me the Game Boy box. Jackpot! Motocross Maniacs, Tiny Toons: Babs' Big Break, Donkey Kong Land, Donkey Kong 94, James Bond 007, Contra Operation C My heart thumps. Mega Man! But its the original, not IV or V. Damn.I decide to pull all the games from the box one by one just in case I missed a title when I feel something weird a significantly weightier cartridge for a Star Trek game. Jon opens it up to discover its a fake! I guess the lack of Nintendo GAMEBOY on the front shouldve tipped us off. The chip on the board is a behemoth and it fires up just fine. Im giddy as Ive never come across this before - the curio collector in me is screaming to buy it for the novelty, but with a daunting enough task ahead of me, doing so would be illogical, captain.Images: George Banks / Nintendo LifeOperation C is a little above budget at 20 although it does average at 30+ on eBay. The Tetris Attack sting is still fresh but I leave it and opt for the other five I feel quantity is key at this juncture. The games total 49, much less than the combination of their eBay average, but Jon does me a solid and knocks off a fiver. Im five games up and if Ive got spare to splurge at the end, Contra may be calling if I havent missed out again.Harvest boonImage: George Banks / Nintendo LifeSome days and a little back and forth later the loan offers start to crystalise Sean, Nic, and a few others pitch in to tackle a sizeable chunk of the list: Dr. Mario, Game & Watch Gallery, Nemesis, Super R.C. Pro-Am, Kid Icarus, Operation C (Probotector over here), Balloon Kid, Kirby's Pinball Land, Batman, Tetris Attack (thank heavens), Donkey Kong Land 2 & 3, Gargoyles Quest & Harvest Moon! Im also offered Castlevania II, Mole Mania, and Picross these last three are Japanese carts but Castlevania has English text, Picross has English menus, and I guess I can google translate Mole Mania? Ive always wanted to play it so nothings going to stop me.Nic messages again I have another Mega Man game here. Heart stops Mega Man III. More swears, though theyre not out loud this time, so thats something. Im cursed with that series. Still, thats a staggering 32 games total up from 10 a few days ago and Im left with a budget of 56.Theres only a couple of days left and Ive called every retro game shop locally and beyond and exhausted the charity shops and contacts for loans. Its time to scour eBay. I calculate that if I can average 8 or less per game itll get me to 40 total. I know theres some real pricey ones left so Im going to leave those until last and with the others Ill scroll all the way down on each search, offer audaciously low when I can (maybe even message folks directly), then just bid on anything below average. I get a lot of rejection, a lot of pushback, flat refusals, and lose out on a few that werent bad, but sticking to my guns does yield some great results.Tetris 2 for 5 via a direct message and a lovely chat, Qix for 7, Wario Land 2 for 9! I do blow 15 on Final Fantasy Legend but I put that offer in as a cheeky lowball and never expected it to be accepted its about half what its up for everywhere. Thats 20 left and 36 games in total. Can I scrape together another four at a fiver each?Image: George Banks / Nintendo LifeI absolutely cannot, but theres a teeny, tiny chance I can squeeze out three. Im sat on a 6 offer for Revenge of the Gator, 6 bid for DuckTales, and an 8 offer for Quarth. Gator comes in at 7 and Im pipped on both Ducktales and Quarth as they go for over the average amount. 13 left. Im going to have to settle for one if theres a good Buy It Now option. Ducktales for a tenner to round it out? Sold. Not the rousing ending to this quest I was hoping for but I am happy with what Ive picked up.Picrossing the finish lineImage: George Banks / Nintendo LifeSo what did we learn? Well, I was able to grow my collection to a total of 38 games from this list (Ducktales and my loan of Game & Watch Gallery are in the post) nearly quadrupling what I had in one week, all tested and working and ready to be adored. Ill complete them all, return the loanees, and move on the ones that dont sing to me. This will hopefully fund the remaining 11 which, really, are luxury purchases, all averaging over 50 unless youre happy with a repro cart (and I must admit there is a 20 Parodius one from Italy calling to me) or one imported from Japan which tend to skew 40-60% cheaper.But more than that I learned that after three and a half decades of life, theres still a community whose passion for this little brick burns brightly. Want a keyring of an obscure Game Boy title like Catrap? Its a thing! Want to spend 100+ pounds on a special edition remaster of Avenging Spirit with a glow-in-the-dark cartridge? Go nuts! There are people making new games and physical releases for it as you read this I got to speak to some of them recently and theyre mad and brilliant. People are keen to show off and sometimes even share their collections. Seeing listings for manuals and tattered boxes made me so nostalgic for the days when you could pop into a high street game shop and thered be stacks of these little cartridges to grab - all boxed and complete.And though thats less of a thing these days, growing your collection with a reasonable budget is possible you just need to be organised, check every day, and dont hesitate when you see a good deal. Ill keep this list up and also watch to see how you shape it in the future with keen interest.35 and still going strong. Long live Game Boy.Image: Damien McFerran / Nintendo Life This coping mechanism was super effective!See AlsoShare:014 George is a stage and screen actor and voiceover artist with a deep love of gaming and all things Nintendo. His writing has appeared on Nintendo Life and Time Extension. 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