Game Boy Player

The Game Boy Player is an accessory for the Nintendo GameCube. It has a link port for linking up to other Game Boy systems and accessories. It is the successor to the Super Game Boy, an accessory for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System.

The Game Boy Player hooks up to the GameCube by being inserted underneath the "Hi Speed Port". It comes with a special start-up disc which must be inserted into the GameCube before any Game Boy games can be played. Players may play with a standard GameCube controller, or use a Game Boy Advance that is hooked up to the GameCube with a link cable. By pressing the Z Button on the GameCube controller, an options menu will be brought up, but the game will not be stopped.

Nearly any Game Boy, Game Boy Color, or Game Boy Advance title can be played on the Game Boy Player, with the exception of the Game Boy Advance Video series (to prevent users from copying the GBA Video titles to recordable media such as blank VHS tapes or DVDs). Other games, such as Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble and the Game Boy Camera, can run on the Game Boy Player, but it is impractical to play them as they were designed with the portability of the Game Boy in mind. There is a game link port, so accessories like the Game Link Cable and Game Boy Printer can be used. The Game Boy Player is compatible with the GameCube-Game Boy Advance cable, allowing a Game Boy Advance to be used as the controller.

The Game Boy Player allows for a small amount of customization for playing Game Boy Games. Because the dimensions of a Game Boy screen does not match up with most television screens, a border is necessary. It is possible to configure the size of the border, the background of which can be changed to to a number of different patterns. A timer can also implemented for one to sixty minutes.

In North America and Europe, the unit is only available in black, although indigo is available in Japan and Australia and spice and platinum only in Japan.

Incompatibilities

• The Game Boy Player is not compatible with the Wii because it lacks the accessory slots that are present on the bottom of the GameCube. The footprint of the Wii is also substantially different from the GameCube. If the start-up disc is inserted into a Wii, it will still allow the disc to be played. However, an error message will appear asking the player to connect the Game Boy Player to the console.
• The Game Boy Advance#Game Boy Micro is also incompatible with the Game Boy Player. The equipment required for a link-up is a Game Boy Micro Link Cable and a Game Boy Micro Converter Connector, along with a Game Boy Micro and Game Boy Player. The Converter Connector is built in such a way that the protruding piece of plastic on top prevents it from being inserted into the Game Boy Player all the way.
• Most GameShark and Action Replay devices are constructed in a way that makes them difficult or impossible to properly insert into the Game Boy Player.
• Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble, Yoshi's Universal Gravitation, and WarioWare: Twisted! are impractical to play on the Game Boy Player due to their built-in motion sensors. To play these games on the Game Boy Player, a player would have to pick up the GameCube and move it around.
• Similarly, the Game Boy Camera is difficult to use with the Game Boy Player, as the camera would be in a fixed position. Previously stored photos may be easily viewed or edited on the Game Boy Player, however.
• The rumble feature on Game Boy Color games like Pokémon Pinball and Perfect Dark will not work as intended on the Game Boy Player because the rumbler is in the cartridge itself. The gameplay of games such as these is unaffected, however.
• The cartridges in the Boktai series can be played on the Game Boy Player, but the solar sensors cannot be used effectively due to the game facing downwards.

Trivia

• Some games such Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire and Drill Dozer have added Game Boy Player compatibility. When titles such as these are played on the Game Boy Player, the player has the option of using the GameCube controller's rumble feature while playing the game.
• Third-party manufacturer Hori created a controller specifically made for the Game Boy Player. It resembles a Super NES controller and was released only in Japan.