Game Boy Printer

Box art

The Game Boy Printer (Japanese: ポケットプリンタ Pocket Printer) is a thermal printer designed for the Game Boy and Game Boy Color. The Game Boy Printer was released in 1998 alongside the Game Boy Camera. It is a thermal printer that connects to the Game Boy with a Game Link Cable.

Its purpose is to print images from compatible games on small rolls of thermal Game Boy Printer Paper. Individual sheets are adhesive-backed and 3.8 cm (1.5 in) in diameter. The Game Boy Printer uses six AA batteries.

It is compatible with all Game Boy models (including the Game Boy Advance) except for the Game Boy Micro. A Link Cable is required to connect the printer to a Game Boy.

A successor known as the Game Boy Printer Color was also in development according to Mario Artist: Paint Studio data-mining, but silently cancelled.

Compatible games

The games in this list are published by Nintendo. The exception is Chee-Chai Alien, an outlier series (similar to Glory of Heracles series) given Nintendo acquired rights to the franchise and published the successors, Nonono Puzzle Chalien and Spin Six.

Donkey Kong Country (Game Boy Color)

The player may print out collectible stickers known as DK Sticker Packs from the selection menu. These are found in specific levels in each world. The stickers are stored in the Sticker Book.

Game Boy Camera (and variations)

The player may print out user-generated or preloaded Album-B photos, some of which are hidden. The available preloaded photographs vary on the language of the game (Japanese or English), or the special edition (including The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Game Boy Camera, CoroCoro Comic Pocket Camera and Hello Kitty Pocket Camera. In Hello Kitty Pocket Camera, photographs taken from frames on The Strawberry Channel are similar to the preloaded Album-B photos (as the Album-B does not exist in this version).

Kakurenbo Battle: Monster Tactics

The ability to print is available after clearing the first dungeon, entering the MonTac Centre, talking to a lady at the counter, and choosing the "P"/プリント option on the menu that follows. The player can print Mon-Tac (monsters) obtained by the player, with variations based on size.

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX

The player may print out from one of a total of 13 photographs taken by the Photographer and obtained at different points in the game, from the The Travels of Link photo album. However, only 12 can be taken and one of the photographs assumes Link stole from the shop; which would change the player's name to "THIEF".

The Little Mermaid 2: Pinball Frenzy

The player may print out photos of characters and scenes from The Little Mermaid, unlocked through minigames through playing the two pinball games.

Mickey's Racing Adventure

The player may print the title screen, various characters, scenes, objects related to the Mickey Mouse franchise. Photos are unlocked by winning races and completing certain other tasks. It is possible to gather nuts and trade them to Chip n' Dale for the Print Shop Key.

Mickey's Speedway USA

The player may print a certificate for passing the Driving School, various characters and scenes related to the Mickey Mouse franchise. Photos are unlocked by passing the Driving School. More photos are unlocked after taking places in the races. There are a total of 28 photos to print.

Pokémon Gold and Silver Versions, Pokémon Crystal Version

Note this excludes the Korean version of Pokémon Gold and Silver. The Game Boy Printer features are mainly the same as Pokémon Yellow, but now the party Pokémon printing is accessed from an NPC at the Photo Studio in Cianwood City. It is also possible to print mail, and stamps at the Ruins of Alph if every entry of Unown is unlocked in the new Pokédex. It is not possible to print out a Pikachu's Beach highscore due to the minigame not existing in the games.

Pokémon Pinball

It is possible to print out the highscore tables.

Pokémon Trading Card Game, Pokémon Card GB 2: GR-Dan Sanjou!

The player may print a single card, a list of a custom deck configuration, a list of every card owned by the player.

Pokémon Yellow Version

The player may print out Pokédex entries, the Pokédex diploma from Celadon Condominiums if the player has a complete Pokédex, a list of Pokémon from the Pokémon Storage System, party Pokémon (via Pokémon Fan Club Chairman and the Pikachu's Beach minigame highscore).

There is also an unused printer debug function in the code, which when called would print out a copy of the screen (though whether this was the intended use is unknown).

Super Mario Bros. Deluxe

Print out banners from the Mystery Room menu in the Toy Box mode. Options in the Mystery Room are unlocked after rescuing toads in the Original 1985 mode.

Trade & Battle: Card Hero

Print out cards collected by the player, including card-battle monsters.

Chee-Chai Alien

The following content contains information that may not be age appropriate, and may be offensive or upsetting. Viewer discretion is advised.

Note: Chee-Chai Alien (of the Chalien series developed by Creatures, Inc., since then published by Nintendo for the games Nonono Puzzle Chalien and Spin Six) also supports the Game Boy Printer.

One known means of using the Game Boy Printer is for printing out a photo during Kirako's minigame, known as Nen (念).

Printer outputs are particularly strange (though it is not known yet if all are used); and include:

• Chaliens such as the previously mentioned Kirako, as well as Trey with others (whose original Japanese name is 3Rou).
• A drawing of a 'dissected' version of the Chalien Basara, with a flower inside its stomach.
• Various kana, kanji combinations or sentences.
• A fish-bone drawing with text.
• The unknown bar code 5963-1129-014-193.
• Three wave symbols (similar to the 'water wave' hieroglyphs) but rotated on its side) (more specific name wanted).
• A traditional maze puzzle (pen and paper).
• Scenes featuring the pig.
• Scenes featuring unknown personnel, possibly developers or tarento. One of them comments "なみだ" (which may also be what the final unlockable Chalien Rabuta exclaims during its minigame). Another print-out is particularly out of place; an erotic crossdresser image (but is not hentai).
• A fold-diagram for a robot.
• A diagram of an unknown creature resembling a Chalien or a Pokémon (but is not; though it is worth questioning what it really is, and potential developmental implications), which begins with it being asleep, then having fire come out of it when angered, until it eventually dissolves into dust.

Parameters

The Game Boy Printer's job will take into consideration the number of sheets to print (between 0 and 255 with 0 meaning a line feed only), the margins, the palette, and the exposure setting (-25% darkness and +25% in the official manual).

Printer errors

When attempting to print, an error code will appear if the printer job has failed (i.e. with the notation "Printer Error [n]").

Error number	Official cause
1	"The batteries are empty."
2	"The universal game link cable is not, or incorrectly connected to the printer."
3	"There is a paper jam."
4	"The ambient printer temperature is too high or low for the printer to operate."

Additionally, a game may include the error message "This is not the Game Boy Printer!", as found when data-mining Pokémon Yellow Version.

Release data

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• Game Boy Printer (United States, Canada) (comes with printer, manual and Game Link Cable)
• Game Boy Printer (Europe)
• Game Boy Printer (Japan)
• Game Boy Pikachu Printer (Japan)

References

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Hardware Game Boy • Game Boy Pocket • Game Boy Light • Game Boy Color • Game Boy Advance (hardware family) Components / other Media: Game Pak (GB • GBC) Game Boy Game Boy Printer • Game Link Cable • Universal Game Link Adapter • Game Link Cable Adapter • Universal Game Link Cable • Four Player Adapter • Game Boy Stereo Headphones • Game Boy Rechargeable Battery Pack • Game Boy Battery Case • Game Boy Soft Case • Game Boy Cleaning Kit Game Boy Pocket Game Link Cable • Game Link Cable (Pocket) • Universal Game Link Adapter • Game Link Cable Adapter • Universal Game Link Cable • Four Player Adapter • Battery Pack • Game Boy Pocket Charger • AC Adapter Game Boy Color Game Link Cable (Color) • Mobile GB Adapter Firmware Game Boy Camera  • Mobile Trainer Other Game Boy Color Promotional Demo  • Deluxe software