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Game Boy Color infrared communications
The Game Boy Color contains a built-in infrared port, allowing for infrared communications in compatible games, between other Game Boy Colors or devices, including Pokémon Pikachu 2 GS, infrared light sources in general, or third-party devices, such as television remotes, the Pocket Sakura, or the Full Changer used in Zok Zok Heroes. This was previously not included in the Game Boy/Game Boy Pocket, although it was possible with special Game Paks on a regular Game Boy (such as the Japanese version of Pokémon Trading Card Game; utilising Hudson Soft's GB Kiss feature; see non-Color Game Boy infrared communications).
The infrared feature allows players to send and receive serial data; a feature similar to the Link Cable wirelessly. However, Nintendo officially discontinued infrared communications with the release of the Game Boy Advance, which removed the infrared ports. Before wireless communications became mainstream, the popular Pokémon series also primarily used the Link Cable for trading and battling (once the only means), although the ability to trade and battle wirelessly was introduced later with the Mobile System GB (online using Japanese mobile phones; unpopular), Game Boy Advance Wireless Adapter, and Nintendo DS wireless communications; including infrared trading in Pokémon Black and White Versions.
The infrared communications were emulated in Nintendo's official Virtual Console versions of Pokémon Gold and Silver Versions, Pokémon Crystal Version using the Wireless Communications of two Nintendo 3DS systems. However, the communications were disabled for Pokémon Trading Card Game, Super Mario Bros. Deluxe.
A few games such as Chee-Chai Alien and Zok Zok Heroes are locked out on Game Boy Advance (without modifications), as they require the infrared feature.
Contents
List of compatible games
Published by Nintendo
- Donkey Kong Country (Game Boy Color): Send pictures to the Sticker Book
- Hamtaro: Ham-Hams Unite!: Trade Hamtaro's clothes
- Kaijin Zona: Use infrared signals to receive random puzzles
- Kakurenbo Battle Monster Tactics: Trade Montaku or wager them via a player-versus-player takupon game
- Mickey's Racing Adventure: Send/receive messages and unlock secret race track for Mickey's Speedway USA
- Mickey's Speedway USA: Use the secret race track from Mickey's Racing Adventure
- Pocket Soccer: Transfer soccer players (individual)
- Pokémon Pinball: Trade/combine highscores
- Pokémon Gold and Silver Versions, Pokémon Crystal Version: Obtain Mystery Gift items (regular items and room decorations), send roster data to the Viridian City Trainer House. Can also interact with Pokémon Pikachu 2 GS. The feature to obtain Mystery Gift items was later re-introduced for the Nintendo 64 game Pokémon Stadium 2, but with connectivity through the Transfer Pak (with Gold/Silver/Crystal inside) instead.
- Pokémon Trading Card Game: The "Card Pop" feature can be used to generate random cards. It is also possible to trade individual cards and deck configurations. It is also possible on a regular Game Boy for the Japanese version using Hudson Soft's GB Kiss feature, because the PCB of the Game Pak includes its own infrared transmitter/receiver.
- Pokémon Card GB 2: GR-Dan Sanjou!: The "Card Pop" feature can be used to generate random cards. It is also possible to trade individual cards and deck configurations.
- Super Mario Bros. Deluxe: Trade/combine Top Scores
- Tottoko Hamtaro: Tomodachi Daisakusen Dechu: Friend finding feature to match players with hamsters
- Warlocked: Trade wizards
Third party, not published by Nintendo
- The Adventures of the Smurfs: Exchange portraits of characters
- Animal Breeder 3: Animal matchmaking
- Animal Breeder 4: Trade animals/have them marry
- Austin Powers: Oh Behave!: Trade messages/items
- Austin Powers: Welcome to My Underground Lair!: Trade messages/items
- Bakuten Shoot Beyblade: 1v1 battles
- Beyblade: Fighting Tournament: Unknown
- Boku no Camp-jou: Exchange money from fishing, hunting
- Bomberman B-Daman Bakugaiden V: Final Mega Tune: Obtain armor from television remote signals
- Bomberman Max: Red Challenger and Blue Champion: Unlock hidden areas, trade completed levels, combine Charaboms
- Carl Lewis Alhletics 2000: Use Ubi-Key to unlock Decathlon mode
- Catz: Trade Pets/Toyz
- Chee-Chai Alien: Capture Chaliens from artificial light sources
- Dancing Furby: Interact with a physical Furby. It will react based on dance performance in-game.
- Data Navi Pro Yakyuu: Send and receive baseball team data
- Data Navi Pro Yakyuu 2: Send and receive baseball team data
- Dogz: Trade Toyz/Petz
- Doki Doki Densetsu: Mahoujin Guru Guru: Fight in card battles via in-game magic circles
- Dr. Rin Ni Kiitemite!: Exchange stickers, do fortune-telling with a friend
- Dungeon Savior: Transfer Guardians to other games
- Flipper & Lopaka: Use Ubi-Key to unlock a bonus "Ubi Key Level"
- Wars series: Multiplayer
- GB Harobots: Use signals to create new Robo Data
- Gran Duel: Shinki Dungeon no Hihou: Unknown
- Gyouten Ningen Batseelor: Dakutoru Gai no Yabo: Exchange stickers
- Hamster Paradise 3 (Churi): Exchange emails
- Hamster Paradise 4: Exchange hamsters
- Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone: Trade "Famous Witches and Wizards" cards
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: Trade "Famous Witches and Wizards" cards
- Herohero-kun: Exchange a personal profile
- Hunter x Hunter: Hunter no Keifu: The "D-Trans" feature from Yu-Gi-Oh! is used to unlock the "Muuou" scenario and meet Card Hunter Augu
- Hype: The Time Quest: Use Ubi-Key to unlock a bonus "Ubi Key Level"
- Inspector Gadget: Operation Madkactus: Use Ubi-Key to unlock a bonus "Ubi Key Level"
- Jisedai Begoma Battle Beyblade: Trade Beyblades
- Konchuu Hakase 2: Exchange collectible insects
- Lego Island 2: Swap trading cards
- Lemmings VS: View other player's Win/Loss records
- Les Visiteurs: Uses Ubi Key in some way
- Lode Runner: Dom Dom no Yabou: Exchange custom levels
- Looney Tunes Collector: Alert!: Wireless multiplayer for three minigames
- Looney Tunes: Marvin Strikes Back!: Wireless multiplayer for three minigames
- Love Hina Pocket: Unknown
- Mary-Kate and Ashley Pocket Planner: Send/receive "G-Mail" messages
- Mission Impossible: Send/recieve messages, addresses, notes. Involves a custom TV remote.
- NHL Blades of Steel: Trade hockey players (individual)
- NHL Blades of Steel 2000: Trade hockey players (individual)
- Papyrus: Use Ubi-Key to unlock bonus level
- Perfect Dark: Trade multiplayer maps and other unlockables
- Playmobil Interactive: Laura: Use Ubi-Key to unlock the "Catch the Hazelnuts" minigame
- Pocket Cooking: Exchange dishes
- Pocket Family GB 2: Transfer characters/data
- Qui Qui: Battle against other opponents
- Rayman: Uses Ubi Key to unlocka secret level called Ubi Cliff
- Return of the Ninja: Trade "Ninja Cards"
- Rugrats: Totally Angelica: Send/receive clothes, hairstyles, accessories, messages
- The Road to El Dorado: Uses Ubi-Key to unlock a secret level (similar to levels 6 and 7)
- Sakura Taisen GB: Send step-based points from a Pocket Sakura device or between two Game Boy Colors
- Shin Megami Tensei Devil Children White: Infrared Fusion is used to strengthen certain demons, and infrared is also used to obtain rare ones
- Soukoban Densetsu: Hikari to Yami no Yuni: Send or receive custom levels/puzzles
- Spirou: The Robot Invasion: Ubi-Key unlocks a bonus level
- Super Black Bass: Real Fight: Exchanges items (such as lures, tackles)
- Super Doll Licca-chan: Kisekae Daisakusen: Send or receive clothes
- Super GALS! Juran: Exchange "sign cards" (includes personal information/messages)
- Super Mimel GB: Mimel Bear no Happy Town: Send e-mails with other players from Mimel Bear, gain extra points
- Suzuki Alstare Extreme Racing: Uses Ubi-Key to unlock the Extreme Championship mode
- Sweet Ange: Send/receive mail, cards, recipes, commemorative photos
- Taxi 2: Uses Ubi-Key
- Tonic Trouble: Uses Ubi-Key to unlock a bonus level and demo
- Toonsylvania: Uses Ubi-Key to unlock a bonus level with extra lives and items
- Tsuri Sensei 2: Trade items with other players
- V.I.P.: Uses Ubi-Key to unlock a "Ubi Key Level"
- Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters II: Dark Duel Stories: "D-Trans" is used to connect with other players and receive special cards
- Zok Zok Heroes: The Full Changer is used to transmit "Cosmic Characters" (based on how the player moves the device) to transform into different heroes.
Other devices
- Pokémon Pikachu 2 GS: Transfer Watts for items in Pokémon Gold/Silver/Crystal (the Pokémon Pikachu 2 GS and Game Boy Color game must be of the same region)
- Pocket Sakura: Can be used to send step-based points to Sakura Taisen GB, as an alternative to another Game Boy Color.
Third-party peripherals for Game Boy Color
- Full Changer (packaged with Zok Zok Heroes; it is responsible for transmitting the player's moves to the game; registered as a "Cosmic Character", and corresponds with a hero transformation)
- Spectrum Communicator (packaged with Chee-Chai Alien; it is optional, attaches to the Game Boy Color, and is advertised as enhancing the infrared reception in some way)
- TV Adaptor (cancelled): this device would read barcodes from a television screen and convert it into infrared data to be used with the Game Boy Color infrared port. It was discovered that there was cut support for it in Sakura Taisen GB: Geki Hanagumi Nyuutai! after data-mining the game, and through patent JP,2001-239060,A. Also, it is alluded to as an upcoming feature in the manual of Sakura Taisen for Dreamcast); "In One Long Day mode, you'll occasionally find a 'TV mark' displayed on the screen. Remember where these marks appear, something good might happen with them later.")
Technical information
It is not recommended to use the infrared feature for too long as it will drain the battery.
In the Dan Docs (an unofficial reverse engineering document); Shonumi defines four communication types:
- "1-Player Init" games (in the context of two Game Boy Colors), such as Pokémon Gold and Silver describes games which only require one Game Boy Color to initiate infrared communications, but will wait for both Game Boy Colors. The initiating game will send the pulse for the other to receive it (similar to the "master" and "slave" relationship for devices such as the Link Cable). 1-Player Init applies to most infrared compatible games.
- "2-Player Init" games will wait for both Game Boy Colors to initiate at about the same time. This applies to games such as Pokémon Pinball (for score exchange) and Pokémon Trading Card Game (for Card Pop).
- "Active Object Init", such as Pokémon Gold and Silver with Pokémon Pikachu 2 involve communications between a Game Boy Color and a non-Game Boy Color device, with the non-Game Boy Color device being capable of both sending and receiving infrared signals.
- "Inactive Object Init", such as Chee-Chai Alien involve communications between a Game Boy Color and a non-Game Boy Color source (doesn't need to be a device and can even be something like a household lamp), which is capable of sending infrared signals but not receiving them. Another example is the Full Changer for Zok Zok Heroes also falls under this category, as it can transmit data but not receive it.
Infrared communication requires the correct timing, but there is no specific way to program this; with some games relying on Game Boy Color hardware timers or hardcounted values for counting cycles. However, four particular games (part of the 2-Player Init category) by Hudson Soft share similar infrared protocols for the initial handshake; Pokémon Trading Card Game, Pokémon Card GB 2: GR-Dan Sanjou, as well as Bomberman Max: Red Challenger and Blue Champion.
The Game Boy Color uses the MMIO hardware register at FF56, known as the RP register. Certain bits are both read/write enabled, while others are read-only.
Bit 0: Write 1 to turn IR light ON, or 0 to turn it OFF (R/W) Bit 1: If 0, receiving a signal. If 1, the game considers no signal. This will also be 1 if the Game Boy Color has continually been exposed to the signal for too long, referred to as the "signal fade". The signal fade time also has an inverse relationship between the distance between the Game Boy Color and infrared signal; so fade time is longer for closer distances. (R) Bits 2-5: Unused Bits 6-7: If 0, disable reading signal. If 3 (binary: 11), enable reading it (R/W)
On other NIWA Wikis
References
- ↑ How many Game Boy Color games supported infrared? - Shonumi
- ↑ GBC Infrared: Compatible Games - Dan Docs
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