Table of Contents
Nintendo Game Boy Color
Continuing the massive streak of success experienced by the Game Boy, the Game Boy Color was another resounding success. Releasing on November 18th, 1998 in the USA, the Game Boy Color ran off a Sharp LR35902, 32 KB RAM and 16 KB VRAM, plus it's 15-bit color 160×144 screen.
Operating Systems (Sharp LR35902)
AMADO OS
Compatible on the Game Boy Color by principle of Game Boy backwards compatibility. See Nintendo Game Boy.
Austin Powers: Welcome to my Underground Lair and Oh, Behave! games
Some sort of parody game with a mixture of minigames, a word processor and calculator, PDA style functions, and whatever else. Basically, a joke OS that actually functions like an OS in some ways. The games are apparently the same in function, with differing skins.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjiPQo6g6aM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNd3HwKMOzk
https://www.mobygames.com/game/austin-powers-oh-behave
https://www.engadget.com/2007-06-25-non-game-boy-serious-games-before-they-were-cool.html
CollapseOS
Would-be-compatible on the Game Boy Color by principle of Game Boy backwards compatibility. See Nintendo Game Boy.
Contiki
contiki UI halfway works, runs the text-based CTK conio
Files are available on Github. Has support for Gameboy Color additions and advancements.
http://hitmen.c02.at/html/tools_contiki.html
https://github.com/adamdunkels/contiki-1.x/tree/master/contiki-gb
Gameshark MX
a modem and software that lets you send and receive email, along with basic organizer functions
More of a PDA with internet-esque abilities, but the PDA functions would make this closer to an operating system than just a browser. Requires the cartridge to truly use the modem functions. Cartridge has a rudimentary serial port, and can maybe be reprogrammed.
http://gameshark-mx.blogspot.com/
https://forums.nesdev.com/viewtopic.php?t=9520
https://chipmusic.org/forums/topic/9261/pocket-voice-and-shark-mx/
https://web.archive.org/web/20141209153120/http://www.bennvenn.com/mx.html
GBOS
Compatible on the Game Boy Color by principle of Game Boy backwards compatibility. See Nintendo Game Boy.
PC emulation (potential)
Whether these emulators support operating systems for these computers is unknown; it must be looked into further. PCs without meaningful OSes are not included.
CHIP-8 – GB-8
RIOS (Riverside-Irvine Operating System
Compatible on the Game Boy Color by principle of Game Boy backwards compatibility. See Nintendo Game Boy.
WorkBoy and addon
Compatible on the Game Boy Color by principle of Game Boy backwards compatibility. See Nintendo Game Boy.
Work Master OS
Seems like a Russian aping of the “WorkBoy” concept, except this actually came to be. The latest version is 3.00, so do not think it stopped at 1.00. May require or benefit from a physical cart. Many applications and program abilities are available.
https://vk.com/wall-106274057_1602
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYzcNVzZHz0
https://subscribe.ru/archive/comp.soft.othos.workmaster/200401/14120625.html
https://web.archive.org/web/20220309165746/https://vk.com/wall-106274057_1602
https://web.archive.org/web/20080506230824/http://www.workmaster.ru/old/ap.htm
https://web.archive.org/web/20060117014938/http://www.workmaster.ru/old/sale.htm
https://web.archive.org/web/20060415052958/http://www.workmaster.ru/old/main.htm
Internet
GB KISS & Link Modem
with GB KISS MAIL you could compose text messages
More access to email, sharing of files between Game Boys, and other such basics. Special cart used.
http://nectaris.tg-16.com/GB-KISS-LINK-FAQ-hudson-gameboy-nectaris.html
Mobile Adapter GB
access their email accounts as well as surf the web
Allowed browsing of the internet, file transfer, access to exclusive online services, etc.
Other
BetterPaintBoy 1.03
Compatible on the Game Boy Color by principle of Game Boy backwards compatibility. See Nintendo Game Boy.
Everyone is an Artist
Another paint program for the Game Boy Color. No information about this one.
https://www.freeroms.com/roms/gameboy_color/everyone_is_an_artist_by_j_beuys_public_domain.htm
Game Boy Book Reader
Compatible on the Game Boy Color by principle of Game Boy backwards compatibility. See Nintendo Game Boy.
Game Boy Video Player 2
For encoding and building a video ROM, you will need a Make, a C compiler (Clang recommended), rgbds, and a recent version of FFMPEG
A fully fledged video player for the GBC, capable of 528 colors, stereo audio, adjustable compression, and 30fps. It's quite the program, but the best part - and why it's included here - is the fact that you can create your own video ROMs using some compiling and FFMPEG! It's a bit more complex than that, of course, but with this program it's possible to play any sort of video on the GBC, although it is safe to say that they can't be too long (ROM size will get too big).
InfoGenius: Personal Organizer & Phone Book
Compatible on the Game Boy Color by principle of Game Boy backwards compatibility. See Nintendo Game Boy.
InfoGenius: Spell Checker And Calculator
Compatible on the Game Boy Color by principle of Game Boy backwards compatibility. See Nintendo Game Boy.
Little Sound DJ
Compatible on the Game Boy Color by principle of Game Boy backwards compatibility. See Nintendo Game Boy.
Mary-Kate and Ashley Pocket Planner
features a calendar, stop watch, phone book, and a series of five short minigames
Yet another planner application available for the Game Boy line, this time for tweens. The fact that this even exists is quite astonishing, but it has a lot of features in the realm of productivity - more than the InfoGenius carts!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_IAVReixMI
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary-Kate_and_Ashley:_Pocket_Planner
Miscellaneous homebrew applications
Quite like the original Game Boy, there are a few interesting homebrew applications also available on the Color. Highlights include “Carillon Editor”, “Game Boy Sound Manipulator”, and “GB FM Synth”. Also, of course, the ones available on the Game Boy are compatible on the Game Boy Color by principle of Game Boy backwards compatibility. See Nintendo Game Boy.
https://www.nesworld.com/article.php?system=gbc&data=gbchomebrew
Mission: Impossible
contains a number of utility programs
Unlike the rest of the listings here in “Other”, Mission: Impossible is mostly just a game. However, there are a small assortment of utilities included with the game, including a calculator, universal remote (using the infrared port), and a notebook that can utilize the Game Boy Printer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9qqtcDVHw8
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mission:_Impossible_(2000_video_game)
Pocket Music
A music sequencer and creator released for the GBC. As you would expect, it lets you create music with a variety of included samples. A GBA version exists but has extremely poor sound quality - avoid it!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bGWoQ6_U3E
https://www.reddit.com/r/chiptunes/comments/494ve8/has_anyone_had_any_experience_using_pocket_music/
Peripherals
Game Boy Camera
Compatible on the Game Boy Color by principle of Game Boy backwards compatibility. See Nintendo Game Boy.
Game Boy Printer
Compatible on the Game Boy Color by principle of Game Boy backwards compatibility. See Nintendo Game Boy.
Version & Revision Guide
For general information, see the Game Console Revisions Overview.
Versions
There is one version of this console.
Game Boy Color (1998-2003)
The only version of the Game Boy Color, which in itself is sort of a version within the Game Boy. Very easily identified by it's variety of vibrant shell colors, the color screen, “Game Boy Color” on the bezel, non-angled start/select buttons, and so on. Uses the same link cable that was introduced with the Game Boy Pocket. Backwards compatible with the entire Game Boy library, which the GBC can colorize using a variety of preset palettes - with some games featuring an advanced palette. The GBC also introduced infrared communication to the Game Boy line.
Revisions
A variety of Game Boy Color revisions exist, but they can easily be defined in a “before/after” fashion.
CGB-CPU-01 to 03/04 (1998-2000)
Has a few issues with audio registers misbehaving, and can also run into bugs with BennVenn's ElCheapo SD v2.0 flashcart. Generally a slightly more buggy set of revisions compared to later Color consoles. To identify these motherboards, take off your system's battery cover. Look under the bottom left battery spring for the respective 2-digit value matching up with the revisions listed in the title (02, 03, 04). 01 systems will have no value.
CGB-CPU-04 to 06 (2000-2003)
RECOMMENDED OVERALL
Resolves all previously mentioned issues with audio registers or flashcart incompatibilities. To identify these motherboards, take off your system's battery cover. Look under the bottom left battery spring for the respective 2-digit value matching up with the revisions listed in the title (04, 05, 06). 04 is listed under both entries as an 04 can have a CPU type of either C or D - only the D version CPU has no audio register/flashcart bugs. You will need to disassemble your Game Boy Color to identify between C or D CPU if you have a CPU-04 console.
https://gbhwdb.gekkio.fi/consoles/cgb/