Now, it isn't a secret that I love the add-ons for the Sega Genesis.  Heck, if anything, they make the system better, because it makes it like you own three different systems.  Those three different systems were just that: different.  The Genesis had your big-budget games, the Sega CD doubled as a CD player (The Buggles never sounded better!) and gave you "CD quality" music and visuals, and the 32x... well, it bridged the gap between the Saturn and Genesis, while having a great deal of personality.  The 32x also made you question the designer's sensibility when you need about 50 wires to get it working, and a converter for a model 1 Genesis.

But all that aside, I was overjoyed when I received my Nintendo Gamecube for Christmas one year, and my Game Boy Advance a year or two later.  My gaming experience began with the Game Boy Color, so seeing this new handheld hold its own against the capabilities of the Super Nintendo, I nearly collapsed with excitement.  I always felt like the GBA was like an SNES with a Super Game Boy attached.

What's that?  You haven't heard of the Super Game Boy?  Well, it's a cartridge that goes into your Super Nintendo and it allows you to play regular Game Boy games.  Some games, like Pokemon Red/Blue, were "optimized" for the Super Game Boy with custom borders and full color.  Remember, the GB didn't have color unless you count the pea-green screen of the original.  I wish we got the Super Game Boy 2 here in the States, but that's a gripe I can live with for only one reason:  we got the Game Boy Player.

This re-imagining of the Super Game Boy allows for Game Boy, Game Boy Color, AND Game Boy Advance games being playable on your TV.  I love this thing, and it needs no extra wires or power supplies to work.  I used it to play Pokemon Fire Red over and over and over again, beat Zelda: Oracle of Ages, and navigate my way through Metroid Fusion.  I have only one problem with the Game Boy Player, even though it is so amazing.

Remember when I said games were "optimized" for the Super Game Boy?  Well, those optimizations don't appear on the Game Boy Player.  No cool borders and no color.  Instead, the games look like they do when played on the GBA, which isn't bad, but I would rather get the cool Donkey Kong Land border and color scheme.  That's the same problem I have with the Virtual Console on 3DS.  Donkey Kong 1994 has such a cool border, and it is gone!

All that aside, if you have a GCN, get the Game Boy Player.  It will help you dust off the beast if you use your Wii to play your collection of Game Cube games.  Just make sure you get the start-up disc (it's in the picture at the top of this page), because it won't work by itself.

Thanks again for reading!  And, just so you all know, you can all suggest an upcoming post.  I want to incorporate the other G1's, so I'm just giving you all a head's up.  So, remember to comment and share your Game Boy-esque stories, as well as give suggestions for an upcoming story.  Oh, and I'm not out of ideas; trust me.  Thanks again!