Play Great Battle Pocket, The (Japan) Online

Game Overview

Okay, so Great Battle Pocket is one of those Japan-only Game Boy Color games that somehow slipped under the radar—which is a shame, because it’s basically a tiny, explosive mecha brawler that feels like it escaped from an arcade cabinet. You’re this armored dude (or maybe a robot? Honestly, the pixel art leaves it up to interpretation) sprinting through side-scrolling levels, swapping between a spread shot, lasers, and this ridiculous screen-clearing bomb attack that makes the whole handheld rumble.

The controls are surprisingly tight for a GBC game—no clunky delays when you jump or shoot, which is a lifesaver when enemies swarm from both sides. And yeah, it’s got that classic Contra vibe, but with way more glowing energy swords and less jungle camouflage. The music’s all crunchy synth beats too, like someone squeezed a ‘90s anime soundtrack into a Game Boy.

It’s short, sure, but that just means you’ll probably blast through it in one sitting—then immediately restart to try not dying during the boss rush finale. If you’ve got a soft spot for forgotten mecha games or just want to see what the GBC could really do, this one’s worth digging up.