Almost 28 years after the handheld’s initial launch, a brand-new Game Boy Color console has officially been released for gamers to pick up right now. ModRetro’s new line of transparent Chromatics brings that nostalgic Game Boy Color experience back into gamers’ hands all over again.
The Game Boy Color was first released in 1998, a long-awaited follow-up to 1989’s Game Boy. It featured a color screen, which was a huge step up from the monochrome colors of the original Game Boy. Some phenomenal Game Boy Color games were released during its lifespan, including iconic titles like Pokemon Crystal and The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening DX. Now, there’s a new way to experience these classics.
Transparent Chromatic Game Boy Color Officially Released
ModRetro’s new line of transparent Chromatic consoles is now available in four colorways: Smoke, Purple, Green, and Red. They have that classic transparent look, allowing gamers to see directly inside the console. All Chromatic handhelds play both Game Boy and Game Boy Color games, giving fans a way to play these retro titles without needing to resort to emulation. Every transparent Chromatic comes with a free transparent Tetris cartridge, a sweet added bonus.
Find the odd one out before the timer hits zero.
ModRetro says the “fully custom LCD is an identical match to the size, pixel structure, and color palette of the original,” so gamers can see each game exactly as the creator intended on the Chromatic. The base handheld is priced at $149.99, although it also has a range of accessories to improve the experience, including a $14.99 link cable for multiplayer gameplay. The first Chromatic launched in 2024, but this new transparent release takes the retro vibes up to another level.
Gamers can play more than just the classics on the Chromatic. New Game Boy Color games are still being released regularly, with physical cartridges available on ModRetro. It’s cool to see that there’s still so much support for such an old console, and the fact that there’s enough demand from gamers that it’s actually financially viable for game developers and ModRetro is awesome.
With the Nintendo Switch 2 as a hybrid home console and handheld, the chances of a future Nintendo handheld in the vein of the Game Boy Color or the DS are very slim. It feels as though the market has moved beyond that sort of thing, but the success of things such as the Chromatic shows that there’s still life in fully handheld gaming just yet.
