The Game Boy Encyclopedia by Chris Scullion - Book Review

In a (very slight) sense, I have an understanding of what Chris Scullion goes through when he writes one of his (up until now) annual gaming encyclopedias. This is the sixth of his platform specific volumes (alongside his excellent tome on platformers), and having to summarise and provide commentary on literally hundreds of games, often with multiple entries per series, has to be quite the challenge. My appreciation stems from having to say, for the seventh time, I'm writing about how yet again yer man has only gone and written an absolute belter!

Comprising of some 320 pages covering around 1,150 releases in total across the Game Boy and Game Boy Color handhelds, that's a ton of games playing and research, and when you're talking about a platform that released 35 years ago, the effort that's gone into this is immense. 

This monster of a book is a detailed and information packed repository of all games Game Boy. Given the sheer amount to cover, only a handful of entries receive a half page (it's pretty much all a quarter page per title), so this focusses your attention on Mr Scullion's ability to pithily pass on pertinent pointers (say that five times quickly!), facts, anecdotes, as well as include some nice word play (I see you, Fire Fighter) without sounding like a cynical QA tester completing their monthly one to one review documents... As ever, fun facts remain a funky addition to the main text. 

Each entry receives a screenshot, and you can rest easy. The use of an Analogue Pocket means that each game's visuals are pin sharp with nary a hint of blurriness. This also highlights that, at it's best, the original Game Boy was capable of some truly wondrous feats for such a limited technical spec. Going back and playing Batman: The Video Game on my original Game Boy (still rocking after all these years) and then doing the same on an emulator was revelatory. Sadly to say, these late '70's vintage eyes are no longer up to the challenge of genuine hardware these days. As for the Game Boy Color section, it's visuals vibrantly pop off every page. 

Any criticisms? None at all. This book does exactly what it says on the cover and it does it bloody well too!

The Game Boy Encyclopedia is another further fine addition to my gaming library and another volume Mr Scullion and the team at White Owl Books should be proud of. You can pick up a copy direct from the publisher here, your favourite online book stores, as well as physical shops too - I know Newcastle Upon Tyne's Waterstones has had stock in, and I'm sure Forbidden Planet had it too. You can also follow the author on Twitter/X @Scully1888, and on Bluesky @scully1888.bsky.social. And on a final note, there's going to be a two year gap before the next in the series, but considering that one's covering the Sony PlayStation, the wait is both necessary and more than worth it. I'll be ready and waiting for the direct ordering email, Mr. S!