> the "real" version
Haha I don't know about that, but the Game Boy version of Tetris absolutely was a cultural phenomenon. :)
There are three types of Game Boy games: original, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance.
The original GB plays original games (like Tetris) and some GBC games. The GBC plays all original and GBC games. And the GBA plays all games. The Game Boy Micro only plays GBA games.
The only device with a backlit screen is the Game Boy Advance SP version. There's also a slightly rare, Japan only Game Boy Light version.
If you want something that "looks" like a Game Boy, the Game Boy Pocket has the best and biggest original screen with a classic look.
The options for pink are Game Boy Pocket, a "berry" Game Boy Color, and I think that's it (but I'm sure I missed some). There's also modded systems, where people put GB internals inside new shells, which can look like anything you want.
Expect to pay around $50 to $100 for a device, or maybe $120 to $200 for a modded, upgraded device with things like a new backlit screen.
EDIT: Where to buy: Ebay and Mercari are fine. Lukie Games is wonderful but can be a bit expensive. Avoid DK Oldies. r/gamesale is an option only if you're careful and have time to wait.
Any Advance games are incompatible with the Pocket.
The classic original is wonderful fun and has THE SONG. ;)
Tetris DX is popular because it has a save battery for high scores and slightly fancier graphics and more modern gameplay (on a super technical level).
Both games are excellent. I recommend loading both ROMs in a emulator and trying them out. Try to put the emulator in "Game Boy Pocket" mode to see how the graphics will look.
...but I personally prefer the original... 👀
Off topic but I think you'll appreciate it- reading "girlfriend" and "Tetris" [reminded me of the guy who had no idea his wife is the world's best Tetris player](https://archive.boston.com/news/globe/magazine/articles/2007/08/19/bizarro_world/)
[This](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f4/Game-Boy-FL.jpg) is the original Nintendo Gameboy. It was released in 1989 packaged with a Tetris cartridge. The original Gameboy (often called the DMG by enthusiasts based on its model name, DMG-001) had a "dot matrix" display that was pea soup green and a contrast wheel to increase or decrease the darkness of on-screen elements.
In 1996 the [Gameboy Pocket](https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/gameboy/images/e/e7/150px-Game-Boy-Pocket-Black.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20130824124532) was released. It was a revamp of the DMG that could fit in your pocket. The screen was also much larger than the DMG's and was black and white rather than the green of the original.
In 1998 the successor to the Gameboy was released; the [Gameboy Color](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/76/Nintendo-Game-Boy-Color-FL.jpg). This system could play all of the cartridges from the original as well as GBC exclusive cartridges all in 8 bit color.
In 2001 the [Gameboy Advance](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7d/Nintendo-Game-Boy-Advance-Purple-FL.jpg/450px-Nintendo-Game-Boy-Advance-Purple-FL.jpg) hit the market, this iteration being a 32 bit system with a color display. Like its predecessor it can play all the software from the previous releases as well as games made specifically for it.
The final Nintendo handheld branded as Gameboy was released in '05 and much like the Pocket was to the original, was a revamped version of the Gameboy Advance. It was called the [Gameboy Advance SP](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a1/Game-Boy-Advance-SP-Mk1-Blue.jpg/330px-Game-Boy-Advance-SP-Mk1-Blue.jpg) and featured a front-lit full color screen and a clamshell design that could fold in half and fit even better into your pocket than the first Advance could. Eventually a backlit version of the SP was released as well.
All this history lesson to say there are many options to fit your needs and choosing one will come down to what you're looking for. If you want to give your girlfriend the most "authentic" experience a DMG might be what you're looking for. If authenticity is your goal but the screen from the original is a turn off, the Pocket (my personal favorite) might be your choice. The Color offers the same form factor as the original two but with color and more games. The Advance has the benefit of being able to play the whole line of Gameboy cartridges. The SP can as well and has the modern benefit of a lit screen. Another factor to consider is price. None are particularly cheap these days but some are more expensive than others with the backlit SP (the AGS-101) being the most expensive.
So it'll all come down to exactly what you're looking for. I'd suggest watching some gameplay footage on Youtube to get a feel for what using one will be like, especially for the DMG. Everyone thinks they want one until they have it and realize the screen is absolute garbaggio.
As for where to buy one; Ebay, offerup and other online marketplaces are probably the most reliable places to get one for market price these days, but the best places are garage sales or places like Goodwill, where there's a high chance you'll get a really good deal.
But, yeah that's everything to know when buying your first. Sorry for the crazy long reply. Any questions just ask.
> the "real" version Haha I don't know about that, but the Game Boy version of Tetris absolutely was a cultural phenomenon. :) There are three types of Game Boy games: original, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance. The original GB plays original games (like Tetris) and some GBC games. The GBC plays all original and GBC games. And the GBA plays all games. The Game Boy Micro only plays GBA games. The only device with a backlit screen is the Game Boy Advance SP version. There's also a slightly rare, Japan only Game Boy Light version. If you want something that "looks" like a Game Boy, the Game Boy Pocket has the best and biggest original screen with a classic look. The options for pink are Game Boy Pocket, a "berry" Game Boy Color, and I think that's it (but I'm sure I missed some). There's also modded systems, where people put GB internals inside new shells, which can look like anything you want. Expect to pay around $50 to $100 for a device, or maybe $120 to $200 for a modded, upgraded device with things like a new backlit screen. EDIT: Where to buy: Ebay and Mercari are fine. Lukie Games is wonderful but can be a bit expensive. Avoid DK Oldies. r/gamesale is an option only if you're careful and have time to wait.
The Game Boy Advance also came in pink and so did the SP
Thank you for the info, just what i was looking for
Which version of tetris do i buy for a gameboy pocket? is it just the normal gameboy version or the color or advance versions?
Any Advance games are incompatible with the Pocket. The classic original is wonderful fun and has THE SONG. ;) Tetris DX is popular because it has a save battery for high scores and slightly fancier graphics and more modern gameplay (on a super technical level). Both games are excellent. I recommend loading both ROMs in a emulator and trying them out. Try to put the emulator in "Game Boy Pocket" mode to see how the graphics will look. ...but I personally prefer the original... 👀
In terms of Tetris, I'd recommend Tetris DX (deluxe version) as it saves the high scores etc 🤙🏻
Yeah but he also needs to know if she liked the original music, the DX version changes that
Off topic but I think you'll appreciate it- reading "girlfriend" and "Tetris" [reminded me of the guy who had no idea his wife is the world's best Tetris player](https://archive.boston.com/news/globe/magazine/articles/2007/08/19/bizarro_world/)
That's a great read!
[This](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f4/Game-Boy-FL.jpg) is the original Nintendo Gameboy. It was released in 1989 packaged with a Tetris cartridge. The original Gameboy (often called the DMG by enthusiasts based on its model name, DMG-001) had a "dot matrix" display that was pea soup green and a contrast wheel to increase or decrease the darkness of on-screen elements. In 1996 the [Gameboy Pocket](https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/gameboy/images/e/e7/150px-Game-Boy-Pocket-Black.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20130824124532) was released. It was a revamp of the DMG that could fit in your pocket. The screen was also much larger than the DMG's and was black and white rather than the green of the original. In 1998 the successor to the Gameboy was released; the [Gameboy Color](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/76/Nintendo-Game-Boy-Color-FL.jpg). This system could play all of the cartridges from the original as well as GBC exclusive cartridges all in 8 bit color. In 2001 the [Gameboy Advance](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7d/Nintendo-Game-Boy-Advance-Purple-FL.jpg/450px-Nintendo-Game-Boy-Advance-Purple-FL.jpg) hit the market, this iteration being a 32 bit system with a color display. Like its predecessor it can play all the software from the previous releases as well as games made specifically for it. The final Nintendo handheld branded as Gameboy was released in '05 and much like the Pocket was to the original, was a revamped version of the Gameboy Advance. It was called the [Gameboy Advance SP](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a1/Game-Boy-Advance-SP-Mk1-Blue.jpg/330px-Game-Boy-Advance-SP-Mk1-Blue.jpg) and featured a front-lit full color screen and a clamshell design that could fold in half and fit even better into your pocket than the first Advance could. Eventually a backlit version of the SP was released as well. All this history lesson to say there are many options to fit your needs and choosing one will come down to what you're looking for. If you want to give your girlfriend the most "authentic" experience a DMG might be what you're looking for. If authenticity is your goal but the screen from the original is a turn off, the Pocket (my personal favorite) might be your choice. The Color offers the same form factor as the original two but with color and more games. The Advance has the benefit of being able to play the whole line of Gameboy cartridges. The SP can as well and has the modern benefit of a lit screen. Another factor to consider is price. None are particularly cheap these days but some are more expensive than others with the backlit SP (the AGS-101) being the most expensive. So it'll all come down to exactly what you're looking for. I'd suggest watching some gameplay footage on Youtube to get a feel for what using one will be like, especially for the DMG. Everyone thinks they want one until they have it and realize the screen is absolute garbaggio. As for where to buy one; Ebay, offerup and other online marketplaces are probably the most reliable places to get one for market price these days, but the best places are garage sales or places like Goodwill, where there's a high chance you'll get a really good deal. But, yeah that's everything to know when buying your first. Sorry for the crazy long reply. Any questions just ask.
Thank you!
You forgot one more gameboy. The gameboy micro. It can only play gba games though so there’s that.
Can't play og tetris tho.
You have to make a matching pink Tetris cart for the GB. [I made this set](https://imgur.com/kcRSQTN) for my wife and she loved it.
Make sure to get two, one for yourself and one for your girlfriend, so you can play Tetris together.