12 Best Game Boy Accessories Worth Owning

A Game Boy in good working order is only half the experience. The best game boy accessories solve the little frustrations that came with handheld gaming in the 1990s and early 2000s: dim screens, hungry AA batteries, scratched cartridges and the lonely reality of owning Pokémon Red without a link cable.

For collectors, the right accessory can also complete a boxed console set, add a period-correct detail to a display, or make a well-loved handheld practical enough to play again. The key is deciding whether you are preserving an original setup, building a daily player, or doing a bit of both.

The best Game Boy accessories for playing properly

A genuine or quality link cable

If your collection includes Pokémon, Tetris, F-1 Race, Mario Tennis or any other multiplayer-capable release, a link cable is the accessory that turns a single handheld into a social machine. Trading Pokémon is the obvious use, but cable battles, head-to-head puzzle matches and cooperative modes were a major part of the Game Boy era.

Compatibility matters more than many buyers expect. The original Game Boy, Game Boy Pocket and Game Boy Colour use the same style of link port, while the Game Boy Advance uses a different cable. Game Boy Advance cables can support multiplayer titles designed for that system, but they are not a substitute for an original Game Boy cable. Check the connector, cable condition and whether the listing is for a two-player cable or a multi-player adaptor before buying.

For a period-correct Pokémon setup, an official Nintendo cable remains especially satisfying. For regular play, a clean, well-made compatible cable is often the sensible choice. Original cables can be surprisingly expensive, and split or yellowed insulation does not make a better gaming session.

The right light for an unlit screen

The original Game Boy, Game Boy Pocket and Game Boy Colour were designed around reflective displays. They look wonderfully authentic under daylight, but a train journey, a bedroom lamp or a dreary British afternoon can make them difficult to use. A Worm Light or similar clip-on lamp is the classic answer and belongs in any era-focused collection.

These lights are charming rather than perfect. They add glare, can create uneven illumination and draw extra power from the console. Yet for collectors they retain the original hardware untouched, which is important if the system is boxed, rare, or simply too nice to modify.

A modern backlit or IPS screen modification produces a dramatically clearer image, with adjustable brightness and better viewing angles. It is the best answer for a console you intend to play weekly. The trade-off is originality. A modified Game Boy Colour or Game Boy Advance can be an excellent player’s machine, but it should be described accurately if you ever sell or trade it. Keep original screens, lenses and shells where possible, particularly on desirable colour variants.

Rechargeable power that suits your console

AA batteries are part of the Game Boy ritual, but not every owner wants to keep a drawer full of them. Quality rechargeable AA cells are the least invasive upgrade for the original Game Boy, Game Boy Pocket, Game Boy Colour and Game Boy Advance. Buy a dependable charger and use matching cells with similar charge levels. Mixing old and new batteries can lead to uneven performance.

Rechargeable battery packs and USB-C power modifications are more convenient still, especially for a backlit console. A USB-C mod makes sense for a regularly played Game Boy Advance or Game Boy Colour, where brighter screens increase power consumption. It is less suitable for a mint original DMG-01 that you want to retain in factory specification.

Avoid cheap, unbranded battery packs. Ageing power components and poorly fitted lithium cells can cause more trouble than they save. For an original machine, rechargeable AAs plus a clean battery compartment remain the low-risk route.

A proper carrying case and cartridge storage

Loose Game Boy cartridges are tougher than they look, but their labels are not. Sun fading, pressure marks, torn end labels and grime around the contacts all reduce a game’s presentation and collector appeal. Individual cartridge cases are a small investment that makes storage and transport much safer.

A fitted console case is equally useful. Look for one that protects the screen without putting pressure on the buttons, and make sure it has room for any accessories you genuinely carry. Oversized bags can be useful for a Game Boy, games, link cable and headphones, but a compact pouch is usually better for travelling.

For boxed games, avoid forcing cartridges into cases that scrape labels or crush cardboard. Store boxes upright, out of direct sunlight and away from damp lofts, garages and sheds. In the UK, moisture swings are often a bigger enemy than dust.

A replacement lens, screen protector and cleaning kit

A scratched plastic lens can make even a perfectly functioning Game Boy look tired. Replacing it is one of the simplest cosmetic refreshes available, and glass lenses offer improved scratch resistance for consoles used regularly. Choose the correct lens for the exact system and screen modification. An original Game Boy Advance lens will not necessarily fit an IPS installation cleanly.

Screen protectors are less glamorous, but useful on a daily player. They should never be fitted over trapped dust or a damaged lens, so clean first. A basic maintenance kit with a soft cloth, cotton buds, high-percentage isopropyl alcohol and a suitable screwdriver is worth keeping nearby. Dirty cartridge contacts are a common reason games fail to boot, and a careful clean often fixes the issue.

Do not pour liquid into the cartridge slot or use abrasive cleaners on screens and labels. A light touch preserves more than an aggressive restoration ever will.

Accessories collectors should buy with caution

The Game Boy Camera and Printer

The Game Boy Camera is one of Nintendo’s most eccentric accessories and has become a favourite among collectors, pixel artists and fans of oddball hardware. It is a real piece of Game Boy history, not just a novelty. Its low-resolution photographs have a distinctive monochrome look, while its built-in mini-games and editing tools make it surprisingly entertaining.

The Game Boy Printer is harder to recommend purely for practical use. Original thermal paper is scarce, old stock can be unreliable, and the printer itself takes space and batteries. As part of a complete Camera setup it is brilliant, particularly in a display alongside compatible games. As a first accessory for someone who simply wants to play, spend the money on a link cable or screen solution first.

The Super Game Boy and Game Boy Player

Playing Game Boy cartridges through a Super Nintendo or GameCube can be one of the best ways to enjoy the library at home. The Super Game Boy adds borders, colour palettes and special features to selected titles, while the Game Boy Player lets you run Game Boy, Game Boy Colour and Game Boy Advance cartridges through a GameCube.

Neither replaces the feeling of a handheld, and both require additional hardware. A Super Game Boy needs a working SNES, while a Game Boy Player needs a GameCube and, for the intended original setup, the Start-up Disc. Still, they are excellent additions for collectors who want to use original cartridges on a television without relying on emulation.

Headphones and adaptors

Most classic Game Boy models include a 3.5mm headphone socket, making a modest pair of wired headphones an easy quality-of-life addition. They are especially useful for RPGs and music-heavy games such as The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening, Wario Land and Pokémon.

The Game Boy Advance SP is the exception: it uses a proprietary headphone port. A small adaptor is required for standard headphones. Original Nintendo adaptors are collectable, but a reliable replacement is perfectly adequate for play. Wireless audio solutions exist, though they can introduce latency and look out of place on an otherwise original setup.

Choose accessories around the Game Boy you actually own

The original grey DMG-01 benefits most from lighting, protection and fresh power. A Game Boy Pocket gains a lot from a case and link cable, while its smaller screen makes good lighting particularly welcome. The Game Boy Colour is ideal for Pokémon trading and collector-focused accessories such as the Camera and Printer. For the Game Boy Advance and SP, a quality screen upgrade and sensible rechargeable power can make a bigger day-to-day difference than any period accessory.

Before buying, check the console’s exact model, region, shell condition and whether it has already been modified. Originality has value, but so does use. At 8BitBeyond, that distinction matters: a pristine boxed handheld deserves sympathetic preservation, while a scuffed console with a tired screen may be waiting to become the machine you actually finish games on. Start with the accessory that removes your biggest barrier to playing, then build the setup that makes you reach for the Game Boy again.