Wide Boy 64 (Developer testing device)
Device by Nintendo
Reviewed by The Avardancer
Released: 1998.. ONLY for Developers... :(
Height: About 6 and a half inches high!
Width: Same as an N64 cartridge: about 4 inches
Depth: 3/4ths of an inch. (Same thickness as an N64 cartridge.)
Weight: About 1 pound.
Colors on-screen: Same as Game Boy Color
Total Palette: Same as Game Boy Color
CPU speed: Same as Game Boy Color
Serial Communications Rate: Same as Game Boy Color
Use with: N64!

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Opening Snide Remarks: Sometimes... I luck out. Yup. I went to that Pokémon
League Training Tour in 1999 and I beat everyone I fought.. AND I got to go
against a GYM Trainer. The GYM trainers have these nice little gadgets hooked
up to an N64 hooked up to a VERY large screen.. so I had a little bit of fun.
I asked if I could "play" with the device after the match; because I brought
a bunch of my games in my backpack. So.. I got to try it out and this is the
review of this bitter sweet device.

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Impressions: Well, I usually review something after a long period of play
testing. But, I was only able to garner an hours worth of play testing time
and I tried it with many many things. :) On a somewwhat bitter note; the
device is thoroughly compatible with the Game Shark. (ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
ha ha!) Well, unless you use a GBC Only game in it. But the way it is built
prevents the use of a Game Genie. Anyways, the game cartridge is placed with
the label out on a little black "ridge" that sticks out of the front of the
cartridge. The cartridge also has a Game Link cable port of testing out Game
Link options, etc. Now, the reason it it isn't available for the public is a
bit iffy at best. The device does NOT feature any Super Game Boy options and
it's a bit stiff.. you can change the color scheme with the Keypad of the
N64 controller when you turn it on; just like a normal Game Boy Color; but
that's it. It literally screams "incomplete". The Analogue stick is used to
zoom the screen in and out. It displays a nice "Game Boy Color" look alike
border and you can turn on the N64's Anti-Aliasing effect by hitting L & R
at the same time. At least that's what it looks like when you do that. It
makes the game switch from a slight blur to a kinda sharp-edged look. It is
NOT full screen either. There are thick black borders on each side of the
game's screen. But it's okay. Control is done with the B, A, START, and Z
buttons on the N64. Z is "SELECT". (Which seems a little akward.) The device
is nice for what it does; but it feels like it would need a ton of polish if
it were ever distributed in retail.

I didn't run into any Game Boy games that DIDN'T work on it. Even my Wisedom
Tree Bible cartridge worked on it. :) Anyways, it has the same compatibilty
issues as the GBC.. and I didn't get to try every title I own on it. (I did
not bring anything that wasn't fully compatible with my GBC with me. Anyways,
it does seem to muffle the sound a bit on some games. But hey! It works well
for developers.. and if you are thinking of developing a Game Boy Color game;
than you should get one! Although.. if you just want to hunt it down to play
games on it.. forget it.. the device is expensive and while it can play games
like Klax, Ken Griffey Jr's. Slugfest, and Super Mario Bros. Deluxe on it..
it is in no way better than the Super Game Boy device.

Liked: You can play you Game Boy Color games on the N64 with it. I liked the
"zooming" bit and the ability to use it for taking screenshots of games like
Super Mario Bros. Deluxe, etc. Playing a Game Boy Color only on the big
screen shows you how the games are SUPPOSED to look. :) You can daisy chain
two N64's together with the game link and two televisions for some AWESOME
multi-player matches. :)

Hated: It treats games with SuperGameBoy attachments like dirt, the cartridge
hangs out a bit unprotected, it's sticks out the N64 like a sore thumb; there
is ONLY one border, and the N64 makes it a little tough to do things with its
gratuitous lack of a normal SELECT button. Sigh. Anyways, if you have a SNES
and a SUPER GAME BOY -That whole deal will cost you less than one of these
puppies- don't lose sleep over not owning or getting to use one of these. It
isn't better than the SUPER GAME BOY. It doesn't even acknowledge the two
player SUPER GAME BOY enchancement of Power Quest. (Which is a GORGEOUS game
on this by the way. Same with Legend of Zelda 4 DX. Drool. Let's not get
started on Bugs Bunny's Crazy Castle 4; or Slugfest...)

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Improve: If this was to be released for normal retail.. it would need a way
to "protect" the game that is in it, it would need to be able to allow you to
use the Super Game Boy or the Game Boy Color palletes. (Let you choose.) It
would also have to be a bit smaller.. this thing is freaking big and not the
least bit pretty. The anti-aliasing bit would need to be dumped; and it need
to be able to process sound a little better.

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Final Words: There you go.. now that we know what it is capable of... go buy
a SUPER GAME BOY and a SNES.. you'll like that a lot better. Sure, you won't
be able to play Super Mario Bros. Deluxe on it.. but it doesn't matter that
much. :) Stick with what we have... and don't lose sleep over this item. I'm
not.. if I want to test a retail game to it's fullest.. I have a Game Boy,
Game Boy Pocket, Game Boy Color, and a Super Game Boy I can use instead.. and
those are a bit better. :)

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Score: 60%

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Secrets: Oh, the Game Boy Camera does work on it. :)