The Game Boy Printer, known as the in Japan, is a thermal printer accessory released by Nintendo. It allows users to print special images from over 100 compatible Game Boy and Game Boy Color games onto thermal paper, which can then be applied as stickers. The accessory was designed primarily for use with the Game Boy Camera, which it released alongside in 1998.
Overview
thumb|The Japanese version, known as the Pocket Printer
The Game Boy Printer was originally designed by Hirokazu Tanaka for use with the Game Boy Camera. It connects to the Game Boy through the system's EXT port, similar to the Game Link Cable. As different Game Boy models feature differently-sized ports, the printer is packaged with a "Universal Game Link Cable" that features multiple connector types. The device is compatible with all Game Boy models except the Game Boy Micro, which cannot play Game Boy and Game Boy Color games.
The printer requires six AA batteries for power.
Games with Game Boy Printer support
thumb|Internal components of the Game Boy Printer
The Game Boy Printer was primarily intended to act as a companion to the Game Boy Camera, allowing players to print their photographs. However, multiple other games released between 1998 and 2001 featured support for the Game Boy Printer, allowing players to print their high scores or special unlockable images. this feature would be carried forward to later Pokémon series entries on the system.
- Alice in Wonderland
- Animal Breeder 3 (Japan only)
- Animal Breeder 4 (Japan only)
- Austin Powers: Oh, Behave!
- Austin Powers: Welcome to My Underground Lair!
- Columns GB: Tezuka Ozamu Characters (Japan only)
- Cross Hunter: Monster Hunter Version (Japan only)
- Disney's Tarzan
- Donkey Kong Country
- Doraemon Kart 2 (Japan only)
- Fairy Kitty no Kaiun Jiten: Yousei no Kuni no Uranai Shugyou (Japan only)
- Fisher-Price Rescue Heroes: Fire Frenzy
- Game Boy Camera
- Golf Ou: The King of Golf (Japan only)
- Hamster Club (Japan only)
- Hello Kitty no Beads Koubou (Japan only)
- Konchuu Hakase 2 (Japan only)
- The Little Mermaid 2: Pinball Frenzy
- Little Nicky
- Logical
- Love Hina Pocket (Japan only)
- Majokko Mari-chan no Kisekae Monogatari (Japan only)
- McDonald's Monogatari: Honobono Tenchou Ikusei Game (Japan only)
- Mickey's Speedway USA
- Mission: Impossible
- Monster ★ Race Okawari (Japan only)
- Nakayoshi Pet Series 2: Kawaii Usagi (Japan only)
- Nintama Rantarou: Ninjutsu Gakuen ni Nyuugakushou no Dan (Japan only)
- Pocket Family GB (Japan only)
- Pokémon Crystal
- Pokémon Gold
- Pokémon Pinball
- Pokémon Silver
- Pokémon Yellow: Special Pikachu Edition
- Pro Mahjong Tsuwamono GB (Japan only)<!--Pocket Printer icon appears on box-->
- Purikura Pocket 3: Talent Debut Daisakusen (Japan only)
- Quest for Camelot
- RPG Tsukuuru GB (Japan only)
- Sanrio Timenet: Kako Hen (Japan only)
- Sweet Ange (Japan only)
- Trade & Battle: Card Hero (Japan only)
- Tsuri Sensei 2 (Japan only) During development of Pokémon Snap (1999), Satoru Iwata experimented with transferring photos to the Game Boy Camera using the Transfer Pak so that they could be printed using the Game Boy Printer; however, the development team found the resulting image quality to be insufficient, and the feature was abandoned in favor of printing stickers through print stations at specific retailers.
Legacy
Due to the discontinuation of its proprietary printer paper and the impermanence of thermal printing, the Game Boy Printer does not see significant use in the modern day. As a result, hobbyists have developed alternate homebrew methods to transfer printer images from the Game Boy to more modern devices.
Some homebrew games developed since the system's discontinuation have featured Game Boy Printer support. The instax mini Link, a printer released by Fujifilm in 2021 which allows images to be printed from a Nintendo Switch, has also drawn comparisons to the Game Boy Printer by the gaming press.