Being able to play the Pokémon Game Boy games on N64 using a Transfer Pak was pretty nifty back in the day.
It’s just a shame these were the only titles you could play through it.
But now thanks to a new Pokémon Stadium 2 ROM hack called the Standalone Stadium Game Boy Emulator, it’s possible to play many more Game Boy games on N64.
There are some limitations and drawbacks, but overall it’s a good first attempt. And it’s certainly a lot cheaper and easier than trying to get hold of a Wide-Boy 64.
What is the Standalone Stadium Game Boy Emulator?
Created by Zoinkity, this Pokémon Stadium 2 ROM hack transforms the game into a Game Boy Color emulator.
Boot up the software with a Game Boy game inside the Transfer Pak and it’ll immediately begin to load it. This can take a short while, depending on how big the Game Boy game is.
It’s worth noting that any game over 2MB in size definitely won’t work. And there’s no guarantee that games under that threshold will function. So be prepared for a lot of trial and error.
To top it off, I personally wasn’t able to get any Game Boy Color-exclusive games to work through it.
These limitations aside, the emulator works in a similar, albeit stripped-down way to the Super Game Boy peripheral for the SNES.
Where supported, games will have decorative borders and even appear in colour.
That said, you’re not able to change between a selection of colour palettes, as per the Super Game Boy.
The Standalone Stadium Game Boy Emulator does, however, have one advantage: speed settings.
Just like in Pokémon Stadium 2, it’s possible to play supported Game Boy games at double or triple speed. Not bad at all!
Overall, original Game Boy games generally work and run fairly smoothly. They also have sound too, which is more than what the GB Hunter can do.
But you may encounter other issues such as games being stuck in an indefinite state of trying and failing to save. This then prevents you from being able to change the game speed.
How can I play Game Boy games on N64 using the Transfer Pak?
Head to Romhacking.net to download the Standalone Stadium Game Boy Emulator patch.
Using Delta Patcher, you must then apply the patch to a clean NTSC version of Pokémon Stadium 2.
To run it off original N64 hardware, you’ll need to use a flashcart such as an EverDrive 64.
What do you think of the Standalone Stadium Game Boy Emulator?
Will you be trying it? If you’ve already given it a go, what are your thoughts?
Let me know what you think on Twitter or Facebook.
