Hey everyone, it's Colin. How's it goin'?
Bootleg or clone video game consoles are nothing new,
and often, their quality or playability pales in comparison to the real thing.
But occasionally, one'll come along that has the potential to be even better than the original.
This handheld is one of these.
Let's take a look at the Kong Feng GB Boy Color.
It's quite obvious that this is a copy of the Nintendo Game Boy Color.
It's got the same form factor and largely the same design, with a few small differences.
It's slightly wider and slightly taller,
but you don't really notice it.
And at first glance, it's even got the same functionality,
though looks can be deceiving.
We'll come back to that in a little bit.
It uses a pair of double-A batteries like the original,
it's got a headphone jack, it even has
the lanyard loop in the same location.
The front and back housing don't fit together quite as neatly,
which means it can be a little sharp around the seams.
But the rest of the build quality is surprisingly high.
The plastics are thick and the GB Boy feels solid;
it doesn't creak or flex while you're playing.
Something else that's solid on this console are the buttons.
The A and B buttons are the exact same size as on the original,
but the rubber membrane under 'em is slightly firmer.
This gives 'em a bit more of a tactile response;
they feel a little bit clickier compared to the mushiness
of the Game Boy.
And it's something I happen to prefer.
The design of the D-Pad's a bit different, though.
The ends are rounded and it's overall more concave in shape.
And even though it's the exact same size as the original,
these features make it feel just a bit bigger,
which I think makes it a bit more comfortable.
The biggest change from the Game Boy Color is the Start and Select buttons.
They're actual plastic buttons on the GB Boy, which makes them significantly
easier to press than the tiny rubber buttons on the Nintendo console.
The most obvious difference between the two is the screen
and honestly, this is really what gets this console any attention.
The Game Boy Color has a non-illuminated reflective color screen
that only works if there's decent ambient light.
These days, installing a frontlight's a popular option, and
they work well,
but because of how of they work, you end up with a somewhat washed-out image.
The GB Boy completely gets around these problems because it's got a modern, backlit screen.
It's bright, it's crisp, it's got good color saturation, and it's got a fast refresh rate.
Games simply look *awesome* on this screen.
There's a catch, though.
The screen in the GB Boy is the same size as the Game Boy Color's:
about 60 centimeters measured diagonally.
But it's not the same aspect ratio.
It's shorter and wider than the original, and the console stretches games out to fill the screen.
It's like watching an old TV show on a new widescreen display.
It may not be quite noticeable at first,
but eventually, you start to realize Mario looks a bit fatter than he usually is.
There's another quirk to this console too, and it's the selection of built-in games.
The list will pop up if you turn the GB Boy on without a cartridge installed
The main screen proclaims a 188 in 1,
but this is complete BS.
There are only 66 unique games, they just happen to be listed multiple times.
There are some well-known titles, like
Contra, Super Mario Land, Donkey Kong, and Tetris.
But even though this a clone of the Game Boy Color,
all the games seem to be ROMs of original Game Boy games.
The console will try to add color, just like the real one does, but I'm left feeling like
the built-in games are really more of a gimmick than anything else.
What's also a gimmick is that infrared window on the top of the console.
The actual infrared transmitter and receiver aren't even *in* the system.
You can tell by looking right through the back housing.
It's pretty clear that the window was only included
just to make the console look more authentic.
The final consideration is where to actually buy one of these.
Occasionally, they'll pop up on eBay or Amazon,
but the most consistent place I found to order one is AliExpress.
Sadly, AliExpress doesn't exactly have the best track record when it comes to customer satisfaction.
I've even heard some people refer to it as being closer to gambling than e-commerce...
Well, I think that's a bit of a stretch.
I ordered mine from AliExpress and it showed up just fine,
though I do think it's worth doing your homework on the particular seller
who's offering the version you want.
And speaking of versions, the GB Boy Color comes in six different ones.
I have the so-called "Crystal green" model, but there's also "Clear purple" and "Blue,"
along with solid "Blue," "Yellow," and "Green," all listed on the sides of the box.
The box is a bit misleading too, showing the screen as much bigger than it actually is.
though at least it does list the correct number of built-in games.
So, really, this console is two steps forward and one back.
The size, the weight, the handling, the buttons...
they're all better than they really should be for a cheap clone console like this.
And it is cheap too, going
for around $30 US, with shipping from China.
What you need to decide on your own is whether the compromises in the GB Boy Color:
the screen aspect ratio,
the gimmicky built-in games,
the process of even buying one,
are small enough for the console to still be worth it.
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