"A fun, new twist to an old classic !!"

Battleship has probably been seen in just about as many variations as games like Monopoly. It is truly one of those American classics. If you like board games, then you have played this game and you probably like it. Including this game in the line up of games for the Game Boy was smart, and updating it for Game Boy color was too. I have the GBC verion, and I love it. You start out with five ships and they are as follows:

Submarine: 1 square- The submarine is hard to find, but easy to kill. With the submarine, you get the two types of radar, which let you scan multiple squares to search for your opponent's ships.

Frigate: 2 squares- Some would say this ship is useless, as it has no weapons other than just the normal single-shot. It is however very hard to find, and can give your opponent a tough time. It can also take one more hit than the sub giving you a little more time to find the enemy.

Destroyer: 3 squares- This one is probably my favorite ship in the game. It is not too big and not too small. The destroyer boasts some excellent weapons. The double-shot missile and the triple-shot missiles let you lay waste to an opponent's ship in a single turn.

Battleship: 5 squares- Until you get the carrier, this ship is the pride of your fleet. It is large and very vulnerable, but it takes five hits to sink. The Battleship has the Harpoon and later you get the Tomahawk missile. These two weapons cover large areas and are perfect choices when you are trying to find an enemy ship in a large area.

Later on in the game, you will get the Cruiser and the Carrier.

Cruiser: 4 squares- Next to the destroyer, I like the ship the best. It is a big target, but not as large as the battleship and carrier, but it still has awesome firepower. It can use two types of missiles. The first is the Sea Sparrow, which covers a block of four squares just like the first radar you get on the submarine, except they will deal damage. The Tartar missile is your second option. It covers four squares too, but in a much larger area.

Carrier: 8 squares- This ship is huge, but packs a massive punch. It carries the Trident D9 missile, which covers an impressive 9 squares. When you shoot this, you will hit something. It also carries the F-4 Phantom and F-14 Tomcat fighter planes. They are like the destroyers weapons except the Phantom lets you take four shots and the Tomcat lets you take five.

Gameplay- 9/10 The game is exciting as you are always wondering what will happen next. The menus are easy to use and you will have no trouble playing.

Graphics- 7/10 The games graphics are typical Game Boy style. The GBC version does have better graphics however.

Variety- 10/10 With all the different weapons and ships, it adds a new twist to this classic game.

2P mode- 9/10 The 2-player mode is lots of fun, and you will enjoy it more than the 1-player mode, as your opponent is much more unpredictable.

Difficulty- 9/10 This game can be so easy, and it can be so hard. The upper levels I didn't think I would ever beat, and the game has 48 levels, so you won't beat it in one sitting. It at least has a password save. The ending in 1P mode was kind of neat too as I didn't expect it.

Overall- 8/10 Battleship is a must buy for fans of this popular classic. If you can, persuade a friend to buy it and you can have lots of fun, whether on the road or at home. The Battleship cartridge also has the advantage of working in any Game Boy system, whether it is Game Boy, Game Boy Pocket, or Game Boy Color. It even works on the Super Game Boy for the Super NES. I love this game, you will too if you give it a try.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 10/15/00, Updated 10/15/00