"It's useful, but doesn't live up to potential"

The Game Boy Camera is a very different type of peripheral. It allows the user to take still pictures or view moving ones in quasi-real time. The Camera comes with different lenses, which can be selected through the Game Boy. Most of these really serve no purpose other than to distort the image horribly. If that's what you want, you'll like these.

The games that come along with the Camera are also rudimentary, but surprisingly fun. I especially like juggling. The packed games are kind of like Tetris, a time-killers all, but surprisingly fun nonetheless

The best feature of the camera is that it can be used to watch people or things without looking directly at them. You can turn the camera and lay your head down, watching the whole time. It's very useful for falling asleep in class and making it seem like you're paying attention.

If this camera were in color, it would have received at least a nine, just for the coolness of being able to spy in color on a Gameboy. Perhaps with the Game Boy Advance coming out, Nintendo followers will get a Color Camera.

The camera produces fairly grainy images, and its live mode leaves a little to be desired, because images don't refresh in real time. It is equivalent to watching video on the Internet with a slow modem. As a toy to mess around with friends, and distort their pictures, the Camera is perfect. If you want more, a real camera is probably a better choice.


Overall, the Camera is a fun gimmick, but I definitely recommend trying out a friend's before you buy.

Reviewer's Score: 6/10, Originally Posted: 01/30/00, Updated 01/30/00