Someone Put GTA V On The OG Game Boy

Although GTA V didn't come out until 2013, someone has ported the record-breaking Grand Theft Auto game and put it on the Game Boy.

24th Jan 2022 12:48

Nintendo | Rockstar Games

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Retro gaming is all the rage right now - well, when hasn't it been? As we head up into the attic and drag out our old consoles, there might be a temptation to whack them on the nearest auction site in hopes of earning a pretty penny. Still, others of us have them pride of place in our gaming setups. 

An often overlooked piece of gaming history is the Game Boy. While it's easy to forget the importance of this handheld hero in modern gaming, remember you wouldn't have the Nintendo Switch without it. Now, modders have given you a whole new reason to rummage this legend out of storage.

Can You Play GTA V On The Game Boy?

Amazingly, someone has made it possible to play 2013's GTA V on the Game Boy. You might question how a console that originally came out in 1989 can play Rockstar's record-breaking GTA game, but trust us, it's been done. 

Over on YouTube, Sebastian Staacks shows off the impressive WiFi-enabled cartridge that fits neatly into the back of the Game Boy. Although it's clever, he points out it's not actually using the Game Boy's hardware. On his blog, Staacks explained, "A few weeks ago I created a Game Boy cartridge with built-in WiFi. Now I taught it to stream video and play games—in full resolution. At 20 fps. On an unmodified original Game Boy."

It's not the perfect way to play GTA V, and I don't think many of us will be dashing for a way to see Trevor Phillips in all this glitchy glory. Still, Staacks has made the code available if you want to try it for yourselves. It might be a nice trip down memory lane with your trusted Game Boy.

Will More GTA Games Come To The Game Boy?

The Game Boy wasn't discontinued until 2003, so it was technically possible that someone could've put the first GTA on the handheld. Instead, it found a home on both the Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance. It's also true that 1999's GTA II was on the GBC, but apart from Grand Theft Auto Advance for the GBA and Chinatown Wars for the DS, the franchise has moved on from Nintendo handhelds - well, until the maligned GTA Trilogy came to Switch last year.

Now that someone has created a GTA V port, how much longer until he OP or someone else goes back and puts more entries on the 30-year-old Game Boy? Of course, it didn't take someone long to use Staack's cartridge to run DOOM on the Game Boy. With Rockstar still refusing to confirm GTA 6 is in the works, it should give us something to do in the meantime. 

 

Tom Chapman

About The Author

Tom Chapman

Tom is Trending News Editor at GGRecon, with an NCTJ qualification in Broadcast Journalism and over seven years of experience writing about film, gaming, and television. With bylines at IGN, Digital Spy, Den of Geek, and more, Tom’s love of horror means he's well-versed in all things Resident Evil, with aspirations to be the next Chris Redfield.

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