ModRetro Chromatic review: a perfect retro revival of the Game Boy and Game Boy Color

The ModRetro Chromatic is the best way to play Game Boy and Game Boy Color games... ever

(Credit: Adam Vjestica/The Shortcut)

🏆 Review Score: 5 out of 5

🏅 Editor’s Choice Award

Pros:

• ✅ 🙌 You won’t want to put it down

• ✅ 💪 Durability isn’t a concern

• ✅ 🥰 A handheld that finally fits in your pocket

• ✅ 🔆 Sunlight-readable backlit display

• ✅ 👍 Pixel perfect with accurate colors

• ✅ 👏 Exceptional D-pad

• ✅ 💨 Zero input lag

Cons:

• ❌ 😖 No suspend and resume

• ❌ 💰 Price may put off anyone other than GB and GBC enthusiasts

• ❌ 🆚 Rival devices like the Analogue Pocket offer more

The Shortcut Review

I thought nothing could dethrone the Nintendo Switch 2 as my gaming console of choice for the foreseeable future, but the ModRetro Chromatic has usurped Nintendo’s latest and greatest as my go-to handheld right now.

Seriously, I can’t put this thing down and have already burned through six AA batteries since it arrived. I’m so besotted with the ModRetro Chromatic, an FPGA handheld that plays Game Boy and Game Boy Color cartridges natively, that I’ve even shelled out for some fresh additions – something that I didn’t expect to happen.

I’ve even purchased a soldering kit to fix some of my old Game Boy games that no longer work because of dead batteries! Yeah, I may have a problem.

(Credit: Adam Vjestica/The Shortcut)

But this just shows how excellent the ModRetro Chromatic is. It’s the perfect retro revival of Nintendo’s iconic handheld, and the best way to experience Game Boy and Game Boy Color games in 2025. In fact, make that ever.

Its pixel-perfect, color-accurate display is arguably the star of the show, allowing you to relive the games you knew and loved just as you remember them, albeit better. The backlit screen means it’s now possible to enjoy your favorite games in searing bright sunlight, rather than huddled under a blanket at the beach.

ModRetro Chromatic specs 🛠️

• Price: $199.99 (Gorilla Glass), $299.99 (Sapphire Glass), GameStop Edition $199.99 (Sapphire Glass)

• Compatibility: Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Chromatic cartridges

• Colors: Cloud, Midnight, Wave, Leaf, Inferno, Volt, Bubblegum

• Display: 160x144 pixel 2.56-inch IPS backlit LCD

The premium design of the ModRetro Chromatic is also worth celebrating. The decision to use a scratch-resistant screen, magnesium shell and AA batteries means the Chromatic will stand the test of time. And every element, from the exceptional D-pad, responsive buttons, and the physical power switch just works wonderfully.

The ModRetro Chromatic is gaming in its purest form, then. It’s aimed at a generation that grew up in a time when graphics weren’t everything, microtransactions were only a glimmer in a greedy executive’s mind, and your time wasn’t wasted waiting for installs, updates, downloads or completing in-game checklists. It’s bliss.

If you have even the smallest fondness for the Game Boy or Game Boy Color, you owe it to yourself (and your inner child) to get a ModRetro Chromatic. It’s that damn good and something that I will enjoy for a long, long time. I can’t wait to see what ModRetro delivers with the M64, but can we also get a Game Boy Advance, please?

A review unit was provided by ModRetro.

What I loved about the ModRetro Chromatic ❤️

(Credit: Adam Vjestica/The Shortcut)

• 🙌 Includes a copy of Tetris for Chromatic. Having something to play right away adds more value to the $199.99 package, but it helps that Tetris for Chromatic is an excellent version of the classic puzzle game. Dropping blocks into position and clearing lines is still just as fun today as it was all those years ago, which makes Tetris the perfect packaged game to include.

• 🙌 You won’t want to put it down. Nintendo was on to something with the original design of the Game Boy, but the Chromatic takes it to the next level. It’s similar in size to a Game Boy Pocket, but features a lightweight magnesium shell that feels fantastic in the hands. It’s an absolute pleasure to hold and surprisingly ergonomic. The body also stays nice and cool to the touch, which is a bonus for those with clammy hands like me.

• 💪 Durability isn’t a concern. The Chromatic has clearly been built to last. You won’t have to worry about screen scratches thanks to its Gorilla Glass or Sapphire Glass display, and the magnesium shell is incredibly durable. This isn’t a cheaply made or flimsy-feeling device.

• 🔆 Sunlight-readable backlit display. The Chromatic display can get extremely bright, and means you can finally realize your dream of playing Game Boy games out in the sunshine. Pictures don’t do it justice, but trust me when I say you’ll be able to take the ModRetro Chromatic on holiday with no need to game in the shade.

The ModRetro Chromatic display is more color accurate than the Analogue Pocket’s. (Credit: Adam Vjestica/The Shortcut)

• 👍 Pixel perfect with accurate colors. Unlike other handhelds that emulate or let you play Game Boy and Game Boy Color games natively, the Chromatic is the only one with a true-to-life, pixel-perfect display. Everything looks like you remember, and there’s no filter or foolery necessary.

• 👏 Exceptional D-pad. If the Chromatic’s D-pad wasn’t up to snuff, it would have affected the entire package. Thankfully, it’s exceptional, and offers excellent, responsive control and never registered a ghost input during hours of Tetris Chromatic. Honestly, it might be the best D-pad on the market.

• 💨 Zero input lag. One element I love about the ModRetro Chromatic is that it offers super low latency gameplay. It’s apparently a millisecond-level match to the original Game Boy hardware, and you can tell. I compared it to the Analogue Pocket, another FPGA device, and there’s definitely a difference. Inputs felt heavier and slower to register on the Analogue Pocket, while the Chromatic was instantaneous. The same was true of playing Game Boy games via Nintendo Switch Online, where the input lag was even more discernible.

• 🔔 The volume wheel gives you fine-grained control. I never realized how much I missed a classic volume wheel until I used the ModRetro Chromatic. It’s so easy to lock in the perfect volume in a cinch or mute the system. You also have more granular control over the volume level, something that traditional volume buttons don’t offer.

• 🔈 The speaker gets super loud. You can blast out your favorite chiptune soundtracks on the ModRetro Chromatic thanks to its ultra-loud speaker. It gets crazy loud but stays clear even at max volume.

• 😮 USB-C out can be used for power or streaming. You’ll find a USB-C port on the bottom of the Chromatic. As well as being able to connect to a PC or Mac to install updates, you can also power the device via USB-C – handy if you’re out of batteries. Also, if you download OBS, you can stream straight from the Chromatic to Twitch or your preferred platform, which is an outstanding feature. It’s super easy to do.

• 👉 It’s feature complete with the OG Game Boy and Game Boy Color. No Game Boy would be worth its salt if it were missing features. But thankfully, the Chromatic not only has a link cable port (a must for Pokémon and multiplayer support) but also an IR emitter/receiver.

• 🔋 It takes AA batteries. The ModRetro Chromatic is powered by three AA batteries, though a rechargeable battery pack can be purchased. The decision to use batteries means there’s no danger of the Chromatic ever dying in the future, as rechargeable batteries are ultimately finite.

• 🔨 You can mod it. Don’t like the feel of the ModRetro Chromatic’s buttons or want to change the colors? No problem, you can change it. The ModRetro Chromatic Mod Kit lets you customize the handheld to your liking for $15. It’s a nice option to have, though the standard buttons and D-pad feel excellent.

(Credit: Adam Vjestica/The Shortcut)

• 🥰 There are brand new games to play. As well as being able to play existing Game Boy and Game Boy Color cartridges, you’ll also find new Chromatic games published by ModRetro. Along with re-released classics like Toki Tori and Sabrina: Zapped, there’s a growing library of 11 ModRetro Originals available. The games come with a beautiful manual and charm that you can attach to the Chromatic, which elevates the entire package and helps drive home the nostalgia. Check out the best ModRetro Chromatic games.

• 🤕 Chromatic games can be updated via Cart Clinic. Speaking of the new Chromatic games, developers can release updates and fixes via Cart Clinic. It’s a handy tool that wasn’t available back in the Game Boy days, and should give you peace of mind when purchasing new titles. It also means that some titles could get new features, like how Tetris for Chromatic added more leaderboard entries.

• 🆕 Firmware updates continue to iron out bugs, add new features. Like the Cart Clinic, ModRetro has released several firmware updates for the Chromatic that ironed out any issues and even added new features. Download the installer tool and grab a USB-C cable, and you’re ready.

What I disliked about the ModRetro Chromatic 💔

(Credit: Adam Vjestica/The Shortcut)

• 😖 No suspend and resume. Even though the old-school simplicity of the ModRetro Chromatic is one of its biggest strengths, the lack of suspend and resume is a little jarring at first. Knowing you can only turn off the system once you’ve saved or reached the end of the level for the password screen takes some getting used to. ModRetro has said it’s a feature that could be added via a future firmware update, which I’d love to see.

• 💰 Price may put off anyone other than GB and GBC enthusiasts. At $199.99 for the Gorilla Glass version or $299.99 for the Sapphire Glass version, the ModRetro Chromatic certainly isn’t cheap. It’s almost the same price as a Nintendo Switch Lite, which was $199.99 until the Nintendo Switch price increases. That doesn’t mean the ModRetro Chromatic isn’t worth it. However, it’s probably a price only enthusiasts will realistically pay.

(Credit: Adam Vjestica/The Shortcut)

• 🤏 Menu button is a little too recessed. The Chromatic’s menu button is located underneath the volume wheel, but it’s a little fiddle to press down. It’s not something you use often, other than to adjust the screen’s brightness on the fly or change a few settings, but I wish it required less force to press and stuck out like a normal button.

I much prefer the ModRetro Chromatic over the Analogue Pocket for its pixel and color accurate display, lighter, premium feel, and excellent D-pad.

• 🆚 Rival devices like the Analogue Pocket offer more for the money. It’s impossible to write a ModRetro Chromatic review without mentioning its closest rival, the Analogue Pocket. The Analogue Pocket lets you play Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance games. It can also play Game Gear, Neo Geo Pocket/Color, Atari Lynx, TurboGrafx-16, PC Engine, and SuperGrafx games with extra cartridge adapters. Throw in modern-day features like save states, suspend and resume, screenshots, and more flexibility, and the Analogue Pocket seems like a simple decision for only $20 more than the ModRetro Chromatic. However, I much prefer the ModRetro Chromatic for its pixel and color accurate display, lighter, premium feel, and its excellent D-pad. There’s also no perceptible input lag, which makes a massive difference.

Should you buy the ModRetro Chromatic? 🤔

(Credit: Adam Vjestica/The Shortcut)

Yes, if…

• ✅ You’re a retro gaming enthusiast who loves Game Boy and Game Boy Color games

• ✅ You want the most authentic possible experience and not an emulation

• ✅ You’d like a handheld that’s actually portable and playable outside

No, if…

• ❌ You’re more than happy to emulate Game Boy or Game Boy Color games

• ❌ You want one device that can play games from multiple systems

Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.