Save up to 15% off the Chromatic Starter Pack

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Play cartridges, Old and New

Chromatic plays physical Game Boy® and Game Boy Color® cartridges, plus a growing library of new releases. No internet required and no downloads. Just cartridge-based games you own.

  • Game Boy® and Game Boy Color®

    PLAYS ORIGINAL CARTRIDGES

  • 20+ and growing

    NEW PHYSICAL RELEASES

Build to feel solid.

Chromatic’s shell is crafted from lightweight, durable magnesium for a rock solid, cool-touch feel. Choose Gorilla Glass for scratch resistance and excellent drop protection or opt for Sapphire for near diamond hardness.

Designed for clarity.

Chromatic uses a bright, backlit display with the exact native resolution of the original Game Boy. There’s no upscaling and no blur. Just clean, crisp pixels exactly as the games were designed to look.

Free from notifications.

Cartridge games don’t send alerts or messages. There are no banners, feeds, or interruptions competing for your attention while you play.

When you pick it up, the game is the only thing in front of you.

  • Free Shipping

  • 1 Year Warranty

  • 30 Days Return

Pick It Up and Play

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Why Cartridge Games Feel Different

Cartridge games offered less guidance by design. You learned by trying, failing, and paying attention, not by being constantly prompted.

Progress came from understanding patterns and systems over time. Play felt more intentional because you were actively figuring things out.

These games had real endings. You started, focused, finished, and moved on. Clear stopping points made play feel complete instead of endless.

That difference comes from how these games were designed to be played.

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Shop with Confidence

Shop confidently with secure payments and support.

ModRetro Chromatic Analogue Pocket Game Boy Color®
Display

160×144
Exact resolution original games were designed for

1600×1440
Not 1:1 with original games (scaling required)

160×144
Exact resolution original games were designed for
Backlit
Shell Material

Metal

Plastic

Plastic
Games Included

Tetris® included
Streaming

Extra dock required
Original Game Boy Layout
Battery Life

19 hrs

6-10hrs

10 hrs
Games Compatibility

Game Boy®, Game Boy Color®, and new games from ModRetro

Game Boy®, Game Boy Color®, Game Boy® Advance, and new games from ModRetro

Game Boy®, Game Boy Color®, and new games from ModRetro
Price

Starts at $199.99 (New)

$249.99 (New)

$50–$100 (Used)
$150–$200 (With Modding)

Input Latency Test

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Chromatic is fully compatible with original Game Boy and Game Boy Color cartridges—just plug in and start playing. The custom backlit screen is a direct replica of the original 160×144 resolution, so you’ll experience each game exactly as it was meant to be played, now with crystal-clear visibility in any lighting.

Chromatic is the best Game Boy ever made. It’s a tribute to the original, rebuilt with modern materials and tech. The magnesium alloy shell gives it a rock-solid, cool-to-the-touch feel that sets it apart from plastic handhelds. The screen matches the original Game Boy resolution exactly—but now it’s backlit, bright, and built for today. Choose between Gorilla Glass or ultra-durable Sapphire. It’s everything you loved, just better.

Chromatic plays original Game Boy and Game Boy Color cartridges—and also has its own growing library of new games. These include brand-new titles, remastered classics, and re-releases from the Game Boy era, all on physical cartridges.

Each Chromatic comes with the console, a free copy of Tetris® (for a limited time), and 3 AA batteries so you can start playing right out of the box.

Yes. Chromatic runs on 3 AA batteries and works with standard rechargeables. We also offer a rechargeable battery pack as an optional accessory.

No. Chromatic isn’t an emulator. It’s a real, cartridge-based console with custom hardware that plays your games natively—no software emulation, no lag. It’s designed to match the timing and input feel of the original Game Boy Color.

Chromatic works out of the box—just insert a cartridge and play. But we do recommend keeping your firmware up to date to get the latest features and improvements. Updates are easy and only take a few minutes.

Yes. You can stream or record directly from Chromatic using a USB-C connection to your Mac or PC. It’s perfect for sharing gameplay, posting content, or jumping into a Discord stream.

Every Chromatic purchase comes with a free copy of Tetris® for a limited time—no code needed, no extra steps. It ships in the box with your console.

We offer a 30-day return window and a 1-year warranty on all consoles. If something’s not right, we’ll make it right.

Orders typically ship within 1 business day and arrive within 3-5 business days depending on your location.

5.0
Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars
Based on 1,365 reviews
1,365 reviews
  • Meiling S.
    Verified Buyer
    21 seconds ago
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    Best chromatic machine

    What I like about the Chromatic is that it plays all my Gameboy games to perfection. And I can actually see the screen without that annoying worm light. The screen is beautifully lit up where no matter where and what time of the day you play, you can see perfectly! And it will colorize all your black and white gameboy games

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  • Nathanael M.
    Verified Buyer
    Yesterday
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    More fun than I expected

    I've bought quite a few old devices over the years for nostalgias sake, this beats all of them. I want it on me at all times for a quick game of Tetris.

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  • Tobias M.
    Verified Buyer
    Yesterday
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    It really is the ultimate Gameboy Color experience. You will never need to buy another device for GBC!

    I was sceptical when the Chromatic was announced. The gameboy was my first ever "console" and I still have a lot of old GB and GBC Carts form my childhood. What really won me over was the incredible contact that the support of ModRetro provides. Transparency, quickness and incredible gently informing answers. As an European the shipping was also handled so well.

    The Chromatic has never failed me since I got it. No fuss! an incredible piece of technology. Perfectly build and the best part is: You are buying into an "ecosystem" as this company does not just sell the hardware but also incredible rereleases and completely new experiences.

    The packaging and style of everything that ModRetro does makes you feel like a kid all over again. It is an incredible feeling to be as excited as I was unboxing my first gameboy with the game Tetris.

    Just amazing from top to bottom!

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  • DENIS P. (.
    Verified Buyer
    Yesterday
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    Excellent!

    Chromatic + Tetris Bundle is a clean, premium retro package that pairs the ModRetro Chromatic handheld with the iconic Tetris. The hardware feels solid and modern while staying true to the original Game Boy experience, and Tetris remains endlessly addictive as ever. Together, they form the perfect “pick up and play” combo for both newcomers and retro fans.

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  • Martin H.
    Verified Buyer
    Yesterday
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    Great service and an exceptional console

    I absolutely love my Chromatic. I don't think they're exaggerating when they say it's the most authentic GameBoy experience available today. I was also really impressed by the service from Modretro. Ordering was quick and painless. The product was dispatched same day, the tracking was real-time and it arrived quickly. Very happy with my purchase.

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