Play Great Battle Pocket, The (Japan) Online in your browser

The game loads when you press Play · press “Play Now” inside the game if it asks.

Great Battle Pocket, The (Japan)

36 plays

What is Great Battle Pocket, The?

The Great Battle Pocket is a Japan-only Game Boy Color title that arrived in the late 1990s, part of Banpresto's Great Battle series. This handheld version shrinks the usual console fighting formula down to a portable screen, letting you take the crossover action on the go. As with other entries in the line, it brings together characters from popular tokusatsu shows, but the exact roster and story details for this pocket edition are not widely documented. It was released exclusively in Japan, so English-speaking players have mostly encountered it through imports or emulation. The game uses the Game Boy Color's improved hardware to deliver sprite-based battles, though the limited palette and smaller screen mean the action is more compact than its console cousins. If you are a fan of the series or curious about portable fighting games from that era, this is an interesting curio worth checking out. Gameplay revolves around one-on-one fights, where you pick a character and go head-to-head against an opponent. You control your fighter with the D-pad and buttons for attacks, jumps, and special moves, with the goal being to deplete the other's health bar before they do the same to you. The structure is typical for a fighting game: you fight through a series of matches, each against a different opponent, with a final boss waiting at the end. There might be a story mode and a versus mode, but specifics are scarce because the game never left Japan. The controls feel responsive for the hardware, and the action moves at a decent clip, though the small sprites and simple backgrounds reflect the GBC's limits. Expect to rely on pattern recognition and quick reflexes, as most fights follow the classic 2D fighter rhythm. Today, The Great Battle Pocket stands as a niche title even among retro collectors, mainly due to its regional exclusivity and the fact that the Great Battle series never got much attention outside Japan. If you already enjoy crossover fighters with a tokusatsu flavor, or you are hunting down every notable Game Boy Color fighting game, it is worth a play. That said, it is not a groundbreaking or particularly deep fighter - it is a competent, straightforward brawler built for portability. The lack of an official English release means menus are all in Japanese, which can be a hurdle, but the core gameplay is intuitive enough to figure out through trial and error. It fills a specific corner of the system's library and offers a quick dose of arcade-style combat on the go.

GAME INFO

Platform: Game Boy Color
Genre: Fighting
Players: 1
Region: Japan

How to play Great Battle Pocket, The online

Getting Started

When you boot up The Great Battle Pocket, you will likely see a title screen with Japanese text. Press Start (Enter on the emulator) to proceed to the main menu, which probably offers options like story mode, versus mode, and options. Since the game is entirely in Japanese, you may need to experiment with the menu items. Look for a single-player mode (often the first option) to start the arcade ladder. You will then be taken to a character select screen where you choose your fighter from a small roster of tokusatsu heroes and villains.

The core loop is straightforward: win rounds by defeating your opponent. Each match is a best-of-three fight. Use the D-pad to move left and right, press the A button to jump, and the B button to perform standard attacks. Special moves can be triggered by combining directional inputs with button presses - for example, a quarter-circle forward plus attack. The game will likely have a simple combo system and a health bar that depletes with each hit. If you lose a round, you get a chance to continue, but eventually the game ends if you run out of continues.

Pay attention to the opponent's patterns and learn when to block (usually holding back on the D-pad) to survive. The AI can be tough, so practice basic attacks and specials. If you are unfamiliar with Japanese menus, try pressing the B button to cancel or go back, and A to confirm. Navigation is mostly trial and error, but the gameplay itself is intuitive once you get into a fight. Enjoy the retro crossover brawling!

CONTROLS

Controls

Arrow Keys: D-Pad / Movement
X: A button (jump / confirm)
S: B button (run / attack / cancel)
Enter: Start / Pause
V: Select

Great Battle Pocket, The FAQ

Who developed Great Battle Pocket, The?

The specific developer of Great Battle Pocket is not widely documented. It was published by Banpresto as part of their Great Battle series, but the internal studio responsible is unclear in most English-language sources. The game likely involved Banpresto's own development team, which handled many of their portable titles during that period.

Is Great Battle Pocket, The exclusive to Game Boy Color or did it appear on other systems?

Great Battle Pocket was released exclusively for the Game Boy Color in Japan. It did not appear on any other platform, and there is no known port or remake. The game was designed specifically for the portable hardware and was not part of the main console Great Battle releases, though it shares the same crossover theme.

What type of game is Great Battle Pocket, The?

Great Battle Pocket is a fighting game where players select characters from tokusatsu properties and battle one-on-one. The gameplay follows standard 2D fighting conventions: health bars, rounds, and special moves executed via directional inputs. It belongs to the larger Great Battle series, which typically blends action and fighting elements with licensed characters.