About this game
Conker's Pocket Tales (1999) is the Game Boy Color debut of Rare's mischievous squirrel, and the only entry in the series aimed at a family audience. Designed as a Zelda-style top-down action-adventure, it predates the notorious Conker's Bad Fur Day by two years and shows the character as originally conceived — charming and wholesome — before Rare decided to take the N64 version in a radically different adult direction. Composed by Robin Beanland and never released in Japan.
Key Features
Top-down Zelda-inspired action-adventure across multiple themed worlds. Conker must recover his birthday presents stolen by the Evil Acorn. Combat uses a slingshot as Conker's primary weapon. The game features puzzle-solving, NPC interactions, and item collection typical of the action-adventure genre. The complete score was composed by Robin Beanland, with Eveline Fischer handling the technical programming for the GBC sound chip.
The Story Behind
Development on Conker's Pocket Tales began after Rare completed Donkey Kong Land III in 1997. Initially conceived with a darker gothic tone, the project shifted to a family-friendly fantasy aesthetic once early builds of Conker's Bad Fur Day — then called Twelve Tales: Conker 64 — revealed that the N64 version was heading in an adult direction. Pocket Tales thus became a preserved window into Conker's original character conception, before the franchise became synonymous with adult humor.
Tricks & Tales
Conker's Pocket Tales was the first Game Boy Color game developed by Rare. The original character design for Conker was deliberately made cute and family-friendly — a complete contrast to the cigar-smoking, foul-mouthed version that would appear in Conker's Bad Fur Day (2001). The game was published by Nintendo in North America but by Rare themselves in Europe — a split arrangement common in Rare's Nintendo partnership era.
Collector's Guide
Region & Compatibility
Never released in Japan. North America (June 1999, published by Nintendo) and Europe (July 1999, published by Rare) only.
Maintenance Tips
Standard GBC cartridge maintenance. The game uses battery-backed save RAM — check the battery if saves are not retained. Clean contacts with isopropyl alcohol.
Available in our shop
Hand-cleaned and tested units shipped worldwide from Toyohashi, Japan. HP direct purchase exclusive: we include a printed shop owner's note card with every order.
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