About this game
Dragon Warrior Monsters is a 1998 role-playing video game for the game boy color, developed by Enix, directed by Yuji Horii, with music by Koichi Sugiyama. It belongs to the Dragon Quest Monsters series.
Collector's Guide
Region & Compatibility
Like the original DMG, the Game Boy Color is fully region-free. Japanese, North American, and European GBC cartridges all share the same physical format and connector, and the hardware applies no lockout. A Japanese GBC cartridge will run on any GBC from any region without modification. The GBC is also fully backward compatible with original DMG cartridges — when a DMG cart is played on a GBC, the system automatically renders it with one of several colour palettes. GBC-specific cartridges (the 'GBC only' black-tab type) will not run on the original DMG, but will run on the Game Boy Advance as well as the GBC.
Maintenance Tips
Game Boy Color cartridges — the smaller, slightly translucent-shell format — use the same cleaning approach as original DMG carts: a cotton swab with 90% or higher isopropyl alcohol wiped along the contact row, allowed to dry fully before reinsertion. The GBC console's ABS plastic shell faces the same yellowing risk as the DMG when exposed to UV light over time. Notably, several GBC titles — most famously Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal — include a real-time clock (RTC) circuit that runs continuously off a CR2025 coin cell. These batteries are now well over 25 years old; a dead RTC battery means time-based in-game events will not advance, even though the game itself will still load and save normally. This is a distinct issue from save data loss.
Going deeper
Explore the machine this game ran on, and what to check before you buy or care for one:
What to Watch Out For
Before buying, these are the points worth knowing — from someone who handles original Japanese Dragon Warrior Monsters copies regularly.
I want to buy Pokémon Gold, Silver, or Crystal — what should I know about the battery?
These three titles contain a real-time clock (RTC) powered by a CR2025 coin cell that runs even when the console is off. The batteries are now over 25 years old and many have died. A dead RTC battery means time-based events in the game — day/night cycles, certain wild Pokémon spawns, in-game phone calls — will not work correctly, even though the game loads and saves fine. The save battery and the RTC battery are the same cell; a replacement requires soldering. Ask the seller whether the battery has been replaced, and test time-based events if possible before purchase.
How do I identify a fake Game Boy Color cartridge, especially Pokémon titles?
On genuine GBC cartridges, the label includes a small stamped imprint that reproductions cannot replicate convincingly. The cartridge shell color of Pokémon titles is meaningful: Gold has a gold-colored shell, Silver has a silver shell, Crystal has an icy-blue translucent shell. Any Pokémon GBC title in a plain grey or wrong-color cartridge is a reproduction. Inside a genuine cart, the PCB carries Nintendo copyright markings; reproduction boards are typically bare or use entirely different chip configurations. For Gold, Silver, and Crystal, a genuine board will have a coin cell and a crystal oscillator for the RTC — reproductions frequently omit both.
Will original Game Boy (DMG) games play on a Game Boy Color?
Yes. The GBC is fully backward compatible with original DMG cartridges, and plays them with added color palettes. This compatibility is region-free in both directions. The one exception to be aware of: GBC-exclusive cartridges (those labeled 'Game Boy Color' with a black cartridge tab) will not play on the original DMG hardware — they require a GBC or GBA.
Before You Buy
Things worth knowing before you buy Dragon Warrior Monsters
A short checklist for buying a used Game Boy Color cartridge wisely — useful with any seller, anywhere.
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Choose a seller who tests it before shipping
A copy that has actually been powered on and checked is a known quantity. An untested one is a gamble you only settle after it arrives.
Look for a seller who states it was function-tested and says what they confirmed. A serious seller can tell you exactly what was checked.
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Good news — Game Boy Color is region-free
These cartridges are not region-locked, so a Japanese copy plays on any compatible Game Boy worldwide.
Confirm whether the title is Color-only or also works on the original Game Boy.
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If this title saves your progress, check the battery
Cartridges that save use a small coin-cell battery that fades over decades — a dead one wipes your save without warning.
Ask the seller whether the save function was tested. Replacing the battery is possible, but doing so erases any existing save.
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Check that the contacts are clean
Dirty edge contacts are the most common cause of startup and sound trouble in cartridges of this age.
Choose a seller who cleans the contacts before shipping. A note that it was tested and cleaned means the basics were handled.
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Read the seller's reviews and return policy
A 100% positive record across thousands of sales is close to a guarantee — packing, communication and problem-solving all work for everyone. A return policy protects you if something is off.
Read the feedback and confirm a clear return window before you buy.
The last step before buying anywhere is knowing what it's worth.
See what it's selling for on eBay →Unexpected Discoveries
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