The Game Boy has had some wild accessories over the years. From magnifying gadgets that make it look like a transformer to arcade joysticks that make you feel like you've jumped straight into the set of Stranger Things, we were never short of accessories that made us say 'wow' and fall in love with Nintendo's iconic handheld all over again. Still, of all the peripherals that dropped, the Game Boy printer was probably the most coveted and is still a much sought-after collectible today.
For those of you who have never used a Game Boy Printer before, it hooked up to your Game Boy DMG via a link cable and would print images from games when you were prompted, using thermal paper rather than ink. Games would instruct you to print something, and the printer would use heat transfer technology to make the image.
The first game that was made to be compatible with the printer itself was Pokémon Yellow, which brings me on to Pallet Printer's Instagram account. You see, Pokémon Yellow gives you the option to print every Pokémon's Pokédex entry after you have captured them. And, if you complete the Pokédex, which assumedly means that you have 151 pictures of Pokémon on little slips from your Game Boy Printer, then you are given the ultimate easter egg of all time - you can print off a diploma from Game Freak to display proudly on your wall.
It takes around 40 seconds to print each Pokédex entry, and Pallet Printer is planning to sleeve and display them all on some shelving beside corresponding Pokémon figurines.
A small printed diploma might not seem enough to some of you for traversing Kanto and becoming the ultimate Pokémon master, but I essentially got the same thing when I completed my degree, and that cost me thousands of pounds, so this feels like a much better deal.
Pallet Printer is working to capture and print every Pokédex entry, documenting their progress on their Instagram account and working towards getting that diploma at the end of the game! Follow to keep up to date with their progress, and maybe you can try to match their efforts and get the diploma for yourself at the same time!
Discussing The Challenge With Pallet Printer
Retro Dodo: When did you first discover this little Easter Egg, and are you using a Game Boy Printer from your youth?
Pallet Printer: I started playing through the Generation 1 Pokémon games again a couple of years ago - mostly just for the nostalgia hit. That’s when I really started digging into the more obscure parts of the game and discovered the ability to print out Pokedex entries, caught Pokemon stats, and of course the Diploma when you complete your Pokedex.
Pallet Printer: I never had a Game Boy Printer growing up - I had to get mine second-hand off eBay. It seems these things usually weren’t used too often, so finding one in decent condition is quite easy.
Retro Dodo: How much printer paper will you go through, and how easy is it for you to acquire it these days?
Pallet Printer: I think I’ll be using around 4 rolls of printer paper, which is more than I expected. Unfortunately, the OEM Nintendo paper has all expired, though, so I had to source some new stuff from Japan. It’s an unusual paper size, but a company called Seiko still makes it.
Retro Dodo: What is your process for moving through the game – have you got any tactics?
Pallet Printer: I’ve set a few rules for myself - the main one being that if a Pokémon can be caught in the wild, then that’s how I’m going to obtain it, which means most Pokémon won’t need to be evolved. Since I am planning to complete the Pokédex though, my core team will mainly consist of those Pokémon who do need evolving, and also any others that can inflict status conditions to make catching easier.
Retro Dodo: Which Pokémon are you most looking forward to catching - everyone has a favourite.
Pallet Printer: I’ve always been really fond of the Geodude line - you can catch it fairly early, and they’re a solid team member all the way through the game. For this playthrough, though, I’m most looking forward to getting Parasect - it has the 100% accurate sleep-inducing move “Spore” which is invaluable when you’re trying to catch them all.
Retro Dodo: What does Pokémon Yellow mean to you on a nostalgic level - have you got a poignant moment that you think back on while playing?
Pallet Printer: It’s the first Pokémon game I ever owned and still my favourite to this day. I have vivid memories of going to the store with my dad to buy it back in ‘99. Hearing Pallet Town’s theme music still gives me a warm, cosy feeling of being home, so this project is a bit of a love letter to my favourite game.
Retro Dodo: How are you planning to keep followers updated - will it be one new print a day? And how are you planning to display them?
Pallet Printer: The idea for it right now is to catch and print a few Pokémon each week. I already run a YouTube channel called “Picocosmos” which takes up most of my time, so I just started this as a bit of a side project. I put some simple wooden shelves up where I plan to display each printed Pokédex entry alongside its corresponding Pokémon Tomy figure. I loved the Tomy figures as a kid, so it’s nice to connect them to the games in this way.
