160 by 144
In one sentence
The original Game Boy screen is 160 pixels across and 144 pixels down. That is the entire picture. There is no larger resolution hiding behind it.
The detail
Those 160 by 144 pixels are 20 tiles across and 18 tiles down, because a tile is 8 by 8. A character, a score, and a background all have to share that grid.
A generated game that looks busy is usually drawing too much into those 20 columns. The fix is fewer things on screen, not a bigger display. The later Game Boy Advance has a different screen and a different machine. Retroable does not build for it.
Photos and sketches you upload are references. They are scaled down into this grid. The Game Boy never shows the photo itself.
Worth keeping
- The picture is exactly 160 × 144 pixels
- That is 20 by 18 tiles of 8 × 8
- A sketch is a reference, not a picture the screen can display
Questions
Can the game use a widescreen layout?
No. The original LCD is 160 by 144, slightly taller than it is wide in tiles, and that is the frame.
Why do screenshots look soft when enlarged?
Each pixel is being stretched. The game itself has no more detail than 160 by 144.
Is this the Game Boy Color resolution?
The Color model uses the same 160 by 144 size. The Advance does not, and Retroable does not target it.
Related
Game Boy is a trademark of Nintendo. Retroable is independent and is not affiliated with Nintendo.