Cool Bits - The Bizarre Secrets of the Super Game Boy

[@MysticalCatlife]

If you remember these types of videos as far back as a decade ago, you’re legendary

[@WilliamJester-sd7rh]

I remember these videos from my childhood.

[@speedymatt1236]

Same

[@Poever]

I do~

[@evansweb5934]

I miss the old intro sound 😪

[@WilliamJester-sd7rh]

@@evansweb5934 agreed

[@blackskrillexvevo]

mannn i havent seen a coolbits video in years. if this is what a solo-André catalog will look like then im excited! used to watch these all the time as a kid so glad to see the format has returned :D.

[@JonLeung1]

9:13 - Thanks to the Game Link ports, I use TWO Super Game Boy 2s and TWO Super NESes and TWO copies of Tetris, along with an HDMI multiviewer, to play two-player Game Boy Tetris on the big screen, with both players' screens simultaneously visible to everyone. My brother and I run a yearly video game tournament that covers multiple games across multiple generations, and two-player Tetris is a very popular pick!

[@GameXplain]

That sounds like an epic setup! And that tournament sounds like a lot of fun

[@jasonramirez1064]

THE SERIES IS BACK!

[@NCDude5023]

It’s amazing that you brought back Cool Bits Andre Thanks! I cannot wait to see what new easter eggs come next from either New games or old ones on Cool Bits!

[@kevyjoe413]

This is what I wish the NSO Game Boy app was. Why won't Nintendo bring back the Super Game Boy? Is it because it's hard to handle that much emulation?

[@Chrisezo]

You can actually emulate Super Gameboy on some of the emulators that are out there. So its not that its difficult to emulate, its just that Nintendo is lazy, and they like doing the bare minimum nowadays.

[@renakunisaki]

So fun fact, Super Game Boy isn't an emulator. It's actually a Game Boy's innards stuck into a SNES cartridge. You can still emulate the SNES part of it, but you'd need to pair that with a GB emulator to be useful. The GB Player for GameCube is the same: a GBA stuffed into a cartridge.

[@kingbrettpro]

@@renakunisaki You mean a disc, not cartridge. The Gamecube uses discs.

[@djredshow]

​@kingbrettpro well you need an attachment, a startup disc and original cartridges. The games do pop in pretty much the same.

[@90sNath]

​@@renakunisakinonono, they mean emulating the Super Nintendo playing the Super Game Boy

[@RedUmbre]

hearing that music actually made me emotional. glad to see it come back!!

[@PeachToadstool]

Yep! It came back for this grand return, but if you listen to the end of the video, it's a hint at what's to come!

[@knuclear200x]

Aw, yeah! The original Switch. Lock-on technology was such a magical rarity.

[@eddievg83]

Gamexplain liked a PDF 's comment (knuclear200x). No wonder your staffed left.

[@redbomberx354]

​@@eddievg83Wtf are you rambling on about? Touch some grass, maybe.

[@JASpiring]

Yeah, only other lock-ons that come to mind are Sonic & Knuckles and cheat devices such as Game Genie.

[@rgkong8783]

Never thought I’d see this series back :,)… *pure nostalgia.*

[@patrice1706]

Ayyyy this put a smile on my face to see this series return! I haven't watched these in forevah!

[@NightFlyStudio]

Really liking the content on the channel recently. Good stuff.

[@GameXplain]

Thank you! So glad you're enjoying it! :)

[@SonicGamerGirl2006]

So glad to see the return of Cool Bits! LOVED that series when I was younger! 😊😁💙

[@lmarcos21]

This is the type of details that make Nintendo peoducts so unique and fun. Great video, Andre!

[@Anamonator]

Im glad they are bringing this back.

[@PeachToadstool]

This is a truly great rundown of all the Cool Bits in Super Game Boy and Super Game Boy 2. I used to love playing with the original, writing down colour codes for how to play each of the games I owned, and I even entered the contest in Nintendo Power. Really glad to see Cool Bits back! Oh, and to everyone reading: Be sure to listen to the end of the video, for there's a cool bit of the NEW Cool Bits theme!

[@HomePlateDrums]

THE KING HAS RETURNED!! I’ve missed Cool Bits so much!

[@shadowednight1600]

Nintendo has to offer some form of Super Game Boy. All those Game Boys games for Switch need colors

[@justapickedminfan]

You can restore the game's default GBC palette from the main menu, as well as change between OG green and GB Pocket monochrome. But yeah, some of the SGB specific palettes would be appreciated.

[@pun_dimen]

I love cute 90s animations like these. So relaxing

[@GamerFunOriginallyAarush]

Cool Bits is finally back!

[@marscaleb]

I remember reading about this in the detailed Super Game Boy manual that Nintendo Power released. I was super-excited and wanted to try it out, but I had no idea that ALL the borders did something cool! I had sat around doing nothing on several of them, only to see nothing happen, so I figured it was only a few of them. Thank you for compiling this complete list! I never saw most of these when I played this back in the day.

[@AngryGumball]

I grew up with a SGB...but I was today-years-old when I learned of these idle animations. I guess I never paused my games long enough to notice.

[@warlock253]

wow! I had a super gameboy as a kid & had no idea about those screensaver/effects! awesome vid!

[@Poyostar]

I had absolutely no idea these were a thing until now! It's cool to see more Super GameBoy love around here!

[@ShaneMGD]

COOL BITS RETURNS OMG, GOOD DAYS OF GAMEXPLAIN IS BACK

[@meowmochimeow]

This was such a fun video, didn't think I could get so hype over boarders!

[@MERCHIODOS]

Cool that cool bits have returned.

[@locustbag]

wow this takes me back, i remember watching cool bits a ton as a kid

[@nuclearbeeberman]

super cool format. please make more of it :)

[@emmettturner9452]

I discovered the instant screen saver code the day I received the Nintendo Power issue with the credits code since you trigger it the same way except by accidentally pressing L an extra time. ;)

[@SKRicochet]

Oh my god, you completely unlocked memories I forgot I had. I remember all of these!!

[@solonepeon5805]

This was my Switch back then. I had so much fun playing Pokemon & many other games that had saved data. The idea to play handheld & then continue on the TV was awesome! I'm glad Nin came back with that idea as it's the best thing they did.

[@renakunisaki]

Pokémon was so good for it because it let you save anywhere (except during battle ofc), so switching was easy. I'm a bit disappointed though that no games (that I know) used the custom border functions to show more information. Like, your Pokémon could have been shown there. Or, they could have used the "take over the SNES" function (which was an intended, documented feature!) to present a larger play field, higher quality visuals and sounds, etc. I think only two games did that, but they did it by just having a separate SNES version of the game in them, instead of being a hybrid mode.

[@dg-vc8fz]

This is a Awesome video please make more Cool Bits videos!!!

[@giulytsme]

I can't believe COOL BITS is actually back!!

[@aikokyomai]

Coolbits is back?! My favorite series from you guys!!

[@jovyflow007]

The border with the windows revealing clouds might be paintings instead, and Mario and the other characters coming in and out of it gives off that Super Mario 64 vibe where he also enters and exits out of paintings to go to the levels of the game. Also, there are clouds that resemble the cover of the N64 game, which is Mario flying in the clouds with Peach's Castle in the background.

[@WilliamJester-sd7rh]

Thanks for bringing this back!!

[@pleasecallmedaviddjs1298]

Omg it’s back finally I’ve been asking this for years

[@xaidoesmusic]

Wow a cool bits episode! Such a throwback! 🎉

[@phuctruong1484]

Wow i thought this channel would be dead with solo andrew, but turns out he is the one with all the creative juice as proven here

[@pattongilbert]

Cool Bits!! Love this series. :)

[@JJMcCullough]

Those bits were certainly cool!

[@get_stached]

8:39 - André . . . it's beautiful 😭👏👏

[@ThunderToast97]

That was a VERY Cool Bit~! ^u^

[@richfutrell753]

Well that easily earned a sub...thanks!

[@mikeytim1402]

Cool bits is back after all these years

[@Dakarus]

Man I didn't know cool bits was still a thing, it's been years since I seen a gamexplain video.

[@aaronsarchive82]

Good episode. Until the Switch came out, I still played Super Game Boy pretty regularly.

[@mattm5803]

HOLY SHIT COOL BITS IS BACK

[@therealseanw.stewart2071]

When we least expected it, Cool Bits has returned to us. I always thought the little animations in the Super Game Boy were really neat! Also, I gotta say it, Duff Man made for a great narrator in that Super GB commercial. "In LIVING COLOR! OH YEAH!"

[@GameXplain]

ahahaha that does actually sound like him doesn't it?

[@shieldscoolkid3]

OMG THE SERIES I KNEW GX FOR MOST 8 years ago IS BACK!!!

[@ethelchip3620]

Actually really nice animations. It'd be cool if someone released a romhack to the let the animations play while you're actually playing the game.

[@Spin_Music]

WE ARE SO BACK

[@AstralBraixen]

Wow this was _Super Rad!_ It takes Game Boy games and charges them with *_Super Power!_*

[@johnbakasmoothhotchocolate]

Yeah, the theater backdrop is my personal favorite as well. It’s the same one I used in my playthrough of Balloon Kid on my channel last year.

[@JustJulyo]

Looks like we gotta wait another 4 years for the next episode

[@Werten25]

Gosh I was not expecting them to revive this series.

[@Drew_D]

Many of these Super GameBoy idle animations would have made great screen savers for the old Windows computers.

[@chrisbeach423]

These “cool bit” videos and “pop fiction” by game trailers were my childhood!!! Well early 20’s hood 🤣

[@Dayrecord_1892]

Cool Bits, thats a name I haven't heard in a LONG time!

[@fgfhjfhjfbhfghf5771]

I feel like there really should've been a consistently animating border to prevent burn in

[@Mimikyu_Lov3r]

If you know what you’re doing you can apply these Super GameBoy (and Super GameBoy 2) frames to GameBoy games on an Analogue Pocket!!!

[@Catty-Crashy]

We got Cool Bits back before GTA6. Yeah I Don't really messing around with that joke, But I'm Suprised Cool Bits is officially being revive. : o

[@GameXplain]

🤣

[@brandenbro8917]

He finally did a new cool bits I been telling Andre do it every time I join a stream

[@jamesmoss3424]

I remember playing Super Game Boy a lot when I was a kid it's still brilliant today. 😀👍🎮

[@pepin.r.n.b]

These were indeed cool bits! Love that Nintendo put in so much effort for something that was only meant to spread joy😆

[@ElVlogdeBob]

30 years an dthis is the first time I know this! :O

[@IsaacDavis-p3c]

Now that is a Cool Bit™️

[@lukethephantomthief]

Cool Bits Now that’s a name i’ve not heard in a long long time

[@inceptional]

Ha, these are all very cool. I most certainly didn't know about any of this stuff.

[@4dojo]

I remember thinking that this was the pinnacle of technology.

[@gameboyjsa]

@8:17 nintendo had many ufos in mario games for the same reason that everybody had aliens in things at the time. They were super popular in the 80s and even through the 90s after the alien movie and some other pop culture happenings like cow abductions.

[@Antnj81]

If they're not going to allow us to stretch the aspect ratio, I wish Nintendo would give us an update that allows us to utilize these Super Gameboy borders in GB NSO

[@JASpiring]

You'd think they'd allow you to use SGB mode for games that don't have a Game Boy Color mode. Don't those games have to be played in monochrome?

[@glauciarochelle]

super nintendo really have a lot charm with the 16bits included this ilde animation

[@CakeKingYT]

Jesus Christ it’s been SO LONG!!!

[@Cynim]

Nice! Keep them coming!

[@johnnyroche138]

This should be added to NSO Game Boy

[@SeargentCookies]

COOL BITS IS BACK!

[@luiscamilororera159]

OMG IT'S ALIVE!

[@fabianperez1125]

I remember watching this series as a kid

[@Nyperold018]

I think I accidentally stumbled upon the code for starting the idle animations without waiting because I misremembered how the code to get the SGB credits went. I don't know how many 2-player fighting games for the Game Boy this was true of, but Street Fighter II had the nice feature of letting you play 2-player games without another TV, SNES, or copy of the game. Player 2 just used the second controller. (Though, given that you can't play as Dhalsim, E. Honda, or Vega, I would recommend just getting the SNES version to begin with if you don't plan to play on the go.) But speaking of Street Fighter II, the border would actually change to match the stage you're playing on. No animations, however.

[@blackenedheart9592]

I have a Super Gameboy 2! Works perfectly fine on US consoles. You have to modify the Super Nintendo slightly but if you use a third party console like the super retro trio plus It works fine.

[@renakunisaki]

It's also possible to add a link cable port to the original. I don't know why it didn't have one, but my suspicion is they thought the slight speed difference would be a problem. From what I've heard, it's not, but I doubt that's been thoroughly tested.

[@bland9876]

Once i learned of this stuff i was sad you can't access anything on the game cube. So all those suoer Gameboy sounds and botders and what not dosnt show up on the game cube :(

[@leahluostarinen]

Hasn't Andre done these cool bits before in the past

[@mylittleparody2277]

You have no idea how much the super game boy was weird. Inside, it's literaly a gb cpu, okay. and the image is treamed to the super game boy as snes tiles. Now, for the fun part. The gb games could interract with the super game boy! The first obvious addition was the border. And here, the gb cartridge (so very limited in memory) could either send gb tiles or snes tiles of various color depth. Then, the gb could ask the sgb to color the screen. But it was weird af, it can only ask like "okay, color the area from X,Y to X,Y in that tint". The snes just modified the palette color of the streamed tiles. So, while the sgb can apply colors to gam, it can, as opposed to the game boy color, distinguish between sprites and backgrounds! That's why most heavy colored screens were level selections or titles, because, as it wasn't moving (much), you can make believe. An other largely unused option was for the gb to ask the sgb... how many controlers were plugged! Yes, you can do a multiplayer game (up to 4 players) at the gb native resolution XD What a mess. A last very unused option was to ask the snes to play music. Yes, the gb cartridge (again, super limited in memory) could store snes musics ! Ear for yourself: The title music in a GB : kzbin.info/www/bejne/j17WnGx7bcp1pKM The title music in a SGB : kzbin.info/www/bejne/i6Wro3mQitSqo5Y (that's the same cartridge!) Want more ? The sgb developpers knew the gb memory was super limited. So they also packed a bank of sound effects of snes quality that the gb game coul use whenever it wants! I don't know any game that uses this functionality. One last for the road ? You could execute snes code from the gb cartridge. yes, a game boy game could also embed in it's ridiculous memory, a real, honnest to godness, sens game! As far as I know only one game do it, space invaders Even if you don't know much about consoles power, just watch it here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/h3zWe6Khd8dsmNk The first part plays as a normal game boy game on the sgb (with custom border and colors), and @12:20, the game switches to full snes mode, the difference is astoning!

[@uncledot1868]

I wish Nintendo made a Super Game Boy 3, one that played Game Boy Color games with their original color palettes. Link's Awakening DX, Dragon Warrior Monsters, and a host of others all had their own unique borders. Yes, I know we got the Game Boy Player for the GameCube, but it just doesn't have the same magic as the Super Game Boy.

[@renakunisaki]

GB Player was kinda rubbish. Added a lot of display lag, didn't look very good, didn't add any cool features except rumble. To use rumble, or even know they were on a GB Player so they could adjust colors, the games had to display its logo in fullscreen for 4 seconds. So games started having essentially an ad delaying every startup.

[@aidanmoore8751]

Cool bits....now there's a name i haven't heard in a while.

[@tommydeonauth9403]

The Super Game Boy borders had more effort put into them than the Game Boy and GBA NSO apps... Seriously, how are there no options for borders in the NSO apps? Also, great to see this series come back after... a long hiatus...

[@Boedinator]

And when the world needed it most….it returned

[@Cynim]

I do hope Nintendo adds the Super Game Boy feature on their NSO Game Boy app some day. For the boarder, but also for the games with Super Game Boy features. That would be sweet!

[@rikustorm13]

Aw yeah we back :o

[@xnamkcor]

4:30 Those Pencils are D6s, and they actually animated it.

[@JonnyDenny1816]

6:57 since when Mario gets kidnapped that’s crazy

[@Daniel_95]

“Latest episode” it’s been like a decade 😭 feels like 2014 again

[@tkundnobody]

this shows even more, that NSO GB App should have Super Gameboy support

[@Scars1023]

Love the SNES era. Makes me all fuzzy inside

[@Kirbman]

5:24 Close. It's actually based on Convex and Concave, another work by M. C. Escher.

[@randomcommentog]

COOL BITS IS BACK?????

[@woomydayz]

Cool bits!! Ah!!

[@EBTheOriginalMaster]

The border with the singing clams reminds me of Jellyfish Jam from SpongeBob.

[@mulitimatemasters]

It was fun with the Pokemon red blue and yellow games with the red blue and yellow side borders😊😊

[@renakunisaki]

Gold/Silver had them too. And then Crystal, which only worked on GB Color, also had a border... the same one as Gold. I once managed to use CodeBreaker (a better GameShark) to trick Crystal into running on it. The opening scene was garbled, but once you started the game... it crashed immediately. 😆