The Game Boy Pocket is a redesigned version of the original Game Boy having the same features released in 1996. Notably, this variation is smaller and lighter.

Another notable improvement over the original Game Boy includes a black-and-white display screen, rather than the "pea soup" monochromatic display of the original Game Boy and less sprite blurs. The Game Boy Pocket takes two AAA batteries as opposed to four AA batteries for roughly ten hours of gameplay. The first model of the Game Boy Pocket did not have an LED to show battery levels, but was added in favor of public demand.

On April 1998, a variant of the Game Boy Pocket named Game Boy Light was exclusively released in Japan. The differences between the original Game Boy Pocket is that it takes on two AA batteries instead of two AAA batteries and has a backlit screen that can be turned on or off. This backlit screen allowed the use of it in darkened areas. The Game Boy Light was superseded by the Game Boy Color six months later and the Game Boy Light was the only Game Boy to have a backlit screen until the release of the updated backlit Game Boy Advance SP in 2005.

System sales ceased in 2003.

Game Boy Pocket Conductive Pad Set