Dick Tracy

About

Dick Tracy is a 1991 side-scrolling action game adapted for the Game Boy. You play as the sharp-dressed detective chasing Big Boy after his prison escape. The game leans into quickfire platforming and shooting as you navigate city streets and alleyways. Simple controls let you jump, punch, and fire a gun to take down henchmen and obstacles. The single-player campaign follows a linear path through increasingly chaotic scenes, all while Big Boy’s goons block your way. The game stands out as one of the early Game Boy titles to bring arcade-style action to portable play. Realtime Associates’ development work focuses on tight mechanics over deep storytelling, matching the Game Boy’s technical limits. While it doesn’t expand much on the NES version’s formula, it offers a compact experience that fits the system’s audience. The 1991 release date places it near the start of the Game Boy’s dominance, making it a relic of early handheld gaming’s simplicity.

Storyline

Big Boy has escaped from jail and it's up to Detective Tracy to track him down.