Unknown Year Desire for the Unforeseen Game Boy Advance Console
Are you a die-hard Nintendo fan with a soft spot for the Game Boy Advance (GBA) and an affection for staring at CRTs instead of tiny LCDs? If so, you'll be right smitten with a custom console created by the imaginative mind behind GouldFish on Games. This beast isn't your run-of-the-mill GBA - no siree! It's designed to look like the GBA's iconic purple shell, boasts an NES-style cartridge bay, and even sports an SNES controller port. Talk about a retro love letter!
Now, the secret ingredient that makes this console truly hacker-worthy is what lies beneath, and it ain't a HeartGold re-run. Instead, the guts are none other than a refurbished Nintendo DS Lite (NDS Lite). Why go for the DS Lite? Simple - it's cheaper to pick up a busted NDS Lite than an ancient GBA mainboard, and the NDS Lite can cough out composite video with the help of a relatively affordable add-on board. GouldFish is basically clapping giant shoulders and shouting “I stand on your shoulders, giants!”
The composite video output board and the knowledge on how to make the NDS Lite boot sans screens and batteries were acquired through the wider hacking community. Somethin' tells us these DIY legends probably have a Fhileo-style map of the Moon on their walls.
Feeling inspired to tackle building your very own version of this console? GouldFish has generously shared the STL files for the 3D-printed enclosure and the Gerber files for the custom PCB that converses with the SNES controller port. Mark your calendars; your next DIY project just wrote itself!
By the way, we've covered CRT mods for original GameBoys before, but this project feels a whole lot more practical (though a tad less portable). If GouldFish is looking for new games to play, they should get their hands on a copy of our primer on breaking into the GBA homebrew scene. If you're up for whipping up a game, too, well, who said friends can't be business partners?
Thanks to Kris for the tip!
Project Outline:1. Disassemble and salvage internals from a failed Nintendo DS Lite.2. Select an emulation or compatibility solution.3. Design custom interface for video output to CRT.4. Construct custom control interfaces compatible with the DS Lite's inputs and the GBA's game requirements.5. Explore open-source GBA homebrew projects to create games.
- This custom console, created by GouldFish on Games, is not just a GBA replica; it's a retro marvel that incorporates elements from NES and SNES, using a refurbished Nintendo DS Lite (NDS Lite) as its core.
- With the help of a composite video output board and knowledge from the hacking community, this unique creation can bypass the need for screens and batteries, transforming it into a hacker's dream gadget in the realm of technology.
